Opinion

The Ultimate Christmas Playlist

Jocelyn Ocampo-Mateo, Copy Editor • December 15, 2025

The Ultimate Christmas Playlist cover.

With the joy of the Holiday season, everyone braces themselves for the endless amount of Christmas music they are about to consume starting Nov. 1. Everyone grew up hearing it in department stores, in a warm bakery with their family, or maybe even a worker hearing the same few songs for hours upon end. However, there is a perfectly curated playlist to have just the right amount of Christmas joy and self-reflection to enjoy your holiday season instead of hearing the same song about Santa 50 times in a row.

The top six songs that have to be on a Christmas playlist are,

“Last Christmas” – Wham

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

“Underneath the Tree” – Kelly Clarkson

“This December – Holiday Version” – Ricky Montgomery

“Christmas Wrapping” -The Waitresses

“If We Make It Through December” – Phoebe Bridgers

With additional songs, of course, these are the core six to be a perfect playlist; the songs balance each other out with the right amount of a cold feeling as well as a cheery Christmas feel. Music can indeed affect how you feel or view the world, so it is important to choose the songs that are true to you and help you feel at your most comfortable.

Starting with “Last Christmas,” this one is a nonnegotiable classic. From the music video filmed in the snow to the bells in the chorus, this song has become a timeless classic. Released on Dec. 3, 1984, and from there easily rose to the top of everyone’s Christmas playlists. The most popular chorus being, “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart/ But the very next day, you gave it away (You gave it away)/ This year, to save me from tears I’ll give it to someone special (Special),” which is now deeply embedded into pop culture today.

The second and more niche song is “Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call” by Bleachers. This song was released on Nov. 13, 2025. Just in time for the holidays, this song quickly rose on TikTok and became one of the sadder songs of the season. Similar to Last Christmas, the song details heartbreak and staying away from the one who hurt them. The bridge feels like a rush of energy and reflection, with yelling vocals and a winter-like instrumental. It feels like a calling from the radio, which, even if it wasn’t winter, would be a classic for a late-night drive. The most popular lyrics of the song are, “But you should know that I died slow/ Running through the halls of your haunted home/And the toughest part is that we both know/ What happened to you /Why you’re out on your own/ Merry Christmas, please don’t call.” Overall, the song is perfect for getting through that wintertime heartbreak.

The third song is “This December (Holiday Version)” by Ricky Montgomery. Montgomery first gained internet traction through the social media platform TikTok. He blew up in popularity during the pandemic and has gained a strong following that is still supporting him to this day. In 2023, he rereleased his song, “This December,” with a holiday twist. Jingle bells were added throughout the song, along with a new outro highlighting the singer’s vocals. “This December” was already a very popular song for the wintertime, but the holiday version just adds what it needs to be on an official Christmas playlist.

“Underneath the Tree” by Kelly Clarkson needs little to no explanation why it is on this list. A Christmas classic and a warm feeling about spending the holidays with someone you love. This song just feels joyful with lyrics like, “Presents, what a beautiful sight/ Don’t mean a thing if you ain’t holding me tight/ You’re all that I need Underneath the tree,” capture the essence of the holiday perfectly.

“Christmas Wrapping” by The Waitresses has been well deserving of its flowers for quite some time. This song should be as big as the aforementioned popular Christmas songs. Not only is the name fitting for the holiday, but you are pulled into the song by bells leading into the music of a guitar riff. Released in 1981, this song is just pure holiday fun. This song is the perfect song to dance to; the instrumental makes you feel like you’re in the middle of Christmas shopping without a care in the world.

“If We Make It Through December,” by a cover Phoebe Bridgers, has warm lyrics that you could listen to either curled up in bed or on a cold walk. Bridgers has a soft tone to her voice, one that can be found to be very comforting. She pays a beautiful homage to Merle Haggard’s lyrics. The song reflects on itself with lyrics like, “Got plans to be in a warmer town come summertime/ Maybe even California/If we make it through December, we’ll be fine,” with the hopes and aspirations of what the new year has to bring, and getting through the coldest time of the year.

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About the Contributor

Jocelyn Ocampo-Mateo, Copy Editor

Jocelyn Ocampo-Mateo is a senior at Morro Bay High School. One of Ocampo-Mateo’s favorite memories so far is when she got to go to London the summer after her sophomore year. Ocampo-Mateo says that “she had never connected to a place so quickly before,” and Ocampo-Mateo later hopes to study abroad there. Ocampo-Mateo’s hobbies, she said, are “singing, planning events, and sometimes painting”. Ocampo-Mateo’s favorite song right now is “Sienna” by The Marías. Ocampo-Mateo loves to watch volleyball, and when she has free time, she also likes to play the sport. Ocampo-Mateo likes writing because she says it’s a way to express people’s feelings. It’s also a form of art, Ocampo-Mateo likes to say. Writing to Ocampo-Mateo helps her express opinions about different topics, and she says that writing has so many styles, and it is super unique to see many ways to write about something. One book that Ocampo-Mateo likes to read is “Little Women.” Some people don’t know what they are going to do at such a young age when they grow up, but not Ocampo-Mateo; she says that her dream job is to be on Broadway. Through her years in high school, Ocampo-Mateo has always kept the same dream of being on Broadway, and hopefully, it will never change. Two words to describe Ocampo-Mateo, she would say, are creative and thoughtful. Some of her friends would say that Ocampo is a great role model and really takes pride in the work she does. People can look up to her, and she sets a good example to many younger people. Ocampo-Mateo wants to attend a 4-year university after high school. She hopes to get into UCLA. Ocampo-Mateo is in 2 clubs; she is the president of ASB and the co-president of Drama Club. “I love to set an example for the school, and to be able to plan events,” said Ocampo-Mateo about ASB. Ocampo-Mateo really likes being in ASB to help the overall community run smoothly. ASB helps Ocampo-Mateo be able to get into a good 4-year college because the college admissions officers can see that you have good leadership skills, and colleges look for a well-rounded student. Ocampo-Mateo said, “I am also in ASB because I just enjoy it.” Ocampo-Mateo has been in ASB for 3 years now, and Ocampo-Mateo was treasurer her junior year. Ocampo-Mateo would love to become a lawyer when she gets older, specifically, an immigration lawyer. Ocampo-Mateo wants to be able to put some good in the world and to be able to help people when they really need it. Some things that will help her achieve this goal are attending a 4-year college, probably majoring in writing, going to law school, and living in a big city like Chicago.