Consider this list an overdue companion piece to my previous entry, “The Songs That Sour My Christmas Spirit“, in which I griped at length about lumps of audio coal guaranteed never to appear on my personal Christmas playlist. Let it not be said that my only thoughts on the subject are entirely negative, though. There, I tooketh away; here, I giveth.

The songs of the season that catch my ear, lift my spirit, and chase away the holiday errand-running blues, include but are hardly limited to the following, in no particular order:

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* Dido, “Christmas Day“ — I’m not usually a fan of love songs, but I like the ethereal vocals, dreamlike gait, touches of electronica, and the lyrical tale of an anticipated traveler that may or may not be romantic.

* Anyone who cares to sing it, “The First Noel“ — I’ve been partial to this tune ever since I sang it solo in my school’s Christmas program in sixth grade. As I’ve aged and my spiritual outlook has metamorphosed since then, it’s taken on deeper level of meanings for me. Of all the Christmas songs we learned in school, it arguably receives the least radio airplay and is seldom covered by today’s artists. I’m sad when a song I like is never played, but I appreciate it when it’s not overplayed. For some songs that’s a tough middle ground to find. (I’m looking in your direction, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”.)

* John Denver and the Muppets, “Twelve Days of Christmas“ — The entire soundtrack to that TV special is a keeper, but I’m especially fond of their version of this staple, even with Beeker’s limited contribution and the “ba-dum-bum-bum” scatting that adds extra pep. I’ve been attached to the song in general since childhood because I really liked lists.

* Fountains of Wayne, “Valley Winter Song“ — Not actually a Christmas song, but if craft stores can label snowman knickknacks as “Christmas” decorations, then I can include this jangle-pop ditty about a forlorn musician trying to chase away the snowed-in holiday blahs by writing a song for a faraway girl. I’ve never seen it on a Christmas anthology CD, but if CDs are still around for future Christmases, I submit it for your consideration.

* The Ramones, “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)“ — The moral: even the most imperfect family ought to call a ceasefire at least once a year. The quintessential punk track that proves Christmas doesn’t have to belong to corporate-driven Top-40 merchandise idols.

* Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony #9 in D Minor, Op. 125, fourth movement — Classical music has to work double overtime to maintain my attention, but Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” captured my heart somewhere around the second or third time I sat all the way through the end credits to Die Hard. Make of that fun personal trivia what you will.

* Run-DMC, “Christmas in Hollis“ — Blame Die Hard if you must for this one as well, but it works for me. Parts of it haven’t aged well, but when the elderly complain about the content of rap music, this is always one of the first ten counterexamples that spring to mind, even if it’s not December.

* Mel Torme, “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” — Of all the old-school crooners in my Christmas collection — Sinatra, Bennett, Crosby, Springfield, et al. — Judge Harold T. Stone’s all-time favorite singer rises to the top with this co-written salute to Christmas coziness, even if it turns away children over 93 at the door.

* Barenaked Ladies, “Jingle Bells“ — The Canadian group’s 2004 collection Barenaked for the Holidays is an interesting syncretic sampler of songs celebrating Christmas, Hannukah, and Generic December Holiday, but I love how they extend a twenty-second pitch for the American sledding industry into a four-minute epic, segueing from tinkly lounge piano to guitar-based ruckus with stops along the way for instrumental solos and a dash of Batman.

* The Peanuts gang, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing“ — Because few sounds tug the ol’ heartstrings harder for me than untrained children sing-shouting off-key to Lord and Savior with sincerity and gusto.