ALAN JACKSON - HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS

Alan Jackson - Honky Tonk Christmas

Allmusic calls this one of the best country Christmas albums and who am I to disagree! You won't find many if any real traditional carols on this disc, but what you will find is a tree-worth plethora of twangy presents to unwrap. Al does the Hag right with his cover of "If We Make it Through December" and "There's a New Kid in Town" puts Jesus smack-dab in the middle of the talk of the town. Even the Alvin and the Chipmunks cameo is fun (I'll let you find that one on yer own so you can't skip it)!

MERLE HAGGARD - A CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Merle Haggard - A Christmas Present

"If We Make It Through December" holds a special slot in the Christmas music canon, and deservedly so. Like that song, all the original Haggard songs on this disc are the cream of the crop, slices of holiday cheer cut the way only Ole Hag could cut 'em. "Santa Claus and Popcorn" is a pretty subversive dig into non-Christian Christmas tradition, while "Bobby Wants a Puppy Dog for Christmas" is sort of self-explanatory. Nothing like Haggard for the holidays!

ALABAMA - CHRISTMAS

Alabama - Christmas

Okay, so the boys in Alabama are known to get a bit too, should I say, saccharine, so a Christmas album by yer favourite Fort Payne friends is gonna be PLENTY schmaltzy. It's still great and seasonally appropriate, especially "Thistlehair the Christmas Bear." And by especially, I mean oh god "Thistlehair the Christmas Bear."

RED SIMPSON - TRUCKERS' CHRISTMAS

Red Simpson - Truckers' Christmas

As previously and panegyrically endorsed on the BEERS TROVE, Red Simpson is a truckin' man whom we love and wholly endorse. This album of Christmas truckin' songs is, simply, a bunch of Christmas songs about truckin'. Whether it's Santa drivin' a big rig or a man on the road who wants to make it home for his little boy on Christmas Day, this is an undisputed holiday classic 'round this camp. His introductions to each song are alone worth listening. The highest of holiday recommendations.

CHRISTMAS BEERS TROVE

The BEERS TROVE is about to get a whole lot more FESTIVE.
CHRISTMAS is my favourite time of year, and COUNTRY CHRISTMAS music makes me wanna saddle up on Santa's sleigh with some Jim Beam-spiked egg nog and chuck presents at sleepin' kids.
So the BEERS TROVE is gonna give away a bunch of awesome COUNTRY CHRISTMAS MUSIC in the next few weeks.

YER WELCOME AND A MERRY CHRISTMAS Y'ALL!