Bing Crosby.
SanibelMan - Mannheim Steamroller has 3 Xmas CD’s: Fresh Aire I, II, and III. I only have the first one; I don’t like the other two as much.
The Persuasions "You’re all I want for Christmas"CD is great, as are they.
The Beach Boys Christmas Album and the two volumes of Cool Yule on Rhino are great, too.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra:
“Christmas Eve and Other Stories”
“The Christmas Attic”
Especially the second one.
Coldfire, check these out if you haven’t already.
It’s a long way to heaven, but only three short steps to hell.
The Clancy Brothers’ Christmas album and the Kingston Trio’s “Last Month of the Year” are the ones I love most. My parents were dedicated folkies when I was little, and I still love it.
Catrandom
Mojo Nixon’s “Horny Holidays.”
He’s the Grinchiest!
your humble TubaDiva
“I got your Christmas present right here, baby.”
Phil Spector’s Christmas Album and The Beatles Christmas Album (every year the Beatles sent a flexidisc to fan club members for Xmas and in 1970 the flexidiscs were collected onto an album sent to fanclub members only and is avaliable as a pirate cd now) are my favorites.
What you guys said, and Dwight Yoakam’s Christmas album – “Here Comes Santa Claus” with a calypso beat, and a heartbreaker – momma says “Santa Can’t Stay”.
Shirley and Squirrely Christmas. Highly enjoyable. Especially the song Christams Haunted House Kicks the Chipmunks’ ass!
Born O.K. the first time…
If you are born again, do you have two belly buttons?
Of course, there’s another song called Christmas Hanuted House.
(Damn spell check…)
Born O.K. the first time…
If you are born again, do you have two belly buttons?
OK, it’s HAUNTED!!! I give up. Never mind. Chipmunks rule.
Born O.K. the first time…
If you are born again, do you have two belly buttons?
That would be Kitty Wells Christmas Album(I am not sure if she made more than one…but this one has “Dasher with the Light Upon his Tail”)
-'LiZa JaNe
I love the Beach Boys’ Christmas album, only trouble is, like most Beach Boys’ tunes, the refrains tend to get lodged in your brain for the next six months. (I wanna see Santa Claus, a real real Santa, I wanna see Santa Claus, a real real Santa…). Harry Connick’s is pretty good too.
Okay, the box is out, HERE’S the ones I forgot about…
Bruce Cockburn’s CHRISTMAS. He’s a Canadian folkie acoustic guitarist, and this is a terrific collection of acoustic performances of standard carols and oddball stuff, like the Spanish “Riu Riu Chiu” from MISSA CREOLA. Best cut is a wild gospel take on “Mary Had a Baby.”
Cyrus Chestnut’s BLESSED QUIETNESS: A COLLECTION OF HYMNS, SPIRITUALS, AND CAROLS. Chestnut’s probably the best young jazz pianist to come down the pike in 30 years. Oscar Peterson and Dave Brubeck have also done jazz piano Xmas albums within the past few years.
THE VENTURES’ CHRISTMAS ALBUM. Surf-rock takes.
Jimmy Smith’s CHRISTMAS COOKIN’. Smith defined the role of the Hammond B-3 organ in jazz.
Tony Trischka’s GLORY SHONE AROUND. Trischka’s a banjo innovator, one of Bela Fleck’s first teachers, heavily rooted in bluegrass and old-timey music…he brought Mike Seegar and the Turtle Island String Quartet on board for this project. After the Grisman Xmas album, probably the best of this sort…
Uke
Is the Mannheim Steamroller Fresh Aire III the same as the live one that’s out now? They sell them all at Hallmark, btw.
My personal favorite off the M.S. Xmas albums is “Veni, Veni, Emmanuel.” It’s done similar to a chant, with bells. It makes me want to get on my knees.
Not in THAT way, you sick-o’s!
Oh hell…I forgot to mention John Fahey’s Christmas records. There are at least two of them.
Fahey, the six-steel-string guitar picker, Father of All the Current Guitar Gods, seems to be undergoing a revival lately. Rhino did a two-disc retrospective a couple years ago, most of the old “Blind Joe Death” albums are finally available on CD, and someone re-mastered and put out the full-length version of AMERICA.
But his Xmas records have ALWAYS been in print. There’s a reason for it, too, beyond the commercial one. They’re stunningly good.
Uke
I’ll third the vote for Mannheim Steamroller. I usually go to the Christmas concert every year (they’re local to me). I’ve always loved their music, and the Christmas show is beautiful. Can’t wait for my son to be old enough to take along.
Another favorite are the Fishheads, a local reggae band. Their version of “nothin for Christmas” is priceless. 
PR
If you’re not part of the solution you’re just scumming up the bottom of the beaker.