Squirrel Nut Zippers' CHRISTMAS CARAVAN... Fantastic!

Don't laugh - the soundtrack from the movie "Elf" is playing on my iPod right now! It has a few classics and my all-time-favorite recording of "Baby it's Cold Outside" sung by Zooey Deschanel and Leon Redbone.

Also, "Christmas with the Rat Pack" is a good one.

So nice to see the Pogues on this list!

Step into Christmas - Elton John
Christmas Wrappings - The Waitresses
I Believe in Father Christmas - Emerson Lake & Palmer

The Temptations and Jackie Wilson both have classic Christmas albums... at least around my home.

Ella Fitzgerald Wishes You A Swinging Christmas

Stevie Wonder has some great ones, incl. "One Little Christmas Tree," "Someday at Christmas," and "What Christmas Means to Me"

* Christmas Jollies - Salsoul Orchestra (album)
* (Mamacita) Donde esta Santa Claus - Charo (song)
* Holy Shit, It's Christmas - Red Peters (song)
* Xmas Number One - The Revenge (MP3 Re-Edit of Waitresses Christmas Wrapping via Ooft)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ernienotbert/68115020/in/photostream/

Some on my Christmas Playlist

Barenaked Ladies - Barenaked for the Holidays
John Denver and the Muppets - A Christmas Together
George Winston - DECEMBER
Harry Connick Jr (both Christmas Albums)

It may not be uptempo enough for a party, but I really enjoy the Jewel Holiday Collection.

I have several Christmas mix CD's.

For R&B, it's the BillBoard R&B top Christmas hits, Rhino (40's-60's mostly)
Rock, Billboard's greatest christmas hits, Rhino
The very Best of Cool Yule, Rhino (out of print)
Dr Demento's all time Novelty Christmas Hits, Rhino
And the Ren and Stempy Christmas CD.
And of course, the Vince Guaraldi Trio's A Charlie Brown Christmas
on vinyl, Julie Andrews Firestone Christmas Favorites (1966, out of print) that's been a staple of my Christmas' growing up.

Don't know if any of the Rhino CD's mentioned are still being released but are worth finding used if need be.

The best rendition of "Baby It's Cold Outside" is Nina Simone and Ray Charles. It's perfect.

Wynton Marsalis, Crescent City Christmas

christmas wrapping - the waitresses
mele kalikimaka - bing crosby
winter wonderland - eurythmics
have yourself a merry little christmas - judy garland
christmas in hollis - run dmc
the christmas song - nat king cole

there's a great list of stuff on itunes if you search under "holiday music", then ckeck out the top songs list.

oh, and feliz navidad by jose feliciano! love that one.

Eartha Kitt doing "Santa Baby."

And everyone loves Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You." Whether they admit it or not. But most admit it.

Thanks for the recommendations, everyone. This helps a lot!

The Alligator Records Christmas Collection is great Chicago Blues. It has such gems as "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'" and Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women singing "One Parent Christmas." It's a classic at my house.

Check out Zune's site - they have a ton of holiday playlists for everything from kid's playlists to the standard, which are free with a 14 day trial pass.

I adore The Raveonette's Christmas EP. It's so dreamy.

Jimmy Smith's Christmas album,

Eartha Kitt doing Santa Baby, and

Duke Ellington's Three Suites (Dance of the Sugar Rum Cherry, etc.)

Barenaked for the Holidays

I'm all about the Vince Guaraldi record(the holiday season doesn't start for me until Charlie Brown Christmas airs on TV) but my other favorite holiday songs are:

Jackson 5 - one little christmas tree
The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
Mariah Carey - All I want for Christmas(or the version from the Love Actually soundtrack)
Sonos - White Winter Hymnal
Darlene Love - Christmas(Baby Please Come Home)
Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
Ronettes - Sleigh Ride
Jimmy Eat World - Last Christmas

Star of Wonder - Tori Amos
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm - Kay Starr
Someday At Christmas - Jackson 5
Snowflakes - Pizzicato Five
Happy Holidays (Beef Wellington Remix) - Andy Williams (From the album Christmas Remixed Holiday Classics Re-Grooved)

Jonathan Coultan's Chiron Beta Prime

RuPaul's Christmas Night

Come on, Ramsey Lewis Trio? No one? Both 'Sound of Christmas' and 'More Sounds of Christmas' are great, low-key cocktail party records.

River, Joni Mitchell.

I can't believe nobody has listed Bob Dylan's x-mas album. The video of Must be Santa rocks (especially the scene with the cigar).

