ADVENT CALENDAR: Dec 16th: The O'Jays - 'Christmas Ain't Christmas (Without the One You Love)'

A lot of this year's Advent Calendar entries are underrated festive soul classics, and today's is a prime example. The stunning 'Christmas Ain't Christmas (Without the One You Love)' is a 1970 single by The O'Jays, composed by Philadelphia International Records songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Sad yet joyously upbeat, a review on AllMusic.com describes it as a song where the "high-energy vocals and a bouncy cadence mask the down-in-the-dumps lyrics."

A Spotify playlist featuring many of this year's Advent Calendar tracks plus lots of bonus yuletide selections can be found HERE.