Nick's Christmas Mix 2025

 

    The holidays are here once again, and I think that between the lights and the rituals, nothing is more quintessential to the season than music. Whether you prefer the laid back glamour of jazz and swing, the bounce and vibrance of pop and contemporary, or the melancholy of carols and folk; there is music to soothe every soul this season. And for what must be a noticeable theme from me at this point, this Mix represents what music means to me now: soothing a melancholy that's accumulated throughout the year. I hope I've found a balance between acknowledging and feeling the weight and aches of the past year as well as being able to let it go as we pass from one year to the next. The playlist is embedded below, and if you'll allow me, I'd love to tell you about how I put it together. 

"Sleigh Ride" - Seth MacFarlane & Liz Gillies

     As far as most Christmas song staples go, "Sleigh Ride" is a classic if a little predictable most of the time. Many high school band performers grimace at the song which is often arranged and performed by rote. All this makes Seth MacFarlane and Liz Gilles' cover feel fresh and new despite its nostalgic arrangement. MacFarlane has spent years showcasing his affinity for swing and its at its best here in the duet. Gillies absolutely sells the absolute joy of taking a sleigh ride while belting carols. The Mix has to start off strong, and this was the clear choice. 

"The Holly" - Atlantic Union

    The basis for so many of the early Christmas Mixes were compilation albums, including Christmas in the Harbour, a tour of Newfoundland's folk music which builds off of the Celtic music of England, Wales, Brittany, and of course Ireland. "The Holly" is a perfect amalgam of the ancient carols and the nostalgic folk scene of the late 20th-century. The harpsicord and distinct accent pair excellently together, making it a clear choice for the Mix. 

"Skating" - The Lori Mechem Quartet

    "Skating" is without a doubt my favourite of the classic Vince Guaraldi tracks for A Charlie Brown Christmas, simultaneously playful, thoughtful, energized, and reclined at once. Lori Mechem's quartet is faithful to the note with each cover on the album Christmas Is Coming, but "Skating" in particular is crisp and refreshed by the tribute. 

 

"Sleepwalking Through Christmas" - Ben Folds

    We are certainly turning to the more sad and, well, depressed emotions with this track. While songs like "Christmas Blues", "I'll Have a Blue Christmas", etc. vaguely describe the lows of the season, I don't think many songs are like "Sleepwalking Through Christmas" manage to convey the feeling of emptiness that can hit during the holidays. It's a unique form of sadness that this song balances with hopes for a better year and for change. 

"Caroling, Caroling" - Nat King Cole

    Nat King Cole is one of a kind, and the gentle rise of joy from sleigh bells are a perfect way to build off the depressed emptiness of the previous track and build towards a hopeful look at the holiday season. After all, there is no sweeter joy than that that comes to help sing the sad of heart to cheer.

"Nothin' Under the Tree" - Taliesin Jaffe & Critical Role

    Christmas isn't just about what you've felt during the year, sentiment, etc. Sometimes it's just about being with your friends and having a good time. The punk rock send up by Taliesin Jaffe's literal punk rock D&D character Ashton is a solid, energized track that balances the sweetness of the mix with just enough salt to make it pop. 

"Christmas Day" - Dido

    Dido's single is a coffee house blend of acoustic and electronic that combines a timeless theme of love at Christmas with the modern sensibilities of the late 90s. Not to mention that it's really tricky to find the actual album cover that the song was released on for the UK as it tends to only end up in compilation mixes like Greatest Hits or ironically, Christmas Mixes like this one. 

"Third Carol for Christmas Day" - Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill &

Donal Lunny

    Whether it's Iberian classics like "Galician Carol" or Irish folk carols like this, Celtic music has been a distinct presence in my life from both sides of my family. It is one of those old fashioned carols that sounds grave despite being a celebration, but that doesn't detract from the charm that comes from taking in a deep, cold breath on a December morning with a cup of tea in your hands as pale sunlight creeps over blue snow. 

