Without much warning, the holiday season is already upon us. I, for one, am ready. I love holiday music with a passion. In fact, it’s the only thing that makes winter vaguely tolerable. Once January rolls around, all hope is lost and I’ll hibernate until spring. For December, however, I’ll be curled up happily by the light of a fire projected on my laptop screen and listening to some Christmas music. After a while, though, these songs get crazy repetitive. Everyone loves Mariah and Bublé, but one can only take so much. Everyone has their limits. Mine is “Last Christmas” by Wham! more than three times in one day on the radio. Never fear, though! I am here to bring some holiday cheer and diversify your playlists. Here are three of my favorite less-played Christmas/holiday albums.
Christmas Mixtape, Volume 1 by Wild Child
This short and sweet little number puts a folk-pop spin on some of the best classics. There are some fun little surprises and non-denominational songs as well! It was recorded on an 8-track recorder in the band’s bedrooms, so it has a distinct DIY flavor. As far as I know, it’s only available through bandcamp, so I’ve attached the link below.
https://wildchildsounds.bandcamp.com/album/christmas-mixtape-volume-1
The Nutcracker Suite by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Okay, this one isn’t strictly *indie,* but it’s an important holiday classic that’s often neglected. Do yourself a favor and listen to it in full if you never have. Its listening value is so much more than the few short clips that are played in commercials and movies. This recording is a particularly good one as it has the entire score and not just the highlights.
Silver and Gold by Sufjan Stevens
This 58-track monstrosity might look daunting at first, but it’s full of characteristically quirky gems. The collection has everything: from the actually religious Christmas hymns to mass-consumption pop hits to some bizarre originals to a Hanukkah song(!), it’s a treat from beginning to end. Its length also makes it a perfect soundtrack to those longs days of finals-studying and winter break daydreaming.
