The Christmas Song You Are Based On Your Zodiac Sign
Here's a fun fact about Christmas songs: According to Billboard, they've been around since at least the 4th century. That's pretty wild, especially considering that even though we think of the religious aspect of many songs — like "Silent Night" — they weren't even used in religious ceremonies until St. Francis of Assisi decided it would be a neat way to jazz up 12th century Christmas Mass. Carols were more popularly the sort of thing people sang on the streets and at parties, and that's fine and dandy. Starting them in October? Less fine.
Still, everyone has their favorite Christmas carols, even those who claim to hate them. There's something about them, full of memories and harkening back to a time when Christmas was packed with hope, wonder, and expectation instead of stress and responsibilities. But is your favorite carol the one that really embodies who you are as a person... based on what zodiac sign you were born under?
Every zodiac sign is thought to bestow certain personality traits on those born beneath it, and it turns out that each of those signs has a Christmas song that speaks to them on an astrological level.
Aries
Aries is the very first sign in the zodiac, and according to Allure, they've never allowed anyone to forget that. Those born between March 21 and April 19 are known for throwing caution to the wind, jumping into things feet-first, and they're also known for having the sort of personalities that just want to have fun, and make sure everyone else is having fun, too.
They're the ones always organizing the games at the Christmas party — the ones that no one's really keen on playing until they actually start, and then, it's the talk of the evening. It's not entirely surprising, then, that they're also the ones hoppin' and boppin' along to "Jingle Bell Rock" every time it's played.
The song first hit the airwaves in 1957, says Discover Music, and even though it's been covered countless times since then, it's the original version that an Aries really loves. Sure, the versions by Kylie Minogue and Ariana Grande are fine, but there's nothing better than dancing along to that 1905s rockabilly beat while circulating through a party with every intention of roping wallflowers into a party game or getting them onto the dance floor, whether they think they want to be there or not.
Taurus
When it comes to the ideal Christmas evenings, Taurus has some different ideas about just how they're going to spend late December nights. In Style says that those born under this sign (between April 20 and May 20) prefer sharing life's simple pleasures with those they love, and they're likely to be found bundled up in front of a roaring fire, sharing some hot chocolate or eggnog with their other half. They're the ones lighting the room with just candles and Christmas lights, curling up — and sharing — a cashmere blanket, and setting up a romantic evening that ends with giving the sort of gift that absolutely no one should ever open in front of their parents or their children.
There's a Christmas song that absolutely captures this idea that Christmas is meant to be shared and treasured, and that's the wildly polarizing "All I Want For Christmas Is You." Love it or hate it — and, according to Food & Wine, there are some establishments who hate it so much that they've banned it from being played too early or too many times — there's no denying that it perfectly captures that low-key Christmas that a Taurus loves to spend with the most important people in their lives.
Gemini
There are a ton of Christmas songs, and many of them speak to the sentimentality of the season. Even those who aren't religious might tend to think of Christmas as a time to spend with close family, to see those loved ones that are too busy to stop long during the rest of the year, and to spend a little extra time baking cookies for the neighbors.
Not Gemini! These people — born between May 22 and June 22 — tend not to have the same emotional and sentimental attachments that others do. According to Cosmopolitan, Geminis are known for doing a vanishing act when things get too heavy, and that's why "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" is their kind of Christmas song.
The wildly popular — and not-at-all-sentimental — song was written in the late 1970s, and according to songwriter Randy Brooks (via PR Web), he wrote it in response to a Merle Haggard song that got listeners all invested in the tale, only to kill off Grandma at the end. Brooks explained: "If Grandma's going to be dead, tell the listener that, be honest with them in the first line of the song, and then see if you can still come up with three verses and a chorus." And that? That's just the kind of goofy song that perfectly illustrates what a Gemini thinks of Christmas.
Cancer
Not everyone is unconditionally thrilled to see the calendar flip over to December. Christmas isn't a great time for a lot of people for any number of reasons, and those born under the sign of Cancer — between June 21 and July 22 — will likely pick up on that.
Allure says that those of this particular sign are very sensitive individuals who can easily read the vibe of a room, and they'll know when something's not right. They often wear their own emotional armor like the shell of the crab the sign is associated with, but to those friends who struggle through the season, the Crab is there to say, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
The song — like most Christmas songs — has been covered countless times, but The Atlantic says it was first sung by Judy Garland in the film "Meet Me in St. Louis." Facing a relocation to New York, she consoles her little sister with the song that's not quite cheery, is almost optimistic, and is still filled with the melancholy that the holidays bring to so many people. "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" remained popular throughout World War II — when it was often performed for troops facing yet another Christmas alone — and it's that melancholy that Crabs can tap into: And hopefully, make things a little better with their skillfulness in entertaining and distractions.
