Walk into any bookseller or music megastore at this time of year and you’ll find dozens of Christmas recordings. Trying to decide what to buy can become an overwhelming task. Whether you’re buying presents for friends and family, or just adding to your own collection, my personal list of the most interesting traditional and unusual Christmas CD recordings can guide your holiday music shopping.

Christmas at the Brooklyn Tabernacle Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir • Carol Cymbala, Conductor Listen: O Come Emmanuel Buy it     Choir website Totally joyful and inspiring arrangements of works in the Christian Contemporary and African-American Gospel worship styles, featuring deeply spiritual solo and choral singing from this Grammy Award winning choir. The large and enthusiastic ensemble blends together wonderfully and gives 100 percent on every track. In listening to this CD, you feel that all the performers are deeply committed to worshiping God and sharing their message of good news with their listeners.

Our Heart’s Joy: A Chanticleer Christmas Chanticleer • Joseph Jennings, Music Director Listen: Ríu, ríu, chíu Buy it     Choir website America’s premier all-male, professional choral ensemble presents a diverse and deeply satisfying program of familiar and obscure repertoire from around the globe, including works by Mouton, Gabrieli, Praetorius, Guerrero, Britten, and Biebl’s beloved setting of Ave Maria. This recording also includes rousing spirituals wonderfully arranged by their gifted director, Joseph Jennings.

A Little Christmas Music The King's Singers Listen: We wish you a Merry Christmas Buy it     Choir website An eclectic mix of familiar and unfamiliar American, German, French, Spanish, and English carols sung flawlessly by England’s most famous male a cappella group. Beautiful and humorous arrangements featuring the King’s Singers, the City of London Sinfonia, and opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. If you like your Christmas carols sung with Hollywood glitz, this recording will provide you with an hour’s worth of satisfaction and enjoyment.

A White Christmas at Longwood Gardens Saint Clement's Choir, Philadelphia, PA • Peter Conte, Conductor Listen: Jingle Bells Buy it     Choir website A wonderful mix of sacred and secular works sung by Philadelphia’s best professional church choir and recorded with the pipe organ at Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA. From the sublime What Sweeter Music of John Rutter to the clever and amusing rendition of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (sung in Latin), this recording is an excellent addition to your collection of holiday recordings.

Voices of Angels The American Boychoir • James Litton, Conductor Listen: Up! good Christen folk Buy it     Choir website This recording is an interesting combination of carols and anthems from this famous children’s choir. Whether it’s O Come All Ye Faithful, John Rutter’s rousing Shepherd's Pipe Carol, or Basque and Sicilian tunes, the American Boychoir sings with the artistry and musicianship of the best professional adult ensembles. You’ll find yourself playing tracks of this one at other times of the year than Christmas.

Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity The Cambridge Singers • John Rutter, Conductor Listen: O Tannenbaum Buy it     Choir website Predominantly traditional English and German works, including In Dulci Jubilo, Away in a Manger, and Harold Darke’s In the bleak midwinter, with a few of conductor John Rutter’s original carols, including Candlelight Carol, There is a Flower, and Nativity Carol. Exquisitely sung recording, trademark high standard performance from this well-known English choral ensemble.

An American Christmas: Shape-note Carols from New England and Appalachia The Tudor Choir • Doug Fullington, Conductor Listen: Antioch (Joy To The World) Buy it     Choir website This outstanding recording features American music from a collection of Advent and Christmas shape note songs, rustic and rural tunes sung with spirit, simplicity, and dignity. A refreshing change from most run-of-the-mill holiday CDs and a fascinating glimpse of colonial Americana.

A Choral Christmas Choir of Trinity Church, Copley Square, Boston • Brian Jones, Conductor Listen: O Little Town of Bethlehem Buy it     Choir website Recorded in honor of the 125th anniversary of this historic Episcopal parish, this CD presents the broadest and most diverse program of traditional and newly composed Christmas carols. Very fine and well-blended choral singing that is supported by excellent organ accompaniment. An inspiring recording.

A Winter's Solstice I Windham Hill Artists Listen: High Plains: Christmas on the High-Line • Philip Aaberg, Piano Buy it     Website Recorded nearly 20 years ago, this is the first in a series of recordings made in celebration of the Winter Solstice. Ten tracks of stunning arrangements and new works feature classical guitar, woodwinds, synthesizer, piano, and other chamber instruments. The artists on this disc include David Qualey, Ira Stein, Will Ackerman, Philip Aaberg, Liz Story, Malcolm Dalglish, Shadowfax, and Mark Isham, all of whom have issued their own solo recordings on this same label. Jesu Joy, New England Morning, and Tale of Two Cities are my personal favorites.

Christmastide Jessye Norman, with the New York Choral Society, American Boychoir, and Empire Chamber Ensemble • Robert De Cormier, Conductor Listen: This Christmastide (Jessye's Carol) Buy it Beautiful, lush arrangements are the canvas for opera star Jessye Norman’s soaring and dramatic soprano voice. O Holy Night and the title track This Christmastide are guaranteed to stir your emotions. This is my personal favorite holiday recording. Ms. Norman brought refinement and elegance to this project and was magnificently supported by the orchestra and choruses.

DVD: Carols from King's Choir of King's College, Cambridge • Stephen Cleobury, Conductor Buy it Choir Website Beautiful video and surround sound capture the legendary Christmas Eve service, broadcast live around the world from King's College, Cambridge, England since 1928. You can also listen live this year, joining a virtual congregation of millions worldwide, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time on December 24.

DVD: Christmas with Chanticleer: An Orchestra of Voices Chanticleer Buy it Choir Website Enjoy this video of Chanticleer's 2002 Christmas Concert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Download: King's Singers Christmas The King's Singers Buy it Choir Website The King's Singers newest Christmas Album can be downloaded in MP3 format from eClassical. 25 carols cover five centuries, seven languages, and a full range of Christmas themes. Includes a Christmas version of the group's trademark song You are the New Day.