Top 5 Sad Christmas Songs

It’s that wonderful time of the year again… or is it? For most people, Christmas will be a time for festive cheer, opening an avalanche of presents from friends and family (who seem to get extra nice around you during the holidays), and hop from one Christmas party to another.

However, for some people, Christmas will be a drag this year for their own reasons.

Perhaps they lost a loved one this year, or they will not get to spend Christmas with their friends and family because they were sent away on business or in the case of our valiant soldiers, they were shipped off to war.

For others who have had their hearts badly broken by a lover, Christmas may not be all that merry.  Here’s a list of sad Christmas songs for the lonely, the fearful, and the melancholy.

Top Five Sad Christmas Songs

1.Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – John Lennon

“So this is Christmas, and what have you done?”

Why is this sad? And why did I put it up here first? The World is at war with itself again, that’s why. The year is coming to an end; however, we can’t say the same for all the unrest in the international political arena. Soldiers and their families can relate to this song, which is really equally about blame as it is about hope.

2. 7 O’clock News/Silent Night – Simon & Garfunkle

This song is ingenious—a thousand times sad, but ingenious. While the haunting vocals of Simon & Garfunkle was enough to make the song sad, a newscaster narrates the 7 o’clock news full of unfortunate incidents in the ‘70’s about war, politics, crime, death and utter hopelessness.

3. Blue Christmas – Elvis Presley

“And when that blue heartache starts hurting, you’ll be doing all right with your Christmas of white, but I’ll have a blue, blue Christmas.”

This song is perfect for people whose loved ones are miles away. The color blue is mostly associated with sadness. That’s why we say we have “the blues” when we’re stuck in a lonely rut. We even created a musical genre out of it due this very same reason.

4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Judy Garland

“Someday soon, we all will be together if the Fates allow. Until then, we’ll have to muddle through somehow.”

Listen to the Judy Garland version and understand why it fits category. And if you want to be sure, just listen to the lyrics. A character Judy Garland played sang this song to a five-year-old girl in the movie Meet Me In St. Louis. The way she sang it will make you bawl your eyes out.

5. Merry Christmas, Darling – The Carpenters

“Merry Christmas, darling, we’re apart that’s true, but I can dream and in my dreams I’m Christmas-ing with you.”

And finally, for the forlorn and dejected, you might want to sing for the one you’ve had eyes on since forever but who doesn’t even know you exist. Or to a loved-one who’s away on Christmas.

Most Christmas songs are happy and full of joy, but there are many that are not.  This list of the top 5 sad Christmas songs is just a start.   What are some others that you enjoy?