You’re driving along the M25 with a boot full of Christmas presents, booze and some nibbles you cobbled together with puff pastry and whatever was left in your fridge. You’ve got the hot air blasting as you creep along at 5 miles an hour, but for some reason Christmas is the one time of year when you don’t entirely mind being stuck in traffic. Maybe it’s the twinkling of brake lights, the palpable excitement in the air – or simply the relief of having an extra few minutes free from family drama and your boring uncle Barry.

Perhaps you’re reminded of the days when you and your siblings were bundled into the back of the family car to go and visit grandma. Maybe you’re saying goodbye to textbooks and Pot Noodles for two weeks, as your university halls become a tiny speck in your rear-view mirror. Or you could be driving across the country for your first Christmas with the in-laws. If so, good luck!

Whatever your situation, or even if you’re just driving down the road to your mate’s house for a little festive get together, you need the perfect seasonal soundtrack to help you pretend you’re starring in your very own Christmas movie.

Because we’re lovely and helpful, we’ve put together a top 10 (plus Spotify playlist, below!) of our favourite tunes to keep you feeling merry and bright.

1. Someday At Christmas, by Stevie Wonder

Kicking it off with a classic. It’s also worth checking out the Pearl Jam cover.

2. Christmas Lights, by Coldplay

The prettiest piano and soulful, melancholy lyrics, make this one of the best Christmas songs in recent years, in our opinion.

3. A Spaceman Came Travelling, by Chris de Burgh

Not a Christmas song you often find in many top 10 lists, but it can’t be beaten for singalongability. All together now: And it goes LA-AAAHA-AAA-AAAHA-AAAHAAA…

4. Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End), by The Darkness

When the Christmas cheese all gets a bit much, swap it for this. It’s still cheese, but at least it’s tongue-in-cheek cheese!

5. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), by Darlene Love

Why is it some of the best Christmas songs are the ones about being lonely? Another song that's a strange blend of festive and melancholy, with the added bonus that it reminds us of one of the greatest Christmas films ever: Love Actually.

6. What’s This?, by Danny Elfman

Whatever your thoughts are on The Nightmare Before Christmas – is it a Halloween film, a Christmas film, or both?! – there’s no denying this song is magical.

7. Carol of the Bells, by Mykola Dmytrovych Leontovych

Arguably one of the most enchanting Christmas songs ever, it was hard to choose which version to put in our top 10. In the end though, the winner had to be this one, which you may recognise from the brilliant but brutal Christmas classic film, Home Alone.

8. Christmas Is All Around, by Brad Callow

If you’ve seen Love Actually (and if you haven’t, what have you been doing?!), you will know this glorious festival of cheese as the surprise Christmas number 1 single by Billy Mack (played by the hilarious Bill Nighy).

9. Warm This Winter, by Gabriella Cilmi

This song is pretty much the musical equivalent of a hot chocolate by the Christmas tree. Cosy, cheerful and oh so festive.

10. Driving Home For Christmas, by Chris Rea

I mean, you can’t say you didn’t see this one coming, right?

Have a listen!

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