Every year, from the end of October onwards, we start receiving festive tracks in our Inbox, and every year we stash them away in a special playlist.

Fresh On The Net moderator, and Christmas song connoisseur (probably), Marina Florence has listened to all these tunes, and has this to say:

Lots of love has most certainly gone in to the production of some these tracks, with plenty of surprise and, in some cases, vague Christmas Cheer. Words contained within made me smile like: “Christmas is a cheeseboard for two”, “shopping for shit that you don’t even want”, or slightly more troubling, “this Christmas Eve there’s no need for extra chairs”. Covid gets a mention somewhat and one track calls it Corona — I remember a time when Corona meant fizzy pop delivered to your door by a man with a van.

The singers paint twinkled images of snow-covered streets, presents under the tree and rejoicing at a distance, some scene set with jingle jangly openings to mediocre middles and ecstatic endings. There’s the chance you may be surprised to discover that one or two, played on repeat much like the usual fare we hear, could be just as popular, you might even find yourself unintentionally singing along, fa la la la la la la la la.

Whether you listen to this playlist or ignore it, there’s no escaping the Christmas song, they will come whether you want them to or not, they will come with bouncy little tunes, sprinkled with good cheer, glockenspiels, xylophones, pianos, bells and a whole lotta sparkle.

Gift the artists in the playlist a few moments of your listening time this Yuletide, you may find one or two tracks that make you feel “all toasty inside”, it is true you could also find a few, let’s be kind here, that you don’t — that’s OK, just skip along to the next track. A couple had me feeling nostalgic and, more importantly, made me smile — no one can knock that.

Listen, like and comment below if you find anything you love, if nothing else it will give you something to do while you’re alone this Christmas.

It just leaves me one thing to say, from a socially safe distance of course, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

— Marina Florance

We’re taking a break until the inbox reopens on Monday, January 11th 2021. Thank you to everyone who sent us their music and voted on the Listening Post over the last twelve months.

Track List:

1. ANNIE DRESSNER – Wonderful Christmastime (feat. The Last Dinosaur)
2. CARLA J. EASTON FEAT. EUGENE KELLY (THE VASELINES) – When It’s Starting To Snow (Please Be Mine)
3. CHARLEY STONE – Merry Christmas Actually
4. CHARLOTTE BETTSON – COVID-XM45
5. CHRISSY AND THE PRESENTS – Here Comes A Christmas Song
6. DA – Have A Merry Christmas Mr Johnson
7. EDD DONOVAN AND THE WANDERING MOLES – Fell Like Snow
8. ELENA RAMONA – This Christmas
9. FALCON DOWN – Snow This Christmas
10. FM TOWNS – Until Another Year
11. GLOVE COMPARTMENT – Christmas Is Ruined
12. GODDAMMIT JEREMIAH – Let’s Just Give Christmas A Miss
13. GREG TAAFE – Christmas 2020
14. HOLLY TAYMAR – A Christmas Tree
15. JAKE NEWBY – Christmas Angel
16. JAKE POP – Wish List (Xmas Song 2020) Feat. Shea Thomas
17. JASON LEWIS AND ANCIENT CHAMPION – The Hospice, Christmas 2020
18. JIM PEARSON – Perfect Christmas Day
19. LAURA DURDEY – Christmas By The Bay
20. LIGHT EMITTING DINOSAURS – Christmas Alone
21. MELISSA BEL – River
22. MICHAEL PERRY – Spend It With You
23. MIKE MCKENZIE – Thex Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
24. PROBLEM PATTERNS – Christmas Number One
25. PROJECT SUNLIGHT – Christmas Lights
26. RAVI AMRUTH – Mistletoe
27. REBECCA HURN – Something About Christmas
28. REPLICA – I Don’t Want To Hear About Covid At Christmas Time
29. RONNIE PARRY – Christmas On Lord Street
30. RORY NELLIS – Comfort & Joy
31. SHINY TIGER – The Ghosts Of Christmas Past
32. SIMON BURFORD – Christmas Star
33. SOPHIE MCGEORGE – Here Comes The Snow
34. THAORES – Celebrate Christmas
35. THE BOY LEAST LIKELY TO – It Will Still Be Christmas
36. THE ELI LILLIES – Christmas Is The Season Of Love
37. THE HERRON BROTHERS – Don’t Be Lonely This Christmas
38. THE HORSE PUPPETS – Until Next Year
39. THE KUT – Waiting For Christmas
40. THE LOVE GENERATION – Corona’d At Christmas
41. THE SHACKLETON TRIO – Gonna Retrain As Santa Claus
42. THE WATANABES – Christmas Hummingbird
43. TIAM – Stars Will Shine (It’s Christmas Time)
44. TROPICAL BOYFRIEND CATALOGUE – I Celebrate Christmas (Better Than You)
45. VSTRS-3 – Don’t Let Christmas Fuck You Up
46. W3IMARANER – 3Mince

Previous Years:

• 2019
• 2018
• 2017
• 2016
• 2015
• 2014