5 Christmas Carol CDs that are Must-Haves for Your Holiday Music Collection

For many people, Christmas carols and songs are one of the most important parts of the season! Whether Christmas carols are sung in church or in the home, carols are inextricably tied up with our memories of the holidays. Christmas carol CDs also make great gifts! Here are five can't-miss Christmas carol CDs for you to try.

I always reach first for one of the Christmas carol classics from my childhood: Johnny Mathis. But for me, it can't be just any Johnny Mathis Christmas CD (and there are many). It has to be the right one, with the right songs in the right order: Merry Christmas, originally recorded in 1958, and most recently remastered for CD in 2004. As one Amazon reviewer said "This is the standard that all Christmas music is measured by." I concur. These Christmas carols are among the best, and Johnny Mathis's velvety and joyful vocals are perfect. This CD would make a great gift for someone who likes a bit of nostalgia. Merry Christmas is available on CD from Amazon for only $8.99.

If you enjoy a cappella Christmas carol music, An Evening In December by First Call is an excellent choice. This Christmas carol CD includes traditional religious songs like "Joy to the World" and "The First Noel" as well as the less familiar "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming." First Call also presents several contemporary and original Christmas songs, and one carol with a new twist: "The New Twelve Days of Christmas." The excellent vocal harmonies in First Call's Christmas carols are sure to uplift your soul on cold winter evenings. If you know someone who enjoys music featuring vocal harmonies, this would be an excellent gift for them. The Christmas carol CD An Evening in December is available from ChristianBook.com for $8.99.

Josh Groban fans will want to have Noel, released in 2007, in their collections. Noel includes a wide range of Christmas carol songs, both secular and religious, all sung impeccably by this talented tenor/baritone. Groban includes duets with Bryan McKnight and Faith Hill on this Christmas carol CD, and concludes with a grand finale of "O Come All Ye Faithful" featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Noel is available from Amazon on CD for $9.49.

It's hard to believe Harry Connick, Jr. has only produced three Christmas carol CDs! Connick has done an excellent job with all three, but the newest, released in 2008, is What a Night! The crooner's latest CD includes eleven classic Christmas carol songs, plus four original songs written by Connick. Connick is even joined by his own eleven-year-old daughter for a duet on "Winter Wonderland." Connick's trademark big band sound is featured on this CD, so it's an excellent gift choice for those who enjoy big band music, or for older folks nostalgic for the musical styles of their youth. What a Night! is available on CD from Amazon for $9.99.

Finally, for kids, A Very Veggie Christmas is an excellent choice. Traditional Christmas carol songs are sung in a humorous style by the vegetable characters of Veggie Tales, with silly banter in between. This is a great Christmas carol CD for adults and kids to enjoy together, and it makes a great gift for the children in your life. A Very Veggie Christmas is available on CD from Amazon for only $6.98, which is a deal you can't pass up.