When All Else Fails, You Must Press Play On Christmas

There’s something about December that instantly turns all of us into walking Hallmark characters. Suddenly, leaving your bed before 10am feels like character development, your room smells like a candle called Winter’s Eve (which somehow smells nothing like winter but everything like serotonin), and you’re scrolling through your phone pretending you’ll listen to something new, but you won’t. Because the only correct answer is Christmas music.

So here it is: the playlist that feels like nostalgia, chaos, comfort, heartbreak and hot chocolate,

“Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call” – Bleachers

For the girlie who is festive and done with everyone’s nonsense. It’s heartbreak with twinkly lights, the kind of song you play while dramatically staring out of a foggy window.

“Christmas Tree Farm” – Taylor Swift

A serotonin booster in song form. It’s cosy, and the pefect reminder that Swift could literally write a love letter to a snowflake and we’d gladly stream it.

“Last Christmas” – Wham!

The national anthem of holiday heartbreak. You haven’t truly entered December until this song emotionally attacks you in a mall.

“All I Want For Christmas Is You” – Mariah Carey

Carey defrosts. Society heals. Christmas begins. You know the drill.

“Deck The Halls”

The official soundtrack of you pretending you know how to decorate but actually just creating polite chaos.

“Buy Me Presents” – Sabrina Carpenter

For the delulu December girlies. This is perfect for when you tell people you want “nothing” for Christmas but actually mean “something extremely specific”.

“Mistletoe” – Justin Bieber

A cultural reset. A formative experience. If you didn’t imagine your 14-year-old self kissing your imaginary boyfriend to this, you’re LYING.

“Merry Christmas, I Miss You” – Alex Crichon

Soft boy music. Best consumed while wearing oversized jumpers and pretending you’re not thinking about your situationship.

“So Much Wine” – Phoebe Bridgers

Because Christmas isn’t all jingles, sometimes it’s gently spiralling in fairy lights. Phoebe gets it.

“O Come, All Ye Faithful”

The moment of religious calm in between the chaos. It feels like sitting in silence while everyone else fights over who burned the roast.

“It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” – Andy Williams

It’s giving vintage cinema and “I will now prance around the living room”.

“It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” – Michael Bublé

Every year, Bublé emerges from hibernation to save Christmas. Respectfully.

“Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” – Brenda Lee

An eternal bop. If this doesn’t make you spin in your socks like you’re in a 2000s holiday film, try again.

Whether you’re wrapping presents, emotionally preparing for family gatherings, just lighting a candle, travelling, daydreaming, fleeing the country, this playlist is your gentle nudge into full festive mode. Merry Christmas, and may your December be as unhinged and sparkly as you want it to be.