For the final episode of 2025, Duane and Scott discuss the song "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". They also reveal the winner of the 2025 song battle.

Check out Santa Duane and give him a follow on the socials:https://www.hawkesbaysanta.nz

Songs played in this episode:

• We Wish You a Merry Christmas by The Holy Rocka Rollaz (Rockabilly)
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Jacob Miller & Ray I (Reggae)
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Relient K
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas by The Merry Christmas Experience (Ska/Punk)
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas by The Blue Wisp Big Band
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Southwell Festival Voices (Traditional)
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Celtic Women
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas by Julian Neel (Barbershop)

This month, Scott and Duane discuss the song "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree". They also reveal the winners of each episode in the Great Tinsel Tunes Song Battle 2025 - please go vote for your champion using the poll: https://pollforall.com/pk7jyyjm

Here's the version recommended by our Welsh listener: Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Mel & Kim

Songs Played in this Episode:

• Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Semi Werner Francis (Reggae)
• Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Nick Sabia (Bossanova)
• Yackety Sax by Boots Randolph
• Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Joel Patterson (Instrumental)
• Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by The Brian Setzer Orchestra
• Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Asleep at the Wheel (Country)
• Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Jimmy Barnes
• Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Skinny Feelings (Pop Punk)
• Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by First to Eleven (Rock)
• Noche Buena Y Navidad by Brenda Lee (Spanish remake)

This month, Duane and Scott look at the history of the 1914 Christmas Truce and songs written about the event.

Don't forget to vote for your favorite song of the episode in The Great Tinsel Tunes Song Battle 2025.

Songs from the episode:

1. I Saw Three Ships by Fisherman’s Friends

1. Yorkshire Three Ships by Kate Rusby
2. 1914 (Christmas Truce) by Elias Dummer
3. Christmas in the Trenches by John McCutcheon
4. Christmas Truce by Sabaton
5. Pipes of Peace by Tim Pannell
6. Stille Nacht (Silent Night in the original German)
7. Christmas 1914 (No Man’s Land) by Roy Buckley
8. All Together Now by The Farm
9. 1914 - The Carol of Christmas by Military Voices
10. Snoopy’s Christmas by The Royal Guardsmen
11. 1914 by Mike Harding

This month, Duane and Scott discuss the carol "I Saw Three Ships" with Tim Babb from the "Can't Wait for Christmas" podcast.

Don't forget to vote for your favorite song in the Great Tinsel Tunes Song Battle 2025.

Songs played in this episode:

• I Saw Three Ships by the Barenaked Ladies (Tim)
• I Saw Three Ships by Blackmore’s Night (Duane)
• I Saw Three Ships by King’s College Choir (Scott)
• I Saw Three Ships by Nat King Cole (Tim)
• I Saw Three Ships (Metal Cover) by Forrest Howard (Duane)
• I Saw Three Ships by The Irish Rovers (Scott)
• I Saw Three Ships by South Park and the Muppets (Tim)
• I Saw Three Ships by Fiddler’s Green (Duane)
• I Saw Three Ships (Sea Shanty Version) by the Harris Siblings (Scott)

This month, Duane and Scott discuss the carol "Away in a Manger" with special guest Lynnora Gilbert.

Vote for your favorite song in the Great Tinsel Tunes Song Battle 2025.

Songs played during the episode:

1. Mueller
2. Cradle Song
3. Away in a Manger by King’s College Choir
4. Away in a Manger by Christafari
5. Away in a Manger by Phil Wickham
6. Away in a Manger by Home Free
7. Away in a Manger by Rob Halford
8. Away in a Manger by 9-year-old Claire Crosby
9. Away in a Manger by Nat King Cole
10. Away in a Manger by Vermicide Violence
11. Away in a Manger by James Linden Hogg

This month, Scott and Duane celebrate seven years of Tinsel Tunes with our very special guest, Brian Earl from the Christmas Past podcast. They each share some versions of the carol "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear".

