"A Change At Christmas (Say It Isn't So)," Flaming Lips (Warner Bros.)

Previously represented by a couple of hard-to-find versions of "White Christmas," not to mention "Christmas at the Zoo," the Lips whip out their Sharpies and give us another original Christmas tune on their 2003 EP Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell. It's a winner, slightly dirge-y in a similar way to David Bowie's "Heroes" but with chimes, tambourines and jangly piano instead of Robert Fripp's guitar to carry it along. The highly optimistic lyrics could put it into contention with "Happy Xmas" as a future holiday staple.