This post is sponsored by Aether Cone
Top ten favorite Christmas albums
I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas music. It makes me feel all warm and glow-y for about a month, and then I grow totally sick of it and don’t want to hear it again for another year. I think a part of this is the fact that, really, it’s pretty much the same 25-30 songs being recycled into different versions and genres every year.
Growing up, my parents listened to the same couple of albums each Christmas: Manhiem Steamroller, Sandy Patty, Anne Murray, Statler Brothers, and Handel’s Messiah. If you are guessing those are not on repeat play in my adult years, you would be correct.
This year we’re discovering a lot of good new holiday music via our new Aether Cone speaker. It’s called the “thinking speaker” and it really is crazy how well it works. It uses voice commands, so you say an artist or song that you enjoy and it will pull up a customized playlist. You don’t have to look at a single screen to use Cone. And the more you use it, the better it gets. The kids are loving that they can talk to the Cone and tell it what to play.
Here are a few of the artists I’m digging, and that create a great playlist on my Aether Cone:
Sara Groves: Oh Holy Night
I love Sara Groves’ 
A Very She and He Christmas
Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward collaborated for this throwback album with a 1950’s-lounge-singer feel.
Sufjan Stevens Songs for Christmas
Songs for Christmas
This compilation album includes alt-rock arrangements of classic Christmas songs.
Hotel Cafe presents WinterSongs
This compilation album features Christmas standards sung by the new Lillith Fair set: Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Fiona Apple, Colbie Caillat, et al.
Josh Groban: Noel
This is a nice album that has mass appeal and classic Christmas songs. Good for dinner parties or family gatherings. If you don’t think Josh’s voice is dreamy you may not be human.
Maybe This Christmas
I have no idea where I got this album initially (Urban Outfitters?), but I’ve had it since 2002 and it’s the one Christmas album I could listen to year after year. It’s a random mix of artists from Coldplay to Ben Folds.Unfortunately, this out-of-circulation CD is going for $39.99 on Amazon.com.
Olive Newton John & John Travolta: This Christmas
Just kidding. I’ve not listened to this one. I just like bringing up how creepy that photo is.
This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday 8
This is the second Christmas collection from Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records label, with holiday originals covered by Jack Johnson, G. Love, Matt Costa, and more. (The first album is worth a look, too).
I do realize that Glee is an acquired taste, but my kids and I loved their Christmas album last year, and I’m thrilled they made another one this year. Of course, I would be happy with an entire album of just the Warblers doing covers of holiday fare.
Justin Bieber: Under the Mistletoe
DON’T JUDGE ME.
What are your favorite Christmas albums? What do I need to add to my Ultimate Holiday Playlist 2014?
This post is sponsored by Aether Cone
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