Xmas music recommendations--not your standard collections

[CMcG]

I agree that having good xmas music is essential to Yuletide festivities, so good call on this thread!

The holidays wouldn't be the same for me and mine without:
Terry McDade w/ The McDades, Midwinter
Terry McDade w/ The McDades, Noel

Terry plays Celtic harp and leads a group made up of his very talented children. The tunes are a combination of well-known, obscure, and totally unheard-of (ancient) tunes, all played with a Celtic/world music twist.

They play an annual xmas series of very popular shows in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada at an old settlers homestead that has been converted into a museum. You can hear some examples of his music on myspace (not the xmas stuff though) and order CDs from Free Radio Records.

[auld argonian]

I heartily second the Roches album...a necessity this time of the year.

I recommend Silently The Snow Falls by Tilston and Finger and The Sackville All Stars Christmas album...the first is lovely and trad while the second is just damn swingin'.

I would also point out that no Christmas is complete without hearing Stan Freeburg's Green Christmas (sadly, even more relevant today than it was back when it was recorded some forty-odd years ago) and Cheech and Chongs' Santa Claus And His Old Lady.

And here's your Christmas bonus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSlpCBek1_M

Happy, happy...joy, joy!

Best

AA

[Smayniac]

I second Vince Guaraldi, although it's not in my personal collection.

The early season is quite busy at work, I come into my "spirit" the middle of the third week of December typically. To work through the stress of other people's abundance of spirit I listen to Mojo Nixon's "Horny Holidays" generally without it's final track which is more "R" than "PG". The rest is good fun, from lalalaing "Good King Wencelaus" to "Jingle Bells, Batman Smells" and a lowdown, funky "Mr. Grinch."

Another must have for me is Dr. Demento's "Greatest Christmas Novelty CD of All Time" which includes not only the Freeburg and C&C mentioned above, but also the Chipmunks and the classic "Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer" among others.

Bob

[ronstew]

Now it is Christmas Again - Garrison Keillor - songs you know, plus Scandanavian and German carols and some narration

The Bells of Dublin - The Chieftains - features many well-known collaborators - my favorite song is Elvis Costello singing The St Stephen's Day Murders, but the rest is very Christmassy