
Share your picks for the best Christmas albums below to help other parents discover holiday music that will appeal to kids and adults alike!
If you feel like you're hearing the same Christmas songs over and over again on holiday playlists, listening to a whole album can help you find new favorites.
These parent-approved Christmas music albums are filled with beloved classics, fun Christmas songs for kids and unique originals. The perfect backdrop to cookie baking, trimming the tree and enjoying your favorite holiday traditions!
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A Charlie Brown Christmas - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Dawn Denning: Charlie Brown Christmas is a holiday tradition in my family, so the album is a big hit for my kids. It is mostly instrumental, but it does feature "Christmas Time is Here" with the characters singing along. The expanded version also includes Thanksgiving and Halloween songs. This is such a sweet album with beautiful music.
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Dawn Denning: White Christmas is one of my family's favorite Christmas movies and the album does not disappoint. No list of the best Christmas albums of all time would be complete without this one! Bing sings all the songs from the movie and the Andrew Sisters join in on a few. Although the sound quality isn't perfect, the muffled sound adds to the charm of the album.
Chipmunks Christmas
Dawn Denning: The Chipmunks Christmas album is a big hit for my kids. The album includes all the funny and upbeat songs of Christmas that make a kid want to dance in the kitchen. Always a good time....at least for a short time in my house!
Michael Bublé Christmas
Dawn Denning: Most of the songs on this album are upbeat and fun, and can set the tone for a fun day and holiday season! "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" is a great sing along for our family.
Merry Christmas - Mariah Carey
Dawn Denning: Mariah Carey's first Christmas album includes the song "All I Want for Christmas is You," which is a song my boys sing along to..maybe because I play it all the time. This holiday album is fun and light, like a lot of Mariah's early music. It is a big hit and a lot of fun!
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Tim Ponisciak: Your kids will love the Muppet Christmas Carol movie and they will love the music even more! All of the songs are original to the movie and feature the beloved voices of your favorite Muppets along with Michael Caine. Our family's favorite song is "One More Sleep Til Christmas."
Home Alone Soundtrack
Kelly R.: The Home Alone soundtrack makes for a fantastic and unconventional Christmas album, providing a refreshing change of pace from the recycled standards (and making for great background music at any holiday gathering). The album shines with John Williams' festive score which is somehow both playful and sinister, beautiful performances by a children's choir, and a couple of holiday classics for good measure. Williams' "Somewhere in My Memory," the movie's signature song, is a pure, lovely, and essential Christmas tune.
A Pentatonix Christmas
Dawn Denning: This is the least traditional Christmas music album I have purchased and I love it. The way Pentatonix creates music always gives me pause, they are so unique and talented. My kids love this album because it is upbeat and fun. They have more Christmas albums out for the world to enjoy. Don't miss out! They are all very good.
Ultimate Christmas Collection - Jackson 5
Dawn Denning: "The Christmas Song" by the Jackson 5 is one of my favorite songs on this album. "Little Christmas Tree" sung by a young Michael Jackson sounds so pure and beautiful. The album was released in 1970, so the sound is more traditional. It has a Motown and soulful feeling and we love having it in our Christmas album rotation.
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
Tim Ponisciak: This new age music group has made a living off of creating new versions of old classic Christmas tunes. This is their first of many Christmas albums. Kids love the refreshing take on some of the songs they know and love. I especially enjoy the "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Rock" song!
A Christmas Together - John Denver & The Muppets
Dawn Denning: This album is so much fun for the entire family with all the Muppet add-on lyrics and John Denver's classic folksy sound. My kids love to sing along, especially with Miss Piggy's part in "Twelve Days of Christmas."
Wrapped in Red - Kelly Clarkson
Dawn Denning: I love Kelly Clarkson singing anything and her Wrapped in Red album is wonderful. I picked this album up on a whim one year and I replay it all season long. She belts out every song and has a duet with Reba McEntire. Most of the album is not traditional holiday music, so it is a nice change of pace.
Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album
Dawn Denning: This was another spontaneous purchase when Glee was so popular, but the songs are fun. My kids love the Grinch song that is sung by the cast of Glee and K.D. Lang. It is a fun family Christmas album and if you are a Glee fan, check out the rest of their collection.
Holiday Wishes - Idina Menzel
Dawn Denning: Ever since Wicked, Idina Menzel has been known for her beautiful voice. Her Holiday Wishes album is pretty mellow; the most upbeat is her duet with Michael Buble singing "Baby it's Cold Outside." She includes a lot of traditional Christmas songs with a nice addition of "When You Wish Upon a Star."
My Christmas - Andrea Bocelli
Dawn Denning: This man could sing anything beautifully. His entire album is wonderful and every word sung is perfect. One of the songs that we love most is "What Child is This," featuring Mary J. Blige. Bocelli's album also has a "Jingle Bells" rendition featuring the Muppets, which my kids really love to listen to on repeat.
