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4 Holiday Songs That Are Just as Much of a Bop as Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’

Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" has seen a boost in popularity in recent years but there are other holiday songs that fit right in with the Carey's 1994 track.

by Mandi Kerr

Published on December 18, 2020

2 min read

Tired of listening to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You”? Want similar songs to round out a holiday playlist? Check out these Christmas songs. They may not include vocals from Carey, aka the Queen of Christmas, but they’re just as festive and fun as the Grammy winner’s 1994 hit.

Mariah Carey on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' — Mariah Carey on *The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon* | NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

1. Stevie Wonder – ‘What Christmas Means to Me’

Featured on his 1967 album, Someday at Christmas, is Stevie Wonder’s version of “What Christmas Means to Me.” Originally written by Anna Gordy Gaye, George Gordy, and Allen Story, Wonder’s cover remains a seasonal favorite for many. The song’s catchy lyrics combined with Wonder’s infectious sound make it almost impossible not to sing along.

Wonder isn’t the only musician to record a cover of “What Christmas Means to Me.” Most notably, John Legend performed the song on his 2018 album, A Legendary Christmas. To make it all the more special, the “All of Me” singer teamed up with Wonder on the track.

2. The Waitresses – ‘Christmas Wrapping’

The Waitresses’ song, “Christmas Wrapping,” became an unexpected hit in 1981. Chris Butler, the musician who penned the song, told NME in a 2013 YouTube video he and the rest of the band had just come off a long tour and didn’t want to do a holiday song.

The only reason they recorded “Christmas Wrapping” is because the president of their label wanted all of their artists to come up with a holiday song. So the band recorded the song in the summer of 1981 and Butler promptly forgot about it until his then-girlfriend told him it was all over the radio.

Not an obvious romance like Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” “Christmas Wrapping” focuses on the stress of the holiday season. Listen to it when all the decking the halls and gift-buying gets to be too much.

Fans of Gilmore Girls may recognize the song from the TV show’s first-ever Christmas episode. It’s playing in the background when Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) is sitting at home after being uninvited to her parents’ annual Christmas party.

3. Jonas Brothers – ‘Like It’s Christmas’

The Jonas Brothers released the upbeat holiday song, “Like It’s Christmas,” in 2019. Not as popular as Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” the Jonas Brothers song is a fun addition to any December playlist.

See Kevin, Nick, and Joe Jonas perform the song in the Netflix original series, Dash and Lily. Nick served as an executive producer and he even had a few lines in the movie.

4. Ariana Grande – Santa Tell Me

Perhaps the closest song to Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” on this list is Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me.” Released in 2014, Grande sings about falling in love but the romance fizzling out before Christmas.