So its official. I saw the advert on the TV and that’s it. The holidays ARE coming.

Its time for Christmas music – all sleigh bells and choirs – to dominate the eardrums and airwaves (although we might be granted a reprieve until December 1st).

To try and get round a month of Slade and Wizzard, I’ve compiled an all-time Christmas playlist of my own:

1. A Marshmallow World (Live) – The Rat Pack – Christmas with The Rat Pack
A great Christmas tune, which sets a classic scene of snow everywhere, the sun shining, sharing it with “your favourite gal” and generally having fun. Also shows the great chemistry between the famous three in this live version, with the crowd laughing along to their presumed horseplay.

2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – Jackson 5 – Ultimate Christmas Collection
A generally upbeat tune about the imminent arrival of the jolly red fellow, while showing why Michael Jackson was a star from a very young age. Includes the classic line “You better watch out, you better not cry…”, so it all but demands to be included.

3. What’s This? – Danny Elfman – Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack
A song from 1993’s animation, written by Tim Burton (and the general look is very Burtonesque), about Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween, discovering Christmas for the first time. He’s excited about everything, from hanging garlands to the food. It’s near enough just one big list of why we love Christmas!

4. It’ll Be Lonely This Christmas – Mud – Playlist Christmas
A more mellow choice, with the focus of this one on how Christmas is not always a happy time for everyone, as some people have few people to share it with. Yet, the optimist in me sees it as a little call to make sure those you know who might be alone around Christmas are invited to share your Christmas time!

5. Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney – Playlist Christmas
A return to cheery Christmas tunes. This one appeals because of the sleigh bells throughout, a general bounciness, the bizarre, wavy synth at the start and the repetition of the message “Simply having a wonderful Christmastime” over and over.

6. Little Saint Nick – Beach Boys – Christmas with The Beach Boys
Christmas sung by surfers. Cool, eh? The voices, as always with The Beach Boys, layer so well and its jut generally a good sounding tune, especially “Run Run Reindeer” sections. it was also used in a Coca-Cola Christmas Ad. Can’t get more festive than that can we?

7. A Spaceman Came Traveling – Chris De Burgh – Spanish Train and Other Stories
When you really think about it, this song is a tad odd. Its a re-telling of the Archangel Gabriel telling the Shepherds about the birth of Jesus, but with a spaceship and a spaceman instead… Yeah. Told you. Either way, it captures the atmosphere of space really well with all its twinklings, but it really comes into its own with its “And it went, la-la-la-la-la” etc.

8. It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year – Andy Williams – The Very Best of Andy Williams
Although it might fall into the ‘overplayed’ category, you can tell its going to be a good one when a Christmas song begins like a Disney movie, lots of ah-ah‘ing and building cymbals – then Andy ‘Moon River’ Williams pops in. “Its the ha-happiest season of all”. Spot on Andy. All about being cheery and enjoy it. Talks of carols, parties, Christmas tales, mistletoe, loved-ones and snow. What else does a Christmas need?

9. Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Balls End) – The Darkness – Platinum Collection
All the classic Christmas tunes tend to come from over two decades ago, so there needs to be a more recent entrant on this list. Chistmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End) fits the bill. It has great guitar solos, falsetto vocals, a children’s choir and it was only beaten to Christmas Number 1 by the non-Christmassy Mad World in 2003, plus its a much better choice than Walk This Sleigh by Robbie Williams…

10. Christmas Time All Over The World – Sammy Davis Jr. – Christmas with The Rat Pack
Back to the crooning classics for my last choice as Sammy Davis Jr. gives us a jaunty tune about how its Christmas for everyone all over the world, which (queue cheesy grin) is what its all about. Its just really happy and even has kids singing Happy Christmas in the background in different languages.

So thats my choices, what are yours? Are you an avid fan of John Lennon, or perhaps Shakin’ Stevens? Let me know by leaving a comment!

If you think my choices are spot on, or you can’t be bother to make your own, this playlist is available on Spoitfy via this link.