How Many Days Until Christmas Again?

Yes, the leaves have yet to turn color in many parts of the United States (save for a few maples in the north woods of Wisconsin, but we're ignoring them at the moment in the hopes that they'll just go away). Small children have yet to dress up and ask for candy from strangers, and there's hardly even the hint of tinsel or Christmas lighting down at the local Wal-Mart. But in case you were wondering, Christmas is coming. To celebrate, we have the re-release of a number of Christmas classics - ideal as stocking stuffers or trips down memory lane, whichever you prefer.

Christmas Songs by Sinatra

Ol' Blue Eyes sings fifteen yuletide tunes in this collection of Sinatra's Christmas recordings for Columbia records. They've been newly remastered, and the disc also includes several alternate takes, the Sinatra Christmas "V-Disc," and three previously unreleased, "rare" radio recordings . From his rendition of "White Christmas" to "O Come All Ye Faithful" to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," "Ava Maria" and even "The Lord's Prayer," this is a great collection for those who want to remember the Christmas seasons of their childhood.

While I've never been a huge Sinatra fan, you have to acknowledge the way he was able to take virtually any song and make it his own, and that's exactly what he does here: he varies arrangements and melodies and sings the songs "His Way." Personally, the past few years I've looked for more "traditional" or "classic" Christmas albums and have had difficulty finding any that featured the carols we used to sing "back in the day," as it were - at least, without seeming almost too smarmy about it. This album definitely fills that need, and does so admirably. Sinatra approaches the diverse songs - from catchy contemporary tunes to classic hymns - with his customary attention to detail and sings each in a welcome, heartfelt way. It's undoubtedly a "must-have" for Sinatra fanatics, but it's also a great album for anyone who would prefer a classic alternative to holiday musak.

Ray Conniff's Christmas Album

I must admit, I don't specifically recall Ray Conniff's Christmas album, originally released as "Here We Come A-Caroling," as being played much around our house during the Christmas season. But as Conniff's daughter writes, I think I share a perspective with him:

Christmas was my dad's favorite holiday. He and my mom would turn into big kids - giddy as they decorated the house with holly, bells, red and green candles, sparkly lights and holiday knick-knacks purchased on one of their many cross-country motor home trips during which no antique shops was ever left unturned.

Article Author: W.E. Wallo

W.E. Wallo is a book and movie junkie whose writings have appeared in a variety of print and online publications.

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