Sarah
I have a friend who, for these first twelve days of December, is emailing the mp3 of a Christmas song each day to her friends. It is awesome. No one can get enough awesome Christmas music.
And Manfriend recently showed me this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000453281. Looks like Amazon’s following my friend’s lead.
What are your favorite Christmas/holiday listening pleasures? And/or sources?
Share, share, share. ‘Tis the season.
The Apron Stage 
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December 4, 2009 at 9:53 am
Sarah
I’ll go first. I mostly prefer my Christmas music to be religious. And by John Rutter. A Rutter song we call “Hurry to Bethlehem” is one of our family’s favorites. (I think it has some other title.) In fact, it IS Christmas to me. And we often spend moments during the holidays, standing around the family piano, trying to sing his quick and exultant harmonies. I cannot more enthusiastically recommend the Rutter carols to you.
Also–the recording of “Brother Heinrich’s Christmas”–a lovely Christmas fable about a music-writing monk and his singing donkey–that was on the reverse side of the Rutter Christmas record my parents played non-stop when I was a child. So beautiful. Worth seeking out.
But then, recently, I’ve run into Sufjan Stevens’ Christmas stuff. (So great.) And anoter couple pop songs from here and there–KT, you know that one you gave us? By The Weepies? I love that one, and I listen to it all year round. I’ve opened the canon, is what I’m saying.
Also, “Jesus, Christ the Apple Tree,” or that awesome song about Jesus as a warrior baby. Both, though not overtly Christmas-focused, are nevertheless on my Christmas play lists. Turns out, I like thinking/singing about how Christmas reminds me of Christ.
December 4, 2009 at 10:13 am
Jason M
Here’s a fun Christmas count-down. It’s the Hubble telescope photography advent calendar: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/12/hubble_space_telescope_advent_1.html
December 4, 2009 at 10:19 am
Erin
My Christmas playlists from the past few years have usually included selections from:
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Diana Krall Christmas Songs
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
any of the crooners…Sinatra, Crosby, Nat King Cole
various arrangements of In The Bleak Midwinter…one of my favorites (James Taylor did a nice cover of it)
December 4, 2009 at 11:00 am
Cissy
“A Wasatch Christmas” is my very favorite collection. (I couldn’t find a link to listen to share.) I confess to being a snob when it comes to Utah/LDS performers, but this album includes the very best music (both vocal and instrumental) from the very best Utah artists. James Conlee singing “What Child is This?” is gorgeous; I also appreciate a version of “We Gather Together” on the CD–a good link between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
December 4, 2009 at 11:02 am
Laura
Oh, wow. I too fall into the Christmas/religious music category. Two of my favorites from growing up are The Little Drummer Boy by the Harry Simeone Chorale and A Charlie Brown Christmas (this can be religious). Those two records were played continuously at my house, so much that I bought the Harry Simeone CD after I was married because it represents Christmas to me. And yes, I can quote the whole Charlie Brown movie. I love it.
Some of my favorite pieces:
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
O Holy Night
Ave Maria
Gesu Bambino
Gloria in D Major
I’m really excited this year because my youngest son has outgrown his hatred of choral music. Last year’s Christmas was a little tough because whenever he would hear choral music, he would scream (he was five months old). This included live and recorded. For the most part my little ward in Texas was safe from his cries because they didn’t sing well enough to warrant his screams (he really only cried when there was harmony). My mother’s ward in Utah? Ouch. He started crying during the opening hymn and only stopped when we removed him. This year I get to enjoy the Christmas program!
I totally suggest the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Holiday station on Pandora, with a little tweaking. Makes for a fantastic day, whatever the season. And since Sam no longer screams, we are enjoying it!
December 4, 2009 at 11:51 am
Traci
I love my new mix I got from itunes- Hotel Cafe Winter Mix? Anything with Fiona Apple doing Frosty the Snowman is a winner in my book, Prisilla Ahn also does a beautiful Silent Night. Jewel put out a really pretty holiday album a few years ago – great version of I Wonder as I Wander. Tony Bennet has a great album too. But hands down the best childhood memory album is Roger Whittaker, he sings Darcy the Dragon, which is freakin adorable (at least in my memory).
December 4, 2009 at 11:51 am
Heather
I love classic religious Christmas music. A lot of the motab/LDS hymnal songs get on my nerves. I wasn’t raised in the church and the tweaks to the songs grate on me. Away in a Manger anyone? I’m totally teaching my kids to sing that the ‘right’ way 😛
Oh Holy Night. There is nothing better than a great soloist singing that. Nothing.
