Five Christmas songs that never made it to number one

The Christmas number one is traditionally one of the most competitive chart battles of the year.

X Factor winner Sam Bailey fought off competition from Lily Allen and Leona Lewis this year.

Skyscraper finished on top on 22 December, but certain songs are often instantly linked with the Christmas number one spot.

However, some festive favourites never actually topped the Official UK Singles Chart.

Here are five festive hits that didn't make it to Christmas number one.

Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas (1994)

The song never got higher than number two in the UK chart, with East 17's Stay Another Day beating it to the top spot.

It's been covered by the likes of My Chemical Romance, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé, who got the song to number one in the US Billboard charts.

The Darkness - Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End) (2003)

Despite Justin Hawkins and co's best efforts to channel Slade's Noddy Holder, The Darkness were beaten to the top spot by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules' Mad World.

The Darkness were ahead the whole week leading up to the chart announcement until the day before, when Mad World took a jump in sales.

Wham! - Last Christmas (1984)

Despite Wham!'s status as one of the most popular bands of the early 80s, they couldn't beat Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas? to the top of the chart.

According to the Official Charts Company, Last Christmas is the biggest selling single of all time not to not make Christmas number one.

The Pogues - Fairytale of New York (1987)

The sombre growls of Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl don't exactly scream jingle bells but the duet is still one of the most popular Christmas songs in the UK.

However, it was beaten to the top spot by The Pet Shop Boys' Always on my Mind when it was released in 1987.

Wizzard - I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday (1973)

Possibly the biggest shock on the list is partly owed to the fact it was up against Slade's Merry Christmas Everyone, which topped the charts in that year.

I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday only reached number four, with Gary Glitter's I Love You Love Me Love and You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me by New Seekers also charting above it.

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