3 Unorthodox Christmas Songs That Don’t Sing About Presents, Reindeer, or Mistletoe 

Before you go right ahead and call us “Scrooge” or the “Grinch,” just hear us out for a second. Is Christmas music good? Of course, it sets the tone for the holiday and puts you in that festive emotional state. However, like most things that are an annual occurrence, it can get pretty old. If you’re tired of listening to the same mainstream Christmas hits and are looking to change it up, well, then we are here to help. That being so, here are three unorthodox Christmas songs that don’t sing about presents, reindeer, or mistletoe.

“Christmas In Prison” by John Prine

John Prine and Christmas music are an incredibly unconventional pair, but it works really, really well. We can’t speak for the late Prine, but when he wrote this song, he seemingly asked himself: how can I make a Christmas song that shows a different side of the holiday and subverts the norm? Well, he answered that question with his 1973 single, “Christmas In Prison”.

Comical and troubling are just two of the words you could tag onto this John Prine song. Like most of his songs, this single also holds Prine’s quintessential dry sense of humor. Although he also sheds light on an underrepresented demographic in general, and particularly during the holiday season, prisoners.

“Don’t Shoot Me Santa” by The Killers

In the Christmas tradition, Santa has always been the man who holds the scales and who brings judgment onto children who have done wrong. That sounds intense, we know, but that is how The Killers paint Santa in their single “Don’t Shoot Me Santa”. As a matter of fact, their description is a little darker than ours, because in the song, Santa is an executioner.

If your sense of humor tends to lean to the darker side, then you will find this song hilarious, and it is. If not, and you uphold the admiral values of the holiday and its folklore, then maybe skip this one over. To someone in the prior category, make sure you give this song a listen this holiday season; it will be a great change-up from the regular beat.

“Beer For Breakfast” by The Replacements

When you think of the exact opposite of Christmas music, what do you think of? We think of punk music as it subverts the holiday in nearly every way, shape, and form. One band that leaned into this juxtaposition was The Replacements, and they did so with their 1997 single, “Beer For Breakfast”.

Frankly, we aren’t going to spoil the lyrics and their meaning for you, because we want your reaction to be as authentic as can be. Trust us, your reaction will be one of genuine belly-laughter and teary eyes, because this song just might be the funniest Christmas song to exist.

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