Best Modern Original Christmas Songs

Since we’ve got a thread for the worst, let’s have a go at the best.

To narrow things down, we’ll define “modern” as anything released since 1995. Basically, anything after Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You”.

My vote goes to ‘Ain’t No Chimneys In the Projects’ by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (2009)

 

Jack Johnson
In the Morning

 

Yeah, "modern" is sort of hard to nail down, particularly as you get older. Still, I'll start with this...

 

Almost any of the newly-written songs off the Hilary Duff Christmas album, Santa Claus Lane, but especially this one:

 

JD McPherson - Twinkle



And this, from his new Christmas album

JD McPherson - "Every Single Christmas" [Lyric Video]

The Mavericks Santa Does

Santa Does

Status Quo It's Xmas Time

Status Quo -It's Christmas Time

Gabriella Cilma Warm This Winter

Gabriella Cilmi - Warm This Winter - New Christmas Song!

Leona Lewis One More Sleep

Leona Lewis - One More Sleep

 

Box set B4 Boxing day, Analog on the Fire by Audrey O'Phile and the Chestnuts (2018)

Available only in vinyl or lossless download.

 

Smashing Pumpkins - "Christmastime"

 

Frazier Chorus-Christmas Every Year, 1998

 

The Flaming Lips - Christmas At The Zoo:

 

Run-DMC "Christmas in Hollis"

 

Great track, but released in '87

 

Dear Santa by Ringo Starr 1999

 

I missed the "since 1995" part of the OP. Whoops!

 

Third Day - Born in Bethlehem

 

“Milk and Cookies (Til Santa’s Gone) - Clint Black

This was released in 1995 so it just made the cut-off. Anyway, this is such a cute, happy song.

 

I'll vote for "Christmas at the Airport" by Nick Lowe:

 

Dreams So Real "Red Lights"

 

George Strait - Christmas Cookies (from "A Country Christmas 1999" (1999) compilation)

 

Gloria Estefan - Love On Layaway (from "And So This Is Christmas" (1999) compilation)

 

Made even more amazing by the Belgian girl's choir Scala & Kolocny Brothers; that whole album really made
a lot of these modern songs easier to listen to by people who otherwise would not have considered these artists:

 

I personally love 3 of Harry Connick's originals on his 1993 release of "When My Heart Finds Christmas." Though I'm not sure 1993 is 'modern' anymore. Man, I feel old.

- When My Heart Finds Christmas
- It Must've Been Ol Santa
- The Blessed Dawn of Christmas Day

 

Carrie Newcomer, an exceptional singer and writer from southern Indiana, by way of South Bend.
As far as I know, her 15-album catalog boasts only one Christmas song, but...it's Carrie. You only need one.