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Fair warning: if you’ve clicked on this article and choose to keep reading, you will get the song in question stuck in your head. Continue at your own peril.
We’ve had a lot of conversations this year about when is the appropriate time to bring out Christmas lights and music. I have to say, my building Xmassed the lobby before Thanksgiving and it felt way too soon to me. (This included an inflatable Santa that they’re keeping plugged in all the time so we tenants on the first floor can enjoy the electrical buzzing 24/7; it’s turning me into a Grinch real fast this year.) But there are devotees who believe the season starts on November 1, like Katherine Schwarzenegger and, of course, Mariah Carey. I understand wanting to listen to music that only gets played once a year as much as possible during that period. The downside, though, is hearing certain (north) polarizing songs on loop ad nauseum. One such little ditty is the 1979 synth-tacular tune from Paul McCartney, “Wonderful Christmastime.” People with ears have been debating the earworm on Reddit:
For many listeners, the gripe comes down to repetition and style. McCartney sings the line “Simply having a wonderful Christmastime” over and over while a chorus of children chimes in with “Ding dong, ding dong…” If the song hits your ears the wrong way, that loop can feel endless.
The debate recently resurfaced on Reddit, where fans (and non-fans) discussed just how polarizing the track really is. Let’s just say a few people got pretty candid.
“It’s my most hated Christmas song and has been for decades. God how I hate it,” one listener wrote. Another added, “I LOATHE this song with every fiber of my being. It is the dumbest song ever.”
One user even dubbed it the “Worst song ever written,” while another said, “That song is an abomination.”
Some listeners described an almost surreal feeling when it comes on — and not in a good way. “I feel like I’m in a fever dream every time it plays. I think it’s the synth, meaningless lyrics and the repetition, but it never seems to end. It’s the longest couple minutes of any song.”
Still, nearly half a century after its release, “Wonderful Christmastime” remains a seasonal staple. You’ll hear it everywhere, radio stations, department stores, grocery aisles, whether you love it or not.
And plenty of fans genuinely do love it. “Not his best, but very nostalgic for me as I get older. There are worse Christmas songs,” one user admitted.
Another even compared it favorably to John Lennon’s holiday anthem. “I’ll go ahead and say it, I prefer Wonderful Christmastime to Happy Xmas (War is Over) by a mile.”
Others praised the song for its fun, feel-good energy. “It’s genuinely one of my favourite Christmas songs, and is sampled in a great De La Soul song ‘Simply.’”
Another added, “A perfectly fine Christmas song,” while one fan wrote, “Honestly I like my Christmas songs to actually be fun, so… yeah I like it.”
There are some exceptional takes on the Reddit thread, one of my favorite being, “on ‘Wonderful Christmastime,’ Sir Paul McCartney set out to make a timeless christmas classic and also to figure out what every button on his synthesizer did, and he absolutely succeeded at one of those things.” I don’t know if I’d use the word “hate” with this song, only because it’s so inane and void of substance that there’s nothing really there to be up in arms against. To me, it’s a perfect example of how McCartney and Beatles writing partner John Lennon balanced each other so well. (Though I’d firmly take “Happy Xmas (War Is Over) ANY DAY over “WC” and cannot believe someone said the opposite out loud on a public forum.) Their dynamic makes me think of the weighing of the heart ceremony in the Egyptian afterlife, where the deceased person’s heart is taken out and weighed on a scale against the goddess Ma’at’s feather of truth. When I first learned of this ritual, I swore it was described that the heart had to be the exact same weight as the feather to get to heaven — meaning you can’t have spent your life too heavy-hearted or too light-hearted. But when I went to back this up on the interwebs, most sources are saying the heart just couldn’t be heavier than the feather, lighter was ok. I like my version better! And the point is, I think Lennon kept McCartney from being too light, and vice versa. (And to those of you who had on your bingo card Kismet tying in Beatles, Christmas, and the Egyptian Book of the Dead all into one story: happy holidays.)
It’s one of my least favorite Christmas songs.
