Lets be honest, Christmas songs can be pretty tedious and cringe-worthy. It isn’t any wonder, as any song can lose its magic appeal if you listen to it year after year. But luckily, you can make even the most annoying Christmas songs a bit more enjoyable with a good, old-fashioned guitar riff. Here’s our pick of five Christmas songs that could do with a bit of guitar.

1. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Although Christmas is – supposedly at least – a time of joy and cheer, many classic Christmas songs have a surprisingly gloomy sound to them. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is definitely one of these moody, melodic songs and it could do with some cheery guitar riffs.

Adding a bit of guitar and a faster tempo would do wonders for the song. Sarah McLachlan has created an almost jazz-like version of the song and something similar with a guitar would work beautifully.

2. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus is a more upbeat Christmas song, yet it could be even better with a touch of electric guitar. We are talking about a full metal version of this song, as the crisp distortion of an electric guitar would add plenty of freshness to the tune.

You can check different guitar techniques and find the right level of rock to add to this song. Furthermore, you can check out the Twisted Sister version of the song, which is definitely something worth playing.

3. I’ll Be Home for Christmas

The acoustic version of I’ll Be Home for Christmas is a beautiful version of this classic Christmas song and a clear example of how a guitar can transform a song. You can find the classic guitar tabs for the song online.

But you can play with the song further and add a bit of tempo to this tune as well. I’ll Be Home for Christmas is a tune that would sound great if you changed the genre you play it in. A jazz or a country version of this song would add more excitement to the sound and give it a much needed makeover.

4. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Even though Let it Snow! is a cheerful Christmas song, the tune could definitely do with a bit more guitar. It would sound great with a classic rock guitar and you could add improvised riffs in between the verses.

Since the tune is an upbeat one, you could even turn it into something a bit mellower. With a simple acoustic guitar and slower pace, you would have a beautiful, relaxed version of this song. Judy Collins has recorded a lovely slow version of this song and you could do something similar with the acoustic guitar.

5. Last Christmas

Now, Last Christmas by Wham! is a classic pop composition and you can hear guitars in the original version, but it still doesn’t mean you can’t add a bit more guitar to it. The song is played so often that it definitely needs a little facelift.

One great idea is to play the song with an acoustic guitar and slower the tempo a little. This gives a bit gloomier feel to the song and adds a nice darker tone to it.

Check out our guitar lessons for some tips on riffs and the specifics of playing different genres. You can instantly add new life to these grand-old Christmas songs with simple guitar tweaks!