It's going to be a cold, cold Christmas without you!

Are you tired in walking into any shop, bar or party only to hear the the same old and predictable christmas songs being played? It's Christmas! Well it isn't yet but... If you are you're in good company here, 'cos we are too.

At AlternativeChristmasSongs.com we are looking for the best indie and rock Xmas song of 2009. And we think we may have found it already!

Not since the release of The Pogues classic 'Fairytale of New York' have we got this excited about a Christmas song. Sorry Sir Cliff, you just don't do it for us!

Branch in the Spokes by Matteo Scumaci is sensitive Christmas song of longing and regret. The talented muscian has crafted a beautifuly layed masterpiece with references to The Pogues, Beach Boys and Sufran Stevens evident in the music but creating a delicate and brooding sound of his own.

We have compiled our top ten genre Christmas songs and would love to hear yours too? Country and Western, bluegrass, hip-hop, we don't care as long as it's not mainstream, after all we're not called Alternative Christmas Songs for nothing.

Happy holidays!

Do you like the slide show video for Branch in the Spokes?

Do you think you can do better?

Alternative Christmas Songs are running a competition challenging you to make an alternative video for this festive yuletide song.

All you have to do is follow the link over to their website and send them a short treatment of your idea. In return they will send you an mp3 of the track for free for you to cut your chops to.

When you've done send the video back to the site for posting and spreading seasonal joy.

Full details can be found by clicking on the following link. Good luck!