Same. I find it entirely annoying. I turn it off whenever it comes on.
I have run out of a store when I heard it playing. It puts me in a bad mood every time. Stupid lyrics, annoying music. I HATE IT.
I find Paul McCartney entirely too cloying and relentlessly cheerful on his own. Totally agree with your observation that John Lennon balanced him out. I really hate this song.
I didn’t know others hated this song (I thought it was just me), but the actual melody gets on my nerves. Maybe the actual singing of the song doesn’t sound great either.
Yes! The actual melody is awful, like it was devised by someone with a tin ear.
The chorus repetition is especially grating in this song—it’s truly unpleasant.
It feels like it’s never going to end, it’s so unpleasant.
I love all the references you managed to squeeze in there.
I do not love the song. It’s so banal and so repetitive that it’s one of my very least favourite Christmas songs.
I go hot and cold on this song. Sometimes I find it cheerful and other times it is too much. I heard a cover by Beta Radio a few years ago that I absolutely love, so much so it lives in my regular iTunes mix year round instead of going away in January.
I think the original can grate due to the synth and the 4 min + length
The first time I heard this song I thought I was having a psychotic break. If I continue to live a dissolute and wicked life for the rest of my days, this will be the song to greet me at the gates of hell. All of the demons will be singing it in every language known to man. Satan will be playing the synthesizer.
This is my least favorite song of any season.
Thank you for the laugh Nixie – that visual is hilarious.
First of all, it’s quite preposterous to compare John Lennon’s Christmas song with Paul McCartney’s Christmas song. It’s comparing apples and oranges. Lennon’s Christmas song is just a very derivative rock ‘n’ roll song although I love it. There is absolutely nothing interesting about the structure of it as far as song composition goes. However, McCartney’s Christmas song has a lot of little flourishes that are lovely! Structurally, the McCartney song has very interesting things going on like the little sweet canon in the middle is lovely! Ultimately, everyone is an expert at what they like. I find it arrogant to Transfer one’s opinion into fact. And besides why waste time talking about how boring this song is instead of trying to find the beauty in it, beauty and all things! And that is what art is all about- to express the beauty in the world around us through aesthetic understanding.
Hmmmm. A Gates of Hell playlist. That’s a whole other conversation.
I can’t stand Xmas music in general (bah humbug!), but I’d absolutely pick wonderful Christmas time over lennons war is over. I hate the self-important preachy Xmas anthems far more than the silly fun ones!
I’m with you about the music. The stores ramp up the decorations and music for so long (months!) that it’s killed the mood by the time December rolls around. An occasional song on the car radio during December is about all I’m willing to tolerate, now.
Same, it reminds me not to be too stressed out and enjoy what’s nice about the season – plus it reminds me of a specific time in my life as an almost-teen still loving Christmas and being excited about getting the Sears and JC Penney wishbook catalogs to mark up with my brother and sister. Good times 🙂
Omg that song truly annoys me. I hate when it plays in stores during the holidays it makes me want to run out and not buy a single item. I call it birth control for my wallet.
Mariah Carey, Nat King Cole, Seth MacFarlane, and Kelly Clarkston for the wins.
This is not my most hated, I’m neutral on this one. I really don’t like the carpenters christmas stuff, when I hear her it just makes me sad and not in a good way
I love and cherish Paul and everything Beatles and Wings. One day we won’t have Paul any more and for me that is going to be an awful day.
Fully agreed. People love to dump on Paul, but it’s a fun song.
It’s not first on my list of Christmastime jams but I enjoy the song. Sometimes people can be so precious with music and song writing — even if they’re not writing the songs or making the music…
Meh, it’s no worse than “Santa, Baby” (especially if the singer is doing a baby voice) or “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” (the xmas date r*pe song), or that godforsaken Italian xmas donkey song.
I really cannot find anything wrong with Wonder Christmastime. It a Christmas song that you hear or are forced to hear only one time of the year.
