Three weeks are nearly not enough to get through all the Christmas albums available on streaming platforms and record stores. Here is an eclectic selection of holiday albums to listen to while preparing for all the festivities:
"Another Kind of Christmas" by Ne-Yo
If you find holiday standards too tame, Ne-Yo's new Christmas album, "Another Kind of Christmas," might change your mind.
The Grammy-winner will cheer up your festivities with pumped-up versions of holiday favourites, such as Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas," Marvin Gaye's "I Want to Come Home for Christmas" and Stevie Wonder's "Someday at Christmas."
For his first Christmas album, Ne-Yo also penned several original holiday tunes. Among them are the reggae-infused "Christmas Vibez" and "Just Ain't Christmas," in which he chronicles a breakup on Christmas Eve.
The veteran hitmaker reminds us that winter holidays are not always all that rosy in "Talk About It," in which he looks back on his family celebrations.
He gives a special shout-out to Santa Claus himself, with the lyrics "Mama working double, triple shifts/For each and every one of them gifts/But mama said, 'Don't be giving no fat white dude credit for my sh*t/'Cause if you got sh*t, I'm the reason you got sh*t.'"
"You Wish, A Merge Records Holiday Album" by Merge Records
This unexpected Christmas compilation calls on an impressive roster of artists signed to the indie-rock label, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this year.
Guitarist William Tyler hops on a gentle instrumental cover of Big Star's "Jesus Christ," while Mike Krol delivers "a fast Christmas rocker about love and happiness" with "Won't Be Home Tonight."
Merge Records founder and Superchunk frontman Mac McCaughan also duets with Spent's Annie Hayden on the original "Down We Go (Sledding Song)."
Singer-songwriter Mikal Cronin reinvents the holiday spirit in the newly-penned "Christmastime Heist," which is said to be inspired by his childhood experience of starring in a present-stealing and Santa-drugging musical.