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Artists release new holiday songs every year, but radio stations and shopping malls keep returning to the same few classics, like “Jingle Bells” or Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”. This is because classic holiday songs can be powerful cues for the memories and traditions associated with this time of year.
“People often say that it doesn’t feel like Christmas until they hear a particular song. It is very similar to when someone says it doesn’t feel like their birthday until they have blown out the candles on their [cake],” said Lolita Schmalenberg, a teen and adult therapist at Lifespan Counselling.
People crave patterns and predictability. These holiday songs signal to our brain that we are about to repeat a familiar set of behaviours associated with the winter holiday.
Whether those memories are good or stressful, the cue reminds us of the predictable routines to come, like seeing certain relatives, going to parties or eating traditional holiday food.
Power of memory
A 2022 study published in the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition suggests that music can evoke more consistently positive memories than other emotional cues - like sounds or words - even when the music itself is sad or angry.
We also tend to listen to our favourite songs more often than we re-watch films or reread books. This repeated exposure becomes a stronger and better trigger for memories.
Classic Christmas songs, in particular, can feel deeply ingrained in our memories because we hear them constantly every year for weeks leading up to Christmas.
Schmalenberg pointed out: “We hear them so often, in so many places, every single year, that our brains memorise them very well. Sometimes you may even find yourself humming along unconsciously.”
In addition, we are most likely to listen to music when our minds have time to wander. This means that music can be a powerful trigger for involuntary memory, a form of recall when a memory simply “pops” into a person’s head, even if they are not actively searching for it.
These songs act as connectors to past moments or events.
“Our brains are amazing organs. They store information, experiences, feelings and behaviour that we have experienced. When multiple senses are involved in the involuntary memory, such as a familiar song, a familiar smell and a familiar taste, we may even have a flashback and get transported to a specific memory,” Schmalenberg added.
An example of this is drinking hot chocolate while listening to “Jingle Bells” and smelling popcorn.
“If these three things were linked to a significant moment, you may find your mind returning to that experience,” Schmalenberg said.
Recipe for a catchy tune
Schmalenberg explained that a song’s effect is also determined by the memories and meanings a person associates with it.
For younger generations, hearing US singer Bing Crosby’s 1942 hit “White Christmas” might not have a strong impact, but a newer song from a popular current artist – such as Ariana Grande’s 2014 single, “Santa Tell Me” – could resonate more deeply with a personal experience.
This is where our brain chemicals come in. Dopamine and serotonin shape how we emotionally react to music and holiday memories.
Dopamine gives us a sudden burst of pleasure when we hear our favourite song. This feeling is part of the brain’s reward system and makes us want to keep listening.
Serotonin, on the other hand, is responsible for the deeper feelings of joy and satisfaction we get when making happy social memories while listening to festive music.
Be it “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, which was released in 1994, or Gene Autry’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” from 1949, a song needs to be catchy and have upbeat lyrics to create a timeless hit.
Popular themes typically include love and new romance during the holiday season; the magic of the outdoors and snow; cosy, warm moments with friends and family and delicious festive food.
“That’s what a popular hit tends to focus on. Plus, you need a good chorus that everyone can sing along to,” Schmalenberg said.
