There's one I really like but I don't know who sings it. I first heard it last year--it's "Do you Hear What I Hear" with both a country and a Middle Eastern flavor. (If that makes any sense.) My daughter thinks a Christian singer sings it.

Could it be the BE Taylor version? It's awesome!

I like the more unusual Christmas songs, like The Holly and the Ivy; Down in Yon Forest, This World, Gloria (in excelcis deo), O Holy Night, etc.

I'm going to check, honeychile! I've spent a lot of commuting time desperately listening for the name of the artist!

You might like Carol of the Birds if you like unusual carols. Mannheim Steamroller has a hauntingly beautiful version but here's one on piano:

www.noelnoelnoel.com/piano/birdpno.html

Call me Scrooge or call me a snob, but I tend to dislike just about any "popular" Christmas music, by which I mean anything you would hear on a pop/Top 40 radio station, including pop covers of traditional carols.

But it just ain't Christmas without Robert Earl Keen's "Merry Christmas from the Family." That's a must sing-along song.

My favorite traditional Christmas carol is hands down, Silent Night sung by Bing Crosby. Makes me think of my parents listening to it when I was little, with a fire in the fireplace and eating warm gingerbread cookies. mmm, tasty. :)
But I must say that I like new remakes of Christmas carols, I think they can be fun. My favourite (probably cause I just saw them in concert ;) ) is Barenaked Ladies mix of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings. It's got a swing beat and Sarah McLachlan guests (pity she wasn't at the concert).

~ShyViolet

I really love all the older sentimental songs. My top four are:

"I'll Be Home For Christmas"

"White Christmas"

"The Christmas Song" and

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

Something about these songs are so sweet and almost melancholy.

This Christmas ~ Donny Hathaway
Someday at Christmas ~ Stevie Wonder

My favorites are:
O Holy Night
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Joy to the World
All I Want for Christmas
Santa Baby
The Christmas Song

This Christmas~Donnie Hathaway
The Christmas Song~Nat King Cole
Let it Snow~Boyz II Men


Other favs include: Let it Snow, Silent Night, and all of Handel's Messiah

I found out 2 things!

1) The one I like is by Third Day, and

2)in my search for the group, I listened to some songs by BE Taylor and he's great! I plan to get both his Christmas CDs!

Thanks for steering me his way!

Glad you like BE Taylor!! He's just a good old boy - just as friendly in person as on stage. I love his version of "Mary, Did You Know?" too.

"The Boar's Head Carol" and "The Holly and the Ivy", both as performed by Steeleye Span.

Can we discuss the greatness of the South Park song "Merry F---ing Christmas?"

"I heard there is no Christmas in the silly middle east.
No trees, no snow, no Santa Claus, they have different religious beliefs.
They believe in Muhammed and not our holiday,
And so every December I go to the middle east and say..."

"Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses and the No Doubt version of "Oi to the World" are the only Christmas songs I can really stomach.

About 15 min of xmas music is all I can handle per year, then I have to start wearing headphones to the mall - but I'll still bite.

Not so much "christmas" but "holiday season," but I'll go w/ the Dismemberment Plan's "The Ice of Boston"