Top 10 Tuesday: Christmas Albums

When Advent comes upon us and everyone else finally starts listening to Christmas music (I never really stop; I just take breaks away from it), I usually pull out some favorite albums to carry me through the season. I used to have only a handful of albums that I'd list as favorites, but the last few years have introduced me to more and I actually have a top 10 now. Here they are, in roughly ascending order:


Chris Tomlin: Glory in the Highest

A very contemporary-sounding album, Tomlin's Glory in the Highest combines old songs and new, and takes some cues from Biblical passages, as in the song below, "My Soul Magnifies the Lord."


Loreena McKennitt: To Drive the Cold Winter Away

With a Celtic album to add some variety, McKennitt's voice conjures up firelit halls and minstrel-led singing.


Emmylou Harris: Light of the Stable

For the country/bluegrass part of me, there's this album. The opening track (below) gets me excited for the season like few others do.


Andrew Peterson: Behold the Lamb of God

Andrew Peterson's Christmas album is so popular that he gets together with other Christian artists every year to perform it in concert around the country. Churches perform the music as their Christmas presentations. If you're unfamiliar with Peterson's work, he writes heartfelt lyrics that often dig into deep issues in the lives of Christians. This album runs the full gamut from the fun "Matthew's Begats" to the traditional "O Come O Come Emmanuel," but the titular song is probably my favorite.



Relient K: Let It Snow, Baby . . . Let It Reindeer

Though I don't love every song on this album (looking at you, bizarro "Good King Wenceslas"), I do still listen to it a couple of times each Christmas season. This song (one of my favorite Narnia-inspired songs) gets played on repeat. A lot.



Vince Guaraldi: A Charlie Brown Christmas

This is probably the most ubiquitous album on the list. Guaraldi's jazzy soundtrack for the classic Christmas special gets played everywhere, even on the Weather Channel. But just because it's everywhere doesn't mean it can't still bring joy to your heart.



Kutless: This is Christmas


Another contemporary Christian album, Kutless' This is Christmas actually surprised me with how much I loved it. There are songs like "Breath of Heaven" that are given the appropriate amount of contemplation in their vocals. There are also wonderful original songs like the titular song.



Enya: And Winter Came

This album exudes the chill of winter and the warmth of the fireside. It also has one of my favorite arrangements of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" (my favorite Advent/Christmas song) ever. However, my favorite song on the album is actually "White is in the Winter Night":



Ray Hamilton: Jazz on Christmas Eve

This is one of the albums I remember playing every year when I was growing up. This album embodies Christmas and Christmas Eve for me no matter when I hear it.


Josh Garrels: The Light Came Down


This is easily my current favorite Christmas album. It has classic carols, original songs, and a folk-styled sound that speaks to my mellow music-loving soul.





What are some of your favorite songs and albums to listen to this time of year?

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