Which is the most haunting/beautiful Christmas carol or song?

[A580Hojas]

I like the melodic slightly melancholy ones. Something in a minor key maybe?

I always think Angel's Carol is quite melancholy, even though the lyrics aren't terribly dark.

Also love Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

This:

I've found my people!

The whole of Britten's Ceremony of Carols, too - with the icy spangly harp accompaniment.

(O little town to St Louis) (Nat King Cole) (Shepherd's Farewell). This carol makes me cry....

Gaudete! But I do love In the Bleak Midwinter too

I like White Wine in the Sun by Tim Minchin, particularly this bit as it reminds me of the Christmasses I’ve spent far from home...

And if my baby girl
When you're twenty-one or thirty-one
And Christmas comes around
And you find yourself nine thousand miles from home
You'll know what ever comes
Your brothers and sisters and me and your mum
Will be waiting for you in the sun

Carol of the bells - so atmospheric, especially in a candlelit church.

Lots of my favourites already mentioned, so I'll throw in Herbert Howells' Sing Lullaby and A Spotless Rose.

Carol of the Bells for me, I always try to sing along but fail miserably.

Lulay lu la.
Anything medieval or anything that has a decent descant

O Holy Night for me. I once burst into tears in the middle of Meadowhall when a choir was singing it. Looked a right dickhead!!

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree - every time!

Apart from some lovely ones mentioned a couple more recent Thorns in the straw and Mary did you know.

I absolutely love 'It was on a starry night'. I'd never heard it until my DDs sang it at primary school.

I wonder as I wander- hauntingly beautiful

Oh Holy Night - always sends shivers down my spine.

Also like Once in Royal David's City (although it is not melancholy) but as soon as it starts on Carols from Kings it's just wonderful, so evocative.

Silent Night especially when sung by Dean Martin makes me feel tingly/shivery & content at the same time.

I adore the melody of this version of Midwinter . First time I heard this version (during an emotional time, all of which I'd kept inside) I absolutely sobbed. The combination of the lyrics with that particular melody gives me chills. Good chills.

by John Denver is an old time favourite. I grew up with the album as a firm festive favourite, and this song just makes me well up every time.

Same with Silent Night. That remains a classic.

"Thorns in the Straw" and "Mary, Did You Know?" are both horrifically depressing & emotional. Ive had to sing both in recent years & coildnt get through either.

Oh holy night
In the bleak midwinter

O Come, O Come Emmanuel is your classic 'minor key, very ancient sounding' carol.
Gaudete is fab but quite jolly sounding.
The Holly and the Ivy has very ancient imagery I find intriguing.
I love God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

Mary did you know, makes me sob every time

Also, Silent Night sung in the original German is beautiful.

Christmas Day by Holst is beautiful