Another "Ultra Lounge" series Christmas collection featuring Lou Rawls' "Merry Christmas Baby," Dina Washington's "Ole Santa," Nancy Wilson's "That's What I Want for Christmas" and Aretha Franklin's "Kissin' By the Mistletoe" are spotlighted with Sarah Vaughan's "Goodnight My Love," Bobby Darin's "Christmas Auld Lang Syne" and Rosemary Clooney's "White Christmas." The songs are easy on the ears and warm on the heart. — S.I.

VARIOUS ARTISTS; "The Very Best of Celtic Christmas" (Windham Hill)

The successful Windham Hill "Celtic Christmas" series has provided mellow acoustic holiday music that brings to mind snow-covered moors and hearth-blackening fires in cold, stone castles. This "Best of" collection compiles 19 tracks from the various "Celtic Christmas" albums. Altan's "Soillse Na Nollag (the Lights of Christmas)," Nightnoise's "Lully Lullay," Lisa Lynne's "Circle of Joy" and Snuffy Walden's "Sails of Galway" are just a few of the dreamy songs ideal for a good winter night's listen. — S.I.

VARIOUS ARTISTS; "Wasatch Christmas 2004" (Greenland Records)

This latest offering in the Wasatch Christmas series provides an engaging look at the local pop/rock/folk/a capella scene. With mostly previously recorded selections, it's an eclectic mix, ranging from the doo-wop "Christmas Time Is Coming" by the Cadillacs A'Capella, to Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband's unusual rendering of "Far, Far Away on Judea's Plains" to pianist Jon Schmidt's elegant "Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming." Songs complement each other while offering individual flavor as Nancy Hanson, Peter Breinholt, Eclipse, Voice Male and Octapella all chip in. James Conlee, producer and motivating force behind the project, adds a couple of new releases that provide a crowning touch. And the James Christensen painting on the cover captures the whimsy and offbeat character nicely. — C.W.

VARIOUS ARTISTS; "A Winter's Night: The Best of Nettwerk Christmas" (Nettwerk America)

This holiday compilation brings together some of the coolest tracks by Nettwerk America's Canadian roster. Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan's standard "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and Dido's "Christmas Day" along with the Mediaeval Babe's "Gaudette" and Neil Finn's "Sweet Secret Peace" are on one CD this time around. Avril Lavigne and Chantal Kreviazuk's "O Holy Night" and Lisa Hannigan's "Silent Night" ad balance to Ron Sexsmith's "Maybe This Christmas." — S.I.

VARIOUS ARTISTS; "Yulesville" (Shout Factory)