It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas ...

[Allskate]

A Charlie Brown Christmas is far and away my favorite Christmas CD.

I also like James Taylor's album a lot. Also Sarah McLachlan's.

I didn't even know that Chris Isaak had a Christmas album.

[Karina1974]

Older favourites include:
~ The Kingston Trio - Last Month of the Year

You rock for listing this one. They were so often accused of being "commercial" by the so-called "folk purists" yet this is hands down one of the least commercial Christmas/holiday albums ever released by a "name" group or performer. The only 2 songs on the album that "everybody" would know is "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and "A Round About Christmas" - Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, please put a penny in the old man's hat, etc. etc..

I remember being at my Puerto Rican friend Alex's house for his Christmas party one year. He had a lot of old LP's of Spanish music, and I was sitting at the bar when this song came on over the speakers and when I heard it I just snapped to when I realized I was hearing a Spanish-language version of "Follow Now, Oh Shepards".

Another KT-related musical memory: my senior year in HS I took a class in music theory. Some of the people in that class were in the select group "Madrigals" that performed Renaissance-era music at school concerts. Some of them, who were in the next level theory class, were rehearsing one of the songs for the upcoming Christmas concert, and it was "Riu Riu" which the KT recorded as "Guardo El Lobo" from their Goin' Places album (came out the year after Last Month, and their last album before Dave Guard left the group). So, I knew the song so I started mouthing the lyrics. The teacher, who also lead all of the choir groups, saw me doing that. and she comes over to me afterwards, and she was amazed that I knew the song. This song is from the 15th century. How do you KNOW this?!?! I told her - I've been a KT fan since the age of 10, and I first heard their recording of the song when I was 14.

[AragornElessar]

I just purchased Amy Grant's The Christmas Collection. The review on iTunes won me over. The album is very nice.

What is all on it? I can't seem to access the iTunes Store and haven't been able to for the last month. I keep getting "Temporarily unavailable" messages and considering I have Gift Cards from my Birthday....Grrrr!!!

I have all three of her Christmas Albums, but the first one is on tape and I've never been able to find it on CD. Which really drives me nuts, as I adore A Tender Tennessee Christmas.

[algonquin]

[QUOTE=AragornElessar;2964783]What is all on it? I can't seem to access the iTunes Store and haven't been able to for the last month. I keep getting "Temporarily unavailable" messages and considering I have Gift Cards from my Birthday....Grrrr!!!

I have all three of her Christmas Albums, but the first one is on tape and I've never been able to find it on CD. Which really drives me nuts, as I adore A Tender Tennessee Christmas.[/QUOTE
http://www.amazon.ca/Christmas-Colle.../dp/B001EC6JPI

collection of the best Christmas songs from all three catalog albums plus four new songs

I hope that that helps.

[John 3 17]

All-time faves:

B.E. Taylor's "Christmas" (1994) & "Christmas 2" (2000) (he puts his own spin on classics, rocks up some, and makes others eery; even some Raggae. Been my fave all these years. His "O Holy Night" is my favorite ever version as is his "O Come, O Come Emmanuel")
"Noel" - Various alternative Christian artists produced by the wonderful Deri Daugherty & Steve Hindalong which includes my favorite version of "In the Bleak Midwinter" by Kevin Max Smith (of DC Talk)
Amy Grant's "Home for Christmas" (1992) (from the deeply moving "Breath of Heaven" to the fun and lighthearted "Most Wonderful Time of the Year")
Over the Rhine's "Trumpet Child" (every song is so meaningful)
Sarah McLachlan's "Wintersong" (looooove her "In the Bleak Midwinter")
Wynonna's album from a couple years ago
Hayley Westenra's "My Gift to You" (I adore her!)
"Smoky Mountain Christmas"
anything labled "Celtic Christmas"
"Music Box Christmas" (Mom always played this while we opened presents, on the old turntable)
"Frosty the Snowman" by the "International Children's Choir" (misleading title, it's all Christmas classics)
"Scottish Christmas" by Bonnie Rideout, Maggie Sansone, and Al Petteway
Michael Crawford's ("Scarlet Ribbons" is precious!)
Nat King Cole's (I just love his voice and phrasing)
And finally, not a CD, but a concert aired on PBS in the late '90s, "Soul of Christmas: Celtic Music Celebration" with Iris DeMent singing "The Cherry Tree Carole" which is my all-time favorite Christmas carole.

-Bridget

[KikiSashaFan]

There's been some really good suggestions in this thread

So I won't ruin it by saying I still really like the Nsync Christmas album

[algonquin]

Sarah McLachlan's "Wintersong" (looooove her "In the Bleak Midwinter")

I love her version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". I think that she changed the song from a minor to a major key. I am not completely sure, but she did up the tempo, so it not as melancholy as other versions.

