Our Holiday Playlist: Stories Behind the Songs

Our Holiday Playlist: Stories Behind the Songs

The holidays are filled with traditions, memories, and music that connect us to cherished moments and loved ones. We asked our employees to contribute to a special Spotify holiday playlist this year. Each song they chose has a heartfelt story about why it holds a special place in their hearts.

Below, we’ve captured these memories exactly as they were shared. Each one is a glimpse into the moments that make this season magical.

Vince B.
Linus and Lucy by the Vince Guaraldi Trio from A Charlie Brown Christmas. I always enjoy watching the special and especially love how the kids dance instead of rehearsing for the Christmas play!

Kellie W.
Dan Fogelberg’s Same Old Lang Syne. Over the years, I’ve debated with friends and family whether it qualifies as a holiday song. Fun fact: I had a debate as recently as Monday night with my daughter Sienna, who initially refused to add it to her holiday playlist because, according to her, “It is NOT a Christmas song!” It definitely is (and it’s only played on the radio around the holidays, which supports my argument).

I heard the song in the early ’80s, and it stopped me dead in my tracks. It was so beautiful and moving. And back then, we couldn’t hit the repeat button. It was one and done. We also had to wait for the song title and artist’s name, so I probably went a while before discovering it. Looking back, I think I loved it so much because it’s great storytelling and connected with me emotionally. It’s one of the few songs that, when I heard it, played like a film in my head. I could see it unfold in my mind. Another song that affects me similarly is Taxi by Harry Chapin and virtually all of Bob Dylan’s music.

Ashley C.
Happy Christmas (War Is Over) by Neil Diamond. It is my all-time favorite Christmas song since I learned it was my dad’s. Every time I hear it, fond memories of past Christmases flood in, and I can’t help but smile. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Erica B.
Mannheim Steamroller has released several Christmas albums over the years, featuring their signature blend of classical and modern sounds. As a child, it was an all-day event to put the house together for Christmas. My mom would put Mannheim Steamroller on, bake something delicious for breakfast like coffee cake, and we’d all get to work carrying up the green and red totes from the basement that stored the many ornaments of Christmases past, holiday decorations, twinkle lights, and the Christmas tree. Even now, as an adult, whenever I hear the classical sounds of Mannheim Steamroller songs, I feel a rush of nostalgia, and I’m transported back to the beautiful moments in my home with my family. It’s amazing how music has the power to evoke such strong emotions and memories, especially during the holiday season.

Chrystal B.
I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Judy Garland. This song reminds me that this is not a permanent situation, that I will be home for Christmas one day, and at least for now, I can still go there in my dreams. Judy Garland’s voice reminds me of the holidays in general due to her role in The Wizard of Oz, as my kids and I watch that every year for Christmas.

Erin N.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Deck the Halls—my daughter’s all-time favorite. Every year, we set out the Christmas display for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and when Deck the Halls started playing, she would grab my hand to go outside and watch the display. She would get so excited when it came on the radio that she would say, “Listen, Mommy, they are playing our song!”

Jen J.
I love the song Twelve Days of Christmas (Live) by Straight No Chaser. I know that A Cappella is not always the way to go, but I love it when people can get in tune with others and make a wonderful noise enjoyed by all. I also love a little humor, and this particular song takes all the holidays and mixes them up into a nice, neat package. It is a blend of different songs, and there are so many ways to listen—just to the separate songs or the message of harmony between all the men singing their praises for the season.

I heard this song from my younger daughter. She loved this song and wanted me to hear it to see if I liked it. This song is dear to me because my daughter loves it. I hope you will take the time to hear my favorite song and enjoy the comedy between the group’s characters. It has a little snippet of Jewish culture, mentioning the dreidel and many different songs, even including one of my favorite tunes, Africa by Toto. It is a very encouraging song and makes me laugh whenever I hear it. Enjoy the holidays.

Megan J.
My song is My Grown-Up Christmas List by Amy Grant. Most of my family are humbugs when it comes to Christmas music, but this song is one of the few we can all agree on during the holidays. It is on the playlist of songs we play throughout the house on Christmas Day. It is such a meaningful song that shows how Christmas values should be. I cannot hear it without thinking of all the Christmases my family celebrated during my childhood.

Marianne A.
My song is Silent Night by the Vienna Boys Choir. It is very old-school and traditional, but it brings me back to my large Italian family in Westchester, New York, and all the beautiful memories of that time. My father and grandfather always insisted on listening to all the Christmas classics on the stereo throughout the day. We all would go to midnight Mass together and have Christmas breakfast afterward; then we would open all the presents (after Santa came, of course!). This song is very special to me and conjures up all the beautiful people I have loved and lost while incarcerated. It always takes me back to that warm fireplace, a tree decorated within an inch of its life, and that boisterous laughter that only a house full of love (and Italians) can manage.

VB
My favorite song is “Sleigh Ride” by Pentatonix. Fun fact: This song was originally written by composer Leroy Anderson and first recorded by the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1949. It was written during a heatwave in Connecticut to help him think “cool” thoughts.

This song plays in the movie Elf (my favorite Christmas movie!). It brought so much joy to my heart when I first heard it! It reminds me of when I was little and would binge-watch a Disney Christmas special. Additionally, this song plays when Buddy the Elf explores New York for the first time. It makes my heart so happy! Like Anderson, this song is somewhat of a mental escape for me. I’m not trying to escape a heatwave—instead, this song frees me from my current confinement. I think of the day I will finally be free, exploring all the wonderful places (NYC is one of the first!). When I hear this upbeat melody, it makes my heart soar with excitement!

