Dearest Friend,
Christmas isn’t always easy and is not universally celebrated, I get that and honestly, it’s probably an unpopular opinion, but I’m vaguely indifferent to all of it.
What I really love is the time to hunker down in the depth of winter. Celebrate the solstice and the passing of the longest night, enjoy the little bit more light we get every day, play board games, read books, go for walks, huddle down in front of a film. Light the good candles that make the house smell amazing, eat AAALLLLL of the winter food (let’s be honest, it’s full of fat and carbs, I love a good salad, but now is not the time for that) and throw on some music (read - carefully curate a playlist that suits the exact mood of what you are doing) to soundtrack it all.
In the spirit of all of that, your virtual door mat is heaving under the weight of not one, but FOUR mix tapes! My seasonal gift to you, with my deepest and most sincere gratefulness and gratitude that you are here.
‘tis the season
A raucous romp through covers of the usual suspects and some original Christmas themed songs too. Not for the faint-hearted or those who are, quite basically, allergic to Christmas.
‘tis the damn season
If an anti-Christmas of sorts is what you currently crave, I’ve got a treat for you. This is a playlist for those moments when you need Christmas to just calm the eff down a bit and get back in its corner. Inspired by the lead track by Taylor Swift - mostly mellow music for making moments of stillness in the storm we call Christmas.
‘tis the classic season
Music to match the sound of snow gently falling to the ground, to soundtrack the vista of a misty moor as you drive home for Christmas (or whatever view is seasonal and local), for a quiet pause in the chaos that arrives with Christmas and all of the people and moments. Or, for friends in the southern hemisphere, to evoke ideas of ivy covered in a crisp and diamond like frost and conjure all the cold and twinkly Christmas feelings.
‘tis the film season
Christmas when I was young was a dependably film filled affair. Cosied down watching movies together is the perfect antidote to the oh-so-short days and the very best way to spend twix-mas. A leftovers buffet and a film is the perfect recharge and reset prior to the walk in the woods or on the beach that has become our New Years Day tradition. This playlist is the gift that keeps on giving. Full of musical delights it also serves as a list of recommendations for films to fill your festive days with (the films are noted in the text version of this playlist below).
If you love a list or don’t have Spotify, the playlists are below. I hope that December and winter thus far have been kind to you and continue to be so.
I’d love for you to share your favourite Christmas movies / films to watch at Christmas / wintering traditions and seasonal songs over on Notes…
Until next time. Stay cosy and save me a mince pie.
V.V
‘tis the season
Opening - Patrick Stewart
Is This Christmas - The Wombats
Let It Snow - Luscious Jackson
Christmas Treat - Julian Casablancas
Kids At Christmas - Scouting For Girls
Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas - Eels
Last Christmas - Jimmy Eat World
I Want An Alien For Christmas - Fountains Of Wayne
Cool Yule - Louis Armstrong
Just Like Christmas - Low
The Millennium Falcon For Christmas - John Anealio
It’s Christmas Time Again - Horsehead
The Holidays With You - Sara Watkins
Red Suit - Josh Rouse
Festivus! - Mountain Sons
My Favorite Time Of Year - L.A. Exes
She Came Home For Christmas - Mew
Christmas Lights - Coldplay
Make Way For The Holidays - Le Bon
Here We Come A-Caroling - Pomplamoose
Santas Lost His Mojo - Jeremy Lister
All I Want For Christmas Is A Funky Brass Band - Phats2sDay
Christmas In Hollis - Run-D.M.C.
