Jingle hell!

As the Christmas season approaches, the BBC Music Magazine team share the festive tunes that make our hearts sink

- Clare Stevens

At BBC Music Magazine we're rather fond of Christmas... for the fizz and food, family and fun. But especially, of course, for the music. Even the most withering Scrooge must admit that festive hymns and carols are a prime reason to cherish the season of goodwill. Be they sacred or secular, they're comforting and familiar, an important annual ritual, and often very well composed.

Yet one man’s stuffing is another man’s sprout, and no matter how much your heart may be lifted by the sound of Deck the Halls, for another, seemingly reasonable person, even the first few notes of that much-loved carol can be enough to cause irritation, fury and the desire to hibernate until the start of a new year.

So, we've put together a list of the Christmas music we'd rather do without. Needless to say, we're not making any statement about the quality of the works below - and if your favourite festive tune should turn up in the following pages, don’t take it to heart. But at a time of relentless sparkle and (occasionally enforced) joy, a little grumble never hurt anyone...

Arbeau/Ratcliffe Woodward

Ding Dong! Merrily on high

Music mattered to the Reverend George Ratcliffe Woodward. In a photograph taken outside the Old Vicarage in the Norfolk village of Little Walsingham, the Anglican cleric plays the part of the eccentric parson to perfection. Here stands a Victorian gentleman, old beyond his years, playing a euphonium. Perhaps he's blasting out