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.

Five Things: Christmas Pop Music

Besides being tied for my favorite holiday for reasons previously explained, I love Thanksgiving because of the tradition of kicking off the Christmas season with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and (**drumroll**) putting up the Christmas tree! Both of these activities, no matter how cheesy or Hallmark-y, almost inevitably bring at least a couple of tears to my eyes every year. What can I say? I'm a sucker for sentimentality, especially when connected to tradition (I just heard an explosion of that "Tradition" song from Fiddler on the Roof in my head - weird).

Maybe it's because I've read too many books and watched too many movies (creating that strange belief that life must be saturated with perfectly executed moments of drama and nostalgic-montage-worthy scenes), I have certain requirements for the carrying out of said traditions. In the case of the Christmas tree, there must be some hot festive drink, such as apple cider or hot chocolate, cheerful involvement of multiple family/friend attendees in the decorating of the tree (with the angel on last - come on people! have a sense of ceremony!) and a background soundtrack of my favorite Christmas music. In honor of Thanksgiving week and in my excitement about dusting off those CDs and albums for the occasion, today's "Five Things" (yes, I want to make this a thing) is some of my favorite Christmas pop music! I don't say "Top Five," which is the accurate reference to the origin of the five list, the ever-awesome High Fidelity, because I can't commit to five favorites. Also - sidebar - many of these (maybe all?) are on a special mix CD made from another special mix CD made by a co-worker back in my San Antonio news days, for a shockingly friendly white elephant Christmas party in the studio (I came out a winner with a three-DVD box set of old-school Adam Sandler movies). That mix is still off the hook, Rhonda!

So, without further asides -

Five Things: Christmas Pop Songs

1. "All I Want For Christmas is You," by Maria Carey. Nothing makes me sing and dance like this song. Instant happy. And the music video! Christmas bunnies? Yes, please. Snow play? Yes, please. Who can look as good as Maria sledding around in a big red snow suit? Also featured on my beloved Love, Actually. One of the first CDs I bought, at the now-defunct Border Bookstores (take a moment of silence). My CD is no longer around, as it was eaten mercilessly by an old-school six-disc player (it was really tall and big, since the CD had to loop around on their little carousel). But it's on the mix!
2. "Pretty Paper" by Willie Nelson. What is more rustic, warm and lovable than Willie Nelson's voice?
3. "Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley. I love some Elvis, especially gospel-style. Classic!
4. "Hard Candy Christmas" by Dolly Parton. Like Willie, Dolly really brings out the "home" in me. Now that I'm thousands of miles away, anything that connects me to Texas makes me feel sentimental. And, really, how can you help loving Dolly?
5. "Santa Baby," sung by Eartha Kitt. So naughty, so nice! Christmas magic and commercialism, all wrapped up in one and perpetually fun to sing along to.

What are some of your favorite Christmas pop songs?