What musical characteristics define Christmas songs?

This is interesting as several 'Christmas' songs don't actually mention it. Notable for this are Frosty the Snowman, Jingle Bells, and Winter Wonderland, which are all about winter, but not specifically, Christmas. read more

So there are musical, lyrical and visual references which can all be used individually or together to create a Christmas feel to a song. While a hit song may get played for a few years after its chart debut, even a minor Christmas song can be played for decades, and the revenue is potentially huge. read more

Although the Christmas season by definition runs until January 6 , and is observed until at least New Year's Eve by the public, almost all broadcasters skip the last Twelve Days of Christmas, abruptly ending all holiday music at or even before midnight on December 25, and not playing a single Christmas song again until the next November. read more