I'm gonna pick:

'A Christmas Album' - James Taylor

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1218343/best_christmas_cd_by_james_tayl or.html

No way. "the Hanukkah Song" by Adam Sandler... rules the space-time continuum.

I'm not going to go with any artist that recorded before I was born (or thereabouts), so my nominations would be John Lennon's "Happy Xmas", The Carpenters' "Merry Chirstmas Darling" and The Dandy Warhol's "Little Drummer Boy".

If we're talking instrumentals, I have a longer list.

"Please Come Home For Christmas" by Charles Brown and Gene Redd.

My favorite cover is Johnny and Edgar Winter's version on the album "Hey, Where's Your Brother?"

Merry Christmas by Johnny Mathis.

http://www.amazon.com/Merry-Christmas-Johnny-Mathis/dp/B0002S94HK/ref=sr_1_1?ie= UTF8&s=music&qid=1228810925&sr=1-1

A Very Merry KISS- MAS!

Bob and Doug McKenzie's Twelve Days of Christmas

A Charlie Brown Christmas-Vince Guaraldi Trio

I agree with "Please Come Home for Christmas", but I really like the Eagles version.

Yes, even instrumentals...send your listS!

Yes, even instrumentals...send your listS!

I tried to stick with the well known songs for the purpose of, yup, higher ratings. However, these tracks are the best of the best. Many (most?) Christmas instrumental recordings sound seemingly hastely thrown together (crap!) for the purpose of making a buck. These don't. (this list is no particular order)

