We have a rule in our house. I am not allowed to play Christmas music until December (you must understand that this is a tragedy of serious magnitude, because I have quite a penchant for Christmas music and would happily listen to it all year long if I could. My darling husband merely puts up with it during the month of December).
This year, on November 28 or 29, I tried to suggest that we play some, and Ryan looked at me with that look. You know the one. My defense?
"Come on, it's the end of November. It's practically December!" To which I received a lesson in the proper use of the word practically. "It is not practically December. It is November. Practically means for all intents and purposes. Until the first of December, it will remain November."
Sigh...
Oh lookey, it's now December 8! Guess what's playing on our iTunes now? :)
I get to buy one new Christmas album this year, and I just have no idea what to pick, so I thought I'd ask for your help! To give you an idea of the randomness with which I enjoy my Christmas music, allow me to share my top 5 albums with you (lol, albums... not CD's. I must be a child of the 80's):
My top 5 picks:
5) Christmas with Boney M
(come on, watch this video and tell me you haven't heard and loved this before! I grew up on this! And just try to ignore the man dancing in silver pants- yikes! And, I've never heard any of their other music, so I don't have an opinion on anything other than this album)
4) Amy Grant- Home for Christmas
, because there is a slight but every so real possibility of being disowned by my husband if I publicly admit that I actually like an Avalon CD- oops, did I just admit that anyways? :)
3) Savior: Celebrating the Mystery of God Become Man
(from our family of churches, Sovereign Grace- I just love the focus on Christ and what he has done for us in this CD)
2) Vineyard Cafe Christmas (check out a few mp3 samples here. This is such a worshipful mix of traditional Christmas carols)
1) Michael W Smith- Christmas
(So beautiful, a mix of orchestral and choral with more modern melodies, very dramatic and emotional... I've written many a good university term paper at 3am listening to this CD.)
So now, 2 questions for you:
1) What are your favorite Christmas albums and why?
2) Any recommendations for me for what to buy this year?
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Haha. I can so relate to this. As we gear up for Thanksgiving in this house, I am the one who refuses to allow Christmas music until after the middle of December. Why? It’s not that I don’t love Christmas, I DO.. but my birthday is in early December, and in any way I can, I like to have “my” day devoid of “Christmas stuff” which is thrust upon us earlier and earlier every year.
Once I get past that point, I belt out the Christmas carols with the best of them, and watch all the Christmas moives I can fit in, straight to New Years Day!
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For what its worth, no one in our house is allowed to break out with the Christmas music until the day AFTER Thanksgiving. (One holiday at a time, if you please…) After that, its a free for all of movies, books, and music until New Year’s Day, when I pack it all up again for the next year. It keeps it special. I actually love the Time Life Collection because it has Christmas traditionals sung by so many of the music legends of a bygone era.
My favorites right now are Clay Aiken’s Christmas album from a couple of years ago, “Merry Christmas With Love”. Josh Groban “Noel” and Michael Buble’s “Let It Snow”. We kinda wearing them out this year and not playing the other 25 Christmas CD’s we own.:)
Joyce
This sounds like my house, only it’s my HUSBAND begging for Christmas music early so that he can listen to Sufjan Steven’s Christmas CDs. It’s fun to playfully say no. I made the mistake of saying, “Not until we hear Christmas music in the stores” and then we were wandering through Sears in early November and heard this awful Christmas music being piped over the loud speakers. Thankfully, he didn’t hold me to it and we waited for Thanksgiving.
My favorite Christmas album, although I love James Taylor and Amy Grant, is my Messiah CD. It really touches me every time I hear it.
Ha ha. This is too funny! I would very STRONGLY suggest Beach Boys Christmas. I can’t explain it. It’s just fantastic. Grew up in Cali, maybe? I’m a California girl at heart…
Wow, thanks for all these great suggestions! Now I will have an even more difficult time deciding between them all, LOL!
Jess, we do have Wintersong and it is a really nice CD.
Niki, I had forgotten about Kenny and Dolly but my parents listened to country music when I was little and that album brings back great memories!
Nola, I already have Savior and I absolutely love it! It is fantastic, and I admit, I do actually listen to it year round, too!
