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It might be just after Halloween, but Auntie Mame had the right idea: we need a little Christmas, right this very minute. Let’s try to inject some much-needed nostalgia and lightness into this dreadful year by leaning into familiar, comforting holiday pop songs, even earlier than we normally might.
There have been great holidays pop songs since at least the 1940s. For this extra special episode of the Great Pop Culture Debate, we’re focusing strictly on the contemporary ones — those released since 1980. (Don’t worry, we’ll do a classics episode NEXT year to unearth all of those gems from the mid-20th Century.)
Click this link to find our list of some of the most popular holiday pop songs from the past 40 years. Pick your favorites — you can choose up to 32, so fill that stocking! — and then send along to your holiday-loving friends. Did we forget your favorite? Enter it the field below, and we might discuss it on the show.
Just keep in mind: the songs must have been released after 1980, and it must be holiday focused. (For our purposes, “holiday” means any of the post-Thanksgiving celebrations, so Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve.)