12 Songs of Christmas - #9 Santa Baby

Haley Reinhart 2019

Disclaimer: All perspectives, opinions, and memories in this entry are mine and mine alone. Some content is rugged, raw, and - sometimes - NSFW, but it's all authentic and included with purpose.

To read the "12 Songs of Christmas Intro," please CLICK HERE
To read Song #12 - "God Bless Us Everyone," please CLICK HERE To read Song #11 - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," please CLICK HERE To read Song #10 - "All I Want for Christmas is You," please CLICK HERE

Why it's on the List...

I’ll be honest - I have never liked ANY version of “Santa Baby” until Haley Reinhart released her cover last year.

This song has always had an unsettling sex-kittenish-quid-pro-quo creepyness about it for me but the minute I saw Haley had done a cover, I knew it would become a personal modern classic.

And it has.

Instead of all the traditional begging and purring, Haley just focused on the bluesy/jazzy side of the song. Mix in her raspy, bourbon-laced vocals and it’s absolute perfection (the way she bounces on "I want a yacht" is so entertaining).

Love the piano and stand up bass so much on this track. Just feels classy and sophisticated and adult - and still sexy and sultry - but still super fun; as I'm sure it was originally intended to be.

While We’re Here..

Since this a song about gifts, I thought I would use this opportunity to list my Top 5 All-Time Favorite Christmas Presents:

5. Nintendo Entertainment System

I think I was 10 when I got a Nintendo. The game I remember playing the most was randomly Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers.

4. LEGO Castle

I can't remember a single thing that happened last week but I can vividly remember putting this castle together with my dad on Christmas Day in 1986.

3. G.I. Joe Mobile Command Center

I think my poor dad STILL has PTSD from putting this one together (but it was awesome and I got his money's worth out of it.

2. Philadelphia Eagles Uniform

I stared at this page in the Sears Christmas Catalog (what a hilarious concept in 2020) for hours upon hours when I was 8 or 9 years old. I was going through this weird phase where I liked teams based on colors and style but fortunately my parents knew best and I was beyond excited to see the Kelly Green on Christmas morning.

1. Pictures of Downtown Roanoke

I love gifts that you never knew you always wanted. I think Summer and I were still dating and she had an amazing idea to get these shots of the little Roanoke downtown (where my grandparents lived and my mom grew up). They hang in our room and I smile every time I see them.

This has been such an illuminating exercise for me: It's made me realize that if I still remember those gifts from my childhood now, alllllll of these years later, my kids (at age 5 and 2) are coming into their own prime memory making years. Gotta make these Christmases count!

Lisen to "Santa Baby" here: