It just wouldn’t be Christmas without “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and along with it, the opening song “Christmas Time Is Here”.

The song, written by Vince Guaraldi and Lee Mendelson in 1965 was originally written as an instrumental but Mendelson decided it needed lyrics. Add in the children’s choir at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in San Rafael and you have yourself a standard Christmas hit.

Why I love it: I’m a huge Peanuts fan, especially Snoopy. I have the soundtrack and listen to it even when it isn’t Christmas. Shit, I watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” even when it isn’t Christmas. And the music makes me happy. It’s jazzy. It’s Christmasy. It’s a great combination.