"It Feels Like Christmas" - Ghost of Christmas Present & The Muppets

    I think an underrated component of the Muppets' charm is their commitment to have them be real, "breathing" actors. In this case, the Ghost of Christmas Present receives his proper due for the charming summation of what makes Christmas Christmas. While A Muppet Christmas Carol has its share of great songs (which will get their roses in due time), for now, this song represents what I felt the Mix needed most. Sincere, unapologetic love for the season unrelated to ritual, religion, or tradition: pure love and joy. 

"Jingle Bells" - New Birth Brass Band

    If the pure, distilled feeling of Christmas is joy itself, what music best represents that? To me, nothing is more ecstatic and proud to be loud about it than New Orleans jazz, and Allen Toussaint's compilation A New Orleans Christmas is full to the brim of local artists giving their own personal spin on holiday classics. It is exactly what you expect from New Orleans and that's exactly why I love it so much. 

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - Ella Fitzgerald

    Like Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald is one of a kind, and I don't think Mary would forgive me if I left out Ella before she got the chance to shine on every Mix she could. And this track in particular certainly deserved the chance to shine as it's one of the few versions that isn't quite so sad, a well deserved qualifier when it comes to balancing out the more somber tracks in the Mix. 

"Merry Christmas, Please Don't Call" - Bleachers

    "Merry Christmas, Please Don't Call" is one of those tracks that's so good it makes you forget the lyrics don't necessarily apply to you, which I guess is common for any fan of a top-tier breakup song who still loves their partner dearly. Putting the context aside, it remains a gorgeous take on many beloved hits of the 80s with vocals brimming with enough pathos to ensure the sincerity of the song is never lost. 

"Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal / Rehearsal)" - Vince Guaraldi Trio

    Continuing last year's tradition of an interlude, we have something that isn't quite a full song. It's barely half a minute and not much of what is said can be heard. Still, hearing the cast of one of, if not the best holiday specials of all time fail to keep composure during rehearsal is so uniquely bright you cannot help but smile and grin with them. 

"Disco Christmas" - Revenge Wife

    This was a recommendation I was given when I was first looking for new music to try and incorporate. Like Ben Folds, Revenge Wife's track perfectly encapsulates the unique collision of holiday cheer with standard depression. It's not that I don't feel cheer this time of year, it's that I feel it and the lull at once. And this honest track combines the bright pop styles of the 2020s with Elizabeth Nestico's subdued if optimistic lyrics about trying to find small joy in walks, watching the snow, and movies like Elf. It's not quite about trying to "get through the holidays" as much as it's about trying to get through life to get to the holidays. So, thanks Ellen Grace for the suggestion, I'm really happy to have this on the Mix. 

    

"Christmas Dreaming" - Laufey

    Laufey is one of those artists you wish had been around for at least a decade longer than when you first found her. Her low voice and classic composition of holiday jazz make all her works classics from the moment she begins to sing to the last brush of the snare and closing hi-hat. 

"'Zat You, Santa Claus? (The Heavy Remix)" - Louis Armstrong & The Commanders

    Already a classic track on its own, The Heavy's remix of The Commanders's instrumentation subtly emphasizes the cheeky bounce of Louis Armstrong's vocals. Each bounce back and forth for a great track to kick the vibe back into gear. The album is a particular fave of mine, as the Mangini vs. Pallin mix of Ella Fitzgerald's "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" was my introduction to Ella Fitzgerald and holiday jazz more broadly. 

"Looks Like a Cold, Cold Winter" - Ingrid Michaelson

    Ingrid Michaelson is very much in the same category of Laufey and even Seth MacFarlane. They appreciate what made mid-century Christmas music work but take full advantage of modern production and mixing to refine their sound in a timeless, crisp way. Michaelson builds off of the Heavy's remix of Armstrong with a bright vintage sound. 

"Still, Still, Still" - Charla Peterson

    Lullabies are hard to place in the Mix. The problem with selecting songs is you sort of pick them off of quality first, then make them work together later. This is mostly fine for high energy tracks, but softer tracks like "Still, Still, Still" often feel a bit out of place. I still have a soft spot in my heart for songs like it, as one of my first actual lullabies was the "Coventry Carol" (which, if you know what the song is about, is a little disconcerting), still, this track about the night before Christmas perfectly conveys both the jubilation of the holiday and how calm the world feels every December 24th.  

