Chip Davis, founder and leader of Mannheim Steamroller, said that when he started making CDs of amped-up holiday tunes, he never thought he'd be still celebrating Christmas 25 years down the road.

And while Davis had a successful eight-album run of new age music under the Fresh Aire moniker, he was worried sick about making a Christmas album.

"Most artists' career span is between five and 10 years," he said during a phone call from his office in Omaha, Neb. "When someone starts making Christmas albums, the notion is that the artist has run out of ideas."

He decided to release the first holiday album on his own American Gramaphone label and was stunned at the success. It sold more than 6 million copies and peaked at No. 50 on the Billboard 200. It also hit No. 8 on the New Age chart and No. 2 on the Holiday chart.

"I was so nervous when it was released, but after seeing the numbers, the next album ("A Fresh Aire Christmas") was easy," Davis said.

Since 1984, Mannheim Steamroller has released 11 Christmas albums. The latest is a compilation called "Christmas: 25th Anniversary Collection."

Davis said he had an agenda when creating the set list for this two-CD collection.

"You can't just go to a retail store and buy the first 'Mannheim Steamroller Christmas' CD," he said. "It's not available.

"And I was thinking of all those who bought the original release and lost it, or their kids took it to college or it got damaged.

"So I created this compilation to help them remember it."

Since Mannheim Steamroller has so many Christmas songs from which to choose, Davis said he relied on an age-old method to come up with the track listing.

"I hung oversize CD covers on the wall of all the CDs and threw darts at them," he said with a laugh. "I didn't really do that. I actually sat down with all the CDs and went through them at one sitting and chose the songs and order.

"Once I finished, I sent it off to the engineer and didn't change a bit."

Davis said he balanced the track list much like he chooses a set list.

"You can't be loud all the time," he said. "Because with out the soft, loud means nothing."

Two years ago, Davis played his last Mannheim Steamroller show. "I had my half of my neck rebuilt and lost the use of my right arm," he said. "I have since regained 50 to 60 percent of the movement, but it is impossible to play drums and tour."

The injury stems from a head-on collision Davis suffered nearly 30 years ago, he said.