Wow, I love those of yours, Tina, too!

I have always loved the melody of "Carol of the Bells", but find the "ding-dong-ding" lyrics silly, so I'm not going to claim that as my absolute favorite. I do love "O Holy Night". For complete albums, Michael W. Smith is a more contemporary favorite of mine, and the Andy Williams Christmas albums will always have a special place in my heart. I still get goosebumps when I hear him sing "Some Children See Him."

Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel....

Something about those close harmonies and minor keys that make my socks roll up and down when I hear it....

If you like that kind of stuff, you might also check out their version of Shenandoah..not xmas, but beautiful.

Here is a link that might be useful: Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel by Chanticleer

This post was edited by AnnieDeighnaugh on Wed, Dec 19, 12 at 15:08

"Oh Holy Night" and "Ave Maria" are beautiful. I also like the "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire"song.

Least favorite- "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus" and "Santa Baby" sung by Madonna- ugh!

Oh, if you want to talk worst songs ... ;-D

I agree with "Santa Baby" sung by Madonna. Hate it. Also can't stand "Blue Christmas" by Elvis (those "a-woooo-wooo-wooo-wooo's" make me want to punch something), and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", while somewhat catchy, still makes me cringe.

nancybee, do you mean Schubert's Ave Maria? That piece is so beautiful, even if it wasn't written as either a religious or Christmas piece. It was originally part of a song cycle. It's one of my favorites, too!

Music I particularly like includes Cantique de Noel by Adolphe Adam and all of Bach's Christmas music - the Christmas Cantata and the Christmas Oratorio and more.

Traditional: Carol of the Bells - love the harmonies
Non-traditional: Little St. Nick by the Beachboys. This song just makes me feel SO happy!

Very very favorite overall: Halleluiah Chorus (Roches rendition, one of my favs). You have to download this to listen, but this is them performing it on SNL many years ago. Hearing it live is incredible. 3 voices sounding like a full chorus.

Here is a link that might be useful: Roches Halleluiah Chorus

lynxe- I was wondering if perhaps that wasn't originally a Christmas song. It is lovely, isn't it.

Sunny, the part at the end where Madonna goes, "boop boop a doo!" makes me want to bang my head against the wall.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas--Judy Garland

Oh, I also really like the sound of "Coventry Carol."

I really love "That Spirit of Christmas" from the Griswald's Christmas Vacation movie! I think the movie version is Ray Charles, which is of course beautiful, but I couldn't find it on iTunes. So instead I downloaded a version by jazz/blues artist Matt Andersen, who is originally from a town somewhat near where I live. I also like his version of "Little Toy Trains". If you like bluesy music, you'd probably like Matt.

I've also always loved 'O Holy Night'. Even thought I'm not a devout person, some of the traditional carols are beautiful to listen to.

'Happy Christmas' by John Lennon.

some of my favorites: 'mary did you know', bruce springsteen's 'santa claus is coming to town', karen carpenter's 'merry christmas darling', barbra streisand's 'the best gift' --- in fact i love her entire christmas album!

>That piece is so beautiful, even if it wasn't written as either a religious or Christmas piece.

Not Christmas, no, but the words are the prayer that is the "Hail Mary" in English, so definitely religious.

"Oh, Holy Night"

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear by Josh Groban

The Little Drummer Boy and Do You Hear What I Hear.

I wish I could sing just so that I could sing Do You Hear What I Hear. In light of what happened last Friday that song, for some reason, has managed to bring me a little bit of peace - I don't know why.

I too vote for Mary Did you Know!! On the opposite I shut it off when that song about the kid buying his mom red shoes comes on.

Ave Maria is a gorgeous piece of music!

My first grandchild was born Aug 2011. I started singing Jingle Bells to him early on - he immediately would calm down, stop crying. He still loves the song... but I'm a bit tired of it! Luckily, I don't need to sing it now unless it's for fun.

The classic ones are my favorite - White Christmas, Winter Wonderland, Silver Bells, etc

O Holy Night and Shubert's Ave Maria. And for a fun one, I love Let it snow.

I love Eartha Kitt's version of Santa Baby.

I love almost all of them, even Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. I like Here comes Santa Claus.

O Holy Night is beautiful and gives me the chills when I hear it. Another I love is Do You Hear what I Hear.

Just too many to list!

Still as relevant now as it was during WW II, I'll Be Home for Christmas brings tears to my eyes for all those who can only dream of home and family.