I love a lot of the contemporary not quiet Christmas songs. Joni Mitchel’s River. Happy Christmas (War is Over), Christians and Pagans. All I want for Christmas is You.
My husband has a habit of recording himself or the kids singing songs for me, burning them and sneaking the CD into my car. Last year he did a Christmas one for me, and it’s still my favorite. I think I’m going to request a sophomore addition for Christmas this year.
December 4, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Laura
First let me say that no judgments of taste should be made around Christmas time. Give me toll painted Santas, give me gaudy Christmas lights, give me Karen Carpenter!! It’s festive.
And with that said, here are my favorites.
5. “Coventry Carol.” Nothing says Christmas like medieval plainsong.
4. “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” I’m kind of partial to the Ella Fitzgerald version.
3. Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLaughlan sing “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings.”
2. Jack Johnson sings “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.”
1. Mannheim Steamroller doing “Silent Night.” Whatever happened to those guys?
December 4, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Kelly
Jewel’s Christmas album is stellar- she’s incredible. Every song a little different singing style. And when I’m feeling sassy- “Christmas with Dino” and “baby it’s cold outside”
December 4, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Shara
Christmas music is just so feel good. I really enjoy them all.
I love the classic that focus on the Savior. (What Child is This?, Handel’s Messiah, I Wonder as I Wander – Jewel’s version is amazing!! If you don’t already have it buy it, the whole CD is worth it for that one song)
For fun ones I love:
1. Santa Baby – Ella’s version is by far the greatest
2. Carol of the Bells – version heard on The Santa Clause
3. Mr. Heatmiser – Big Bad Voodoo Daddies does a fun rendition
4. Sleigh Ride – The Carpenters is the BEST version (I totally agree with Laura “give me Karen Carpenter!” Christmas Portrait is another CD to go buy right now!)
December 4, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Tiffany
I enjoy Christmas music of all types. The Carpenters Christmas collection is an old family standby. In fact, one sister loved it so much she “borrowed” our Dad’s tapes for about 10 years. I love that a radio station in the D.C. area plays holiday music 24/7 for the whole month of December. When I can’t listen to the radio, my favorite holiday CDs are:
1. Harry Connick, Jr.
2. Bare Naked Ladies – this CD has some beautiful songs like the one mentioned by Laura above and funny ones like the Elf’s Lament (sung with Michael Buble). Go out and buy it right now!Diana Krall
3. Josh Grobin
4. Handel’s Messiah as sung by the Tab
5. Diana Krall
t
December 4, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Traci
Oh! How could I forget the Forgotten Carols! SOOOO good! Some people may question based on cheese factor, but I still love it – Three Kings found the Lord – and so can WE!
I’m so happy that the buying new shoes for mama meeting Jesus song has yet to make this list – gag, a little bit.
December 4, 2009 at 3:14 pm
angie f
I am a child of the 70s and was sung to sleep as a baby with Karen Carpenter songs. So there really isn’t anything that says home or Christmas to me like Karen’s voice (and while I AM Tiffany’s sister above, I am NOT the sister who stole my parents’ tapes.) I served my mission in Brazil and at 6pm everywhere all churches and all radio stations play Ave Maria. My comp and I were walking into a store one day at the Ave Maria hour and it was Karen Carpenter’s Ave Maria playing. Just a little bit of home and Christmas sent to me in the middle of South America. Lovely.
My kids favorite this year is the Straight No Chaser version of 12 days of Christmas.
That said, Harry Connick is playing right now. Really, there are too many to mention. I even bought Sting’s new one, but I’m having a really difficult time with it–it sounds too Ren Fest for me to associate with Christmas. oh well.
December 4, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Angelique
I don’t know if these are my favorites, but the two songs that are always running through my head at Christmas are “Silver Bells” and Benjamin Britten’s choral arrangement of Robert Southwell’s poem “This Little Babe” that my High School chorus sung in my Junior year
December 5, 2009 at 10:26 am
christine
I start listening to Christmas music right after Halloween and love almost all of it! A great tradition is to listen to “Lessons and Carols” Two that I hate are the “mommy is dying with new shoes” and john lennon’s “do they know it’s Christmas time at all”. Two opposite extremes of guilt for Christmas-I really prefer JOY!
December 6, 2009 at 8:10 pm
Kahalia
I should be ashamed but I will say it proudly– I like Mariah Carey’s Chrstmas songs.
I also heard Andrea Bocelli and Mary J. Blige sing Who’s Child Is This on Oprah this week. The BEST Christmas duet I’ve heard. It gave me chills.