Coming Home for Christmas: Songbook Favorites

I began dating my husband during the Christmas season forty years ago. Even in those early days, there was a sense of comfort and belonging, feelings I now recognize in many of the Great American Songbook Christmas songs written during the golden age of American songwriting.

Now that it’s mid-December, my focus naturally turns to home, connection, and the people in my life who matter most. I’m looking forward to traveling to Boston to be with my family, surrounded by memories of Christmases past. Home, family, and togetherness are at the heart of many holiday classics from the Great American Songbook.

Songs such as “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “White Christmas” are more than seasonal favorites. Written during times of separation and uncertainty, they express a deep longing for togetherness. In these American Songbook holiday standards, home is not just a place; it is the promise of being with someone you love.

That idea continues to resonate today. Home can be a shared tradition, a familiar voice, or the reassurance of knowing someone is waiting for you.

The enduring appeal of Great American Songbook holiday classics lies in their honesty. These songs don’t rely on spectacle or excess. Instead, they allow space for reflection, hope, and anticipation, emotions that feel especially present in mid-December.

What began for me as a Christmas romance has become a lifetime of shared holidays and traditions, much like the songs themselves, which deepen in meaning over time.

As a singer, I’m drawn to these classic Christmas songs because they reward sincerity and warmth. They are most effective when sung simply, allowing the lyrics and melody to speak clearly.

When performed this way, they feel personal and invite listeners to connect with their own memories. Mid-December offers a natural pause before the celebrations begin. The Christmas songs of the Great American Songbook meet us in that quiet moment, reminding us that the season and the music are ultimately about connection, comfort, and coming home.