I absolutely LOVE the Guaraldi record, but my two favorite Christmas songs are very sharp lyrical observations of family bonds and tensions at holiday time:
"The Christians and The Pagans" by Dar Williams
"Merry Christmas From The Family" by Robert Earl Keen
Neither is "in the holiday spirit" in the tradional sense, but both -IMHO- are fabulous examples of the lyricist's craft.
Disclaimer: These are the musical Christmass preferences of a Jewish listener who never celebrated the holiday in any meaningful way. I do love this stuff because holiday family gatherings are a commonly held experience for most people, but my perspective may be somewhat different than most.
Marty
PS I find the Dar Williams song really moving and the RE Keen song absolutely hilarious.
"The Christians and The Pagans" by Dar Williams
"Merry Christmas From The Family" by Robert Earl Keen
Neither is "in the holiday spirit" in the tradional sense, but both -IMHO- are fabulous examples of the lyricist's craft.
Disclaimer: These are the musical Christmass preferences of a Jewish listener who never celebrated the holiday in any meaningful way. I do love this stuff because holiday family gatherings are a commonly held experience for most people, but my perspective may be somewhat different than most.
Marty
PS I find the Dar Williams song really moving and the RE Keen song absolutely hilarious.