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Chill Out With Winter Holiday Songs From Your Library
About Blog Post
Dec 1, 2021
by Pressroom
‘Tis the season — to stress out? According to a 2018 survey, a whopping 88 percent of Americans feel stressed out during the holidays. But, did you know that “music can be used as a therapeutic tool to not only reduce stress, but to also promote healing and improve one’s overall emotional well-being?”
Chill out this holiday season with a playlist from the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey (SCLSNJ) composed of tracks from CDs available in the Library’s collection. The playlist features songs that highlight Hanukkah*, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and the Winter Solstice.
Take a mental vacation and travel down “Holiday Road” (aka the theme song from the comedy classic film “National Lampoon's Vacation”) with former Fleetwood Mac guitarist and vocalist Lindsey Buckingham, then say “Mele Kalikimaka” to the residents of Hawaii with ‘60s pop sensations the Monkees.
Celebrate the Festival of Lights with rock tracks from funny man and musician Jack Black, pop-rockers the Barenaked Ladies, and sibling trio HAIM.
Welcome the Winter Solstice through the poetic lyrics and gentle melodies of alternative piano queen Tori Amos and her original song “Winter’s Carol.”
Commemorate community, family, and culture and learn the “Kwanzaa Dance” featured on the children’s album “Kwanzaa for Young People (and Everyone Else!).”
Get funky this Christmas and walk in a “Winter Wonderland” with bluegrass, jam band the Infamous Stringdusters, and discover a “Christmas in Hollis” with hip-hop legends Run-D.M.C.
If you’re feeling a bit bah-hum-bug, there are songs here for you, too, Scrooge. Joni Mitchell’s journey of heartbreak during the holiday season is chronicled in the folky-blues track “River.” While Lindsey Stirling and Sabrina Carpenter tell the Grinch how it is, through their electronic, violin-fueled rendition of “You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”
Connect with winter holidays with this playlist from SCLSNJ:
- “Holiday Road” performed by Lindsey Buckingham
- “Mele Kalikimaka” performed by the Monkees
- “Christmas in Hollis” performed by Run-D.M.C.
- “Winter Wonderland” performed by the Infamous Stringdusters
- “Oh Hanukkah” performed by Jack Black
- “Hanukkah Blessings” performed by the Barenaked Ladies
- “If It Be Your Will” performed by HAIM
- “Kwanzaa Dance” performed by Various Artists, featured on “Kwanzaa for Young People (and Everyone Else!)”
- “My Favorite Things” performed by the Supremes
- “Winter’s Carol” performed by Tori Amos
- “You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” performed by Lindsey Stirling featuring Sabrina Carpenter
- “River” performed by Joni Mitchell
- “Noche de Paz (Silent Night)” performed by Raúl Di Blasio
- “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” performed by John & Yoko/The Plastic Ono Band
- “Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace)” performed by Yo-Yo Ma