The lost art of the pop-chorale Christmas album well represented here. Though the groups signature Little Drummer Boy isn't here (it can be found on the Chorales previous and subsequent holiday releases) the album is full of charming holiday tunes.
Christmas With Julie Andrews (1982)
I would have loved to have included Julie's 1967 album, A Christmas Treasure, with André Previn but I can't find it streaming anywhere. You can find some individual tracks up on YouTube which are well worth checking out,
A Fresh Aire Christmas (1988) Mannheim Steamroller
It’s that time of year again when an old man yells at the clouds to get off his lawn at Christmas. Here you'll find my poorly formulated and rashly espoused opinions on what I’m watching throughout the holiday season. Expect a potpourri of new releases and vintage offerings from across the globe, selected nearly at random. Thanks for stopping by!
Falling for Christmas (2022)
Netflix
At first, I expected I’d be including this new Netflix flick in my Ordeal by Hallmark series, after all, it’s a romantic comedy starring Lindsey Lohan as an (eventually) amnesiac heiress, I didn’t have high hopes. And then something incredible happened. I pressed play, and a movie began streaming on my TV, an actual movie with a decently written script, actors capable of delivering the words written in th4 script in a professional, entertaining way (for the most part), competent direction, and convincing production design. You know, a movie, unlike the majority of stuff from the greeting card network, the domestic violence network, and the country housewives network.
Falling for Christmas hits all the tropes without seeming like an algorithm-generated cliché machine. It just shows what a little bit more money and effort can do for even something so ephemeral as a holiday rom-com. Everything works as well or better than it should for this sort of thing; I was driven on the edge of giddiness by the sheer competence on display. It doesn’t suck, which qualifies as above average for the genre, but most amazingly, it’s pretty darn good. Even as a “movie” movie, it’s pretty good. I’m flummoxed; I’d forgotten such things could exist in the current year.
Highlights include all the main players and a side plot strong enough that another network would have turned it into its own crappy film. It’s still not It's a Wonderful Life and it’s a little bit long, but for what it is, it's pretty good.
So, if you're going to watch a “Christmas” TV movie this weekend, please make it this one. Your standards will appreciate not having to be lowered for a change.
Christmas rating 3.75
Out of season rating 3.0
A Christmas Number One (2021)
Tubi
Well made but less Christmassy than a tragic fourth of July BBQ fireworks accident. If your looking for a wanna-be edgy dramedy set in the music biz, with mostly unlikable characters doing unpleasant things with swooping tonal shifts, you could do worse.
I can see why some folks might think this is brilliant, but it’s basically fanfic, just as cliched and lazily manipulative as a Hallmark joint, just coming from a different corner with different tropes. But, as I say, it’s well made, and while I really didn’t enjoy it, as a film or a Christmas film, I have to give credit to the filmmakers for making an effort.
Christmas rating 1.75
Out of season rating 2.5
Getting to the Nutcracker (2014)
Tubi
Documentary that looks behind the scenes of staging what must be America’s most performed ballet. I’d like to describe it as an elevated Dance Moms, but I’ve never watched Dance Moms so I don't know how apt a comparison it is.
It’s fine. A fairly interesting look at how the holiday sausage is made, in one dance school at least, without being at all particularly Christmassy.
Christmas rating 1.5
Out of season rating 2.5
Rock ‘n Roll Christmas (1988)
Fun collection of rock and rock-adjacent holiday tunes. Hosted by Dennis Miller and featuring a mix of music videos and live or in studio performances and clips from classic acts like The Beatles, Beach Boys, Little Richard and Jimi Hendrix plus 80’s stalwarts U2, Pat Benatar, John Mellencamp, Run DMC, Buster Poindexter and Eddie Money.
Christmas rating 3.00
Out of season rating 2.0
General Electric Theater: The Fred Waring Show (1954)
I’ve always had a soft spot for Fred Waring thanks to being exposed to his music at an early age when a cousin sang with Waring’s “Young Pennsylvanians.” This television special precedes my experiences by a couple of decades, and it’s pure Christmas goodness. Terrific performances and marvelous arrangements help compensate for the early fifties era TV technology.
Christmas rating 4.25
Out of season rating 3.0
The 5 Mrs. Buchanans (1994)
Rather dire holiday episode of single season sitcom about the fractious relationship of four women and their domineering mother-in-law. The episodes only saving grace is Charles Nelson Reilly’s turn as a harried shopkeeper.
Christmas rating 2.0
Out of season rating 2.0
The Osmond Family Christmas Show
Guests include Peggy Fleming, Greg Evigan, and Doug Henning.
When you see Osmonds in the title, you know you're getting an amiably, earnestly, cheesy, campy slice of family-friendly entertainment. Even more so when Christmas is involved.
In this special BJ and the Bear’s Greg Evigan sings a brief yacht rock tune before putting the moves on Marie as thy duet on What Are You Doing New Year's Eve.Doug Henning performs some Christmas magic with the Osmond grandkids and Olympian figure skater Peggy Fleming; wait for it… skates! In between, various Osmonds sing.
It’s all very sweet and comforting and likely to be despised by anyone between the ages of 10 and 30. Their loss.
Christmas rating 4.0
Out of season rating 3.0
King of Kensington (1975)
Holiday effort Canadian sitcom from the 1970’s , think a Jewish Kim’s Convenience, Contains a fair amount of religion-themed jokes, as did The 5 Mrs. Buchanan's, but funnier. It was a different time, as evidenced by the cheery sitcom premise of inviting a suicidal man home for Christmas, played for laughs as much as pathos. It’s pretty good.
