Todd Rundgren - "Flappie"
Leave it to Rundgren to come up with one of the quirkiest Christmas songs of the year. "Flappie" tells the tale of a boy who is devastated when his pet rabbit goes missing at the holidays. Turns out that dad killed the bunny and it is served up as Christmas dinner. Even eerier, the song intimates at its end that the boy may be seeking revenge. Be wary of that Father's Day gift, dad!

Maxine Linehan - "This Time of Year"
This title track from Linehan's holiday album of the same name accentuates the Irish singer's charm as she sings about missing a loved one at Christmas. Linehan sings her lyrics as delicately as falling snow but each syllable is rich with the feeling of loss that many experience around the holidays.

Suzi Quatro - "My Heart and Soul (I Need You Home for Christmas)"
Rarely given the credit she deserves as a pioneer in the field of hard rocking women, Quatro is still going strong and received stellar reviews for her 2019 album No Control. For this Christmas song she is appropriately toned down for the season with a jazzy, piano-driven pop song that's clearly inspired by the love of family.

Art of Shock - "No Presents for Christmas"
Not everyone knows this, but Santa is a bit of a head banger. It's a good thing Santa will be wearing his ear buds because this one, a cover of a King Diamond burner, might scare the reindeer. Listen closely and you'll hear a nod to "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" among the thrash.

Johnny & the Mongrels - "Christmas Angels"
You can bet Santa will be playing this one as he works his way through bayou country as this Louisiana band sings about family and friends who won't be home for Christmas because they have passed away. The soulful, gospel-tinged cut indicates though that these folks are in fact at the holiday celebration, as angels.

Meghan Trainor - "My Kind of Present"
Meghan has released a full Christmas album but this one is one of Santa's favorites. And why not? The song features Trainor cooing sweetly about how she doesn't want anything for Christmas except her lover. Besides being uplifting, the song is a great singalong.