Christmas Rappin’- Kurtis Blow
Ms. Clause - The Grapes & Friends
Feels Like Christmas - Marc Scibilia
Christmas Tree Farm ( Old Timey Version) - Taylor Swift
‘tis the damn season
’tis the damn season - Taylor Swift
Our Favourite Christmas Movie - Ian McGlyn
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Death Cab For Cutie
Cold White Christmas - Casiotone For The Painfully Alone
Jolly Old St. Nicholas - Make Phantoms
Carol Of The Bells - Mae
Happy Christmas My Dear - Passenger, Stu Larsen
This Time Next Year - Road Kill Roy
The Christmas Song - The Ravonettes
Deck The Halls - This Coast Bias
Christmas On Ward #7 - Chris Flew
Christmastime - The Smashing Pumpkins
With List - Pearl Jam
A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss) - Glasvegas
Christmas TV - Slow Club
Christmas Song - Phoebe Bridgers
Christmas in Suburbia - The Perfect English Weather
Blue Christmas - Sharon Van Etten
The Lights and Buzz - Jack's Mannequin
Maybe This Christmas - Ron Sexsmith
A Change at Christmas (Say It Isn’t So) - The Flaming Lips
Christmas with You Is the Best - The Long Winters
Snow Day - Matt Pond PA
The Winter Solstice - Sufjan Stevens
A Long December - Counting Crows
‘tis the classic season
Over The Pines - Time For Three
Parliament Of Owls - Agnes Obel
Reel - Dmitry Evgrafov
I Remember - Jon Hopkins
Holm Sound - Erland Cooper
Intro - Gabríel Ólafs
Avril 14th - Aphex Twin
The World Was Her Notebook - Alex Kozobolis
Hoxa Sound - Erland Cooper
Berceuse - Felix Rösch
An Ending, a Beginning - Dustin O'Halloran
Keep - Nils Frahm
Blue Notebook - Isobel Waller-Bridge, Iskra String Quartet
Running By The Roads, Running By The Fields (Solo Piano) - Library Tapes
Eyes Closed And Traveling - Peter Broderick
By the Deep Sea - Federico Albanese
Ursa Minor (Caroline's Theme) - Simon P. Castonguay, Tambour
A Catalogue of Afternoons - Max Richter
The Ballad of the Lake of Tears - Chris Palmer
The Theory of Everything - Jóhann Jóhannsson
Sleeping Lotus - Joep Beving
Redford (for Yia-Yia and Pappou) - Sufjan Stevens
Dear, Dolores – Rework - Illuminine
Mirror Lake - Angus MacRae
Borderland Sorrows - Slow Meadow
The Stars We Follow - Federico Albanese
Éxta - Sebastian Plano
Earthly Heaven - Rachel Grimes
Bylur - Eydís Evensen
Biomes – James Heather
re:member – Ólafur Arnalds
‘tis the film season
Christmas at Hogwarts - the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra - Harry Potter
Christmas Eve montage - Danny Elfman - The Nightmare Before Christimas
Gumption - Hans Zimmer, Atli Örvarsson, Henry Jackman - The Holiday
Meg’s Hair - Thomas Newman - Little Women
Carol of the Buy and Sells - Christophe Beck, ‘Michael Paraskevas - Hawkeye
Mr. Knightley - Isobel Waller-Bridge, David Schweitzer - Emma
New Beginnings - Brian Tyler - Iron Man 3
Father Christmas - Harry Gregson-Williams - The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
Orchard House - Thomas Newman - Little Women
March Into the Unknown - Amie Doherty - Happiest Season
Christmas Breakfast - Alexander Desplat - Little Women (2019)
Granny Wendy - John Williams - Hook
Fast Forward - Alan Silvestri - Serendipity
Main Title “Somewhere in My Memory” - John Williams, Boston Pops Orchestra - Home Alone
Main Title - John Debney - Elf
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms - James Newton Howard - The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Draw Me A Sheep - Hans Zimmer, Richard Harvey - The Little Prince
Winter’s Waltz - Christophe Beck - Frozen
Christmas Morning - Harry Gregson-Williams - Arthur Christmas
The Christmas Chronicles - End Title Theme - The Christmas Chronicles
Ice Dance - Danny Elfman - Edward Scissorhands
Full House - Alan Silvestri - Night at the Museum
Theme From Jurassic Park - John Williams - Jurassic Park
Eshkeri: Tristan & Yvaine - Ilan Eshkeri, London Metropolitan Orchestra, Andy Brown - Stardust
Declaration of Independence - Trevor Rabin - National Treasure
Uncharted - Ramon Djawadi - Uncharted
The James Bond Theme - Royal Philarmonic Orchestra - James Bond
The Monthly Mix is a love letter to the mix tapes of my youth. Carefully curated and crafted, just for you. You can find more playlist joy right here. To make sure you don’t miss the next one…
If you want to bring a friend to the party / kitchen table / lounge floor / train carriage / daily walk or wherever you’ve enjoyed this playlist, share it using the handy button below.
This month’s mix. Love it? Hate it? Recommendations? I’m here for all of it, please do share your thoughts in the comments below.
Thank you for the playlists. I love the fires, cosy blankets and candles but I always crave the longer days.