Leo
Leo, says InStyle, is all about "peak summertime FOMO." This sign — which covers those born between July 23 and August 22 — is perhaps unsurprisingly all about having fun, preferably while chilling poolside. It's a fire sign that loves to be front and center no matter what's going on, when they're leading the way to pure entertainment and fun, that's even better.
They tend to love luxury, entertainment, and parties, especially when it involves something like a spur-of-the-moment trip to the beach. That's some energy that's hard to channel when the nights are long, the temperatures are cool, and Christmas is around the corner. But there's absolutely a song for that, and that's "Mele Kalikimaka."
What's that? How you say "Merry Christmas" in Hawaii, of course! The song first made it big after getting a treatment from Christmas song legend Bing Crosby. The story goes that it was written by R. Rex Anderson when someone pointed out to him that there were no Hawaiian Christmas carols, which isn't as surprising as it might sound — Christmas wasn't an official holiday there until 1896. Now, though, "Mele Kalikimaka" remains a popular way to give some holiday greetings, and it captures the spirit of a Leo who wishes they were having some fun in the sun ... even in December.
Virgo
Oh, Virgo! (Those are the ones born between August 23 and September 22.) Virgos, says Allure, tend to be wildly practical people, and there's nothing wrong with that. Still, Christmas isn't really the time to be practical (especially when you're looking for that perfect gift). Practicality should go out the window, because Christmas cookies for dinner? There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. A Virgo, however, would be likely to think otherwise. In a Virgo's perfect world, there would be lots of spreadsheets to fill out and boxes to check off, so let's give Virgo one of the most confusing Christmas songs out there: "I Saw Mommy Kissin' Santa Claus."
The song first debuted in 1952, and according to The Press-Enterprise, it was sung by a 13-year-old Jimmy Boyd. Take it at face value, and it's about a kid who sneaks downstairs to see if Santa's shown up yet, only to find his mother standing under the mistletoe with the jolly old man. For a Virgo, that's pretty straightforward: Christmas morning is going to be super awkward, the holiday's ruined forever, and Mom's a cheater.
But, it's also entirely possible that Virgos are missing the point. Alternate theories have been put forward, including the possibility that it's Daddy that's dressed up in the Santa costume, and Christmas is ruined for an entirely different reason (via CBC). Is the song about a cheating Mom and Santa getting a little Christmas present of his own? Or ... not?
Libra
Those born between September 23 and October 22 have a singular sign: As Allure says, it's the only one represented by an inanimate object. Those are, of course, the scales, so it makes sense that a typical Libra is all about finding balance in life. That said, they also tend to lean a little harder toward the finer things in the world. They're the ones that will have fine art on their office walls in lieu of band posters, they'll opt for the $75 bottle of wine instead of the 4-for-$20 Aldi special, and they're the ones designing their living space instead of just filling it with randomly neat things.
That's something that extends to their taste in music, too — so when it comes to Christmas songs, not any old song will do. They're the ones that are going to be putting on something epic — and that's Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24."
That's not just a Christmas song on a massive scale, there's a heartbreaking story behind it. TSO's Paul O'Neill told the story (via 100.3), and revealed that it was written about a cello player who — during the height of the Bosnian War — set up his cello in the middle of a ruined square to play Christmas carols, even as bombs and shells fell around him. It's a haunting, spine-chilling image turned into one of the most moving Christmas carols out there, and that's exactly the sort of expansive, orchestral epic a Libra loves.
Scorpio
When it comes to the sign that's larger-than-life, that's Scorpio. They're the risk-taking individuals (born between October 23 and November 21) who love their controversy, their challenges, their deep dark secrets, and life that's pushed to the limits. Cosmopolitan says they have the reputation of being the most passionate, relentless, and — on the good side — loyal of all the signs, but when it comes to holidays, there's not much about the cheery, twinkling, sparkle of Christmas that can satisfy their deepest desires. Except, maybe, "Baby, It's Cold Outside."
There are not really too many Christmas songs that are as dark and as controversial as this one, as Vox explains. On one hand, the song was written in the 1940s, when it would have been incredibly scandalous for a woman to spend the night with her man pre-marriage. The fact that it's so cold outside that it's dangerous is a perfectly valid reason for said man to offer to let her stay, but to 21st-century ears, lines like "Say, what's in this drink?" sound more like it's been spiked, and she's going to have no choice in the matter.
