What's New In 2006? I'll be honest: I've bitten off more than I can chew. In the last couple of years, I've reorganized my entire Christmas section, built a huge Artists & Albums index, expanded my Songs & Singles index, written a heap o' reviews, and redesigned the entire website at least twice. But, like the layers of an onion, I keep uncovering new, wacky yuletide treasures - records, CD's, whatever - I can't resist.

So, I have hundreds Christmas CD's cluttering up my office - far more, certainly, than the 200 or so already reviewed herein. They gather dust, waiting to be catalogued and reviewed in my usual obsessive-compulsive manner. Rather than throw this year's crop of holiday goodies atop that languishing pile, I'm giving you, faithful reader, a list the best and brightest rockin' Christmas CD's for 2006.

As usual, it's a mixed bag, led by original albums by Bootsy Collins and Aimee Mann, a new volume of A Santa Cause, plus welcome reissues from Peggy Lee and the dB's. Needless to say, I found plenty to get excited about... So, what have I missed? Drop me a line...

Randy Anthony

Artist	Title	Date	image	Buy	Review
Afroman	A Colt .45 Christmas - reissue of 2004 CD Jobe Bells	2006	image	buy
Ames Brothers	There'll Always Be a Christmas - Taragon CD reissue of RCA LP	1957	image	buy
Autry, Gene	Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Harmony LP compiling vintage Columbia recordings	1964	image	buy	review
	Year-Round Cowboy: Songs For The Whole Year - companion to Complete Columbia Christmas Recordings	2006	image	buy	review
Cash, Johnny	Country Christmas - reissue with new cover, restored track listing	1991	image	buy	review
Charles, Ray	Ray Charles with the Voices Jubilation Choir - his last performance and recording	2006	image	buy	review
Chipmunks	Christmas With the Chipmunks - 24 tracks from two original Liberty albums	2006	image	buy
Collins, Bootsy	Christmas Is 4 Ever	2006	image	buy
Crosby, Bing	Bing Crosby's Christmas Classics - reissue of 1977 Capitol album with restored artwork and added tracks	2006	image	buy	review
The dB's	Christmas Time Again - reissue of 1993 Chris Stamey CD plus new recordings	2006	image	buy	review
Denver, John	A Christmas Together - with the Muppets - 2006 reissue with full track listing	1979	image	buy	review
	Christmas Like A Lullaby - 2006 reissue with full track listing	1990	image	buy	review
Fitzgerald, Ella	Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas - greatly expanded 2006 CD reissue	1967	image	buy
Gayle, Crystal	Crystal Christmas - CD reissue, new cover	1987	image	buy
Gibb, Robin	My Favorite Carols	2006	image	buy
Guaraldi, Vince	A Charlie Brown Christmas - remastered with bonus tracks and redesigned cover	2006	image	buy	review
Hall & Oates	Home For Christmas - initially sold exclusively through Trans World stores	2006	image	buy
Idol, Billy	Happy Holidays	2006	image	buy
Jigsaw Seen	What About Christmas (EP)	2006	image	buy
Jon B.	Holiday Wishes From Me To You	2006	image	buy
Judd, Wynonna	A Classic Christmas	2006	image	buy
Knight, Gladys	A Christmas Celebration - with the Saints Unified Voices	2006	image	buy	review
Lee, Peggy	Christmas With Peggy Lee - 16 songs from variety of sources 1949-1965	2006	image	buy
Love Tractor	Before & After Christmas	2006	image	buy
Lyman, Arthur	Mele Kalikimaka	1963	image	buy	review
Manhattan Transfer	An Acapella Christmas - first issued in Japan (2004)	2006	image	buy
Mann, Aimee	One More Drifter In The Snow	2006	image	buy
Martin, Dean	Christmas With Dino - same title as 2004 release, with new cover and similar track listing	2006	image	buy	review
Johnny Mathis	50th Anniversary Christmas Celebration - companion to 50th Anniversary Celebration	2006	image	buy	review
McLachlan, Sarah	Wintersong	2006	image	buy
Midler, Better	Cool Yule	2006	image	buy
Mighty Echoes	Doo Wop Around The Christmas Tree	2006	image	buy
Nelson, Willie	20th Century Masters - reissue of Hill Country Christmas	2006	image	buy	review
Over The Rhine	Snow Angels	2006	image	buy
Paisley, Brad	Christmas	2006	image	buy
Presley, Elvis	Elvis Christmas - 23 song compilation	2006	image	buy	review
Rawls, Lou	Merry Christmas, Baby - 20 tracks taken from Capitol and Blue Note sessions	2006	image	buy	review
	Christmas (Time-Life) - 14 tracks taken from Blue Note sessions	2006	image	buy	review
Stevens, Sufjan	Songs For Christmas - recorded 2001-2005	2006	image	buy
Taylor, James	James Taylor At Christmas - Sony reissue of 2005 Hallmark album with new cover and bonus tracks	2006	image	buy
Third Day	Christmas Offerings	2006	image	buy
Twisted Sister	Twisted Christmas	2006	image	buy
Vincent, Rhonda	Beautiful Star: The Christmas Collection	2006	image	buy
Williams, Vanessa	20th Century Masters: Christmas Collection Vol. 2 - reissue of Silver & Gold	2006	image	buy
Willis, Kelly & Robison, Bruce	Happy Holidays - 2006 Rykodisc reissue	2003	image	buy
Various Artists	Best of Ultimate Soul Christmas - highlights from 2-CD set	2006	image	buy
	Canadian Christmas 3	2006	help!	buy
	Christmas With The Rat Pack - new cover on 2002 Sinatra, Martin & Davis compilation	2006	image	buy
	Classic Soul Ballads: Christmas - adjunct to Time-Life series	2006	image	buy
	Elton John's Christmas Party - Hip-O 15-track reissue of 21-track album sold exclusively at Starbucks during 2005	2006	image	buy
	How Cool Is That Christmas - TV personality Rachel Ray compiles decent CD	2006	image	buy
	Now That's What I Call Christmas 3	2006	image	buy
	Redneck Christmas - country and southern rock from Time-Life	2006	image	buy
	Rhythm and Blues Christmas - vintage tracks from UK Ace label	2006	image	buy
	A Santa Cause Vol. 2 - second shot of punk & alternative rock - sold only as download	2006	image	buy
	20th Century Masters: Smooth and Soulful - part of Universal's extensive reissue series	2006	image	buy
	Ultimate Jazz Christmas - 13 tracks new and old from Blue Note catalog	2006	image	buy
Soundtracks	Stingiest Man in Town - TV adaptation of Dicken's 'Christmas Carol' with Vic Damone, Johnny Desmond, the Four Lads, and Basil Rathbone	1956	image	buy
	Nightmare Before Christmas - special edition with bonus disc	2006	image	buy