Actually my favorite “Love to Hate” Christmas song is “Grandma Got Runover by a Reindeer”. I chuckle ever time it comes on the car radio.
Thank you for bringing Santa Baby into the mix. It is the only song worse than the McCartney song. Everything I hate about “Wonderful Christmastime” is structural…the key, notes, timing, etc. It’s like an annoying relative who won’t stop whining in your ear.
Santa Baby is much worse. Like a little girl trying to seduce Santa. How anyone can keep their lunch down during that song is beyond me.
Give me that dog barking Jingle Bells any day. Or the song with a grown woman singing to Santa and she tells him she wants a 5 pound box of money. I am fully on board with that.
Its one of my least favorite xmas songs. I have a list of ones that I hate and that’s up there.
But I did laugh when I read a description of the song that makes sense – its a bunch of pagans gathered to celebrate the winter solstice who have to pivot when someone walks in. “the moon is right…we’re here tonight….SIMPLY HAVING A WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME!!!” its so much better if you think of it as a “nothing to see here folks!” kind of song lol.
Becks, thank you for giving me a coping mechanism. I’ll think of interrupted pagans the next time I’m forced to listen to it.
I love this angle!
AARRRGGGHHH! I had made it this far into December without even thinking of that horror of an alleged song! It is in the top 3-5 worst pieces of music ever composed and what the hell is “oh, don’t look down!” even supposed to mean?
It is not allowed in my home, car, or workplace and if J hear it somewhere, I must escape immediately.
Excuse me, I must go blast some Darlene Love to clear away the pollution now echoing through my brain
I think the “don’t look down” part means “don’t look sad.” At least, that’s how I always interpreted it whenever I’ve heard it.
And I’m going against the haters here. It’s just a fun, happy Christmas song so I love it. I grew up with a dad who only liked to hear sad Christmas songs, Lord knows why.
I love A Wonderful Christmas Time. Also, I love the way Paul looks at Linda throughout the video. He was so in love.
Both songs are great! Just different.
Hard agree!🎄
The melody is atrocious, the lyrics stupid, and I don’t care for Paul McCartney’s voice. That’s why I hate it lol
Definitely not one of my favourites but it can’t be the worst Christmas song while Christmas Shoes exists.
Oh my goodness, Christmas Shoes is the WORST.
I do despise Wonderful Christmastime but I dislike most Beatles songs.
This. 100%.
My BIL actually put the Patton Oswalt “Christmas Shoes” bit in his Christmas mix, so that was the first I’d even heard OF the song. When I heard the song itself, I could hardly believe it was real. Jesus, why would someone write that?!
The Christmas Shoes and whatever the hell Faith Hill is moaning about in that Hurry Christmas dreck and that donkey song are up there in my top 5 but McCartney’s mess tops them all for me.
And while we’re on the subject of Christmas songs, “Have yourself a merry little Christmas” is NOT a cheerful song. It’s a so melancholy and sad it makes you want to go punch a snowman song, as little Margaret O’Brien does after Judy Garland sings it to her in Meet Me in St Louis. The only other version that does it justice is Frank Sinatra’s, who also handles it as sad, melancholy, and let’s go punch a snowman.
Wait – WHY don’t we have a song titled “Let’s Go Punch A Snowman”??? ⛄️
I’ve always hated that song too. At least though Paul McCartney owns his cloying sappiness. Unlike John Lennon who rather hypocritically preached peace and love and while apparently being an abusive piece of garbage to the women around him…
….that song is actually one of my favorite Christmas songs. Hangs head in shame.
Well, sit right next to me, KRIST, we’re doing Christmas Argent-style, we’re gonna love the Christmas music that makes us happy and:
Hold our heads up Hiiiiiiigh…
I love it.
I love ‘Wonderful Christmastime’, I love ‘I Believe In Father Christmas’, I love ‘Step In To Christmas’, I love ‘Last Christmas’ I love ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’, the works!
I fly my Christmas twee flag proudly.
