Nothing puts you in the Christmas spirit more than holiday music. Whether it's a classic from Bing Crosby or a brand new release, Christmas music plays an important role in getting ready for the season.
For Christians, the choice of Christmas music is especially vast. So we've compiled a guide to some of the very best Christmas albums, whether you're looking for something brand new from your favorite Christian recording artist, a classic that you grew up with, or something for the kids to enjoy.
New Releases
Russian Christian band Everfound released their Christmas EP in November, spotlighting their own brand of high-energy pop mixed with Christmas classics. The five-song album features an instrumental version of Carol of the Bells, Silent Night, O Come O Come Emmanuel, and new tracks Resolution and I Want Christmas Back.
Christian megastar Michael W. Smith has joined up with a few friends to record The Spirit of Christmas, a 14-track compilation of Christmas songs from some of Christian and Country music's best and brightest, including Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Amy Grant, Carrie Underwood, and Michael W. Smith himself.
Newsboys have just released their own Christmas-time album just last month entitled Hallelujah for the Cross, and you're sure to love Kim Walker-Smith's latest Christmas album, When Christmas Comes.
For the Kids
The Ultimate Kids Christmas Worship album is a great choice to get your children into the spirit of Christmas with remakes of Joy to the World, O Come Let Us Adore Him, Glory to God, Adore Him, and many more. This 13-track album is recorded by the Shout Praises Kids and was just released in October.
Or if lullabyes are more your speed, check out A Child's Gift of Lullabyes by Tanya Gooman. This nine-track compilation was nominated for a Grammy Ward for Best Musical Album for Children.
If your kids are looking for something from recognizable Christian characters, check out VeggieTales' own Christmas albums, including 2009's 25 Favorite Christmas Songs, 2008's A Very Veggie Christmas, or 2005's Incredible Singing Christmas Tree.
Classics
You can't go wrong with the old favorites when it comes to Christmas music, and luckily for us classic music fans, there are plenty of remastered compilation albums full of the very best.
Now Music's Now That's What I Call Christmas features a must-have list of Christmas music, including Nat King Cole's The Christmas Song, Bing Crosby's White Christmas, Tony Bennett's Winter Wonderland, Gene Autry's Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and many more. The two-disc set has a total of 36 tracks, many of which you can buy individually as MP3s from Amazon.
Or if it's Christmas hynns and carols you're looking for, you can grab the 50 Most Loved Christmas Carols box set that features the hynns we grew up with, like The First Noel, Away in a Manger, O Come All Ye Faithful, O Little Town of Bethlehem, and more.
