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Whether you're wrapping presents, trimming the tree, sharing a family dinner, or simply preparing your heart for the celebration of Christ's birth, holiday activities just wouldn't be the same without Christmas music. If you're looking for some new holiday music to help you celebrate the season, you've come to the right place! Following is a list of new Christmas albums this year, and as you can see, there's something for everyone. As always, click on the album image to instantly find it at Musicforce. Read on for great gift ideas — for others or for yourself!

(A little disclaimer: Not all these review titles are mine! You have been warned … )

Jaci Velasquez | Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir | Mannheim Steamroller
Happy Christmas Vol. 3 | NewSong | Hillsong Music Australia
Your King Has Come | Christmas in Havana

Christmas
Jaci Velasquez (Word / Epic)

Available in both English and Spanish, Jaci's first Christmas album is a traditional sounding blend of Christmas carols, holiday favorites, and three brand-new songs. It begins with a beautifully ambient and haunting rendition of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" that's reminiscent of an arrangement Margaret Becker did some years ago. One of the new songs "Season of Love," a duet with fellow Word artist Pete Orta, has a pleasant but typical Christian holiday pop feel. And of course, "Feliz Navidad" is a fun and up-tempo Latin pop arrangement, faithful to the original. My advance copy didn't include the playful rendition of "The Chipmunk Song," though I'm told it's also a fun track.

The rest of the album is a mixture of soft jazz and lush pop. Songs such as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "The First Noel" are exactly what you'd expect from a pop-orchestral arrangement - beautiful strings, a little bit of holiday ambiance, and Jaci's dynamic vocals. Likewise, "Let It Snow" fits the big band jazz mold that you've heard so many times before. Of the other two new songs, Chris Eaton's "The Angel Song" is a gorgeous follow-up to his classic "Breath of Heaven" (which Amy Grant made famous), and the romantic piano ballad "It Wouldn't Be Christmas," written by Scott Krippayne, sounds like his signature style of pop songwriting. The latter nicely shifts into a Vince Guaraldi Trio-styled ending (i.e. Charlie Brown). I suppose some Christian listeners may be disappointed by Christmas since the song selection generally favors secular holiday favorites over the traditional hymns. Those looking for innovation aren't going to be satisfied either, since Jaci and producer Chris Harris follow the Christmas pop album playbook word for word. But let's be honest - you'd be lucky to find one new innovative Christmas album in a given year. Jaci Velasquez's Christmas is a beautifully crafted album with a timeless holiday sound that both young and old can appreciate.

Light of the World
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir (M2)

This year's big choral release comes from the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, a multi-cultural 275-member choir from inner-city New York under the direction of Carol Cymbala (whose husband, Jim, is the church's pastor). Odds are you've sung a Cymbala arrangement at some point if you've ever been in a church or high school choir. Accompanied by a full orchestra and a small backing band, the Choir's new Christmas release is reminiscent of what you'd hear on television from the Crystal Cathedral or a Christmas at the White House special. The music is a blend of gospel and easy-listening pop with large, spacious, and beautiful arrangements that cover both traditional and contemporary sounds. Carol has always done great work with her pop choral arrangements, and Light of the World is no exception with its selection of traditional carols, show-stopper medleys, and brand-new Christmas pieces. If your church is up to the task, there are great arrangements to glean from this album for your choir. If not, sit back and enjoy the show. Of all of this year's new holiday albums, Light of the World instantly put me in the Christmas spirit, probably because it reminds me the most of my church.

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