For those of you who wait until after Thanksgiving to listen to Christmas music, here are a few of my favorites. Some are old classics and some recent classics. All of them put me into the Christmas spirit.
Arbour Season w/ The Octobers: All is Bright
This four song EP represents their sound beautifully. All songs are great but December Lullaby is my favorite.
Handsome and Gretyl: It’s Our Favorite Time of Year
I started listening to a lot of these songs when they were on their original Christmas release Wonder. My favorites have always been “The Christmas Song,” “Happy Christmas,” and their version of “Joy to the World.”
Smalltown Poets: Christmas and Christmas Time Again
I appreciate these guys and their Christmas music so much that I traveled to Tennessee and Georgia back to back years to hang out with them and hear them preform it. “In the First Light,” “St Nick is Alright,” and “His Delight” are my favorites from Christmas. “Christmas Time Again,” “Sing We Now of Christmas,” and “Christmas Lullaby” are my favorites from Christmas Time Again.
Canaries in the Coal Mine: Scarf Weather
I heard “Falling Like the Snow” from this magical EP several years ago and the rest of the songs included have been on my Christmas playlist every year. Besides that track, their “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain” stand out.
The National Parks: multiple singles
Far Away made me cry the first time I heard it, and I still get misty-eyed each time I hear it. Christmas Magic is a lot of fun and “Peace on Earth” reminds us to be good to each other not just this time of year but all year. Excited to add “New Tradition” to the mix this year. If they would just rerelease “It’s Christmas and I Like You,” life would be complete.
Rosie Thomas: A Very Rosie Christmas
This is probably start to finish my favorite Christmas album. Rosie’s voice is perfect for the songs she selected. Her versions of Silent Night and O Come O Come Emmanuel are my favorites but I also love Christmas Don’t Be Late and River. A beautiful album that gets me every time.
Tow’rs: The Holly and the Ivy
This became an instant classic for me last year when it was released. So many favorites both old and new contained on it. My favorite is “Noel” followed closely by “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” and the title track.
Amy Grant: Home for Christmas
Not much to say about this one. I’ve been listening to it since our family got the cassette at Target in 1992. It brings me comfort every year and there are certain songs that I can’t accept other versions of because of this album.
Imaginaries: Hometown Christmas
I heard “Happiest of Holidays” while shopping at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World. Made me want to hear the rest of their great Christmas music immediately after! It was later that I found out that they were from Oklahoma, and I’ve been lucky enough to help host two Christmas house shows with them