Christmas Music & Tarot: A Seasonal Journey Through Sound and Memory

Christmas has never been the same for me as an adult as it was when I was a child. The chaos of big family gatherings, the wonder of wrapping paper everywhere, the thrill of counting down the days — those moments were magical, but fleeting. Now, the season feels different, quieter, more reflective. And yet, music has a way of bridging time, of reconnecting me to joy, memory, and emotion.

Take Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy (Temperance) by David Bowie and Bing Crosby. Laurie, my dear friend, and I discovered it together years ago and agreed — there was nothing like it. Her laughter, our shared awe at that unexpected duet, still lingers every time I hear the song. Laurie may be gone, but the song brings her back, and with it, the memories of our friendship. This is what Christmas music does for me now — it’s emotional, it’s connective, and somehow, it feels Tarot-like. The cards are already familiar; these songs just remind me of their truths.

I’ve organized this list of my favorite Christmas songs by Tarot suits, starting with the Majors — the archetypes that capture the essence of the season — and moving through Swords, Pentacles, Wands, and finally Cups, where the heart of nostalgia and longing lives.

Major Arcana: Archetypes of the Season

The Majors speak to the core energies of Christmas: wonder, awe, spiritual reflection, and transformation.

• Carol of the Bells (The Magician) is pure Magician energy. Its cascading, hypnotic melody feels like a spell, manifesting joy and excitement in the simplest sequence of notes.
• Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Justice) carries the weight of collective responsibility and hope. Lennon and Ono’s protest-song message reminds us that the season can be both joyful and conscientious.
• Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy (Temperance) is two worlds merging, Bowie and Crosby bridging genres, generations, and hearts. Laurie, my dear friend, and I discovered it together years ago and agreed — there was nothing like it.
• Silent Night (The Star) embodies serenity and quiet awe, reminding us why we cherish these songs in the dark of winter.
• O Holy Night (The Sun) illuminates the heart with divine resonance, calling forth hope and inspiration.
• White Christmas (The World) evokes nostalgia for completeness, the longing for “home” that Christmas can sometimes intensify.
• Joy to the World (The World) touches a part of me that is elemental, unchanging, and raw — pure archetype, pure joy. Celebration, wholeness, and the radiant energy of life fully embraced.
• O Come, All Ye Faithful (The Hierophant) draws us into tradition and ritual, anchoring us in the collective heartbeat of the season.

Swords: Clarity and Insight

Swords are the mind, clarity, and insight — the realizations that sometimes only come with reflection.

• Do You Hear What I Hear (Ace of Swords) delivers a clear message with purpose. Its melodic proclamation reminds us that even in chaos, there is meaning to be heard.
• It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Four of Swords) offers a pause amid celebration, a moment to reflect on the rhythm of our lives and the joy we often take for granted.

Pentacles: Tradition, Ritual, and Abundance

• Pentacles are the tactile, earthy delights — the wrapping paper, the lights, the cookies, the gifts, and the music that underscores it all.
• It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (Knight of Pentacles) captures the careful building of anticipation. Every holly-decked street feels like the slow accumulation of joy.
• Grown-Up Christmas List (Queen of Pentacles) by Natalie Cole is thoughtful and mature, imagining a world made better through practical generosity.
• The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting) (King of Pentacles) embodies warmth, comfort, and the timeless pleasures of home and hearth.
• Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (Page of Pentacles) is playful, full of mischief, wonder, and anticipation.
• Sleigh Ride (Ace of Pentacles) celebrates seasonal delight in the most sensory way.
• Little Saint Nick (Seven of Pentacles) reminds us that even Santa’s workshop requires planning and care.
• The Twelve Days of Christmas (Ten of Pentacles) is abundance personified, a cumulative joy that grows with each repetition.

Wands: Celebration and Energy

Wands bring movement, action, and the fiery pulse of the holidays.

• Jingle Bell Rock (Knight of Wands) is unstoppable joy in motion, a song that makes you want to dance even in a crowded living room.
• Last Christmas (Queen of Wands reversed) carries bittersweet energy — love lost, vulnerability, and the emotional complexity of the season.
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Page of Wands) celebrates courage, uniqueness, and stepping into the spotlight despite challenges.
• A Holly Jolly Christmas (Ace of Wands) bursts with energy and cheer.
• Frosty the Snowman (Two of Wands) embodies collaboration and joyful creation — the magic of imagination in motion.

Cups: Nostalgia, Emotion, and Heart

Cups are the heart of the season, where longing, joy, and memory intertwine.

• Blue Christmas (Five of Cups) now carries a bittersweet nostalgia, reflecting the chaotic big Christmases of my childhood.
• All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth (Page of Cups) is whimsical, innocent, and utterly charming.
• Another New Year’s Eve (Nine of Cups) holds reflection, anticipation, and emotional fulfillment. Barry Manilow sings in right after the ball has dropped on Rockin’ New Year’s Eve every year.  It reminds us that the season extends beyond Christmas Day, embracing the entire arc of the year and the hopes we carry into the next.
• All I Want for Christmas Is You (Two of Cups) reminds us that love and connection are at the center of it all.
• Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Six of Cups) evokes comforting nostalgia and warmth.
• I’ll Be Home for Christmas (Eight of Cups reversed) resonates with longing and the desire to reconnect with the people and places that anchor us.
• Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree (Three of Cups) is pure celebratory joy.
• Frosty the Snowman (Ten of Cups) embodies magical happiness and family delight.

Closing Reflection

Christmas music, like Tarot, reminds us of the cyclical nature of life — joy and sorrow, anticipation and reflection, chaos and serenity. It connects us to memory, emotion, and archetypal truths, whether through playful jingles, soulful ballads, or sacred carols.

For me, the season is no longer about perfection or expectation. It’s about remembering Laurie through Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy, feeling the bittersweet pang of Blue Christmas, savoring the reflection and hope in Another New Year’s Eve, or letting Joy to the World shake me to my core. These songs are mirrors, companions, and guides — and in a way, Tarot cards sung aloud.

What about you? Which Christmas songs make you pause, laugh, remember, or feel like they hold a little Tarot truth?