I don’t think I’ve ever done a comprehensive post about my favorite Christmas music before. I have to confess that I’m a big sucker for Christmas music. Maybe its because I grew up listening to records that mom and dad would start playing weeks before Christmas and it became a ingrained in me. Whatever the case, I love both the cheesy, tacky songs and the serious, solemn songs. I love it all.

However, there’s some Christmas music that’s a little bit throwaway and some that is really deep, really good stuff to listen to. Here’s an attempt on my part to describe some of my absolute favorites, albums that are not only Christmas music, but also just good music in general to listen to. If you know me well, none of these will likely be surprises, but if you’ve never heard them before, I’d enourage you to check them out.

I’ve had this CD now for about 10 years and it still ranks in my Top 5. I listen to it multiple times every winter season. The arrangements are sparse, many songs with just Karin Bergquist’s voice accompanied only by Linford Detweiler’s piano and Chris Dahlgren’s upright bass. Perhaps its because the band was disintegrating at the time they were creating the album that it has such a sound of joy tinged with sadness. It really is heartbroken and beautiful.

I didn’t think any CD would displace The Darkest Night of The Year as my favorite Christmas CD, but this one may have done it. Andrew Peterson teams up with a calvacade of talented artists to tell the “true tall tale of Christmas” reaching all the way back to the laws of Moses through the prophets to the birth of Christ. The arrangements are beautiful and Jill Phillip’s delivery of “Labor of Love” is worth the price alone.

Steve and Derri, both members of The Choir, created a successful set of CD’s called City On A Hill and one of the albums in the series was a Christmas CD and while it’s pretty good, it’s actually based on an earlier album that they did called Noel. I prefer Noel because of its organic sound and off-kilter percussion by Hindalong. Tastefully understated, but still lush in sound. It might be hard to find, but worth it if you can find it.

Sufjan Stevens started out creating Christmas EP’s meant mostly for his friends, but continued to create them even after becoming every hipster’s favorite musician. The boxed set is crammed full of liner notes, stickers, comics, and five CDs that chronicle his growth from simple, sometimes off-key arrangements on his early works to full-blown orchestral pieces on the later CD’s. With over 40 songs, there’s bound to be something for everyone.

If you’re like me, the Charlie Brown Christmas special was a pretty big part of your Christmas childhood. The Vince Guaraldi Trio gives traditional Christmas songs a jazzy feel with nimble fingered piano work. And who can listen to Linus and Lucy without breaking into a smile.

So, those are my favorite Christmas CD’s. What are some of your favorites?