I am a list person and in listening to my Christmas songs this month, I’ve been trying to create my top Christmas songs. I get the frisson of excitement when I start playing my Christmas songs and have a genuine love for these songs as they bring back happy memories and help to create a festive ambiance. To choose one as my all time favourite is impossible, but it would probably come from one of these four songs.

Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas?

This was the first single I ever bought at the age of 11 and I remember the purchase vividly. I bought it in Boots on Broad Street in Reading, upstairs in the little record department. I’m quite proud that this was my first single, Band Aid did make me realise about the inequalities in the world and I was quite a political teenager, perhaps this was the trigger. As well as the charity aspect, I love this song, I can name the pop stars singing the lines and happily sing along to it. It’s one of those songs you sing in pubs and clubs swinging on your friends and all singing into an imaginary microphone.

Kirsty McCall and the Pogues – Fairy Tale of New York.

I loved Kirsty McCall, she was an inspiration when I was growing up in the 1980s, her look, attitude and music were perfect for angst ridden me. I remember my sadness on learning of her tragic early death and this song seems even more poignant now. In contrast, I also like the madness of the Pogues so for me this song was a match made in heaven, coupled with my obsession for New York, what could I not like? The lyrics are brilliant and perfect for singing your insults loud and pride. But this song is more than a few insults and rude words, it’s a tale of anticipation and a fairy tale which sours. It sounds depressing but is beautiful

Slade – Merry Christmas Everybody.

This isn’t just a Christmas song it’s an anthem which everyone knows the words to. My little ones love it with its simple lyrics of Christmas traditions and not only can I sing along I also know all the Makaton signs to it too as it’s a firm favourite at my school too. It’s the most ridiculously happy song which puts me in a cheerful mood whenever I hear it. It’s also the same age as me as both made our debuts in 1973.

Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas is You .

This is the most modern song of my selection and so sparkly and poppy.  I was 21 when it came out and it became the soundtrack of happy, Christmas nights out.  My favourite night out of the year was never New Year but Christmas Eve and this was always played in the pubs and clubs.    Its a song that I just have to dance to as soon as I hear the bells in  the intro, another feel good song.

In addition to my top songs above, I also created another ‘award’ so I could include Wham’s Last Christmas as Best Christmas Video. The snowy mountains, log cabin, roaring log fire, this song of heartbreak is brilliant. I also love the song for trivia as it’s the bestselling number 2 single ever, being held off the no 1 by Band Aid.

As you can see I love the cheesy Christmas songs, they add to the Christmas atmosphere and quite simply make me happy and sparkly about the excitement  of the season.  These songs and many more  will always be on my Christmas playlist.