Hanukkah Song Of The Day: "Candlelight" - The Maccabeats

It's December and as a devotee to all things Holiday I thought I'd roll out some of my favorite Christmas/Winter music throughout the month. Check back every day for tracks old, new, classic and unique. Happy Holidays!

As a gentile, I have never celebrated Hanukkah. I did buy Hanukkah gift wrap on clearance at Target once because it was so pretty and I thought I should have it on hand in case I needed to give a gift during the festival of lights. Speaking of lights, The Fabulous Beekman Boys have a stunning modern menorah someone could get me for Christmas this year if they are feeling especially generous.

I do love me some latkes and hot Jewish boys so this parody of the Taio Cruz song "Dynamite" is something I have no problem sharing. I actually tend to sing these lyrics when I hear the original track. Plus the lyrics are a great way to explain what the holiday is all about, the miracle of light conquering darkness in even the most dire of circumstances.

Thanksgiving Song Of The Day: "Feeling Good" - Nina Simone

While there isn't a lot of songs for Thanksgiving, I wanted to highlight a few songs about being thankful before diving into the winter holidays. Yes, I'll be posting holiday songs all December! Nothing like mistletoe and holly to get me back to blogging.

There isn't a specific "thankful" lyric in the pop/jazz standard "Feeling Good" but that feeling the song mentions (and evokes) is partially one of gratitude for a new day and new start. Each day we wake up is another chance to take on the world, and that's something to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving Song Of The Day: "Thank U" - Alanis Morissette

While there isn't a lot of songs for Thanksgiving, I wanted to highlight a few songs about being thankful before diving into the winter holidays. Yes, I'll be posting holiday songs all December! Nothing like mistletoe and holly to get me back to blogging.

This is a strange song, but seems the most thankful of any pop song in recent memory. Alanis is listing all the things the is thankful for, like so many people do on Thanksgiving, but she actually thanks the ideals and places that have helped her during a quest to find herself after a breakup. It should be the national Thanksgiving carol.

Thanksgiving Song Of The Day: "Thank You" - Mary Mary & Kirk Franklin

While there isn't a lot of songs for Thanksgiving, I wanted to highlight a few songs about being thankful before diving into the winter holidays. Yes, I'll be posting holiday songs all December! Nothing like mistletoe and holly to get me back to blogging.

When it comes to songs about being thankful, Gospel music has you covered. This little ditty was on the soundtrack to the kinda terrible film Kingdom Come, which I owned on VHS and had the CD as a teenager. I never said I was thankful for good taste, did I?

I loved both Mary Mary and Kirk Franklin as a kid, and this was such a cool record back when it came out. A little dated now, but let's jam anyway!

Thanksgiving Song Of The Day: "ThankYou" - Dido

While there isn't a lot of songs for Thanksgiving, I wanted to highlight a few songs about being thankful before diving into the winter holidays. Yes, I'll be posting holiday songs all December! Nothing like mistletoe and holly to get me back to blogging.

One of the many things I'm thankful for in my life is my husband, Derek. So this song, which a little cloying to be honest, fits the bill quite nicely. I've had many "best days of my life" with (and without) him but either way, I'm thankful for the time we've had thus far. Sappy enough for ya?

BRAND NEW Christmas Song Of The Day: "Last Christmas" - Ariana Grande

It's almost December and as a devotee to all things Holiday I thought I'd roll out some of my favorite Christmas/Winter music throughout that month. Check back every day in December for tracks old, new, classic and unique - plus a few thankfulness songs in November leading up to Thanksgiving!

Ariana Grande is the first real attempt at a teen pop singer from the Nickelodeon machine to make a dent since Miranda Cosgrove's dud singles like "Kissin U" and Victoria Justice's lame cover of "Want You Back" failed. Yes, I know too much about teen pop for a thirtysomething.

But back to Ariana. Her album Yours Truly is a pop/r&b gem with two decent Top 40 singles so with December right around the corner, this is the moment to release a Christmas single to goose up sales of her LP.

Wham's "Last Christmas" is such a ubiquitous holiday staple that there is an entire blog dedicated to chronicling covers of the '80s hit. It's a post-breakup empowerment jam with a brief holiday connection, so it's never been a big favorite of mine.

On Ariana Grande's cover, her powerful vocals are wasted and the new lyrics sound half ad-libbed. It's a forgettable cash grab, which is a shame because the talent is there. Something like "O Holy Night" or "Do You Hear What I Hear?" would've been a better option for Grande's range.

Review: Kelly Clarkson - "Wrapped In Red"

It makes too much sense that Kelly Clarkson would release a Christmas album. Her multi-genre appeal works to her advantage on Wrapped In Red, the full length holiday album available now.

While Kelly has released a few Christmas songs, including contributions to an American Idol holiday disc ten years ago, this is her first Christmas album. As usual, her vocals are beautiful on classics like "White Christmas" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" but the production values on the album are stellar. It doesn't feel like a cash-in production, the music breaths and swells with a full orchestra on four tracks and a horn trio on others. That brings us back to Clarkson's love of genre-hopping. Originals like the title track, "Underneath The Tree" and "Every Christmas" nestle perfectly among 60s-era rock'n'roll classics like "Run Run Rudolph" and "Please Come Home For Christmas (Bells Will Be Ringing)" while the big band sounds of tracks like "My Favorite Things" keep things classic. The crown jewel of the collection is the modern pop original "Winter Dreams (Brandon's Song)" - clearly Kelly's new husband will serve as muse instead of break-ups and heartbreaks in her future songwriting endeavors.

Wrapped In Red rarely falters, however the Katy Perry-esque "4 Carats" and a duet with country legend Ronnie Dunn on "Baby, It's Cold Outside" show Kelly's only weakness is attempts at overt sexiness. But the album ends with two songs that show her range perfectly. "Just For Now" is stellar Imogen Heap cover that keeps Kelly's sound fresh while her team-up with Reba McIntire and Trisha Yearwood on the traditional carol "Silent Night" gives a glimpse of her roots.

All in all, this is a perfect Christmas party album. I will say, the Target exclusive deluxe edition includes two songs worth having - a smooth jazz take on "I'll Be Home For Christmas" from 2011's iTunes Session EP and an elegantly simple version of my personal favorite ancient carol "O Come, O Come Emmanuel."