"Is It OK To Listen To Christmas Music in November?": Top 5 Christmas Covers

by Patrick McGuiggan

See also Dave Allen's alternative Christmas song list.


"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”



Nothing divides the nation more than the age old debate, “Is it OK to listen to Christmas music in November?” There are, of course, a few other similarly contentious issues: Is wearing a Christmas sweater in November acceptable? When can you safely put up your Christmas tree without leaving yourself open to ridicule? For now, I shall focus on the music. Though I will admit, I have already sported the Xmas sweater on numerous occasions, with friends making me well aware that I was committing a heinous crime.

I was walking through Gunwharf Quays this weekend and, upon entering a shop (which, for legal reasons, shall remain nameless) I heard a Christmas song. Most of my fellow customers groaned; I could only smile. Speaking from experience, working in a shop during the lead-up to Christmas can be nothing short of horrendous. That is – if you aren’t prepared. So, rather than be subjected to the same 30 tracks over and over again each day, I came up with my own alternative Christmas playlist. This was hard to narrow down but, as a toast to of one of my favourite books/films, High Fidelity, here are my Top Five Christmas Covers:

1. 'Last Christmas' (Jimmy Eat World)

2. 'Sleigh Ride' (Relient K)

3. 'Baby Please Come Home' (Death Cab for Cutie)

4. 'Little Drummer Boy' (The Almost)

5. 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' (The Barenaked Ladies)

Jemima Carter argues that the countdown to Christmas is starting too early. Katherine Tobin explores the origins of Christmas in both Christian and pagan tradition.