Here's Brian's "Christmas podcast wish list" video from 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fViebraVgQ

Don't forget to vote for your favorite song from this episode in the Great Tinsel Tunes Song Battle 2025: https://pollforall.com/pkd99o8n

Here are the jazz songs that listener Adam Parker recommended:

• O Swing All Ye Faithful by Andrew Morgan Smith & the Lifetimers
• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Ezra Collective
• Jingle Bells by Gabriel Latchin Trio

Here are the versions of "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" that we played during the episode:

1. Anita Bryant
2. Hall and Oates
3. Blackmore's Night
4. Mormon Tabernacle Choir
5. Sixpence None the Richer
6. Robert Soulberg
7. Julie Andrews
8. Jars of Clay
9. Lliad Jazz Orchestra

This month, Duane and Scott explore jazz Christmas music.

Vote for your favorite song from this episode in the Great Tinsel Tunes Song Battle 2025.

Songs played in the episode:

1. Christmastime is Here by Steve Hunter
2. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by New York Jazz Lounge
3. Frosty the Snowman by Erik Veldkamp
4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Ramsey Lewis Trio
5. Deck the Hall by Southside Aces
6. The Little Drummer Boy by Marcus Miller
7. O Tannembaum by George Gee Swing Orchestra
8. Winter Wonderland - Spyro Gyra
9. Silver Bells by Max Abrams
10. Jingle Bells by Diana Krall

This month, Duane and Scott explore the song "Here We Come A-Wassailing" and the tradition of wassail.

Here's the link to the Tinsel Tunes Song Battle poll:
https://pollforall.com/plqqxw2j

Songs played in this episode:

• Magdalen College Choir
• Rockabilly version by Under The Streetlamp featuring Michael Ingersoll
• Celtic version by Carlyle Fraser
• English folk version by Ian Giles
• Tony Meade
• Blackmore's Night
• Calypso version by Chicago
• Alternative? version by Pomplamoose
• Gower Wassail by the Oh Hellos
• Acapella version by Rockapella
• Barbershop version by Bank of Harmony

This month, Duane and Scott reveal the history of the hymn "Joy to the World".

Versions played in this episode:

• Celtic Women
• The Altar Billies (Rockabilly)
• Brian Setzer Orchestra (Big Band)
• Orion’s Reign feat. Minniva(Heavy Metal)
• Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble & The Tabernacle Choir
• Lift Up Your Heads (Handel)
• Lindsey Stirling (Modern Violin)
• The Petersens (Bluegrass)
• Christafari (Reggae)
• Randy Travis (Country)
• Mannheim Steamroller (Synth Rock)
• No Doubt - Oi to the world (Ska)

To participate in The Great Tinsel Tunes Music Battle 2025, vote using this link: https://pollforall.com/pkvj4eyo

This month, Duane and Scott explore the history of “Good King Wenceslas”.

Versions played in the episode:

• Blackmore’s Night
• The Irish Rovers
• Chris Hendricks
• Tori Amos
• Reggae All-Stars
• Stan Kenton Jazz Orchestra
• Matthew Green’s Orchestral Rainbow
• Mannheim Steamroller
• Odyn

Here's the link to the poll to vote for your favorite song from this episode:https://pollforall.com/p346dorm

Here’s the clip from “Love Actually”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4-35TN6Amw

This is the 13th century spring carol “Tempus dest Floridum” that gave us the melody for Good King Wenceslas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv8PgukSLX0

From listener Bob in Utah, here’s the link to the Majestica album “A Christmas Carol”:
https://youtu.be/nq5No8qsowA?si=Y37SJX4F5g4w5cE4

From listener Steve Banks, here’s a the reggae playlist “Reggae Christmas Parade”:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2ZH6rGilSmg9p4VxF2ubkU?si=IMf_S2cuSGyMYHqwDxPp7Q&pi=AO2eqAlHT0SeM&nd=1&dlsi=5cc261712ab14247