• Many holiday hits inspire love — and a lot of cringe. NPR curators Stephen Thompson and Michel Martin roundup songs listeners say are the most unbearable.
• Reasons songs annoy: overplay, cheesy lyrics, forced sentimentality and novelty gimmicks.
• NPR provides an audio segment and embedded player so readers can hear the discussion and listener picks.
H2: What the piece covers
NPR’s short feature Ho, Ho, Nope looks at the Christmas music that makes people groan. Hosted by Stephen Thompson and Michel Martin, the segment (published Dec. 18, 2025) compiles listener reactions and the hosts’ take on why certain holiday songs grate. The story doesn’t settle on a single “worst” song — it highlights patterns in what makes seasonal tracks unbearable for many.
H2: Why some Christmas songs provoke such a strong reaction
People’s impatience with certain holiday tracks comes from a few repeat culprits. Overexposure on retail playlists and radio means some songs are heard in loops for weeks. Lyrics that trade on sentimentality or clumsy metaphors can feel manipulative. Novelty or jokey tunes may read as dated or simply silly to adult listeners. And production choices — loud arrangements, intrusive sleigh bells, or exaggerated vocal runs — can push songs from cozy to cringe.
H3: The role of nostalgia and taste
Nostalgia protects some holiday staples while damning others. A tune tied to personal memories can be treasured despite its flaws; another song with similar flaws, lacking those memories, becomes easy to mock. The NPR segment explores how personal taste, background and context shape whether we love or loathe a piece of Christmas music.
H2: Listen to the NPR segment
Embedded below is the NPR audio player for the Ho, Ho, Nope segment. It runs about seven minutes and offers both the hosts’ commentary and listener contributions:
You can also stream the direct MP3 here: https://ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/me/2025/12/20251218mehohonopethechristmassongsthatmakeus_cringe.mp3
H2: Quick takeaways for holiday listeners and playlist curators
- Rotate your holiday playlist to avoid fatigue — variety reduces cringe.
- Balance classics with newer, subtler choices to avoid heavy-handed sentimentality.
- Consider your audience: workplace playlists and family gatherings call for different tone and tempo.
H2: Credits
Ho, Ho, Nope: The Christmas songs that make us cringe was produced by NPR and aired on Morning Edition on Dec. 18, 2025. Hosts and contributors include Stephen Thompson and Michel Martin.
If you hate a holiday tune, you’re not alone. NPR’s short segment gives a compact, listenable survey of the Christmas music that prompts the most eye-rolls — and why people feel that way.
Image Referance: https://www.npr.org/2025/12/18/nx-s1-5637400/ho-ho-nope-the-christmas-songs-that-make-us-cringe
