Xmas in Heaven

I love Christmas music.

Phil Spector’s Christmas album, A Christmas Gift for You, was the gateway LP for me. The Ronettes shoved me so far down the slippery slope, I had to come home for Christmas simply because Darlene Love said ‘please.’ The perfect antidote to “Blue Christmas,” “White Christmas,” and other dreary standards, hymns, and carols was Ronnie Spector’s rocking version of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.”

Here’s a collection of holiday bibelots of the musical persuasion. Spend this Xmas in heaven. Make them your own.

5 lb. Box of Money – Pearl Bailey

2000 Miles – The Pretenders

All I Want 4 Xmas – Spike Jones

All those Christmas Clichés – Nancy LaMott

Away in a Manger – Celtic Woman

Away in the Manger – Tanya Tucker

Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Ann-Margret & Al Hirt

Back Door Santa – Clarence Carter

BeBop SC – Babs Gonzales

Blue Christmas – Elvis Presley

Blue Christmas – John Holt

Bobby Wants a Puppy Dog for Christmas – Merle Haggard

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – U2

Christmas Ain’t Christmas… – Ebonys

Christmas Blues – Dean Martin

Christmas Canon – Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Christmas Celebration – B.B. Lee

Christmas Comes But Once a Year – Marva Wright

Christmas Day – Detroit Junior

Christmas in Dixie – Alabama

Christmas in New Orleans – Louis Armstrong

Christmas Is the Time – Darlene Love

Christmas Island – Andrew Sisters

Christmas on Riverside Drive – August Darnell

Christmas Song – Mel Tormé

The Christmas Song – Ella Fitzgerald

Christmas Wrapping – The Waitresses

Christmastime Is Here – Vince Guaraldi Trio

Ding Dong! Merrily on High – The American Boychoir

Father Christmas – The Kinks

Feliz Navidad – Jose Feliciano

The First Noel – Mahalia Jackson

Frosty the Snowman – The Roches

Gettin’ in the Mood for Christmas – Brian Setzer Orchestra

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Manfred Mann

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – John Lennon

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Judy Garland

Holly Jolly Christmas – The Format

I Believe in Christmas Eve – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

I Believe in Father Christmas – Emerson, Lake & Palmer

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – Pete Fountain

I Saw Three Ships – Marianne Faithfull

I Told Santa Claus – Fats Domino

I Want an Alien for Christmas – The Fountains of Wayne

I Want You for Christmas – Russ Morgan & His Orchestra

In the Bleak Midwinter – James Taylor

It Came upon a Midnight Clear – The Roches

It’s a Big Country – Davitt Sigerson

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Xmas – Kate Smith

It’s Xmas Time – Marvin & Johnny

Jingle All the Way – Lena Horne

Jingle Bell Hustle – Wayne Newton

Jingle Bell Rock – Bobby Helms

Jingle Bells – Ray Coniff Singers

Jingle Bells – Glenn Miller

Jingle Bells – The Wiggles

Jingle Bells – The Puppini Sisters

Jingle Jangle – Penguins

Joy to the World – Peas

Kay Thompson’s Jingle Bells – Andy Williams

Last Christmas – Wham!

Let It Snow – Aaron Neville

Let It Snow – The Dixie Cups

Let It Snow – The Rockettes

Let’s Make Christmas Merry Baby – Amos Milburn

Lonely Christmas – The Orioles

Louisiana Christmas Day – Aaron Neville

Make Every Day Xmas for Your Woman – Joe Tex

The Man with the Bag – Kay Starr

A Marshmallow World – Dean Martin

Mary’s Boy Child – Harry Belafonte

Mele Kalikimaka – Poi Dog Pondering

Merry Xmas Baby – Dr. John

Merry Xmas, Baby – Charles Brown

Mr. Santa – Del Rubio Triplets

Must Be Santa – Brave Combo

My Christmas Tree Is Hung with Tears – Sarah Brown

O Christmas Tree – Aretha Franklin

O Holy Night – Dion

O Holy Night – Irma Thomas

Papa Noel – Brenda Lee

Pretty Paper – Roy Orbison

Pretty Paper – Willie Nelson

Ring those Christmas Bells – Peggy Lee

Ring those Christmas Bells – Fred Waring & The Pennsylvanians

Ring those Christmas Bells – Jimmy Sturr

River – Joni Mitchell

Rock ‘n Roll Xmas – George Thorogood

Rockin’ in the Manger – 5 Chinese Brothers

Rudolph, the Red Nose Reindeer – Gene Autry

Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer – The Ventures

Run Rudolph Run – Chuck Berry

Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto – James Brown

Santa Claus Is Back in Town – Elvis Presley

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town – Ella Fitzgerald

Santa Claus, Santa Claus – James Brown

Santa Struts His Stuff – Frozen Tundra & The Whelps

Santa’s Messin’ With the Kid – Eddie C. Campbell

Silent Night – Sinéad O’Connor

Silent Night – Fats Domino

Silent Night – Al Green

Silent Night – Baby Washington

Silent Night – Dresdner Kreuzchor

Silent Night – Frankie Lymon

Silver Bells – Jackie Wilson

Silver Bells – Booker T. & The MGs

Sleigh Ride – Squirrel Nut Zippers

Sleigh Ride – The Late Greats

Sleigh Ride – The Ronettes

Snow – Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye & Rosemary Clooney

Someday at Christmas – Stevie Wonder

Such a Night – Aaron Neville

Thank God It’s Xmas – Queen

Thanks for Christmas – XTC

The Twelve Days of Christmas – Field Music with Kathryn Williams

We Three Kings – The Roches

Welcome Christmas – The Clumsy Lovers

The Wexford Carol – Yo-Yo Ma & Alison Krause

What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? – Johnny Mathis

White Christmas – Allen Toussaint

White Christmas – Bryn Terfel

White Christmas – The Drifters

Winter Wonderland – Eurythmics

Winter Wonderland – Louis Armstrong

Xmas in Heaven – Billy Ward

Xmas in Heaven – Monty Python

Zan Vévédé – Angélique Kidjo

Zat You, Santa Claus? – Louis Armstrong