If you've ever wondered why the hell there are so many godawful Christmas songs in the world, you'll find the answer below.

We all suspected that having a Christmas song that's a hit would be a nice little money-maker - but the royalty payments on some of the most well-known tunes are actually mind-boggling.

Let's just say that it's no wonder that most musicians will try their hand at writing a festive smash hit at some point, even if they're not successful (we mean you, The Killers).

It's also no wonder that Shane MacGowan could afford those new gnashers and why Tony Mortimer didn't feel the need to mortify himself by rejoining East 17.

See below for the top 10 biggest Christmas earners:

1. 'Merry Christmas Everybody' by Slade: £500,000

2. 'Fairytale of New York' by The Pogues: £400,000

3. 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' by Mariah Carey: £376,000

4. 'White Christmas' by Bing Crosby: £328,000

5. 'Last Christmas' by Wham!: £300,000

6. 'Wonderful Christmastime' by Paul McCartney: £260,000

7. 'Mistletoe and Wine' by Cliff Richard: £100,000

8. 'Stop The Cavalry' by Jona Lewie: £120,000

9. '2000 Miles' by The Pretenders: £102,000

10. 'Stay Another Day' by Tony Mortimer, East 17: £97,000