Christmas Cheers - Straight No Chaser
Gina I.: This college a cappella turned pro brings a fun and sometimes funky twist to your favorite holiday classics and new holiday hits...like "Who Spiked the Eggnog," "The Christmas Can-Can," and an arrangement of "The 12 Days of Christmas" that morphs into Toto's "Africa." Apart from the boozy titles, Straight No Chaser's Christmas album is fun, kid-friendly, and will leave you amazed at what this talented group can do with only their voices.
Noel - Josh Groban
Dawn Denning: This man's voice is so perfect. I love listening to him sing anything. His Christmas album includes traditional and some non-traditional songs that are all pitch perfect. His version of "Ave Maria" is beautiful and "O Come All Ye Faithful" with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is on replay at our house.
The Christmas Album II - Neil Diamond
Tim Ponisciak: For those of us who are looking for a Christmas album with a little bit of flair, check out this newer Neil Diamond collection. Diamond brings his signature voice and soft rock sounds to classic holiday hits like "Rudolph", "The First Noel" and "Away in a Manger." Nothing beats Diamond singing "Joy to the World" though!
The Andy Williams Christmas Album
Dawn Denning: The Andy Williams Christmas Album is so good because all the songs are fun. My kids love to sing along with the "Little Drummer Boy." They especially like the part that goes, "Pa rum pum pum pum" over and over. Williams also does a beautiful rendition of "Silent Night" at the end with a children's choir.
Harry For The Holidays - Harry Connick Jr.
Yoli B: I can't get enough of "big band" music and Harry Connick Jr. fits the bill! This music selection is lively and transports you to Christmas in New Orleans! The musical arrangments are perfect and we all love to sing along while my daughter picks out all of the trombone sounds that she can hear!
A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra
Tim Ponisciak: Ol' Blue Eyes has a number of great versions of some of the most well known holiday songs. These songs will be a hit with young and old alike! His version of "The Christmas Song" is a family favorite!
A Holly Jolly Kids Christmas - Various Artists
Jennie Utsinger: This festive Christmas album for kids features original versions of Christmas songs by the original artists. While children will love singing along to familiar favorites such as Jingle Bells and Holly Jolly Christmas, parents will love hearing Ella Fitzgerald, Burl Ives, the Jackson 5, Brenda Lee, and others singing the tunes.
The Roger Whittaker Christmas Album
Kate Wille Murray: Family Christmas classics mixed in with some fun tunes that bring a bit of added magic to the season. A few lovely religious songs as well.
Christmas Together - The Piano Guys
Juan L.: The Piano Guys are a musical quartet that absolutely blew up on YouTube back in 2010. Their simple but passionate performances and clever videos gained them a legion of fans. "Christmas Together" is a great album for the whole family. The emotional tone of the album and the beautiful Christmas classics make this a wonderful choice when the holiday season comes around. It's the type of record that will make you and your kids want to hug each other in front of a warm fire.
Christmas Interpretations - Boyz II Men
Yoli B: The soulful sounds of Boyz II Men pair perfectly with your favorite Christmas tunes. Christmas Interpretations puts a different spin on your favorite classics and will surely win your family over...if it already hasn't!
Sounds of the Season: The NBC Holiday Collection
Dawn Denning: Sometimes I will buy a compilation CD if there is an artist I like singing on the album. This Christmas album was purchased because it featured Josh Groban singing "O Holy Night" and I play it on repeat. His voice is perfect and it is my favorite song on the album. Norah Jones and Michael Buble are also great, but Josh Groban makes this album worth it for me.
Christmas with the Rat Pack
Dawn Denning: This album is full of traditional Christmas songs including "White Christmas," "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and the "First Noel." Every song they sing is beautiful and it is a family favorite around our house!
It's Almost Christmas - Jon and Valerie Guerra
Vanessa M.: Jon and Valerie Guerra make a dynamic duo in this Christmas album that the whole family can chill to. The soothing harmonies and intricate guitar picking create a cozy atmosphere in your home during the holiday season. I love their creative mashup of The Way You Look Tonight and I'll Be Home For Christmas; it is almost a Christmas miracle!
Snowed In - Hanson
Kelly R.: This is my sister's favorite Christmas album of all time, and I think she's on to something. The Hanson brothers put their refreshing spin on several classic favorites, along with three catchy original tunes that are right at home in any holiday playlist. The whole album is fun, festive, and well done - just as perfect for today's kids as it is for children of the 90s.
Rocky Mountain Christmas - John Denver
Tracy Snyder Molina: This Christmas album from John Denver is full of nostalgia for me as it's something I grew up listening to every year with my family. Featuring a mix of holiday classics and original songs, John's peaceful and distinctive voice make this a nice choice for when you just want to relax and enjoy this special time of year. "Aspenglow" and "Christmas for Cowboys" written by Denver and celebrating his beloved mountain community of Aspen are two of my favorites!
Christmas with the Chosen Soundtrack
Vanessa M.: The sheer amount of combined musical talent featured in this album from the feature film, Christmas with the Chosen, will blow you away. Your favorite faith-based Christmas songs are all here, as well as some brand new originals. The soundtrack showcases many talented bands and singers, with Christmas songs ranging from lively and fun to inspirational and meditative. Definitely worth a listen!
Primary photo: Chris Benson on Unsplash
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