Festive and funny.
Somber and spiritual.
Reflective and renewing.

That’s the thing about Christmas songs: they can make us laugh, cry, and look eagerly toward Jesus’s return all within a few minutes of each other. Whether you’re already getting tired of holiday tunes or you’ve been blasting them since October and will be through January, it’s the perfect time to brighten up your playlist with a fresh melody or two.

Enter CT’s 2022 Christmas Music Playlist! Kelsey Kramer McGinnis, CT’s worship music correspondent, has compiled seven albums that range from traditional hymns to a heavy metal rendition of "All I Want for Christmas Is You." You’ll find a new David Crowder tune ponding the plight of the worker elf who faces unfair wages and grueling hours, a children’s choir managing the many words of "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus," and Appalachian bluegrass takes on popular carols.

And when you’re ready for a break from harmonizing in the car, here’s a little podcast roundup for you:

• Old Testament professor Carmen Joy Imes and CT’s global media manager Morgan Lee make The Case for Hope in a Year of Despair on Quick to Listen
• Social media influencer and Bible teacher Anh Lin and Viral Jesus host Heather Thompson Day discuss Letting Go to Grow
• CT’s editor in chief Russell Moore joins Mike Cosper, host of The Bulletin, on Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner, an episode about neighborliness in light of Christmas

May the next few weeks be filled with joyful noise!