SOMETHING OLD
The Jackson 5 - Up On The Housetop
1970
The Jackson 5 - Up On The Housetop
1970
The Jackson 5's biggest Christmas hits were I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus and Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, but the one dearest to my childhood was Up on the House Top (wow they were really, secularly focused on Santa).
Gene Autry may have popularized this song in the 50s, but sorry, I find it unlistenable in comparison to this.
A very young Michael Jackson adorably sings lyrics that have been re-written to both tease his brothers promote world peace. And the rhythm and horn sections in this are infectious.
SOMETHING NEW
The Lemon Twigs + Tchotchke - Tchotchkes
December 17th, 2025
The Lemon Twigs + Tchotchke - Tchotchkes
December 17th, 2025
A very, very sweet 60s style Christmas song between The Lemon Twigs and Tchotchke is here and very appropriately named. It’s extra sweet to finally have a song with all of them, considering Brian and Michael of the Lemon Twigs have been in relationships with Anastasia and Eva of Tchotchke, respectively.
It feels like if The Beach Boys did a song with The Shangri-Las.
This arrived just in time as the perfect holiday present to The Dizzy Express, particularly with its Yiddish title for a Catholic holiday for your favorite DJ with interfaith parents.
SOMETHING BORROWED
Uwade - Step Into Christmas (Elton John)
2025
Uwade - Step Into Christmas (Elton John)
2025
Elton John’s Step Into Christmas from 1974 is one of my favorite Christmas songs ever! I was excited to find a brand new cover of it on this brilliant soundtrack for Oh. What. Fun. starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
Uwade is a Nigerian-American musician who released her debut album earlier this year.
The cover stays true to everything great about the song, while giving it more of an indie folk feel and a gorgeous, soft voice that feels a little warmer than Elton’s energetic pipes.
And who doesn’t want warmth in the winter?
SOMETHING... FESTIVELY INDIE
Low - Just Like Christmas
2001
Low - Just Like Christmas
2001
On our way from Stockholm, it started to snow...
I only discovered this song last winter, and it felt bittersweet as soon as I found out that lead singer Mimi Parker passed away from cancer in 2022.
I only discovered this song last winter, and it felt bittersweet as soon as I found out that lead singer Mimi Parker passed away from cancer in 2022.
What a wonderfully lofi holiday song full of jingle bells, heavy yet distant bass drum bangs, and evocative imagery of a snowy Sweden. There’s just so much feeling here that I can’t describe. I wish we had a few more Christmas songs like it. I can only take so much It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...