Favorite/Most Hated Christmas Song

[Neumann Sennheiser]

Noting today is Brenda Lee's birthday, I thought this might be the time and place for us to rant or rave about music of the season. Where I work, the music played over the sound system isn't the all-time worst but Brenda appears frequently enough to stir my inner Grinch.

So...for me "Rockin' Round the Christmas Tree" makes the "worst" list. Also "Blue Christmas" (just plain depressing).
Bests would include stuff from the Charlie Brown Christmas selections; "Linus and Lucy" best of all.
Also "Baby It's Cold Outside" (any number of great versions).
"Merry Christmas Darling" by the Carpenters will probably make someones "worst" list but, for me, for reasons inexplicable, I'd put it in a separate third category of "guilty pleasures".

[bryguy]

I'd have to say Mariah Kerry's All I want for christmas is you has to top that followed by Steevie Nix's version of Silent night. One of the best has to be The Little Drummer Boy by Bing Crosby and David Bowie

[jon]

Heard "Run Rudolf Run" by Chuck Berry yesterday at my favourite eatery. It is played infrequently enough that I still find it a nice change.

Never heard it when it came out, but have heard "Driving Home for Christmas" by Chris Rea in recent years, and quite enjoy it, too. My wife keeps wanting to hear "Santa Baby" in the shopping malls, but never does....

[Steve Sanderson]

Favorite childhood novelty Christmas song.....I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas by Gayla Peevey.
Christmas songs I can't stand.....Anything by Celine Dion.

[Buckley]

Worst Christmas Songs: Anything sung by animals (there's full CDs of Christmas tunes entirely barked or meowed!) or Randy Bachman's stupid remake of his own Takin' Care of Business called "Takin' Care of Christmas".

Favourite Christmas Song: As a kid, "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer", now... I'm bitter and jaded and don't have one

[drmusic]

For me, "Sleigh Ride" is unbreakable... I like pretty much any version from Leroy Anderson's original to the Carpenters. Recently a radio station (perhaps inadvertently, thinking they were playing his original recording) treated listeners to Bing Crosby's re-recording of the song from his final album, 1977's "Seasons." Surprisingly funky for a Bing Crosby recording.

[Russ_Byth]

This will not come as a surprise to some...fave is Feliz Navidad, followed by Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride.
Can't stand anything by Mahalia Jackson.

[BossRadio]

Most detested would have to be "Earl, the Xmas Squirrel" by the (then very young and still Victoria based) Hanson Brothers. It's an earworm of the worst sort.

Favorite melody, Oh Holy NIght, by anyone.

[Mike Cleaver]

Can't stand any version any more of "Little Drummer Boy."
Too repetitive and monotonous.
Smirk if you must, but I love the Ray Conniff Singers Christmas stuff.
It was the best quality sounding audio of it's day and was the first snapped up by sponsors of the taped 15 minute Christmas programs we used to sell at CKOV.
I also love Ella's Christmas collection.

[yathink]

The best.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddVZOK_9UUI

[crs]

Most Loved Christmas Songs: "Christmastime Is Here" from the Charlie Brown Christmas LP and just about any Christmas song by Johnny Mathis.

Most Hated Christmas Song: "Last Christmas" by George Michael

[radiofan]

It's a tie here for all time faves .. Sleigh Ride - The Ronettes and Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love .. both from the great
1963 A Christmas Gift To You from Philles Records .. aka The Phil Spector Christmas Album ..

Dislikes ... pretty much anything from the late 80s thru today ... especially Kenny G, Celine, Bolton, Mariah etc etc ...

[Firedog]

Being a Beach Boys fan, my favourites are Little Saint Nick and The Man With All The Toys, especially for their great harmony. The Burl Ives tune, Holly Jolly Christmas, just doesn't do anything for me anymore. (I hope I don't find a lump of coal in my stocking now).

[78rpm]

Can't stand any version any more of "Little Drummer Boy."
Too repetitive and monotonous.
Smirk if you must, but I love the Ray Conniff Singers Christmas stuff.
It was the best quality sounding audio of it's day and was the first snapped up by sponsors of the taped 15 minute Christmas programs we used to sell at CKOV.
I also love Ella's Christmas collection.

Try Bert Kaemphert's Little Drummer Boy, really swings!
Johnny Bower (thats right- ex-NHL) released a single in 1965 "Honky the Christmas Goose" really hokey , but a good laff.
Blue Christmas by Porky Pig gets my vote

[Dan Sys]

Where's your local pride guys? No one has mentioned this Vancouver classic yet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cocf1qpqBcE
What in the world ever happened to Little Patty Surbey?