Orindal Records
Buy: Bandcamp | Discogs (vinyl)
My pockets are overflowing with wonderful female vocalists singing soft holiday songs. This is both a wonderful and a terrible position to be in, as I love these songs… but I have to vary the pace of my mix. I mentioned on Twitter that if anybody was looking to slow down and/or sadden up their mix, I’m your man… and here I go, offering advice that was never requested! This gorgeous single from 2012 by New York’s Julie Byrne is a perfect example of this, dare I say, a genre of incredible and incredibly sad folky female holiday-ish music. The quality of her voice and the imagery of her lyrics are strong enough to make you a lifelong fan, but you best be prepared to feel all the feels. The song as described on her Bandcamp: “‘Holiday’ recalls a New Year’s Eve in New York City, future plans made, and the fall-out of a fleeting romance…” So, hold this song close if you love that holiday melancholia, and run away if you ever had a similar experience and have PTSD from it.
Bottom Line: Everything about this song is gorgeous, but you have to be ready to love the beauty in the sadness.
Christmas Underground 
Agree, this a great song. Looks like there are two versions of this one, this one being recorded for the “Faster or Greener Than Now” 7″ and released in 2012. There is also a slightly different version (slightly slower, more melancholy) version on 2014’s “Room with Walls and Windows” album that is about 10 seconds longer.