38 Black Christmas Songs To Add To Your Playlist This Holiday
The Christmas season is in full effect, and one great thing about that—beyond the festive decor, sales, feasts, and much-needed break—is the music. I don't know about you, but Black Christmas songs are a major part of family celebrations and are connected to great memories. We all have a soundtrack of the times, whether it was Christmas at Grandma's house, that wild trip abroad to "do something different" or your first Christmas with bae in your new home.
Best Black Christmas Songs
Check out 38 classics and new hits—from R&B and hip-hop to dancehall and reggae—to get you into the holiday spirit and keep the good vibes going this Christmas:
"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" — The Jackson Five
"Silent Night" — The Temptations
"All I Want For Christmas Is You" — Mariah Carey
"8 Days of Christmas" — Destiny's Child
"Christmas in Hollis" — Run-DMC
"My Favorite Things" — The Supremes
"Everyday is Christmas" —Vybz Kartel
"Someday at Christmas" — Stevie Wonder
"Sleigh Ride" — TLC
"Let It Snow" — Boyz II Men and Brian McKnight
"Christmas In Harlem" — Kanye West
"St. Brick (Intro)" — Gucci Mane
"No Gift" — Tamar Braxton
"Santa Looking for a Wife" — Bindley Benjamin
"Christmas in the City" — Mary J. Blige
"This Christmas" — Chris Brown
"Give Love on Christmas Day" — Ledisi
"Oh Santa" — Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, and Jennifer Hudson
"Oh Come Emmanuel" — The Clark Sisters
"We Wish You an Irie Christmas" — Jacob Miller and Ray-I
"A Christmas Wish" — Beverley Knight
"Holiday" — Lil Nas X
"I Want to Come Home For Christmas" — Marvin Gaye
"Christmas Without You" — Xscape
"What Christmas Means to Me" — Fantasia
"Snow" — Leslie Odom Jr.
"Joy to the World" — Whitney Houston
"It's Christmas All Over the World" — New Edition
"Merry Christmas Baby" — Faith Evans
"Give Love on Christmas Day" — Johnny Gill
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" — Keyshia Cole
"Christmas Trees Remix" — Lil' Duval
"Be My Holiday" — TGT (Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank)
"I'm Your Santa" — Chance the Rapper and Jeremih
"Make It Jingle" — Big Freedia
"Doggy Dogg Christmas" — Snoop Dogg
"Thank God It's Christmas" — Wayne Marshall and Sean Paul
"Soca Santa" — Machel Montano
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Featured image by Shutterstock
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Being a creative doesn't mean you have to settle for mediocre jobs that don't allow you creative expression just to pay the bills. There are opportunities out there that allow you to use multiple skills of creative thinking, vision, and artistry, and several offer high salaries. The performing and creative arts industry revenue has grown to reach an estimated $57 billion this year. This includes actors, artists, models, media personalities, and authors, among other creative professions.
“The ease of accessing content via the internet has made this industry less dependent on location. Performers and artists are now able to distribute their work from anywhere with a high-speed internet connection,” IBIS World, a data research firm, reports.
If you're a creative professional who needs a boost in income, has a bit of experience with creative projects, or wants to use your transferable skills from one job to transition into another industry, check out these top six-figure jobs for creatives:
1. Fit Model
Average Yearly Salary: $100,000+
We all know about supermodels who make six- into seven- and eight-figure salaries walking in fashion shows or posing for campaigns. And while they are the exception, not the norm, there is a specific type of modeling that an everyday professional can do to potentially earn an amazing salary. These are models who are hired by designers or clothing manufacturers to test the fit, style, and appearance of the fashions they offer, especially if it’s a niche line or department like plus, petite, maternity, or big and tall.
You don’t necessarily have to walk a catwalk or take photos, but you have to have specific measurements that fit certain niches and of course, be confident, professional, timely, and reliable in testing out the garments.
2. Creative or Art Director
Average Yearly Salary: $114,155
These professionals are in charge of the creative or visual vision of a brand, concept, or project, and they have to use skills such as research, team management, digital media, and art conceptualizing in order to do their job well at the six-figure salary level. Indeed indicates a candidate must have five to eight years of experience, know how to market themselves and their ideas, and be able to work well with clients and team members.
Delmain Dobeson/Getty Images
3. Digital Designer
Average Yearly Salary: $109,503
You’ll be able to use your strategic creativity to develop websites, web pages, newsletters, and other digital products for a company or brand, and you’ll have diverse options in terms of what industry you’d like to work in. It’s not a job just exclusive to media or advertising, as you might be supporting individual personalities, campaigns, small businesses, or various aspects of a corporation. You must have a knack for combining your ideas with skills using design programs and coding languages like Adobe Creative Suite, JQuery, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
4. Animator
Average Yearly Salary: Up to $101,000
If you are an artist or love to play around with the ways you can use art to create cartoons, tutorials, games, and other interactive experiences, this is perfect for you. There are diverse ways you can pursue this, and if you’re a freelancer, you can work with multiple clients to really stretch your range and earning potential.
Some animators can even earn extra via commissions or profit-sharing depending on experience, contract, and nature of the projects they work on. You’ll need to be trained in animation software programs as well as basic sketching and art skills. For some projects or jobs, you might also be handling budgets, editing, or creating new storylines and scripts.
5. Public Relations Managers
Average Salary: Up to $186,000
Professionals who are public relations managers (or strategists) in top business markets like New York, Los Angeles, or Washington D.C. command the big salaries and are able to combine critical, communications, and creative skills to not only manage the pitching and marketing of clients, concepts or messaging but helm the vision of taking a professional, brand or business to the next level.
You’ll need several years of experience, strategic marketing, an MBA, or a master’s level communications degree. Many who have paid their dues start their own firms, bringing the earnings well into six figures as well.
Phynart Studios/Getty Images
6. Social Media Content Creator
Average Annual Salary: 100,000+
There are millions of content creators who have hit the six-figure mark via YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. To be clear, these are creatives who have built strategy and business acumen into their creative pursuit, and some of the top-earning content creators have agents and talent managers to help facilitate their boosts in income. Some have started officially structured businesses to offer content creation, ambassador, strategy, and video content services, while others are simply fully self-employed and are hired as freelance employees.
Some are hired by brands, small businesses, and corporations to create exclusive content as employees. Brand deals and resources like YouTube’s ad revenue and TikTok’s Creator Fund also add to the earnings. For this, you must be able to multitask and schedule using platforms like Sprout Social, Buffer, or Hootsuite, have a knack for social media video production, and have a knowledge of SEO and digital marketing.
7. Digital Marketing Manager
Average Annual Salary: $124,000
In this position, you’d be leading the digital marketing strategy and operations to increase the demand for a product, tap into new customers, enhance sales, and drive traffic to a company’s website or store. A knowledge of SEO and SEM is required, with at least five years of experience as a digital marketer, as well as a knack for sales, creative visuals, and a bachelor’s degree in marketing or other digital media marketing niches.
8. Medical Illustrator
Average Annual Salary: $168,000
If you have a passion for healthcare but want something a bit more on the creative side and less on the medical or tech side, this is perfect. In this job, you’ll be collaborating with researchers, doctors, and other medical professionals to turn complex concepts into visual images that can be used in books, presentations, or other educational purposes. Experience in artistry, drawing, and sketching is required, as well as training and education in both life sciences and visual media.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by south_agency/Getty Images