207 Non-Religious Christmas Songs for Your Holiday Playlist

Holiday Playlists for Non-Denominational Christmastime Events

For a number of years I have organized a Christmastime event for more than 200 people. Technically, we call it a "Holiday Bash" to be inclusive.

As much as Christians may seek to keep the Christ in Christmas, some events such as this holiday social call for a playlist of Christmastime songs that focus less on Bethlehem, The Little Drummer Boy, and baby Jesus and more on the joyful spirit of the season in general. This is especially the case for office parties, government or school functions, and similar gatherings where people of diverse religions come together at the end of the year.

During the holidays, many people face this music predicament. Since parties without music are simply meetings, here's an answer to your party playlist dilemma: a list of non-religious Christmastime songs by pop, rock, R&B, and country stars. It's guaranteed to get your party hopping.

1. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Sam Smith

Sam Smith's voice is as smooth as butter in this 2014 recording of a holiday classic previously recorded by superstars such as Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. He more than holds his own as he wishes listeners a stress-free Christmas season full of merriment and light, complete with faithful friends gathered 'round.

2. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" by Rascal Flatts

Bing Crosby originally recorded this Christmastime favorite to honor soldiers stationed overseas during the holidays. This 2009 cover version by country group Rascal Flatts is harmonious and oozes with the lonesomeness and longing that are implicit in the song's message.

The narrator desperately misses home and assumes he probably won't be able to be with his loved ones for the holiday. However, he is with them in spirit.

3. "Baby It's Cold Outside" by Idina Menzel and Michael Bublé

This sexy call and response duet was originally recorded for the 1949 movie, Neptune's Daughter, and it won an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song is a conversation between a woman who cites reasons why she really must go home and a man who implores her to stay with him. He continues to serve her drinks and cites the cold weather as justification for her staying.

Modern critics contend that the song borders on coercion and the man needs to accept "no" as an answer. At the time the song was written, it was improper for an unmarried woman to stay the night with a man. Idina Menzel and Michael Bublé's 2014 rendition spent three weeks at the top spot on the Adult Contemporary Chart.

4. "Please Come Home For Christmas" by Jon Bon Jovi

Although many others have recorded this seasonal favorite, I like the rock undertones of Bon Jovi's 1992 cover. It conveys the heartwrenching loneliness of being without your one and only during the holidays when everyone else is surrounded by family, friends, and their one and only.

5. "We Need a Little Christmas" by Johnny Mathis

There's nothing like Christmas to revitalize sagging spirits. This song was originally written for the Broadway production of Mame, and the song was performed after the central character lost her fortune in the 1929 Wall Street stock market crash. She directs her household help to get the home ready for Christmas as a way of bringing joy back into their lives.

Recommended

20 Songs for Safety Meetings at Work

Johnny Mathis' 1986 cover of the peppy, uptempo classic will certainly get you in the holiday mood. With descriptions of decorating and mentions of Santa and Christmas carols, you'll be brimming with joy before the song is over.

6. "Run Rudolph Run" by Chuck Berry

No one did rock and roll quite like the phenomenal Chuck Berry. In this energetic 1958 ditty, he pays homage to Rudolph, calling the red-nosed reindeer a "mastermind" and encouraging him to rush along and get those gifts delivered. If you're not toe-tapping by the time this song is over, then you need to check your pulse because there's something dead wrong with you.

7. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" by John Cougar Mellencamp

Trade in the sing-song childish versions of this song for this fast-paced 1987 rock rendition with some heavy fiddle. It's a more grown-up presentation of the song that involves a son sneaking downstairs and accidentally catching a glimpse of his mother smooching with Old St. Nick. The song does make you wonder just what kind of reindeer games those parents were up to.

8. "Silver Bells" by Martina McBride

Martina McBride has the voice of an angel, or a choir of them, in this 1998 cover of Bing Crosby's 1950 classic Christmas carol, "Silver-Bells." The songstress describes the happy hustle and bustle of pre-holiday shopping in the city, as Salvation Army bell ringers ask for donations for the needy.

9. "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey

This original 1994 Christmas song by Mariah Carey deserves to be a classic alongside other Christmas greats. It's that good. The holiday tune has an uptempo beat, church bells and sleigh bells in the background, and a retro 1960s feel. Mariah's voice soars as she tells her sweetheart to skip the presents because all she needs is him.

10. "Winter Wonderland" by Michael Bublé

Given how internationally successful he is, I'm probably alone in thinking Michael Bublé's voice is cheesy—like he's trying too hard to be someone else. For all those people who are booing and hissing at me right now, here's his 2011 cover of the Christmas classic which I think is only moderately overdone. The song celebrates the magic of winter, and although it doesn't mention Christmas, it's become a holiday favorite.

11. "Santa Tell Me" by Ariana Grande

This cheery 2014 track is an original holiday tune. It features a narrator who has had her heart broken in the past. Before she makes herself vulnerable to love and the possibility of being hurt, she seeks reassurance from Santa that her current love interest is "the one":

Santa, tell me if you're really there
Don't make me fall in love again if he won't be here
Next year.

12. "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" by Elmo and Patsy

While the grieving family blames Santa and crew for Grandma's untimely demise, it's suspicious that Grandpa is taking the news of her passing so well.

This rowdy comedy song from 1979 describes Grandma's unfortunate decision to drink too much holiday egg nog at a family gathering. She forgot her medication, and her family let her wander out in the snow.

The old woman was later found with hoofmarks on her back, the victim of a hit and fly accident blamed on none other than Santa and his reindeer. Now the family wonders what to do with her gifts.

13. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee

Who would believe that Brenda Lee recorded this 1958 holiday favorite when she was only 13 years old? Apparently that's not too young to have witnessed the magic of the mistletoe. In the most up-tempo, celebratory manner, the song also salutes Christmas caroling and decking the halls.

14. "Hard Candy Christmas" by Dolly Parton

This 1982 country release was recorded for the musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. The protagonist works hard to convince both herself and her audience that despite feeling dejected by a personal setback, she won’t let that get her down. She generates creative possibilities for all the things she might do with her life from here, comparing it to a hard candy Christmas with lots of flavors.

15. "White Christmas" by Gwen Stefani

Most of us in the United States cannot expect more than an inch of newly fallen snow on Christmas. Exceptions, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information, include:

• Idaho,
• Minnesota,
• Maine,
• Upstate New York,
• the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania and West Virginia,
• the Rockies, and
• the Sierra Nevada Mountains.