Historians say that was once much more innocent, too — it was a saying used to imply that someone knew they shouldn't be doing something, but were going to do it anyway — and what's more Scorpio than that?
Sagittarius
Those born between November 22 and December 21 fall into the star sign of Sagittarius, and when it comes time for Christmas, they are absolutely not all about hunkering down in front of the fire and drinking hot chocolate. Sagittarians are the ones heading out on the adventure: Their love of the outdoors doesn't fade when the sun starts to set early and rises late. According to Cosmopolitan, these archers are big fans of wild weekends, traveling, and anything that involves heading out into nature — especially when there are animals involved.
That said, the Christmas carol "Winter Wonderland" sums up everything that a Sagittarius would want from a late December day. There's a sleigh ride, building a snowman, lots of playing in the snow ... seriously, how much fun does that sound?
Strangely, this carol for those who love the outdoors came from a pretty dark place. According to Jazziz, it was written in 1934, by a lyricist who was being treated for tuberculosis at a Scranton, Pennsylvania sanitarium at the same time he envisioned frolicking in the snow. It's incredibly optimistic and full of energy — just the sort of afternoon a Sagittarian would love — but there's a sad footnote: Lyricist Richard B. Smith didn't recover, and died about a year after he wrote the song.
Capricorn
The Capricorn might find themselves with a few extra days off around the holiday season, but even though one might be able to take the Capricorn out of work, it's harder to take the work-a-holic nature out of the Capricorn. Cosmopolitan says that when it comes time to name the hardest workers of the zodiac, that honor goes to those born between December 22 and January 20. They're the ones that burn the candle at both ends, so to speak, and these ambitious, relentlessly determined people need a Christmas song that's got all the resolve that they do.
And that's one of the most exhausting Christmas songs out there: "The 12 Days of Christmas." Only a Capricorn could enjoy getting through the song that Vox calls the season's "most annoying carol," because let's face it, it's a chore.
And historians think that it was actually meant to be that way. It's believed to have been invented in the 18th century as not just a carol, but as a game. Singers would have to remember exactly what each day's gifts were, and slipping up meant they would be subject to a forfeit. For puzzle-loving Capricorns who are always up for a challenge, this song is pretty much perfect.
Aquarius
Astrologer Aliza Kelly says (via Vogue) that the Age of Aquarius happens when Jupiter and Saturn both appear in the constellation of Aquarius, it's a huge deal. It's supposed to be a time of monumental innovation and revolution, and that's pretty in line with what Allure has to say about those born in Aquarius (between January 20 and February 18). Aquarius is the sign of the rebel, of the eccentric, of the person who will give it their all if it means seeing social changes coming around for the better. They're big-picture sorts of people, who thrive in situations that involve things like community, teamwork, and leading the revolution.
When it comes to Christmas songs, there's no song that better embodies social change and revolution better than "The Little Drummer Boy." But — and this is important — that's not just any version of the song: It's the one done by olde-timey crooner Bing Crosby and the man who invented reinvention, David Bowie.
It's an undeniably weird combination, and according to CBC, it came about for a few reasons, including the fact that Bowie was trying to overhaul his image and put some distance between his new persona and one that had been surrounded by accusations, addiction, and upheaval. The duet, as weird as it was, also sort of heralded a change, and a passing of the torch: Crosby passed away just five weeks after they recorded the song, and it was first broadcast posthumously.
Pisces
It's Pisces that wraps up the zodiac, with those born between February 20 and March 20. According to Cosmopolitan, this is a sign of dual nature, but Bustle says there's a little something extra that comes with being a Pisces. There's a belief that each sign passes lessons they've learned on to the next sign, and as the last in the zodiac, that means a Pisces has the benefits of learning the lessons all the other signs had to experience the hard way.
That makes Pisces something of an old soul, with those born in the sign tending to have a more insightful, wise, and old-world way of looking at things than others. And there's no Christmas song that better captures that old-soul vibe than the one that wraps up the season: "Auld Lang Syne."
Scotland says that the phrase means — basically — "for old times' sake," and that is exactly the vibe that a Pisces brings with them wherever they go. It's a song that pays homage to times gone by, to old acquaintances, and to the memory of those who have gone before. We are, after all, nothing without our ancestors — and Pisces pays as lovely a tribute to that sentiment as this centuries-old Scottish song.