I know it’s not cool, but I love the crappy Christmas songs. Especially the ones that were on my dads Christmas compilations when I was little in the mid 80s.
Wizzard, Slade, Greg Lake, Shakin Stevens, Step into Christmas – Elton, Darlene Love. Basically any Christmas compilation CD from 1982-1990ish.
My dad used to have them on non-stop in the run up to Christmas, its the one thing I miss from Christmas as a that I don’t get to do now, my wife and kids get wound up by Christmas music so I have to listen on my own other than the day we put the decs up.
I do sneak some piano jazz Christmas classics on during Christmas dinner though, that goes down pretty well.
Alternative wise, Bad Religion did some no nonsense versions of very traditional songs a few years ago, and Reel Big Fish and new Found Glory have both put out Xmas EPs, but I’d rather here Wizzard again personally.
Caveat – I don’t work in retail