Here’s a list of the top 10 (or so) in our house. Well…my top 10 anyway! 🙂
Songs for Christmas by Sufjan Stevens
My sister-in-law and brother-in-law turned us on to this set of CDs last year. We love it! This is a set we could do end on end, day after day. (And I normally can’t stand CDs being played over and over…and over!)
The Dawn of Grace by Sixpence None The Richer
Each year we buy a new Christmas CD. This is our 2008 acquisition. What a great buy! I love their versions of “Riu Riu Chiu” and “Carol of the Bells.”
Bing Crosby’s Christmas Classics
It’s Bing. Need I say more?
Drummer Boy
I picked this up back in ’95. I love their version of “Drummer Boy”!
Holiday Pops
I’m a big fan of the Boston Pops and Keith Lockhart. They are excellent musicians that know how to have fun. A great combination in a Christmas CD.
Baby, It’s Cold Outside: A Crooner Christmas
A CD full of great crooners! Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., Carmen McRae, Bobby Darin, and Andy Williams.All winter our kids mimic Sammy Davis Jr’s “Baby you’ll freeeeze out there!!” from his duet with Carmen McRae’s on the title track!
December: 20th Anniversary Edition by George Winston
My high school roommate introduced me to George Winston’s December. Winston is amazing. And it’s sort of palate cleansing to have no lyrics every once and a while.
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Celebration
In so many ways, Christmas doesn’t feel right without Mannheim Steamroller in the air. These 18 tracks get constant air time in our house! (As does Christmas in the Aire.)
The Christmas Cowboy by Gene Autry
Not sure how this got into our mix but now it’s family staple. Lots of Santa and reindeer classics. But his rendition of “One Solitary Life” is particularly moving.
Handel’s Young Messiah: Got this back in 1990 and still like the modern but faithful renditions of Handel’s Messiah.
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There are many more in our Christmas CD tray. Like Starbucks Winterludes: Cool Holiday Notes, possibly Starbucks’ first attempt at a Christmas CD. Apparently they had a hard time figuring out how to make this multi-cultural. So in the midst of Christmas music, you here two songs from Fiddler on the Roof: “Sunrise, Sunset” & “If I Were a Rich Man”! We love those songs, they just crack us up coming after “Winter Wonderland” and “Santa Baby”! 🙂
What’s on your ipod this time of the year?
You gotta get Trans Siberian Orchestra’s album Christmas Eve and Other Stories.
It is what makes it Christmas at our house!
Thanks for this! I love Sufjan Stevens but didn’t have any of the Christmas stuff (until now).
I really like Loreena McKennitt’s To Drive the Cold Winter Away (http://www.quinlanroad.com/explorethemusic/todrivecoldwinter.asp) – it’s a bit somber, but gorgeous. More “introspection near the Christmas tree” as opposed to “let’s have a party”.
We also like John Fahey’s A New Possibility (instrumental finger-style guitar), Sarah McLachlan’s Wintersong, Christmas with Louis Armstrong, and of course A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi.
My favorite Christmas CD is my friend, Michael Schroeder’s, http://www.michaelschroeder.com and the song which is The Reason for The Season. And I haven’t played it yet… Mannheim Steamroller would come in second.
Eric: GREAT addition!
Ann: So right! I haven’t even heard Christmas with Louis Armstrong. That must be wonderful!
Julie: Great additions too!
Thanks for the tips. If there’s a lawyer or legal professional on your list, perhaps consider LawTunes’ (www.LawTunes.com) lawyer-created law-related legal humor rock-and-roll CDs, “Merry Lexmas From The Lawtunes,” “The Lawyer’s Holiday Humor Album,” “Legal Holidaze,” and the latest, “The Lawtunes: Live At Blackacre.” Songs include “It’s Gonna Be A Billable Christmas,” “Rainmaker Reindeer,” “Hey, Santa, I Appeal,” “North Pole Bar Exam,” “I Got A Footnote In My Stocking,” “We’re All Just Elves,” “Ridin’ On A Red-Eye With Santa On Christmas Eve,” and many more, taking on the law, lawyers, and legal practice in a hilarious, but positive, way. Thanks again and Happy (Legal) Holidays.
One of our boys’ favorite Christmas CDs is one by Ella Fitzgerald. Our oldest calls it the one with the pretty lady on the front. We have the older version of this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Ella-Fitzgeralds-Christmas-Fitzgerald/dp/B000TSMOU2/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1228701048&sr=8-2
Tina, GREAT suggestion! And that is a great photo of her too. 🙂
great suggestions. thanks. My favorite in Wintersong by Sarah McLaughin
You have put together a great list. We’re enjoying Elvis Presley Christmas Duets at our house.
Brenda
http://www.squidoo.com/elvispresleychristmasduets
Thanks Brenda. I’m not sure how we’ve lived so long with so little of the king!! 🙂
Our favorite Christmas cd (and we have dozens!) is Your King Has Come. It’s a great acoustic/ contemplative mix with some great advent carol reworkings too.
http://www.amazon.com/Your-King-Come-Various-Artists/dp/B000063CEG
Also Jars of Clay Christmas Songs is a new favorite.
Thanks for chiming in LeAnna!! How cool!