Christmastime: Stocking Stuffer Edition

OK. I have a confession to make. There are a few songs that get played to death this time of year that I actually like. A lot. These are somewhat guilty pleasures for me. I share them in the hope that it isn’t just me.

The Waitresses: Christmas Wrapping

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Here, The Waitresses blew their credibility. This great new wave band had burst on the seen with a great come-on song, I Know What Boys Like. And now, a Chistmas song? And a corny one at that. But, this one hits me in my soft spot. I get choked up every time I hear it. And I am really not sure why.

The Pretenders: 2000 Miles (It‘s Christmas Time)

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Here is a character who is far from home as Christmas approaches. The theme of separation and longing is a Christmas song cliche from the time of the dinosaurs. But The Pretenders put it over beautifully here.

The Kinks: Father Christmas

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And then there’s this one. The deceptively upbeat music frames a tale of kids who are desperate enough to rob a department stare Santa. Sadly, this song is old enough to be current again. On the plus side, The Kinks use this tale to call our attention to the needy, and implore us not to forget them at Christmas.