My husband has a new radio show in Sarasota, FL. You can tune in from anywhere online at www.wslr.org. The show is called Longboat Luau and he is The Ho Dad.
That makes me Mrs. Ho Dad.
Anyway, he collected a boatload of great songs to give you that tiki, island beach party vibe.
We were discussing his show on December 15th because it’s his only show before Christmas, and how Christmas music will be incorporated into the theme.
Ho Dad is a music master. A former DJ from Roanoke, VA, he has a playlist to last for years to come. Plus, his knowledge of music lands him the title of “Music Historian.”
I reminded him of my blog post from 2014 (WOW! That long ago) where I listed 25 beach-themed Christmas songs.
For me, it was a no-brainer to first go to the Beach Boys for some songs but there are plenty of others that are tops on my list. These are from artists like Bing Crosby, The Embers, Jimmy Buffet, Squirrel Nut Zippers and more.
Of course, Ho Dad, has a better list than mine so we’ve combined them here for you to choose from.
All are available on your favorite music streaming app or video channel. Make up your own beachy music playlist for Christmas this year using these ideas. It’s not exhaustive so you might come up with some on your own but here are our favorites.
But first here’s a reprint of my previous blog article about beach inspiration this holiday.
1. Christmas in the Sand, Colbie Caillat
2. The Little Saint Nick, Beach Boys
3. Christmas in the Caribbean, Jimmy Buffet
4. All I Want for Christmas is a Really Good Tan, Kenny Chesney
5. Christmas on the Beach, Irene
6. Christmas Island, Andrew Sisters, and Bing Crosby. Jimmy Buffet also does a great version.
7. Surf Rock Christmas, Ventures
8. It’s Gonna Be A Surfer’s Christmas, Morning Glass
9. Aloha Christmas, Dukes of Surf
10. I Love Christmas Music, Embers
11. Mele Kalikimaka, Bing Crosby
12. Christmas Surf-Noir Style, Bikini Beach Band
13. Christmas at the Beach, Uncle Moondog
14. A Kiwi Christmas, The Polka Dots
15. White Christmas, The Ventures
16. Christmas for Surfers, Wheeland Brothers
17. Mary’s Boy Child in a Cha Cha Style
18. Deck the Halls on Steel Drum, Lightning Jack
19. Calypso Noel, Beckett
20. Boogie Woogie Santa Claus, The Band of Oz
21. Captain Creedmore’s Cajun Crawfish Christmas, King Tyrone & The Graveyard Ramblers
22. Christmas on the Coast, John Barker & Mark Black
23. Carolina Christmas, Squirrel Nut Zippers
24. Tropical Christmas, Bellamy Brothers
25. Christmas in Jamaica, The Aracanians
26. Surfer’s Christmas, The Surfaris
27. Surfin’ on Christmas Day, Southern Culture on the Skids
28. Mambo Santa Mambo, The Enchanters
Merry Christmas, and God Bless.
The beach changes us.
It gets into our soul.
It’s a culture that you either love or hate but if you love it, it reminds you of the fun times you’ve had during the summer.
To dream of having a warm, tropical, beach-side Christmas holiday is something I bet most of us have done.
Some (me included) have been fortunate to live coastal and experience the warm weather, sea breeze, salt spray and Christmas trees all in one setting.
With my sweet family, I’ve snow men on the beach made from white Gulf Coast sand and a snow man kit which included a scarf, corncob pipe, buttons and a carrot nose.
We’ve spent countless hours building castles, digging holes, and swimming in the waves during the holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Years and beyond.
We’ve attended “Main Street” parties where bubble snow falls from machines on the tops of buildings onto the tropical shoppers below.
We’ve walked in flip flops and swimsuits past Christmas trees that were set up near the beach, where palm trees and flowering tropicals sway giving you the false sense of what season it really is.
It’s just fun and strange at the same time.
Growing up in Maryland, Christmas was cold, the trees were bare, and the land was usually snow covered, even sometimes on the beach.
But my life is beach inspired (blame my parents) so I have incorporated this lifestyle into almost everything I do and thankfully I found a soulmate with the same goals.
So, I will share with you, my readers who I greatly appreciate, a list of wonderful songs that get me pumped for the season of Christmas, wherever I am. Can you think of others? Send me a note.
Life Along the Gulf Coast 