[AragornElessar]

I love her version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". I think that she changed the song from a minor to a major key. I am not completely sure, but she did up the tempo, so it not as melancholy as other versions.

[QUOTE=algonquin;2964983]

What is all on it? I can't seem to access the iTunes Store and haven't been able to for the last month. I keep getting "Temporarily unavailable" messages and considering I have Gift Cards from my Birthday....Grrrr!!!

I have all three of her Christmas Albums, but the first one is on tape and I've never been able to find it on CD. Which really drives me nuts, as I adore A Tender Tennessee Christmas.[/QUOTE
http://www.amazon.ca/Christmas-Colle.../dp/B001EC6JPI

I hope that that helps.

Thanks!! I can't order anything online, unless it's through Gift Cards, thanks to still being under my parents roof. I can do my banking online, but not shopping. Don't ask....Both me and many others have tried explaining things to my parents, but they/Mom won't budge. Anyway...Thanks for the link so I could give the listing a look see. A Christmas To Remember is one of my favourites off of Amy's third Christmas album she put out and will going on this year's Mixed Christmas CD I make up.

We have to go over to Sudbury in a couple of weeks for an appt of Dad's, and I'm hoping to get out to the Mall that's got an HMV at it. I'll have to add Amy's new CD to the list along w/The Canadian Tenors, Susan Boyle and Jackie Evancho's Christmas CD's.

I love her version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". I think that she changed the song from a minor to a major key. I am not completely sure, but she did up the tempo, so it not as melancholy as other versions.

I love all of Sarah's Wintersong, but especially her cover of Happy Xmas (War Is Over), for a very special reason. The Children's Choir that performs on it, are all children who are recipients of Music Scholarships from her program to give Inner City Kids in the Vancouver area who are talented, a chance.

That's one of the things about Sarah I admire so much. When she says she's going to support a charity or do something to try and help a group, she walks her talk!!

[Allskate]

Now I'm off to find that Glee Christmas CD.

It's streaming here:

http://music.aol.com/holiday-and-christmas-cds#/3

[Meredith]

It's streaming here:

http://music.aol.com/holiday-and-christmas-cds#/3

Thank you!

[MikiAndoFan#1]

It's streaming here:

http://music.aol.com/holiday-and-christmas-cds#/3

It sounds great!

[bobalina77]

DF bought the Glee Christmas CD for me last night.. we listened to it today as we were putting up the tree

[BigB08822]

I am a huge Kelly Clarkson fan so I have to add her version of "My Grown Up Christmas List."

[mmscfdcsu]

Judy Collins. What a voice. Listen to the samples here:

http://www.amazon.com/Come-Rejoice-J.../dp/B0000034BC

[Karina1974]

Judy Collins. What a voice. Listen to the samples here:

http://www.amazon.com/Come-Rejoice-J.../dp/B0000034BC

My local PBS station, WMHT, was showing a Christmas special she filmed about a decade ago, so they said, at the Biltmore Estate, on Thanksgiving night. My parents were watching it when I was over there. During the pledge break, they played clips from her brand new album. EVERY SINGLE female singer, especially the wanna-be's, ought to be taking note of her talent. She is 71 years old and she still sounds great.

[mmscfdcsu]

My local PBS station, WMHT, was showing a Christmas special she filmed about a decade ago, so they said, at the Biltmore Estate, on Thanksgiving night. My parents were watching it when I was over there. During the pledge break, they played clips from her brand new album. EVERY SINGLE female singer, especially the wanna-be's, ought to be taking note of her talent. She is 71 years old and she still sounds great.

I have the CD from the Biltmore Estate event. Incredible music. I especially love her version of Silver Bells. Not usually a favorite, but the way she sings it is great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ug8ur3kvCs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLaao...1E31A&index=23

[Satellitegirl]

I love the At Home in Midford Christmas CD. I also love the Boston Pops Christmas cd....Trans Siberian Orchestra's CD's, and Mannheim Steamroller's cds.

[jotay]

Artemis, I love that you mentioned The Bells of Dublin by the Chieftains. It's my favorite and The Rebel Jesus is probably my all time favorite. I'll try some of the others you mentioned.

[Rhianna]

Sufjan Stevens - Songs for Christmas.

It's all I need.

[missflick]

Winter Solstice on Ice is my favourite Christmas CD, Especially the first track "Magic Forest".

But if you like listening to Christmas music online, which is mostly instrumental, and won't make your ears bleed, than listen to this:

www.newagechristmasradio.com