Are you ready to have yourself a “Merry Little Christmas” with these holiday hits? Serving as a piece of universal language music provides a sense of mental clarity and self-expression. It creates the soundtrack for many of our lives and paints a personal portrait of our most coveted thoughts. Just think, is there a specific tune that instantly changes your mood? 

Establishing an emotional connection is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to music because it can also help alleviate the everyday stressors of the typical hustle and bustle during the holiday season. Through the spiritual, emotional, and physical realms, music nurtures our mental wellness and personal well-being, especially during Christmas time. For instance, how can you not get into a festive mood when you hear the uptempo grooves “Soul Holidays” by Sounds of Blackness or Luther Vandross’s “The Mistletoe Jam (Everybody Kiss Somebody)?”

Related: A Very Special Christmas Music Playlist

We can’t forget about the indisputable queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey. Twenty-five years after its release, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is a timeless classic that is still making headlines and topping the charts. The song’s massive popularity, catchy chorus, and joyful vibe gives us all the feels. 

Whenever I hear the drums kick-start accompanied by sleigh bells and brass sounds, it creates a sense of nostalgia. 

One of my personal favorites is Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas,” also known as the Black Christmas anthem. Whenever I hear the drums kick-start accompanied by sleigh bells and brass sounds, it creates a sense of nostalgia. A moment in time paused and etched forever in my memory because I’m instantly transported to my childhood. From baking cookies with my mom to decorating the Christmas tree with my sisters, or opening gifts on Christmas morning while Hathaway’s soothing vocals echo in the background with my dad as the official DJ, it brings me so much holiday cheer. 

By definition, nostalgia is “a wistful desire to return in thought or to a former time in one’s life, to one’s home or homeland, or to one’s family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time.” It’s safe to say, if only for a season or three minutes and fifty-one seconds, “This Christmas” helps me to pinpoint happy moments of my past and escape the pressures of adulting and the harsh realities of the world-at-large.

Related: The Realities of Being a Military Wife During the Holidays

But what about the group on the opposite end of the spectrum? The individuals who may not share the same sentiments and fond memories as me but are still preparing to endure this special yet difficult season. That is the beauty of music. It touches us all in different facets and various stages of our lives by tapping into our emotional vulnerabilities. A study conducted by the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health revealed listening to music is “one of the most pleasurable human experiences.” Music encompasses many elements; it is therapy, the soul of life, and a tool for activism. 

It touches us all in different facets and various stages of our lives by tapping into our emotional vulnerabilities.

Take a listen to Marvin Gaye’s “I Want to Come Home for Christmas.” 

Gaye’s voice reflects the loneliness and longing of a soldier during the Vietnam War to spend Christmas with loved ones back home. Despite what the holidays may look like for you, Dr. Joy Harden Bradford of Therapy for Black Girls said it best, “Figure out different ways that you can support yourself if you are having a hard time during the holiday season. Allow whatever feeling you are feeling to come in and just sit with it, and eventually, it will pass.” 

Related: Therapy for Black Girls’ Dr. Joy Harden Bradford on Dealing With the Holiday Blues

So, what better way to support yourself than through the power of music? Sit with your feelings and allow the music to speak to you and for you. The perfect song can release emotions and articulate your most intimate thoughts (both good and bad) without you having to say a word. 

As the holidays quickly draw near, I’m ready to “Give Love On Christmas Day,” and I’ve put together the perfect holiday tracks to do just that. Although the snow may be falling and the temperatures are dropping, these songs will most definitely warm your heart. From the legendary Stevie Wonder’s “Someday at Christmas” to Philly’s very own Boyz II Men, “Let It Snow,” get into env-blacklove-blstagepr.kinsta.cloud’s holiday playlist that will fuel your soul!