I don’t mind Wonderful Christmas. I’d rather hear that than the Hippopotamus song for the 10,000th time. And like someone else said, that Christmas Shoes song is a misery.
Was never a fan of this song. I really love Stings Gabriel’s Message!! He didn’t write it but I love his version.
I love that song!
It’s the chorus of children. I don’t think there’s ever been a song, except “Another Brick in the Wall”, where the voices of children seemed like a good addition.
I have & will ALWAYS appreciate pure schmsltzy pop music 🎶…there’s room for it ALL🎄 As soon as I hear the chintzy synth that plays at the beginning…my ❤️ smiles
I hate all Paul McCartney songs post-Beatles, and avoid them, and McCartney.
My most disliked Beatle.
I hate “We Need a Little Christmas,” which plays incessantly on our local holiday music station. Especially when it’s sung by any group that sounds like it performed on “The Lawrence Welk Show.”
My faves: “Elf’s Lament” by Barenaked Ladies and “It Really Is (A Wonderful Life),” by Mindy Smith and, of course, “Fairytale of New York,” by the Pogues.
I hate that song. John’s “Happy Christmas (War is Over”) and the Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” are about the only ones I really like to hear anymore.
“Wonderful Christmastime” was written during Sir Paul’s full on schmaltzy period. I love the man, he’s an absolute legend, but he has turned out a lot of dreck over the years-stuff that wouldn’t sell if it was released by anybody else named Paul. One of my favorite anecdotes was Elvis Costello’s-he almost walked out of a recording session with Paul because Paul kept going on about how much he liked The Human League. (don’t get me wrong, I love Annie, but EC did have a point.)
Over the last decade or so he seems to have embraced his relationship with John on a much deeper level, rather than the years that he spent trying to run away from it.
just my opinion, feel free to disagree.
I’ll happily be in the minority here and go on record saying that I love this song. I never turn it off (along with the Beach Boys’ “Little Saint Nick” and Andy Williams’ “Happy Holidays”) and prefer it to the other holiday radio staples like “Last Christmas.” Also, “Santa Baby” really is the worst.
I’ve loved it ever since I saw that viral tweet by Ryan George pointing out that the song is about friends practicing witchcraft and being interrupted by someone:
The moon is right, the spirits up, we’re here tonight, and that’s enough…
*someone walks into the room*
SIMPLY HAVING A WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME! SIMPLY HAVING A WONDERFUL CHRISTMASTIME!
As an older commenter who has seen it happening since 1970, it’s too bad that Sir Paul gets dumped on so regularly and criticized so much for simply not being John Lennon. It’s cool to align oneself with the “rebel” and “genius” of John Lennon, especially after his horrific murder at age 40, and to make fun of the “schmaltzy” and “dad-like” Paul McCartney.
I love The Beatles and admire all of the works of their solo careers, including WC! 🙂 As Diana said above, one day, we won’t have Paul McCartney to make fun of anymore. At that time, I predict that folks will recognize that he was one of those musician/composer/songwriter/singers that comes along once in a century – just like his beloved bandmate, John Lennon.
Happy Christmas all!
Paul McCartney is incredibly ‘normal’ and down to earth given the degree of fame he’s had all his adult life. Just extraordinary fame. I think much of his post-Beatles work is under-rated. I don’t like many Xmas songs but my bottom of the league is Jonah Lewie’s ‘Stop the Cavalry’ with its awful lyrics and parping horn section. Every bloody year…
First of all, clicking on the article wasn’t necessary – the song was stuck in my head just from seeing the article title! That said, I can tolerate this one as well as I can tolerate any Christmas music. I’d take this played on a loop 24/7 over ever having to hear Carol of the Bells again. I…HATE…THAT…SONG! The swirling voices make me feel like I’m in a fever dream.
I don’t hate it. Like a lot of Christmas songs, it’s gets on my nerves after hearing it 80 times during the holiday season. It’s not Paul McCartney’s best song (and he has some good tunes), just as Last Christmas isn’t the best Wham!’ song by a long shot.