Everyone has a favourite Christmas song and now a motoring organisation representing Britain’s army of van drivers has named the top ten festive songs to listen to while driving.
Van leasing giant Leasevan.co.uk asked customers to name their favourite Christmas tunes as they make their December journeys around the UK.
With everything from Bing Crosby to the Ramones, the playlist has something for all musical tastes and all the songs are well-known favourites.
Top of the list is the melodic yet unsentimental Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.
There is also some sassiness from Eartha Kitt’s Santa Baby, the haunting A Spaceman Came Travelling by Chris de Burgh, and Slade’s Merry Christmas Everybody for pure feel-good factor.
Tim Alcock of Leasevan.co.uk said; “You can imagine how many Christmas songs there are to choose from – it was hard to whittle it down to just ten but we’ve managed.
“These are driving songs designed to get you into a happy and festive mood, so they need to have strong tunes and be good for singing along to as you make your way along the roads.
“It’s easy to get bored with your music when you spend a lot of time behind the wheel, so we’ve made sure there’s variety in the playlist – everything from classic crooning to proper punk.
“It’s not always easy to keep the Christmas spirit when you spend a lot of time on the road or stuck in traffic, but these tunes will lift your mood and help you to remember that it’s still the season of goodwill.”
The Van Driver’s Christmas Playlist
1. The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl, Fairytale of New York
It’s not your standard Christmas story, but this 1987 hit has gone platinum and is one of the nation’s favourites. Great for belting out while driving, and you can direct the insulting lines at bad drivers.
2. Band Aid, Do They Know It’s Christmas
The ultimate song for the Christmas spirit of giving and caring about others. Choose the 1984 original, or the versions from 2004 or 2014.
3. Chris de Burgh, A Spaceman Came Travelling
Beautiful and haunting. If you’re driving through frost or winter snowfall, this is perfect.
4. John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Happy Christmas (War is Over)
Anyone would choose world peace for their Christmas present if they could.
5. Bing Crosby, White Christmas
The classic Christmas crooner. Smooth and almost carol-like, this is truly timeless.
6. The Ramones, Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)
For a perfect contrast to old Bing, a punky number that still captures the Christmas spirit of making peace and showing love.
7. Wham!, Last Christmas
We still miss George Michael, who passed away on Christmas Day last year, but his much-loved Christmas single lives on.
8. Eartha Kitt, Santa Baby
There are many covers of this fun Christmas song, but none of them beats the playful sassiness of Eartha Kitt’s original.
9. Slade, Merry Christmas Everybody
Brilliantly catchy and everyone knows it. The only problem will be trying to get it out of your head before New Year.
10. Shakin’ Stevens, Merry Christmas Everyone
They just don’t get more singalong-y than this – you can even practise your falsetto.