Best Christmas songs for driving

The winters are almost here and it is time for the cakes, mistletoes, hollies, gifts, Christmas trees and presents. Christmas is the time to be around your loved ones and be merry. With barely a few weeks in hand, we cannot wait to begin our preparations for Christmas.

Christmas is also the time to listen to carols. However, Christmas is not Christmas until we drive around our cities to marvel at the lights and the décor, visit friends and family and indulge in listening to some lovely Christmas songs while we drive. Below we give you a list of some of the most coveted and celebrated songs for the upcoming Christmas season so that you can stock up the tracks in your car stereo and invest yourself in the mood whenever you are behind the steering wheel.

1. ‘Winter Wonderland’ by Darlene Love

Winter Wonderland is one of the most renowned songs sung by the famous American popular music singer Darlene Love. The song is a part of the album ‘A Christmas Gift for you from Phil Spector’ and was released in 1963. Darlene Love is ranked at number 84 among Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Singers of all time. This Christmas Album packs the right mood of the season and while it is difficult for anyone to pick a single favourite, this song s considered y many to be the most harmonious one.

2. ‘Christmas Wrapping’ by Waitresses

Released in 1981, the single Christmas Wrapping was a predominant reason for the popularity of The Waitresses, the post-punk band from Ohio who was active for a decade between mid seventies and mid eighties. This fun song begins with the lyric ‘Bah Humbug’ and combines an interesting amalgamation of upbeat bass line and some downbeat sentiment.

3. ‘Driving Home for Christmas’ by Chris Rea

This song is all the more beautiful because of the sentimental story which wraps the essence of the lyric. Everyone can relate to what Chris might be going through when he is stuck in his car in a traffic jam on a Christmas Eve. ‘Driving Home for Christmas’ has a comfortable tune perfect to play at lounges and you can set the Christmas mood instantly. The song was released in 1983 and has been used in multiple Christmas commercials ever since. Rea himself considers this song as a ‘Car version of a Christmas Carol.’

4. ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ by Boney M

The Boney M featured cover of one of the most popular Christmas Carol ‘Longtime ago in Bethlehem…Mary’s Boy Child’ is one of the best selling Christmas singles of all times. Boney M gained much repute during the disco era of the 1970s and comprised of Jamaican singers. The carol was originally written in 1956 by Jester Hairston. Released in 1978, the song has a typical Boney M Disco feel.

5. ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ by Slade

Merry Xmas BY Slade is often the theme song for Christmas for many people around the world. The most fascinating aspect about this song is that the original lyric and tune of the song i.e. ‘Buy me a rocking chair’ in no way was Christmassy. This song was recorded in 1973 after the famous record company Polydor suggested to scrap the original and instead advised the band Slade to release a Christmas number. The song was at the top of the charts the moment it released and has been gaining much fan following ever since.

6. 'The 12 Days of Christmas' by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters

12 Days of Christmas by Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters was released in 1949 and is the perfect song to play in your car during the festive season, especially if you have children in the family. Being one of the most popular Christmas songs, this track is so easy to sing that you will often find everyone joining in when you sing! The upbeat melody coupled with Crosby’s trademark warm bass baritone voice, which is often considered as the ‘Voice of Christmas’ makes for a great hearing.

7. ‘Have yourself a Merry little Christmas’ by Frank Sinatra

Written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, this song was initially sung by Judy Garland in 1944 and later recorded by the American singer and song writer Frank Sinatra who was the third singer to record this number. Sinatra is one of the greatest singers of the 20^th century and his Christmas songs have been considered timeless by many. This song is backed by the popular Hollywood arranger Gus Levene and his orchestra.

8. ‘Mistletone and Wine’ by Cliff Richard

We all know that a Christmas playlist cannot be ever completed without a Cliff Richard and this single was released by the singer in 1988. ‘Mistletoe and Wine’ is Richard’s twelveth #1 chartbuster and his 99^th single. This song was also the best selling number in the UK in 1988. The song is written by Jeremy Paul, Leslie Stewart and Keith Strachan.

9. ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ by Michael Buble

This traditional Christmas song was originally written by John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie and was first sung on Eddie Cantor's radio show in November 1934. The latest version of these Christmas songs has been covered by the Canadian singer and songwriter Michael Buble in 2011 and has received rave reviews with listeners around the world.

10.  'Jingle Bell Rock' by Bobby Helms

The popular Christmas track Jingle Bell Rock was released by Bobby Helms in 1958 and the carol is the third most covered Christmas tunes of all times. The rhythmic and bouncy melody coupled with crispy lyrics is sung and loved by many around the world. Jingle Bells can instantly set the festive mood and Bobby Helm’s cover in the rock n roll tune is a much celebrated song.

So get on and listen to some peppy Christmas tunes. We promise that these songs will usher in the festive season in the best possible way and render the hop and skip in your steps.

Here’s wishing that you are in the best of health and happiness during the holidays. Have a Merry Christmas!