Home on Christmas Day

The sales window for Christmas albums each year, roughly Halloween through Christmas Day, and then maybe just past New Year's on the discount rack, may be short, but the labels can reissue these things every year or so during each holiday season with little additional overhead, so the sales plan on these things can stretch out indefinitely, making them ultimately profitable. This short Christmas set from Sony features a few tracks new to such compilations like Jordin Sparks' version of "I'll Be Home for Christmas," Susan Boyle's take on "Auld Lang Syne," and Bob Dylan's "Must Be Santa," a galloping polka that finds Dylan reeling off the names of U.S. presidents along with the names of Santa's reindeer, and when set aside additional tracks from Christina Aguilera ("The Christmas Song") and the late Whitney Houston ("Do You Hear What I Hear?"), this compilation shows some care and thoughtful assembling. ~ Steve Leggett