Every year from October onwards we start receiving Christmas songs, and we collect these into a playlist that we put out on Christmas Eve. Here Marina Florance is here to take you through her highlights…

Here is a link to the Christmas Crackers playlist.

Here we go again, it’s another blooming Christmas Cracker playlist! Roll out the sparkly, twinkly (is that a word) tinseltown tunes.

Usually Del (FOTN main man) and myself review the tracks together, this year he has handed sole responsibility to me, blimey!

Writing a great Christmas song is hard although if this year’s submissions tell us anything, it’s that it is possible.

I’d love to give every track in the long list a mention, but I can’t, so I’ve picked out a few that hugged my ears and wrapped them in a big musical Christmas bow.

There’s jazz, folk, country, reggae, rock, gospel and more, so many tracks that have been lovingly created and submitted to this year’s seasonal playlist.

Let’s get this Christmas party started…

The Dome of St Paul’s by Ed Blunt, yes, a sad lonely love song but still its production is warm and festively superb. This is that rarefied thing we’re all searching for, an excellent brand-new Christmas song.

Meet Me at the Light Switch On by Mountaintop Junkshop, I want to meet them at the light switch on, they’ve painted a twinkly image that invokes hope, well it did for me anyway.

Divorced For Christmas by The Assist,although the music captures a light bouncy, dance round the kitchen in your fav Xmas jumper feel, hold up, wait a minute, listen to the lyrics. Is it AI generated, I don’t know, something inside me says “I hope not”, oh well who cares, the lyrics are clever and I’m hooked.

Traditional carols from Harbottle and Jonas and their enchanting version of Coventry Carol and a sublime emotional version of Silent Night by Rhian! Both sit perfectly alongside BJ Sam’s uplifting version of Kombo Na Yesu.

Undoubtedly capturing the true spirit of Christmas, and one that caught my attention is by the Herbert Terrace Community Choir – Christmas (All My Family) Love oozes from this track.

This year’s list has a little of all life’s emotions from flakebelly who are heading home to ‘ruin’ Christmas, to Third Girl From The Left with the harmonious, hopeful Peace Song.

Ever onward we go to Find My Way ft Martello by Edwina van Kuyk, just stunning, followed by the velvet voice of Iris Harley singing Twinkle Toes,

Now I’m firmly in the groove of Santa’s Sleigh tracks with a little bit of shoe shuffle from Blue Plaques – (Christmas Came To Call) and then even more so with Winter Warming by Sam Bedford, Rose Bannister and Richard Bannister, oh my how I would’ve loved to share in the making of this track, around the piano, singing and writing so many words that some had to be cut (maybe next year Sam, same tune different lyrics)

Genuinely, it’s hard to know where to stop! Well, I’m in the mood for more, are you? Yes? Well then there’s the fine folky track from Lizzy Hardingham – Winter Is Coming and the sparkly, strikingly soulful sound of Acantha Lang – Xmas In the Hood

With such an array of music we may find ourselves thinking like The Happy Somethings with their track No More Christmas Songs, I hope not, I’ve spent a cold winter day enjoying the music and, after all, it turns out the happies are quite good at Christmas songs. So, who knows maybe there will be a No More Christmas Songs 2…

I’m certain you’ll find something you love in FOTN Christmas Crackers 2025, so put your feet up, turn on the twinkling lights, get a snack or two and select your favourites, then share your thoughts with me in the comments, we can compare notes.

Happy Christmas to one and all, fingers crossed at least some, if not all, of your dreams come true. x

Tim McInnes – Winter Tango
Tim McInnes – White As Snow
The Static Drive – A Very Gen X Christmas
Herbert Terrace Community Choir – Christmas All My Family
Shaun Robinson – Merry Mince Pies
Tom Houston – Wishing For Snow
Ed Blunt – The Dom Of Saint Paul’s
Christiandoshi- I’m Not Coming Home For Christmas
Adam Wedd – This Christmas Drinking 4 2
Mike Hogarth And The Smileymikes – This Is No Christmas Love Song
The Assist – Divorced At Christmas
Mountaintop Junkshop – Meet Me At The Light Switch On
Head Gardener – Christmas Valentine
Donegan Silk – Calderstones Park (aka St. Peter’s Lantern)
Flecks – Hold Me Darling (This Christmas Time)
Watertown Carps – Light The Candles
The King In Mirrors – Ghosts Of Christmas Past
Country Jai – Elf On The Shelf
Harbottle And Jonas – Coventry Carol
Gum! – Christmas Party Anxiety
Zachary Friederich – Magic Is Real (On Christmas Eve Night)
Neil Barrett – The Meaning Of Christmas
Hannah Dorman – Sad Girl Christmas
Rob Prince – Father Christmas, I Think He’s Still With Us
The Forgotten Cowboy – I Love You When I Think Of December
Martha And The Fairy – Wait For December
Lily G – My Christmas Wish
Flakebelly – Merry Christmas
Aengus Devine – God Save Christmas
Martyrs – Snow Came Down
Celestial Skies – Adam And Steve
Bridget Onoyase – It’s Christmas Time Again
Edwina Van Kuyk – Find My Way ft. Martello
Roberta Fidora – Christmas Trees
Third Girl From The Left – Peace Song
Northeasterner – Snowman
Bed – Count The Days
Hannah Collins – Love Is For Life (Not Only For Christmas)
Martyrs – Snowglobe
The Pursuit Of Pleasure – Lava On Snow
Oliver Pash Blue Plaques (Christmas Came To Call)
BJ Sam – Kombo Na Yesu
Sam Bedford X Rose Bannister X Richard Bannister – Winter Warming
TV Face – Happy New Year
Celestial Skies – Stay Strong
Lizzy Hardingham – Winter Is Coming
Acantha Lang – Xmas In The Hood
Iris Harley – My Twinkle Toes
Zahra Deljoui – Xmas Blood
Terry Naylor – In Time For Christmas
Hans Louden – Dancing With The Man In Red
Will Riding – My Duvet Knows It’s Christmas
Black Snow On Christmas – Lonely Christmas
Sonophoria – Metal Snow
Rhian! – Silent Night
Outi Karhu – Wintering
Things That Go – 7 Sins
The Happy Somethings – No More Christmas Songs