From your favorite (I do hope) local Buddhist, here’s wishing you all a Merry Christmas. In the spirit of the anti-materialistic Christmas Carol and Peace on Earth…here’s my favorite Xmas songs (the number at the end of each is the number of times I’ve played ’em, apparently). I’ve included videos for a few…you can of course download any you’re curious about, or love but haven’t listend to for awhile.

Fur Elise3:52Ludwig van BeethovenPrelude to a Winter Morning – ChristmasClassical 156

I’m not particularly into it, but everyone else is. The full classic:

Canon in D4:50PachelbelPrelude to a Winter Morning – ChristmasClassical 152

Nutcracker March2:48TchaikovskyPrelude to a Winter Morning – ChristmasChristmas 146

The Four Seasons – Winter Allegro non molto3:44VivaldiPrelude to a Winter Morning – Christmas 125

Swan Lake Pas d’Action8:01TchaikovskyPrelude to a Winter Morning – ChristmasClassical 119

The Four Seasons – Winter9:23VivaldiChristmasClassical 115

The Four Seasons – Winter Largo2:21VivaldiPrelude to a Winter Morning – ChristmasClassical 109

Nutcracker Suite Tchaikovsky Full:

Water Music (air)4:45HandelChristmas -Trungpa Werma WeddingClassical 94

Water Music Alla Hornpipe3:16HandelPrelude to a Winter Morning – Christmas -Trungpa Werma WeddingClassical 90

Silver Bells by Dean Martin: sad, nostalgic, romantic, classic.

Fireworks Music Bourree, Handel, Prelude to a Winter Morning:

Serenade No. 13 – A Little Night Music6:31Wolfgang Amadeus MozartPrelude to a Winter Morning – ChristmasClassical 87

Symphony No. 100 Allegro5:43HaydnPrelude to a Winter Morning – ChristmasClassical 86

Symphony No. 21 Allegro5:21Wolfgang Amadeus MozartPrelude to a Winter Morning – ChristmasClassical86

Baby, It’s Cold Outside2:38Dean MartinChristmasChristmas84

Serenade for Strings – Tema russo8:14TchaikovskyPrelude to a Winter Morning – ChristmasClassical 81

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!1:58Dean MartinChristmasChristmas73

The Four Seasons – Winter Allegro3:56VivaldiPrelude to a Winter Morning – ChristmasClassical 72

Scene No. 15 Final Waltz and Apotheosis4:52Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasClassical 71

Winter Wonderland1:54Dean MartinChristmas songsChristmas68

Scene No. 14 Variation II Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy2:44Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasClassical 66

Scene No. 5 (Excerpt) Grandfather’s Dance1:59Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasClassical 65

Scene No. 8 Tableau II3:49Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasClassical 64

Scene No. 14:00Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasClassical63

Silent Night by Dean Martin:

Scene No. 12 Tea (Chinese)1:17Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasChristmas62

Scene No. 12 Trepak (Russian)1:28Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasClassical62

Scene No. 9 Waltz of the Snowflakes Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet Orchestra Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker:

Scene No. 12 Coffee (Arabian)4:08Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasClassical61

Scene No. 12 Marzipan (Dance of the Red Pipes)2:43Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasClassical61

Scene No. 14 Coda1:47Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasClassical61

Scene No. 42:58Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasClassical60

Scene No. 66:45Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasClassical60

Scene No. 7 The Battle3:55Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasClassical60

Overture3:10Jonathan McPhee & The Boston Ballet OrchestraTchaikovskyThe Nutcracker – ChristmasClassical 59

Blue Christmas2:19Dean MartinChristmas44

Rudolph2:13Dean MartinChristmas40

A Winter Romance3:00Dean MartinChristmas Dreams & FantasiesChristmas 36

A Marshmallow World2:48Dean MartinChristmas 35

Auld Lang Syne – Sinatra, Dino & Friends2:13Frank Sinatra & Dean MartinChristmas With The Rat Pack New YearChristmas 35

Carol Of The Bells2:30Vienna Boys’ ChoirVienna Boys’ ChoirChristmas30

White Christmas by Otis Redding (best known perhaps, these days, via Love Actually):

Carol Of The Bells2:12The Boston PopsHoliday PopsChristmas 28

Blue Christmas2:07Elvis PresleyIf Every Day Was Like XmasChristmas 27

Jingle Bells2:03Frank SinatraChristmas SongsChristmas 27

We Wish You a Merry Christmas2:00Bing CrosbyChristmas songsChristmas 26

A classic of classics: “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas,: by Bing Crosby (Irving Berlin)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9QLn7gM-hY

If Every Day Was Like Christmas2:57Elvis PresleyTreasury Of ChristmasChristmas 26

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas2:35Frank SinatraChristmas 26

‘Hallelujah’3:45Vienna Boys’ ChoirHandelMessiah – ChristmasClassical 26

Ave Maria5:29Vienna Boys’ ChoirClassical Christmas 26

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g4lY8Y3eoo

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas: by Dean Martin:

By Bing:

Let It Snow2:03Bing CrosbyChristmas 24

The First Noel2:44Frank SinatraChristmas With the Rat PackChristmas 23

The Little Drummer Boy by Charlotte Church:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZrStXzhf1A

Another:

On A Snowy Christmas Night2:48Elvis PresleyChristmas 22

Silent Night2:22Elvis PresleyChristmas 22

Frosty The Snowman2:35Jimmy DuranteChristmas 22

White Christmas2:30Dean Martin & Nat King ColeChristmas 21

O Holy Night2:35Vienna Boys’ ChoirVienna Boys’ ChoirChristmas 20

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town2:33Frank SinatraChristmas 19

What Are You Doing New Years’3:31Ella FitzgeraldElla Wishes You A Swingin’…Auld Lang Syne New Year’s Christmas HolidayChristmas 18

Mistletoe And Holly2:18Frank SinatraChristmas With The Rat Pack holidayChristmas 16

Handel’s Messiah Hallelujah Chorus3:55Mormon Tabernacle ChoirHandelChristmas -Trungpa Werma Wedding 15

And here’s a more modern one: Mariah Carey’s hit, All I Want For Christmas Is You:

Bonus: I don’t know or love Mariah Carey much, but this video hit me a bit. Writeup via Poolparty.com:

Mariah pulls out all the stops on this one–utilizing every one of her 8 octaves–Mariah raises the church rafters and manages to put a lump in your throat.  Some may prefer more traditional interpretations of this song, but in my mind this is the definitive version.

Mariah Carey “O Holy Night”