Oh, I have to second the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack! Love Amy Grant also. This is a new one for our family: http://www.purevolume.com/stevesensenig/albums/99040319
I’ve never commented before, but found you through Passionate Homemaking. Hands down my favorite album is Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack. It takes me back to being a kid watching it and it is great background music as well. Jars of Clay Christmas is good as well. But, Charlie Brown is a must-have.
Dolly and Kenny’s Christmas album. We wore the tape out and are working on the CD
My absolute favorite is Martina McBride’s White Christmas (1999 – there are newer releases but I’m in love with this one)! My two favorite songs are O Holy Night and What Child Is This. Just beautiful! And yes, I play it anytime of the year!
any CD with the Robert Shaw Chorale is heavenly. so traditional – it always brings back a flood of happy Christmas memories and reminds me of my grandfather. seriously, it doesn’t get any better than that!
Oh my goodness! I just purchased the new Casting Crowns CD: Peace on Earth. I adore it and am addicted to playing it over and over. It is just a wonderful Christmas album. I would highly, highly, highly recommend it!
My other favorites include Bing Crosby, Amy Grant, and Clay Aiken (I know, I know but his Christmas CD is really, really good, he sings my favorite rendition of Mary Did You Know).
You can’t go wrong with a Bing Crosby mix. His CD is always my favorite Christmas CD to listen to.
I bought a Burl Ives compilation this year and love it. He sings the songs on the classic Rudolph TV special, so it reminds me of being a kid and watching that.
The Nutcracker is another of my most loved.
Hands down Sarah McLachlan’s Wintersong. I think even Ryan would love it.
Boney M. is also one of my favourite Christmas albums! The other music that I find necessary at Christmas time is Bing Crosby. You can usually find a Bing Crosby Christmas CD cheap this time of everywhere! Just make sure it includes White Christmas. I also love his version of O Come All Ye Faithful, in Latin (Adeste Fidelis).
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the CD Saviour: Celebrating the mystery of God becoming man (and I play it all year….don’t tell your DH). I LOVE the SGM CD’s. I have a few of them from when they went on sale cheap last year. So that is my recommendation. :)
Sounds like my house! The day after Thanksgiving, I asked if I was in the clear to play the Christmas music I’d been wanting to play, and after my husband’s head spun around a couple times, he said it wasn’t December yet… so no. Ugh!! What a party pooper!
This may sound weird, but one of my favorite Christmas albums is Jessica Simpson’s Christmas album. I LOVE it!
I also reeeeeeeeeeally like Barlow Girl. Their version of O Holy Night is amazing!
And I love Elvis. :)
Josh Groban’s Noel is wonderful. There are a couple of songs on it that aren’t my cup of tea (one has a very wishy washy “each of us must find our truth” kind of message), but most of the tracks are fantastic. Silent Night is so beautiful, I cry when I listen to it, and I’ve never even liked that carol! Groban’s version of the Drummer Boy is excellent, and there are lots of other great ones. Check it out!
My favorite Christmas CD is The Messiah. I just love it. I listen to it constantly, and we always go to at least one live performance every December!
We have a similar rule, though ours is the day after Thanksgiving and I can get away with it if I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner. :) My music is mostly from Emusic and includes Freeway Philharmonic, King’s Singers, Transiberian Orchestra, Jars of Clay, Bing, Ella Fitzgerald, and BNL, for the most part. It’s good stuff. :)
Point of Grace’s Christmas album – spectacular.
You MUST absolutely MUST run to the nearest store and purchase Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb of God. It is a beautiful masterpiece that isn’t just about the birth of Christ but the beginning, all the way back from Genesis. A must have!
And new out, another Favorite artist, Sarah Groves “O Holy Night” album. She is a Mom who writes for moms. you will love her!!
Personally I love Harry Connick jr’s cd this year and Time Life so there is a wide variety. Hope this helps. By the way, when my husband is at work I listen to Christmas music in October!
A Noteworthy Christmas, hands down. They’re classic carols, etc. sung by various Canadian choirs.
http://www.guelphyouthsingers.com/discography_files/noteworthy.htm
That is hilarious! My kids groan with the Grinch comes on the iPod in the summer. Anytime is a good time for Christmas music!