Five Things: Christmas Albums

It's so nice to see the holiday spirit around everywhere! There is something so comforting and cheerful about listening to the Christmas radio station in the car and sitting under the light of the Christmas tree. Even better, I get to pull out my favorite Christmas albums and play them while I sip a nice hot tea or hang out with the little man. I already gave you my list of five favorite Christmas pop songs, so here are my five favorite full Christmas albums, in no particular order:

1. Merry Christmas, Maria Carey (old school) - here's a fun fact: news is that 18 years after it was released, my favorite song from the album (listed in the previous post), "All I Want for Christmas is You" has just broken into the top 40 on Billboard's Top 100, at number 29. Apparently it doesn't matter when the single is made, just what kind of play it's getting today. For various reasons it didn't make it when it originally came out. Now people have rediscovered it and it seems to be the top streamed holiday song this season. 
2. A Charlie Brown Christmas (The Music), Vince Guaraldi. Simply magical, melancholy but happy. One of these days I'd love to learn all the songs in the piano sheet music we found a few years ago.
3. A Very She & Him Christmas, She & Him. Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward: nothing could be more enchanting, really. It's everything soft, nostalgic, cozy and delightful in the holidays crooned into a lovely musical package.
4. Let it Snow Baby...Let it Reindeer, Reliant K. Rockin', festive and surprisingly touching. Christmas punk style.
5. I'm actually a little stumped on this one. I'd love your suggestions for a new favorite! For now, though - I'm going to go with the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to The Nightmare Before Christmas, or even Edward Scissorhands, both composed by Tim Burton-movie-standard Danny Elfman, weaver of musical magic. I don't actually own these albums, but I would love to someday.