Now this is a very very important issue...

[Magneto]

What do you reckon is the best Christmas cd to get?

The wrong cd can make christmas songs torture!!!

Well, in my totally non-expert opinion, you need at least two.

One of traditionally set carols, and one of Christmassy pop.

The pop one should include Wham, Frank Sinatra/David Bowie, The Pogues, and Aled Jones (but only his Snowman song). Just because I say so. And that Christmas Wrapping song, about going out to buy the worlds smallest turkey.

The carols always get put on before the children come down on Christmas morning, so that our video recording of present opening always has a jingly soundtrack .

Although, depending on how tired we are, it sometimes means the CD has been playing on a loop all night - just in case we don't wake up first!

I really don't think there is a decent Christmas CD with all the essentials. I've given up the search and just have an iTunes playlist.

Pumpkin - don't forget BoneyM. Not Christmas without them.

Yes to what Pumpkin said...........but I'm also going to get the new Michael Buble Christmas album as well this year, fancy a bit of him crooning in the background whilst I'm knocking back the sherry wrapping presents

We've got loads of Christmas cd's and none of them are quite right. I'm thinking an iTunes playlist is the way forward too - what's on yours BiscuitNibbler?

Ooh, everything from Carols from Kings to Elton John, WhatWouldLeoDo.

Actually I have two iTunes playlists for Christmas, one with all the carols and one just the cheese. Both go well with sherry.

Favourites include:
Driving Home For Christmas
Christmas Wrapping
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
All I Want for Christmas is You
Zat You Santa Claus? (got to have a bit of Louis!)

I love all the old crooners. I bought a Christmas CD in M&S a few years ago, called Magical Christmas, and that has a lot of great ones on it from Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Doris Day, Julie London and loads of others. I have all of that CD in my playlist.

Fairytale of New York by The Pogues featuring Kirsty McColl on a loop.

NotNotNot the Ronan Keating version.Travesty and Tragedy and he should be ashamed.

Tut tut.

Don't you know you are supposed to buy a new one every year, somewhat earlier than certain members of your family might deem appropriate, to be smuggled home and played while home alone stored until early December. At which point you add it to your accumulated stack of goodies.

But I agree with the votes for Carols from Kings. Some of teh Oxford colleges and also Canterbury Cathedral also do good CDs.

Mowtown christmas! Cant believe theres a debate!

All three Neil Diamond Christmas albums=sorted. :)

Very good thread idea! Is the Annie Lennox Christmas album any good?

YY to LordOfTheFlies' post

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas
Merry Christmas Everybody - Slade
Carols from Kings
Christmas Rapping by The Waitresses
Last Christmas by Wham
I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day by Wizzard
(embarrassed to write this but...) Santa Baby

ooh there are millions >>goes to dig out Christmas CDs and wishes she could use them there newfangled ipod or mp3 thingammies

You need to have When a Child is Born by Johnny Mathis on any Christmas song compilation. This should be law.

Marking place! I am determined to have a poncetastic Christmas with the perfect soundtrack!

Playlist it is then... That's good because then I can listen to it on the train for the next 2 months without anyone knowing

All i want for christmas is youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, the only song by mariah carey i will allow, although i do have a cd that has a version of it sung by someone else, cant remember who but it has more of a funky beat, so that one is also acceptable!

Definately wizzard and the noddy holder one IIIIIITS CHRIIIIIIIISTMAAAAAAAS, all to be sung loudly at all times!

Dh likes all the frank sinatra stuff, but i am all about the cheese at christmas!

The Wainwright family Christmas album is rather wonderful-Rufus, Martha, the late Kate McGarrigle et al

Must add Mowtown Christmas to my collection this year...thanks for the reminder

Ok, I'll definitely be getting a Carols by Kings CD then - I see that a fair few have been released over the years! I had a look through some last night and couldn't find any with my favourite Good King Wencelas though.

It seems that there are a few Christmas compilation albums due for release this next month so you'll have plenty of new ones to choose from EllaTut.

Inspired by this thread, I've started another about best versions of Christmas songs here. Too many of my Christmas CD's just have the wrong version on them.

Between this thread and the other I'm hoping to put together a great playlist!

Good King Wenceslas obv.

My favourite xmas cds are
phil spector one
the charlie brown christmas soundtrack

Leo as far as I'm aware the Carols from Kings will only have the set of carols they sing at the Christmas Eve service, and I think these are the same every year, although I'm willing (and likely) to be corrected on that!

oh god, i've got about 6! the oldest is nearly 20 years old and was given to me when I got my first CD player! (I thought I was the business)

I never seem to get one that's perfect, but I do have one that's carols, one that's 70's onwards cheese, one that's 50's onwards easly listening Christmas, they seem to be the best...

If you do put them on your i-pod, be sure to take them off again in the new year, it's most annoying when you've got your i-pod on random and suddenly it's "the little boy that Santa Claus forgot" in the middle of a heatwave...

Don't forget to add Chris de Burgh's 'A Spaceman came travelling' to your playlists!

'And it went na na na na na na naaaa!' My sister and I almost crashed her car singing along to that one .

Oooh... 'The Power of Love' too......

I have researched this extensively and can confirm that there is no one CD out there that does the job.

Now That's What I Call Christmas is quite a good place to start for cheesy cheer, although it doesn't have Wham.