X001 Enya - Oiche Chiun - Single Christmas Special n/a Nov 30, 02
X001_Enya_-_Oiche_Chiun_-_Single__Christmas_Special_.mp3 16/11/sc 3:46
X002 David Lanz - First Noel - X-mas Eve Christmas Special n/a Nov 30, 02
X002_David_Lanz_-_First_Noel_-_X-mas_Eve__Christmas_Special_.mp3 16/11/sc 4:31
X003 John Doan - In The Manger - Wrapped in White Christmas Sp n/a Nov 30, 02
X003_John_Doan_-_In_The_Manger_-_Wrapped_in_White__Christmas_Special_.mp3 16/11/sc 4:41
X004 John Doan - Midnight Clear - Wrapped in White Christmas Sp n/a Nov 30, 02
X004_John_Doan_-_Midnight_Clear_-_Wrapped_in_White__Christmas_Special_.mp3 16/11/sc 2:16
X005 John Doan - O X-mas Tree - Wrapped in White Christmas Sp n/a Nov 30, 02
X005_John_Doan_-_O_X-mas_Tree_-_Wrapped_in_White__Christmas_Special_.mp3 16/11/sc 2:10
X006 John Doan - Silent Night - Wrapped in White Christmas Sp n/a Nov 30, 02
X006_John_Doan_-_Silent_Night_-_Wrapped_in_White__Christmas_Special_.mp3 16/11/sc 2:20
X007 Mannheim Steamroller - Silent Night - Christmas Christmas Speci n/a Nov 30, 02
X007_Mannheim_Steamroller_-_Silent_Night__-_Christmas__Christmas_Speci.mp3 16/11/sc 5:00
X008 Mannheim Steamroller - White Christmas - Christmas Extraordinaire n/a Dec 03, 02
X008_Mannheim_Steamroller_-_White_Christmas_-_Christmas_Extraordinaire.mp3 16/11/sc 1:49
X009 Mannheim Steamroller - Away in a Manger - Christmas Extraordinair n/a Dec 03, 02
X009_Mannheim_Steamroller_-_Away_in_a_Manger_-_Christmas_Extraordinair.mp3 16/11/sc 2:06
X010 Mannheim Steamroller - Auld Lang Syne - Christmas Extraordinaire n/a Dec 03, 02
X010_Mannheim_Steamroller_-_Auld_Lang_Syne_-_Christmas_Extraordinaire.mp3 16/11/sc 1:34
X011 David Darling - Away in a Manger - 011 Narada Christmas n/a Dec 03, 02
X011_David_Darling_-_Away_in_a_Manger_-_011_Narada_Christmas___.mp3 16/11/sc 2:43
X012 Tingstad and Rumbel - Silent Night - 012 Narada Christmas n/a Dec 03, 02
X012_Tingstad_and_Rumbel_-_Silent_Night__-_012_Narada_Christmas.mp3 16/11/sc 1:52
X013 David Arkenstone - Silver Bells - 013 Narada Christmas n/a Dec 03, 02
X013_David_Arkenstone_-_Silver_Bells_-_013_Narada_Christmas_.mp3 16/11/sc 2:22
X014 David Arkenstone - Do You Hear - 014 Narada Christmas n/a Dec 03, 02
X014_David_Arkenstone_-_Do_You_Hear_-_014_Narada_Christmas.mp3 16/11/sc 2:23
X015 Wayne Gratz - Midnight Clear - 015 Narada Christmas n/a Dec 03, 02
X015_Wayne_Gratz_-_Midnight_Clear_-_015_Narada_Christmas.mp3 16/11/sc 2:18
X016 John Serrie - First Noel - Christmas Dreams n/a Dec 22, 02
X016_John_Serrie_-_First_Noel_-_Christmas_Dreams.mp3 16/11/sc 4:12
John Serrie - Do You Hear- - Christmas Dreams n/a Dec 22, 02
X017_John_Serrie_-_Do_You_Hear-_-_Christmas_Dreams.mp3 16/11/sc 3:50
X018 John Serrie - Midnight Clear - Christmas Dreams n/a Dec 22, 02
X018_John_Serrie_-_Midnight_Clear_-_Christmas_Dreams.mp3 16/11/sc 3:23
X019 John Serrie - Little Drummer Boy - Christmas Dreams n/a Dec 22, 02
X019_John_Serrie_-_Little_Drummer_Boy_-_Christmas_Dreams.mp3 16/11/sc 4:31
X020 John Serrie - Away in a Manger - Christmas Dreams n/a Dec 22, 02
X020_John_Serrie_-_Away_in_a_Manger_-_Christmas_Dreams.mp3 16/11/sc 4:38
X021 John Serrie - O Holy Night - Christmas Dreams n/a Dec 22, 02
X021_John_Serrie_-_O_Holy_Night_-_Christmas_Dreams.mp3 16/11/sc 2:10
X022 John Serrie - Midnight Melody - Christmas Dreams n/a Dec 22, 02
X022_John_Serrie_-_Midnight_Melody_-_Christmas_Dreams.mp3 16/11/sc 4:39
X023 Tony O Connor - Mary s Boy Child - Enchanted Christmas n/a Nov 22, 03
X023_Tony_O_Connor_-_Mary_s_Boy_Child_-_Enchanted_Christmas.mp3 16/11/sc 4:50
X024 Tony O Connor - First Noel - Enchanted Christmas n/a Nov 22, 03
X024_Tony_O_Connor_-_First_Noel_-_Enchanted_Christmas.mp3 16/11/sc 2:42
X025 Tony O Connor - Hark Angels Sing - Enchanted Christmas n/a Nov 22, 03
X025_Tony_O_Connor_-_Hark__Angels_Sing_-_Enchanted_Christmas.mp3 16/11/sc 5:38
X026 Tony O Connor - O Come Faithful - Enchanted Christmas n/a Nov 22, 03
X026_Tony_O_Connor_-_O_Come_Faithful_-_Enchanted_Christmas.mp3 16/11/sc 4:45
X027 Tony O Connor - A Christmas Song - Enchanted Christmas n/a Nov 22, 03
X027_Tony_O_Connor_-_A_Christmas_Song_-_Enchanted_Christmas.mp3 16/11/sc 4:35
X028 Tony O Connor - Midnight Clear - Enchanted Christmas n/a Nov 22, 03
X028_Tony_O_Connor_-_Midnight_Clear_-_Enchanted_Christmas.mp3 16/11/sc 4:03
X029 Tony O Connor - Angels Heard High - Enchanted Christmas n/a Nov 22, 03
X029_Tony_O_Connor_-_Angels_Heard_High_-_Enchanted_Christmas.mp3 16/11/sc 4:29
X030 Lisa Lynne - The First Noel - Xmas special track n/a Nov 19, 04
artist_-_X030_Lisa_Lynne_-_The_First_Noel_-_Xmas_Special.mp3 16/11/sc 4:56
X031 Lisa Lynne - The Little Drummer Boy - Xmas special track n/a Nov 19, 04
artist_-_X031_Lisa_Lynne_-_The_Little_Drummer_Boy_-_Xmas_Special.mp3 16/11/sc 4:34
X032 Kitaro - The Little Drummer Boy - Xmas special track n/a Nov 19, 04
artist_-_X032_Kitaro_-_The_Little_Drummer_Boy_-_Xmas_Special.mp3 16/11/sc 3:49
X033 Lorie Line - Merry Christmas Darling - Xmas special track n/a Nov 19, 04
artist_-_X033_Lorie_Line_-_Merry_Christmas_Darling_-_Xmas_Special.mp3

These can be heard here until Jan 1st or thereabouts:

http://www.live365.com/stations/skeptical3

What?
No Alvin and the Chipmunks?
No Cheech and Chong?

No Burl Ives?
No Bing Crosby??

http://www.allbutforgottenoldies.net/yourpicks/oldies-christmas-songs.html

No Burl Ives?
No Bing Crosby??

They bring to mind an older generation of people who saw the world only as pure white snow. Perhaps a bit unfair to the artist though.

1. The Muppets Christmas with J. Denver
2. The James Taylor Christmas Album (right on, Receptional!)
3. It Won't Be The Same This Year - Vince Gill
4. The Little Dealer Boy - Willie Nelson & Stephen Colbert (might as well P.O. Broadway on two threads...ho ho ho.

Nat "King" Cole - "The Christmas Song"

If I had been around in the 1950s, I would have had a difficult time reconciling the idea of cigarette smoking being harmful with a heavy smoker having a voice that could sound so good.

I Want A Hippopottamus For Christmas-Gayla Peavey.

Most requested at my All-Christmas, All-The-Time station:

1. Christmas Shoes - Newsong
2. above-mentioned Hippo song
3. 12 Pains of Christmas - Bob Rivers
4. Dear Santa - Sean Morey
5. above-mentioned Muppets/John Denver

Secret weapon record: Mary's Boy Child - Boney M

Carpenters - Christmas Portait

FAR ahead of the field.