Judith W.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Gene Autry. I grew up with older parents, and this was one of their favorite songs that played in the house during the holidays. The day after Thanksgiving, with the family still together, we would decorate the house, decorate the Christmas tree, listen to this vinyl record, and eat the leftovers.

SB
My song choice is Mary, Did You Know by Pentatonix. That is my mother’s all-time favorite Christmas song, and she sang it every year in church. It really takes me back to my little hometown church and listening to my mom sing so beautifully. Pentatonix’s version is breathtaking!

Beth C.
When I hear them, there are so many songs that will bring me back to Grandma’s house with the entire family squished together around the tree. But the one that Grandma loved the most and that makes me cry with great memories is Elvis Presley’s Blue Christmas. Thank you for doing this, and Blessed Yule!

Eric R.
Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney. My elementary school always went all-out for the various holidays. We had a Halloween costume parade every year, lots of student art, and hand turkeys around Thanksgiving, and the school always looked like a winter wonderland in December. The teachers were really into it, and my second-grade teacher, Ms. Ballard, would play Christmas/holiday music in the mornings leading up to the holiday break. Some days, we would do sing-alongs, and the reason I have fond memories of Wonderful Christmastime is because it was one of her favorite songs to have us sing along to.

The best part is that she would pass out sleigh bells for us to jingle along with the song. Everyone was so excited when she brought them out. She had small and large bells, and some were different colors, so naturally, there was much squabbling over who got which bells in this room full of second graders. Whenever I hear Wonderful Christmastime, I vividly remember being back in Ms. Ballard’s class, contributing to the cacophony of jingling bells and off-key singing with my classmates.

Katrina M.
Christmas Shoes by NewSong holds a lot of meaning to me because every day during elementary school, I would spend an hour and a half driving to school with my mom in the morning and the evening. I would request this song every week and sing it with my mom. This was our favorite song to sing together, and it is the sweetest song ever! We still sing it to this day!

Every time I hear Christmas Shoes, it takes me back to those long, innocent drives—just Mom and me—before the world became so small and life became serious.

Betty H.
My song is Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. My grandma loved this song, and I recall laughing with her as we made gingerbread houses.

Laura L.
Last Christmas by Wham is a timeless classic that takes me back to simpler times—my first high school Christmas dance, when the biggest worry I had was, “I hope my hair doesn’t stick to my lip gloss.”

BW
I get emotional every time I hear Baby, It’s Cold Outside. The song is featured in the movie Elf. My best memory is of my two kids and me decorating Christmas cookies and wrapping presents while blaring Elf. My kids would sing that song at the top of their lungs and laugh and laugh. It became a tradition throughout December that whenever someone said the word “cold,” we all had to bust out singing the song, no matter where we were. We did get some odd looks in Target a time or two—especially considering that none of us can carry anything close to a tune.

Teri R.
Bruce Springsteen’s version of Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. In the winter of 1978, when my dad was pulling us on the sled to get to the market, he would sing this. It kept us from thinking about the cold and allowed us to create memories. It will always make me shed a silent tear for the past, but it has truly impacted me. Our yearly tradition is to get on the phone and sing it to represent Dad.

April B.
Growing up, I never really had a favorite Christmas song, but since being incarcerated, I have fallen in love with Pentatonix Christmas songs. They’ve remade them all and have helped me through the holidays. My absolute favorite is their remake of When You Believe with Maren Morris. It’s such a beautiful song of hope and strength that makes my heart smile.

KD
Since I was a kid, I’ve always loved Carol of the Bells. I was part of an all-state choir in 5th grade, and I specifically fell in love with the song when we sang it for one of our concerts. It made it even better when some of my favorite musicians covered the song (Lindsey Stirling and Pentatonix, specifically).

Kristin B.
Everything by Mannheim Steamroller is my Christmas “go-to” music. That was the last concert my mom and I went to together before she passed, and her birthday was on Christmas Day. To be honest, the music makes me sad, but it also floods my mind with good memories of my mom.

Andrea S.
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow by Rosemary Clooney has always been one of my favorites. My Grandpap would let me stand on his toes, and he’d swing me around like I was the best dancer in the world. Those are genuinely cherished memories.

Gordon M.
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer by Elmo & Patsy. It’s just because it’s a parody of C&W and Christmas schmaltz. My kids loved it when they were younger and still play it each holiday season—and they’re both in their 20s!

Tina W.
Billy Squier – Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You. This is my favorite Christmas song, and I make everyone sing along to it at our family Christmas get-together.

Jeanie S.
I was in Brownies, and we were asked to perform three Christmas songs at the MN State Capitol. We performed O Little Town of Bethlehem, O Come All Ye Faithful, and The First Noel. A picture was taken for the local newspaper, and we all had our little mouths open singing.

KH
Little Saint Nick by the Beach Boys. This was my parents’ first Christmas album as a married couple back in 1969, and they played it every Christmas. To this day, they start the holiday with this album. Happy Holidays!

Tune In and Celebrate

We invite you to explore the playlist, discover new songs, and revisit classics. As you listen, take a moment to reflect on your holiday memories and what makes this season special for you.

🎵 Click here to listen to the Televerde Holiday Spotify Playlist!

From all of us at Televerde, thank you for being part of our journey and letting us share a little piece of our holiday spirit with you. May your season be filled with joy, love, and, of course, great music.