"God Rest Us Merry Gentlemen" - The Ghosts of Christmas Past

    Not to be confused with the muppet from a previous track, the Ghosts of Christmas Past are medieval revivalists who bring ancient carols back as they were. This rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (original title included) continues the Mix's softer tone from the previous track that bridges the lullaby before it with the lament after it. 

"The Snow It Melts the Soonest" - The Longest Johns

    I've had a love of the Bristollian shanty men for several years now, and their consistent release of carols or holiday-inspired original shanties usually means I have a track for the Mix, but also means I don't often return to their original holiday EP, Christmas At Sea. This track is the final somber addition to the Mix, and this song of farewells and "we'll-meet-agains" with the motif of a coming spring serves as a good point to return to the lighter, brighter tracks as the Mix begins to wind down. 

"Deck the Halls" - R.E.M.

    As many of you know, I tend to follow some general rules for putting the Mix together. One song per artist, one version of a given song, and generally no repeats save for one special track. And given that this song is incredibly difficult to find on any streaming service, finding an archived video of R.E.M.'s cover of "Deck the Halls" was the clear choice (with thanks to @@ChristmasSongsILike for saving it). This song has been a favourite for years, and I'm so happy that had a version is available to bridge the somber tracks that came before it. 

"Christmas Blues" - The Ramsey Lewis Trio

    Ramsey Lewis's Christmas records are in a unique subcategory of Christmas jazz, which is they tend to get played closer to the end of the night. It's not at all to do with quality, far from it. The specific sound and feeling of the Trio is best reserved for when you switch out cocktails for coffee and a standing crowd for a few close friends left on the couches, snacking on some of the leftover bits and crumbs that are still worth getting on a paper plate and napkin. It's cheerfully relaxed and perfect for setting on the record player before sitting down to relax after a long night of hosting, which is why despite it being a natural choice for the Mix, it's ended up so low. 

"Every Single Christmas" - JD McPherson

    SOCKS is easily one of the clear classics of a Nick's Christmas Mix. Since the title track was featured in the 2015 Mix over a decade ago, the album has been picked clean through the years. SOCKS given a lot of joy, and I'm happy to have "Every Single Christmas" be its farewell to the Mixes as JD yells out the undeniable truth that every single year, you fall in love just a little bit with everything around you. 

"Then It Snowed" - Gabrielle Papillon

    To be frank, I really struggled with this track. Every time I gave it a listen I went back and forth on it. Not because I disliked it, but more whether or not I felt it belonged on the Mix. I adored the song, an emblem of the mid 2010s optimism for the future and overcoming struggles against oppression and injustice. I found myself feeling oddly nostalgic, not for Christmas but for this period where things felt as though they could be ok. I still think so, but it's clear thinking back to my adolescence that we've lost quite a bit. And in the end, I think this song deserves its place here because of what this holiday means to me. Yes it is cold, yes we have lost so much, but it is not over. We can call for light and levity and keep going. 

"Holiday Cheers" - Paul Loren

    While they don't always make it to the very end, I usually try to find a song about toasting to begin closing out the Mix. Whether its classic carols like We Toast the Days or The Parting Glass or even modern originals like this one, I think it's good to take a moment through the Mix to take a moment, take stock of what we have, and give a small moment for everything we have. 

"The Nutcracker Suite" - The Brian Setzer Orchestra

    Sometimes you just got to end with a banger. The suite is no-doubt familiar to anyone who's rewatched Elf already this year, but the entire suite is the perfect finale for the entire Mix. It's got the bright exuberant opening and closing with a few gentle lulls to let you catch your breath. It's a signal that the Mix is almost done, but with about seven minutes to let yourself enjoy the last legs of the ride. 

Thanks for reading, listening, and otherwise being here for the holidays. You're who I make these for. If you like the blog, please share it and tell others about it. I'm hoping to write more consistently next year, and a fresh post for the holidays will be arriving soon!