A selection of stars featured on HuffPost UK's alternative Christmas playlist

There comes a point every festive season when it suddenly dawns on you that if you hear the same old Christmas songs one more time you are going to run for the hills.

Yes, we’ll admit to getting those lovely nostalgia pangs when we first hear those opening bars of Merry Christmas Everyone or I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday at the beginning of December, but after weeks of it, it can start to take its toll.

So, whatever your plans are this Christmas, we’ve provided a handful of festive alternatives for anyone hoping to inject a little extra sparkle to their playlists, without having to resort to the dusty old favourites we’ve been suffering through every winter since time began.

You can forget about Shakin’ Stevens, Chris Rea and even The Pogues – here are 18 lesser-known tracks guaranteed to help bring along some extra holiday cheer, including festive bangers from big-name artists like Ariana Grande, Kylie Minogue,Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter and even the queen of Christmas herself Mariah Carey that haven’t quite crossed over to the mainstream…

1. Kylie Minogue and Dannii Minogue – 100 Degrees

100 Degrees was undoubtedly the most memorable – and dance-able! – offering from Kylie Minogue’s 2015 Christmas collection.

This original track might not immediately fill you with Christmas spirit (there’s neither a sleigh bell nor a reference to Santa in sight), but this disco-infused bop is guaranteed to get the whole family up twirling around the living room. Yes, even your dad.

2. Dragonette – Merry Xmas (Says Your Text Message)

Potentially the only Christmas song you’re likely to listen to with the lyric “thanks a lot, but fuck you”.

Obviously, this cheeky (and NSFW!) offering might not exactly be one to put on full blast while your nan makes her annual Christmas visit, but it’s still a catchy ode to dumping someone on Boxing Day, which makes a welcome change from those artists who just rhyme “festive cheer” with “last all year” and hope for the best.

3. Lady Gaga and Space Cowboy – Christmas Tree

Long before A Star Is Born, her Oscar win and, indeed, the A Night Of Piano And Jazz era, Lady Gaga was best known for putting out synth-heavy pop ditties like this Christmassy offering, Christmas Tree.

Although it references traditional tracks like Deck The Halls and Little Drummer Boy throughout, lyrics like “take off my stockings we’re out spreading Christmas cheer” suggest this isn’t one to put on while the family tucks into their turkey.

Gaga even revisited the song herself during her 2024 Carpool Karaoke special.

4. Ariana Grande – Wit It This Christmas

You’re probably already familiar with Ariana Grande’s latterday Christmas classic Santa Tell Me, which even hit the top 10 for the first time in 2024, but what you might not realise is that the Wicked star actually has a plethora of festive tunes to her name.

In 2015, shortly before unveiling her Dangerous Woman album, Ariana released an entire Christmas........

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