Christmas Music and Audiophiles?


I personally really enjoy listening to Christmas music. I find that when it's done well it can be better than just about any other types of music. I even listen to it from time to time throughout the year.

Are there any audiophile Christmas Albums that are worthly of your dedicated stereo listening systems or do you only play Christmas music on your whole house systems as background music?

What are you favorites?

One of my personal current favorites is the Canadian Tenors Christmas album. I have five more Christmas CDs on the way to enhance this upcoming season.
mceljo
I'm definitely a fan Christmas music. Kind of like the McRib. It comes around once a year, and those six weeks are about all one can/should take on.

Ditto on Charlie Brown Christmas - should be in any rotation. To round that out, try "The Ultimate Christmas Collection" by the Bryan Setzer Orchestra, "Merry Christmas From The Trailerpark" by Antsy Mclain, "Suzy Snowflake" by Rosemarie Clooney (or the original), "Donde Esta Santa Claus?" by Augie Rios and (more recently), Guster, "Domenick The Italian Christmas Donkey" by Lou Monte, etc. -

For our friends of the Jewish faith and those (like myself) who are (sort of) in spirit, give a listen to "Schlepp The Halls With Loaves of Hallah" by Rabbi Tevye and the Three Weissmen.
Haven't read the other responses, so sorry if this is a repeat, but there is a nice CD compilation from Blue Note called Yule Struttin' Christmas.
Christina Aguilera's Christmas CD, Mariah Carey's Christmas CD and Rosemary Clooney's Christmas CD. These are the best of the best Christmas albums and the best that these ladies have to offer.
CD:
Vanessa Williams - Star Bright
James Taylor - At Christmas
Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration
Yo-Yo Ma - Songs of Joy and Peace

Ditto on Charlie Brown Christmas, esp the hi-res version

It's a bit kitschy but Mannheim Steamroller Christmas and Arthur Fielder and the Boston Pops Christmas record - I only have the vinyl - are great fun.