I've got different kinds of Christmas music going more or less all the time. It's silly, but I enjoy it. Sometimes I get overloaded and just have to turn it off. Other times my analytical mind goes berserk and thinks up these arbitrary categories to classify the different kinds of songs. Here they are for your edification and enlightenment...


Carols:
Joy to the World
Away in a Manger
Silent Night
and so on

Secular Songs That Are So Ubiquitous They Might As Well Be Carols:
Deck the Halls
Jingle Bells
O Christmas Tree (??)
My Favorite Things -- WHEN did this become a Christmas song
We Wish You a Merry Christmas -- particularly notable for its petulant, demanding tone

Overblown Religious Songs Usually Performed by a Celine/Mariah/Barbra Clone:
Do You Hear What I Hear?
O Holy Night
Carol of the Bells
I Wonder as I Wander
Mary Did You Know -- a new entry in the field which I actually like

Weather-Related Songs:
Let It Snow
Winter Wonderland
Sleigh Ride
Silver Bells (arguable)

Songs about a Christmas Character:
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Here Comes Santa Claus
Frosty the Snowman
Good King Wenceslas -- the Mel Torme version is AWESOME
Little Drummer Boy -- awkward David Bowie/Bing Crosby version rules
Mr. Grinch
Little Saint Nick

Melancholy Christmas Songs (my favorite category):
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas -- best version: John Denver and Rolf the Dog from Muppet Christmas album
Christmastime Is Here -- best version: the off-key version sung by the Charlie Brown kids... runner-up: Mel Torme
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
White Christmas
Blue Christmas
Red Christmas -- OK I made that one up

Songs that Describe Activities Typical of This Time of Year:
Home for the Holidays -- any song about traffic belongs in this category
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Happy Holidays
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year -- Andy Williams is the ONLY version worth anything
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)

Novelty/Humorous Songs:
All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
Santa Baby
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Merry Christmas Baby
Please Daddy Don't Get Drunk This Christmas -- a John Denver classic

Songs That Should Be Taken Out and Shot:
Do They Know It's Christmas, Band-Aid -- I love those 80s British rockers as much as anyone, but listen to the words sometime; they're really quite dreadful
12 Days of Christmas -- except the Muppet version
Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer -- cross-listed under novelty
We Need a Little Christmas
Wonderful Christmastime -- what was Sir Paul thinking
Christmas Shoes -- even though it makes me cry--that makes me hate it EVEN MORE
Feliz Navidad -- with apologies to my Latino/a brethren, it's sooooo repetitive