Linda Eder's "Christmas Stays the Same"
The Pottery Barn holiday mix CDs
Celtic Christmas
Jim Brickman
George Winston
Harry Connick
Any version of "The Man with the Bag" :)
Any version of "Last Christmas" but loving the Glee version

Listening to Sirius "Holly" Channel as we speak... since December 1!

Oh, and Faith Hill's "Where Are You Christmas." But I am a big softee.

Enrique!!

Salsoul Orchestra... whoah, FLASHBACK! Awesome (and nice to "see" you here!)

Rascal Flatts "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"
The Home Alone Soundtrack (1 & 2)
Orla Fallon "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

might have to be from colorado to appreciate this one:

nitty gritty dirt band: colorado christmas. it strikes a chord.
the waitresses: christmas wrapping - for sure.
elvis: blue christmas
willie nelson: pretty paper
well, now i'm realizing i could go on and on...

enjoy your favorites and the season!

I love all the silly songs...chipmunks and a hippopotamus for Chirstmas.

Rockin around the Christmas tree with Brenda Lee is a must while decorating the mantle.

and I also second Barenaked for the Holidays.

A MUST:

Christmas Remixed

Seriously... awesome.

thank you, LucyTuzy1, for the raveonettes suggestion! i just downloaded it. it's soooo pretty :) xo

The Pretty Little Dolly!

Also, Soul Christmas.

This is all making me want to have a party.

A MUST HAVE
Currently for sale on Ebay and very rare
Kay Martin I Know What he Wants for Christmas
Ebay number 280432682754
This is the Raunchy 50's Holiday Album Everybody Wants:
with the likes of:
Hang your Balls on the Christmas tree!!!!
I know What You Want for Christmas!!!
Happy Bidding

Kay Martin Direct Ebay Link
http://cgi.ebay.com/Kay-Martin-I-Know-What-he-Wants-for-Christmas-w-Shrink_W0QQitemZ280432682754QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMusic_on_Vinyl?hash=item414b172702

I forgot Ramsey Lewis sounds of Christmas and David Bowie/Bing Crosby Little Drummer Boy

Does it have to have a Christmas theme?
Aimee Mann - Another Drifter in the Snow (album)
The Trojan Christmas Box Set (album)
The Long Blondes - Christmas is cancelled
The Arcade Fire - Intervention
and ofcourse
J.S. Bach - Jauchzet frohlocket (Weihnachtsoratorium)

Otherwise:
Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires
Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics - Inspiration Information 3
Nick Cave - Dig Lazarus Dig
Nigeria Special: Highlife Afro Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-6
John Coltrane
David Byrne & Brian Eno - My life in the bush of ghosts

I got The Trojan Christmas Box Set and it was most certainly NOT music.

For me, it's not Christmas without Nat King Coles "The Christmas Song".

I also love Wham's "Last Christmas"--and having a car so I can sing really loud along while I drive.

all these suggestions are great! & kudos to the person who said the "Home Alone" soundtracks - my favourite Chirstmas movies! i have a ton of christmas playlists (r&b, oldies, adult contemporary)...i could list so many but to start i'll say these that haven't yet been suggested:

mariah carey's version of "Oh Holy Night"
johnny mathis "It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas"
christina aguilera "This Christmas"
boyz II men "Let it Snow" & "Silent Night"
bruce springsteen "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
luther vandross "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire"

& not a Christmas song but still fits the holiday season Lenka "Don't Let Me Fall" (must be the christmasy commercial it's used in that convinced me).

& like him or not but Kenny G christmas instrumentals (I'll Be Home for Christmas, Ave Maria...) are pretty great.

It just isn't Christmas until we play James Brown's Christmas CD, "Santa's got a brand new bag" - including such hits a "Santa Claus go straight to the ghetto" and "Soulful Christmas".

Each year I break out the old record player and put on my favorite childhood album, 'Christmas with The Chipmunks: Alvin, Simon & Theodore'. ;)

When I go home for Christmas my mp3 player will have

Bette MIdler's "Cool Yule" album
Eartha Kitt "Santa Baby"
Mae West "Put the Loot in the Boot, Santa"
Dolly Parton and Rod Stewart "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
ELVIS--"Blue Christmas"
Aretha Franklin "Winter WOnderland"
Judy Garland "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

"Blue Xmas" by Gil Evans and Miles Davis (with the Schoolhouse Rock-man Bob Dorough on vocals)

Ultraswank's "Retro Christmas" is awesome. You can download it here: http://christmasyuleblog.blogspot.com/2007/02/retro-christmas-ultra-swank.html