To continue my apparent attraction to melancholia, I can play Sarah MacLachlan's version of River (but not James Taytor's)over and over and over...followed by George Winston's December CD. That's my Thanksgiving to Christmas long-distance travel music.

My very favorite is Kathy Mattea's version of "Mary Did You Know". I also love "I'll Be Home For Christmas" . . . except that it made me cry every time I heard it last year. DS was somewhere in Afghanistan and it broke my heart to think of him and all the brave men and women serving so far from home and family during the holidays. This year he'll be home with us here, which is the greatest gift and the greatest joy. I now love the song again.
Lynn

This post was edited by lynninnewmexico on Fri, Dec 21, 12 at 11:02

"Not Christmas, no, but the words are the prayer that is the "Hail Mary" in English, so definitely religious."

Yes, you're right, and no, you're wrong. :)

I had long forgotten any of the details about the piece, so I had to look it up: Schubert originally wrote it as one song in a song cycle based on a Sir Walter Scott poem, The Lady of the Lake. The words were originally in German, and the title of the song was originally Ellens dritter Gesang (Ellen's Third Song). The first words of the song were "Ave Maria," and that might be why the full prayer, in Latin, was set to the music. (Thank you, wikipedia!) Because of that later use of the prayer, many people (like me, until a music course at one point) are under the mistaken impression that the Latin prayer was originally used by Schubert. So you're wrong. :)

Online sources assert that Schubert apparently was feeling extremely devout at the time he wrote the piece, with particularly strong feelings of devotion toward the Virgin Mary. Schubert's words: "My new songs from Scott's Lady of the Lake especially had much success. They also wondered greatly at my piety, which I expressed in a hymn to the Holy Virgin and which, it appears, grips every soul and turns it to devotion."

So you're right. :)

Regardless, it surely is one of the most beautiful pieces of music, no matter why it was written, or in what language, or with what words.

I like most of the old school ones. I think my favorite is Rocking Around the Christmas Tree. I also like Christmas stuff by Amy Grant and Barlow Girl's version of O Holy Night.

I love Silver Bells and No Place Like Home For the Holidays. I cannot stand Last Christmas by George Michael or Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmas Time.

O Holy Night is probably my absolute favorite religious song.

I love O Come O Come Emmanuel and Coventry Carol, too! My favorites among the more up-beat ones are I Saw Three Ships and O Come All Ye Faithful.

It's so hard to choose "a song," but what Christmas music is playing at my house? I have a lot of holiday music that I like, but I adore James Taylor's Christmas CD! My favorite song on that would be Some Children See Him-so beautiful & touching! Also-Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, which sung by James, gets me all teary like no other version does.

Also love Linda Ronstadt's Christmas CD. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming & Magnum Mysterium are a tad somber, but gorgeous.

For instrumental selections, Mannheim Steamroller's first Christmas CD is amazing!

Red Lover beat me to it, my favorite is also Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. It's such a bittersweet song; it captures the joy of the season but also something I think every year--how precious it is to mark a holiday and have those you love with you. Especially as I (and those I love in my family) get older, it is a thought that resonates with me. I don't ever sit down for Thanksgiving or Christmas without silently giving thanks that we are all together making another memory.

"Through the years we all will be together, if the fates allow. Hang a shining star on the highest bough. And have yourself a merry little Christmas now."

Jethro Tull - Ring out Solstice bells
Jethro Tull -- Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy -- Rockabilly Christmas
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy -- Mister Heat Miser

.... and I'll have a large eggnog with dark rum .... thanks! :)

teacats, your name seems so prim and proper to me- that I was surprised to see your choices and your drink request! lol

Trust me on this thought:

I am neither prim (nor prime) nor proper (even as a noun)

very evil grin ..... heeheeheeheehee :)

"Christmas Canon", Trans Siberian Orchestra followed by some of the aforementioned ("White Christmas", "Silver Bells and others).

Has anyone mentioned "Greensleeves"? It wasn't originally associated with Christmas or any other holiday, but I hear it a lot during this season. It's a lovely song.

The whole "Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass" album. My parents had it when I was little. I still love it. And since it is mostly instrumental by great musicians, it doesn't get on your nerves.

Oh, Holy night. As sung by Jewel.

For me, it's O Holy Night. I agree with Torsade that the version sung by Jewel is lovely.

Has anyone mentioned Gesu Bambino? I heard it tonight in the car. It's so beautiful I'm listening to it now, with Pavarotti singing it.