said that the song "got the episode off on the right holiday foot", and Stack gave it a "B" and wrote that its performance "almost felt like the beginning of a real holiday musical. It was a little cheesy but also kind of charming and sweet." The next song, "We Need a Little Christmas", Benigno declared "fun but too short". He added, "If there's one thing this number teaches us, it's that Mercedes is being woefully misused on this show and can carry a number as well, if not better than she can finish one." Stack said that the "little taste" included in the show "sounded promising", and Harper "totally loved this song". Kurt and Blaine's duet on "Baby, It's Cold Outside" received many more reviews than the other songs, and the greatest praise. Wieselman called it his "far and away favorite" song of the episode. Stack declared it the "complete and total highlight of the episode and one of the best moments of the second season". He gave it an "A+". Hankinson said it was the show's "best musical number", and described it as "well-performed, sweet and wonderfully choreographed"; he added: "It was bold, without being gimmicky". The Atlantic Meghan Brown and Patrick Burns were both enthusiastic: Brown said "Kurt's sweetly sexy duet with Blaine was near-perfect" and "the vocals and choreography gave Chris Colfer and Darren Criss a real chance to shine", while Burns called it "adorable". Erica Futterman of Rolling Stone wrote that it was "full of sweet harmonies and has an ideal undercurrent of romantic tension", though Harper "wasn't feeling any chemistry between them"; she felt the performance was "a little overacted", but noted that "their voices seem to like each other". Benigno was also less enthusiastic; he gave the song a "B−" and felt there was "something missing" from the rendition: "these two could have sang this number in their sleep and it kind of sounds like they did". Rachel's performance of "Merry Christmas, Darling" had a good reception, but with caveats. Futterman wrote that "she nails the sentiment with her restrained take—but we'd love to move past Rachel's phase of singing Lite-FM ballads while watching everyone in bliss around her". Benigo called it "nice and fun" and Michele's voice "still a thing of wonder", and he gave the song an "A−", but added he was weary of "Rachel In Anguish Face". Stack gave it