Twinkling string lights, decorated trees, and evergreen wreaths have their part in setting the holiday scene. Though the yuletide season is filled with many festive sights, that cheery ambience is also rounded out with sound. Christmas carols fill homes, streets, and auditoriums with a surge of seasonal melodies, communicating that cheerful spirit. Whether you're a vocalist, pianist, or CD enthusiast, there are songbooks and albums to support your musical preferences, covering everything from O Christmas Tree to O Holy Night. So, we've collected the best Christmas songbooks and CDs to fill your favourite spaces with time-honoured tunes.
Christmas at Downton Abbey audio CD set
Two-disk Christmas box set with a Downton feel
Few shows have captured history quite like Downton Abby, the beloved drama chronicling the Cawley's resplendent lives in the early 1900s. This Downton-inspired carol collection allows fans to step into the series with the melodic interpretations of classic songs for a decidedly bygone feel. Forty-five Christmas tracks are captured on two discs, including The First Noel, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and O Come, All Ye Faithful. Series-specific suites and cast member performances round out the selections for that authentically Abby feel. And, the song-filled discs are packaged in a beautiful boxed set, perfect for gifting.
Andrea Bocelli: My Christmas audio CD
Fifteen Christmas classics with special duets
For holiday tunes that really fill a room, choose Andrea Bocelli's seasonal selection. His resounding, room-filling tenor voice brings grandeur and weight to signature carols. From White Christmas to Silent Night, Bocelli elevates the familiar lyrics of 15 songs, lending that holiday feeling to parties and tree trimmings alike. The album even features special duets with Mary J. Blige, Reba McEntire, and the Muppets. December needs a soundtrack, and this album is it.
Christmas Classical Voices audio CD set
Colossal carol-filled three-disc set with special vocal performances
With 45 holiday hits, this tracks-a-plenty three-disc boxed set offers mass quantities of merriment. All the classics and then some are represented, including We Three Kings, The Little Drummer Boy, Deck the Halls, and Silent Night, to achieve maximum levels of holiday cheer. The carols are performed by a host of famous voices like Josh Groban, Leona Lewis, and Susan Boyle. If variety and comprehensiveness are what you're after, you'll find all the seasonal sounds you need with this amazing album.
21 Easy Ukulele Songs for Christmas by Jenny Peters and Rebecca Bogart
Twenty-one-song text to achieve that island vibe
Put a tropical twist on Christmas ditties with this specialized songbook for ukulele players. With musical and tab notation for each tune, string strummers don't have to be virtuosos to pick and pluck the seasonal melodies. Merry music will be made in no time because the book features diagrams and photos depicting finger placement for additional assistance. The holiday music reserve includes 21 carols like Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls, and Jolly Old Saint Nicholas. The book also pairs nicely with online educational videos that supplement the purchase for a well-rounded musical experience.
Top Requested Christmas Sheet Music: Easy Piano by Dan Coates
Piano players will rejoice with this inclusive holiday sheet music collection
Tinkling piano keys are almost synonymous with the Christmas season. Pianos are the place to gather when it comes to reprising well-loved carols. Catering to beginners and beyond, this book is chock full of classic sheet music to promote that happy holiday attitude. Its pages include arrangements for 40 songs, including Blue Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, I'll Be Home for Christmas, O Christmas Tree, and more.
100 Carols for Choirs by David Willcocks and John Rutter
Complete 100-carol book for Christmas and more
Vocalists will sing a joyous melody with this songbook in tow. The text features an extensive song collection, bursting with page after page of musical pieces for Christmas and beyond. Featuring both accompanied and unaccompanied selections, this book carries a stockpile of 100 carols and hymns designed to envelop the holidays with the classics tunes that are meant to be heard, including Deck the Halls, the Twelve Days of Christmas, and more. Both paperback and spiral-bound versions are available to accommodate every preference. Whether you're part of a choir or a carolling group, this book is a must-have.
Sing along
Christmas carols are essential to usher in the holiday season. Whether you prefer to listen, play, or sing your favourite songs, there are several ways to integrate seasonal sounds into your yuletide experience. For those who prefer to play and sing along with a pre-recorded track, the Christmas at Downton Abbey audio CD is a must. Featuring the songs you know and love with a Cawley spin, you'll revel in the vintage sounds and show-focused tracks to seamlessly combine that love for Downton and the holidays. From The First Noel to We Wish You a Merry Christmas (and so much more), this two-disc set is a must for setting that merry mood.
On the other hand, for those who prefer singing songs themselves, John Rutter's songbook 100 Carols for Choirs is a great choice. The book is a sheet music treasure trove including accompanied and unaccompanied pieces for Christmas and more. Some favourite selections are the Twelve Days of Christmas and Deck the Halls.
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