<p>Bah, humbug!</p>
<p>Just wanted to throw out a cd suggestion to those of you with younger kids. ‘Hilary Duff- Santa Claus Lane’. The kids love it, and adults can listen to it without going nuts.</p>
<p>I assume that all of you with eclectic tastes in music have one of the Dr. Demento Christmas Albums? The first one has the Jingle Bells (by the barking dogs), Nuttin’ for Christmas, and the Chipmunk Song, etc.</p>
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<p>I agree! I still like Mannheim Steamroller too, but wow, TSO ROCKS! They are a LOT better live than MS, too. A TSO concert is the perfect holiday celebration! MS is great to play at home, but very boring live.</p>
<p>Avoid any Christmas album that has “Winter Wonderland” on it. Dumbest lyrics ever.</p>
<p>Here are a few though I can’t remember the titles</p>
<p>Aaron Neville’s Christmas Album
Emmylou Harris (Light in the Stable, I think)
moe.'s Xmas album</p>
<p>How about Trans-Siberian Orchestra as well</p>
<p>George Winston December</p>
<p>We have a ton of Christmas CDs because my mom used to work at a Christmas shop. </p>
<p>I’m fond of Celtic Woman, so I have to recommend their [Christmas</a> CD](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Celebration-Celtic-Woman/dp/B000I2ISF4]Christmas”>http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Celebration-Celtic-Woman/dp/B000I2ISF4).</p>
<p>If you’re into country, [url=<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/This-Christmas-Time-Lonestar/dp/B0000CABLH/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1195912071&sr=1-1]Lonestar[/url”>http://www.amazon.com/This-Christmas-Time-Lonestar/dp/B0000CABLH/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1195912071&sr=1-1]Lonestar[/url</a>] has a great Christmas album.</p>
<p>For an oldie-but-a-goodie, try Burl Ives.</p>
<p>Can’t beat Star Wars Christmas cd at this totally “nerd” home. Silly songs mostly sung by C3PO w/R2D2 beeping along… Who wouldn’t love “what do you give a wookie for christmas when he already owns a comb?” Priceless nonsense songs!</p>
<p>We used to have the MOST annoying Christmas CD…it was the same “genre” as the barking dogs doing Christmas music…except ours was crying babies…different cries for each musical note. It was a nightmare—I was able to unload it at a family “White Elephant” exchange…one of my cousin’s sons got it and LOVED it, ha, ha.</p>
<p>Would love to get the Star Wars Christmas for nerdson, but am looking for a cheaper copy. Nearly 50$ at Amazon for a novelty CD…</p>
<p>Windham Hill’s “A Winter’s Solstice” series of CD’s - a must in our home every holiday season. Tim Story playing “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” on the cello brings me to tears, every time…</p>
<p>Chanticleer (a cappella group): Our Heart’s Joy. </p>
<p>Cambridge Singers Christmas Album</p>
<p>If you like Windham Hill, you might also like such classics as “A King’s College Christmas” or “New England Christmastide” or “Behold That Star.”</p>
<p>I listen to Nat King Cole every year.</p>
<p>Not a specific recommendation, but Accuradio runs a bunch of differently themed Christmas channels during this season. It’s a good way to find music you didn’t know before.</p>
<p>[AccuHolidays</a> – Great Christmas music Internet radio from AccuRadio](<a href=“Free Internet Radio | AccuRadio Online”>Free Internet Radio | AccuRadio Online)</p>
<p>garland, thank you for that link. I’m listening right now.</p>
<p>patient, my favorite Christmas CDs are the Cambridge Singers “The John Rutter Christmas Album” and “Christmas with the Cambridge Singers” and Chanticleer’s “Sing We Christmas” and “Christmas with Chanticleer.” I hadn’t seen the “Our Heart’s Joy” previously. Thanks for posting it.</p>
<p>Garland, Thanks so much for the Radio Link. Just what I needed!</p>
<p>A quick update:<br>
Accuradio (in the above link), is making charitable donations during the month of December for every new listener. </p>
<p>The Jazz Christmas is my favorite of the 30 Holiday choices. Haven’t listened to the regular radio stations yet.</p>
<p>My three favorites:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Classical: The Glorious Sounds of Christmas (Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra, accompanied by the Temple University Concert Choir). They don’t make 'em like this anymore, and it’s a shame. </p></li>
<li><p>Jazz: Diana Krall, Christmas Songs (great versions of “Jingle Bells” and “Christmas Time Is Here,” among others). </p></li>
<li><p>Pop: Vanessa Williams, Star Bright (her version of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with Bobby Caldwell is terrific as are her interpretations of “I Wonder As I Wander” and “Go Tell It On The Mountain”).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Honorable Mention: Amy Grant, Home For Christmas – her version of Mary’s Song is marvelously orchestrated and hauntingly beautiful.</p>
<p>I have a Peabo Bryson one that I love, but my favorite is Andy Williams.</p>
<p>The tradition in our house is playing “Bah Humbug Christmas” (by Stan Freberg). We decorate the tree to the Barking Dogs. We also have lots of Frank & Bing; and because we’ve spent several Christmases in Hawaii, I’m quite fond of Elvis’s Blue Christmas (which for some reason feels very Hawaii). I’ll have to try this Croon & Swoon and the one by the Chieftains.</p>