The holidays are coming. We know this because our credit cards are starting to leave trails of smoke everytime we swipe them at one of those self-checkout stands in the mall. If you’re like us, you might be having a tough time getting in the mood this holiday season so we’ve compiled our favorite 12 songs for Christmas.

And while there are many songs that may not have made the list, this is a good starting point. For instant holiday satisfaction, check out The Donnas’ cover of “Christas Wrapping.” It not only rocks hard but put us instantly in the holiday spirit. (and that’s not easy to do.) So now, without further ado, we present our Top 12 songs for Christmas:

12. “The Hanukkah Song”- Adam Sandler:

As Adam Sandler said, there are a lot of Christmas songs out there and not a whole lot of songs about Hanukkah, but here’s one that got everyone smiling when it was first performed on “Saturday Night Live” in 1996.

The song found instant success on radio stations around the country and Sandler struck Hanukkah gold again when he released an updated version of his hit for the movie “Eight Crazy Nights.” Thanks to Sandler, Hanukkah has a song (other than “The Dreidel Song”) and numerous celebrity faces to put with the holiday.

11. “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”- Elmo and Patsy:

While some may claim that this is the worst Christmas song of all time, I feel compelled to defend this festive and fun tune that brings families together like no other.

Is this song demented? Absolutely. Is it offensive? Most certainly! Does it make grandmothers around the country cringe? Of course! Does it encourage crazy sing-a-longs and compulsive grandmother jokes? Yes! YES! YES! The makings of a true holiday classic.

10. “Santa Baby”- Madonna:

A cover of Eartha Kitt’s 1953 song of the same name, Madonna recorded this song for the CD “A Very Special Christmas,” a compilation album to benefit the Special Olympics.

Capturing the “gold digger” persona that Kitt was reaching for, Madonna’s version not only conveys the true trampy, vampy and sexy nature of the original song (surprise, surprise) but who else could successfully imitate Betty Boop’s trademark “boop boop dee doo”?

9. “Christmas-time is Here”- The cast of the Peanuts:

From Charles Schulz’s animated short about a boy trying to find the true meaning of Christmas aside from the commercialism, this song has become synonymous with the classic cartoon.

Composed and conducted by Vince Guaraldi, “Christmas-time is Here” successfully follows Schulz’s intentions of moving away from the commercialism of Christmas that Charlie Brown complains about in the first few moments of the film. Because of the message behind the movie and Schulz’s loveable characters, this song will remain a modern holiday classic for years to come.

8. “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”- John and Yoko and the Plastic Ono Band:

Just as appropriate today as it was when John Lennon and company first recorded this song and plastered billboards all over New York City with the same message, this song provides a little bit of hope even when there isn’t a war going on. While it may not be one of Lennon’s greatest songs, it certainly has a message that gives a glimmer of the Christmas spirit – hope. In the words of John Lennon “war is over, if you want it.”

7. “Jingle Bells”- Brian Setzer Orchestra:

Christmas should rock, roll and swing and no one proves this more than Brian Setzer and his orchestra. Leading his big band on electric guitar, Setzer pulls a trick on Christmas and claims that instead of having fun on a one-horse-open-sleigh everyone should join him in a 1957 Chevrolet. After all, nothing says Christmas quite like dashing through the snow in an American made car driven by the king of rockabilly.

6. “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”- John Denver and the Muppets:

No holiday season is complete without the Muppets. After all, they’ve brought us such cinema gems like “A Muppet Christmas Carol” and “A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie,” but before either of these films were even thought of, the good folks at Jim Henson’s Muppet Workshop had something else in mind – pairing the wild and wacky Muppets with folk singer John Denver.

The Muppets take a good-natured turn on this traditional holiday favorite, teasing Miss Piggy about the contents of Figgie pudding. According to the Great Gonzo, it’s made with “figs – and bacon.”

5. “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”- Thurl Ravenscroft

Before Dr. Seuss penned his holiday classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” anyone who approached Christmas with a “Bah! Humbug” attitude was a Scrooge, but thanks to Seuss, those Christmas humbugs are now known as Grinches. And no song could define just what a Grinch is better than this.

Lending his vocals to this modern holiday classic, Thurl Ravenscroft (Tony the Tiger of Kellogg’s cereal fame) helped make the Grinch a holiday mainstay. Written by Seuss for 1966’s animated short starring Boris Karloff, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” has pointed out just what it means to be the “king of sinful sots.” While we’re still not sure what that means, it must be bad.

4. “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”- Gene Autry:

Do you recall the most famous reindeer of all? If it weren’t for Rudolph, it’s quite possible that all those good boys and girls of the world may not get presents when the weather turns sour on Christmas Eve. And thanks to Gene Autry, no one will ever forget who Santa looks for to guide his sleigh through fog, snow and the occasional rainstorm.

What other song has inspired a “call and answer” version in which our beloved reindeer isn’t even invited to play reindeer games like Monopoly? And despite Autry’s initial reservations about the song, written by Johnny Marks, Autry was convinced to record the song by his wife and he sold 2 million copies during the first year. Since then, “Rudolph” has become the second biggest selling Christmas song of all time.

3. “Sleigh Ride”- Ella Fitzgerald:

While seemingly every singer in the history of music has done a version of this song written by Leroy Anderson and Mitchell Parish, there is nothing like a swinging version of a holiday classic.

Pairing the Queen of Scat with Christmas ends up with a wonderful Christmas tune that has been delighting since it was first recorded. As far as jazz singers, no one can touch Ella Fitzgerald and with her version of “Sleigh Ride” no one has made a better cover.

2. “White Christmas”- Bing Crosby:

Instead of being written for the holiday movie of the same name, this song first appeared in 1942’s “Holiday Inn” starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. Written by Irving Berlin in 1939, rumor has it that Berlin thought so little of this song that he tossed it aside until he needed filler for “Holiday Inn.”

Reappearing only eight years later, Crosby resurrected this tune with the help of Rosemary Clooney and Danny Kaye to bring some more holiday warmth to the big screen. Despite Crosby’s protests about the commercialism that the song seemed to promote, Crosby recorded the song and his version has since sold 40 million copies worldwide.

1. “Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth”- Bing Crosby and David Bowie:

In 1977, Bing Crosby was looking for a “young person” to have on his Christmas special to bring more ratings than the Lennon Sisters and Glen Campbell could. As the story goes, Crosby chose Bowie following the advice of someone on the set and while Crosby had never heard of Bowie, the androgynous Ziggy Stardust was a big fan of Crosby’s.

For the show, Crosby wanted to do a duet of “The Little Drummer Boy” but Bowie was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to do the baritone parts of the song. Luckily, award-winning composer/lyricists Buz Kohan, Larry Grossman and Ian Frasier were able to quickly write the corresponding song, “Peace on Earth.” Before the special could air on television, Crosby died, but the song lived on to become a holiday classic.