Here's a small collection of vintage Christmas tunes form YouTube, many of which I've shared on Christmas50s60s on Twitter. I'll be making this a new series here on the blog. I hope you'll enjoy these songs and albums, some familiar and many obscure.
Superb compilation of holiday-themed tracks from the legendary Satchmo! ‘Nuff said.
Highly Recommended
Another Laurie Berkner Christmas
The Laurie Berkner Band
I remember back in my old job as a parent to little kids that Berkner was one of the “cool” children’s music artists that parents could listen to, along with the kiddos, without going totally insane. My little ones weren’t huge fans so I don’t have a lot of nostalgia for this stuff but, as kid’s Christmas albums go, this is first-rate. If this was on in the background somewhere I wouldn’t walk out on account of it, so there’s that. If you have kid’s this is a great alternative to the disastrous pop garbage they’re likely bombarded by daily..
A Very Indie Christmas Vol 1, + Vol2
Here’s a stonking bargain for you - Over 100 Christmas tunes from loads of fab artists across many genres all yours for less than $20! And on top of that it’s all for a good cause!
I can vouch for most of the artists, and many of the songs included here, there are some awesome tunes on board, and while it’s not likely every song will float your festive boat the odds are pretty high that you’ll get way more than your money’s worth. Plus, did I mention the whole charity thing?
Volume 2
December
Quando Nuevo
A stellar collection of instrumental tracks, some New Agey /World-ish, others decidedly jazzy. I’ve actually paired this in a playlist with George Winston’s solo piano December, and it melds nicely.
Recommended
Appalachian Christmas
Chosen Road
Bluegrass flavored, gospel-infused country Christmas record, and a good one too. Recommended if this sort of thing is up your chimney.
Christmas Ballads 25th Anniversary Collection
Dave Koz and Friends
Home For the Holidays with DCapella
DCapella & Disney
Not in my home. This was dreadful.
Christmas Morning
Megan Nicole
Generic pop wouldn’t sound out of place under the opening credits of some middling Hallmark Xmas flick.
Singles
Christmas Anyway - Stars
Weak-ish effort from the generally terrific Canadian duo Stars. It’s for charity though so at least your dollar will go to a good cause even if you are likely to shelve and forget the tune pretty quickly.
New Baby for Christmas - Hailey Whitters
Solid country single.
Holiday Party - Dan+Shay
A pedestrian country pop number that sounds as generic and un-Christmassy as its title. Not bad just nothing special.
dear santa - emlyn
Bombastic alt-pop single. Not for me, so I can’t really judge its quality tbh. Give it a spin and see if it’s your thing.
New Christmas Music from Johnny Mathis, Jane Monheit, Anne Wilson, Future Islands, Jason Aldean and more...
Albums
A Merry Little Christmas
Johnny Mathis
How can Johnny Mathis sound this good after all these years and the millions of notes he's graced audiences with over the years? Sure, some accommodations in his delivery have been made for age but dang he sounds smooth. What a legend. It’s a blessing to have gotten more lovely Christmas tunes from one of the all-time greats
Recommended.
The Merriest
Jane Monheit
Monheit’s first festive collection since 2005’s The Season is another fabulous collection of jingle jazzy goodness. John Pizzarelli guests on a smooooth take on “That Holiday Feeling” but the whole album is a treat
Recommended
The Manger
Anne Wilson
Anne Wilson is a popular Christian artist, meaning a surprising number of “Christmas Influencers” will automatically hate this but it’s, as expected, a solid country-tinged E.P. with songs about this guy named Jesus and his extended family. So yeah, this is an actual Christmas record, not just a Holiday record.
Josh Turner guests on “The Manger” and Anne herself guests on Phil Wickham’s August released, but to me still a Christmas single, “Behold.”
Recommended
An Olivia Rox Christmas
An American Idol participant, apparently. Hits a few genres along the way but is mostly not my thing, though the song “Cold Toes” is catchier than a cold.
Lofi Christmas Time Is Here
Orange Roundabout
It does what it says on the tin, literally. So if that floats your holly then you are in luck. The three tracks clock in at a second over six minutes. A low effort production for a low effort listen.
Singles
Winter Flowers - The Hound + The Fox
Found this spring release in Guuz Hoogaert’s terrific New Christmas Songs 2022 playlist and, while it’s a “winter” song, it’s breathtakingly lovely and on my Christmas playlist as well.
Last Christmas - Future Islands
Straight forward Synth-wave take on the over covered Wham classic. Pretty good, as such things go, I guess I like it.
All I Want For Christmas is You - Herb Alpert
Another ageless veteran is heard from with his signature style take of my least favorite, though actually pretty good, Christmas song.
Christmas in Dixie - Jason Aldean
A solid cover of Alabama’s 1982 hit.
Home for Christmas - Smithfield
More country season’s greetings, this time from duo Smithfield. Nothing wrong with i, I’ve played it three or four times and it gets catchier each time, though the actual Christmas vibe isn’t amazing.
Trio of CCM heavyweights come together for an anthemic tribute to , well, a hometown Christmas. Taken from Switchfoot's "this is our Christmas album".
This Christmas - Donny and Lalah Hathaway
Nice posthumous father / daughter duet on dad’s classic holiday hit. I generally have mixed emotions about this sort of thing but it works fairly seamlessly here and it’s clearly a labor of love.
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