The title song along with "The Blessed Dawn of Christmas Day" and "I Pray on Christmas" are his works and are marvelous in their words and performace.

On the lighter side, "It Must've Been Ol'Santa Claus" and "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" are such fun!

Traditional offerings of Rudolph, Sleigh Ride and O Holy Night are well done and very pleasing to enjoy.

His final track of "What Are You During New Year's Eve" is so great, a Sinatra like voice but smoother. His piano on "Ave Maria" is so delicate and majestic, what a talent!

Buy this one for some variety in your holiday sounds!


The perfect balance for a hip Christmas CD!   November 30, 1999
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

This is my favorite Christmas CD. Connick has come up with the perfect blend of traditional Christmas music and his classically hip sound. He doesn't overdo it with swing and he obviously recognizes the need for a level of reverence and solemnity in a Christmas album. His "Ave Maria" is an absolute classic. Nonetheless, some of the numbers bounce along with a great, carefree holiday spirit. My kids just love the "Santa Claus," "Sleigh Ride" and "Little Drummer Boy" numbers.

There's not a bad cut on this album. All in all, its the perfect balance for a Christmas CD.


Why does the Christmas season have to be so short...   December 16, 2002
S. McElearney (Virginia, United States)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

...as my husband has limited me to playing this between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This a truly wonderful Christmas album, as well as just being a great Harry Connick, Jr. cd.

There is a delightful mix of serious and silly songs, jazzy piano pieces and rollicking traditional songs and gospel-inspired songs and inspirational classics.

My favorites include It Must've Been Ol' Santa Claus, which tends to lead to dancing around the living room, O Holy Night which is heart-breakingly beautiful, the Little Drummer Boy (one of the only versions of this song that I really like), and What Are You Doing New Year's Eve, a wistful song which is the perfect ending to the cd. There really isn't a bad song on this CD.

If you like Harry Connick Jr, you will love this cd. And buy the soundtrack to When Harry Met Sally, which also contains a lot of holiday songs.


Loved it!   January 16, 2000
Picky Reader (Irish Catholic Lady, Wife, Mom, and Part-time Library Clerk in Syracuse, NY USA)
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

I purchased this CD sort of on a whim. I was only familiar with HC jr's work in WHEN HARRY MET SALLY. The first time I listened to this CD I knew it would become one of my favorite holiday CDs. I love every song on it. My favorites are two of the ones HC wrote, Track 2, the title song, and track 3 the lively and fun SANTA CLAUS(IT MUST HAVE BEEN OL'), the latter had my 6yr. old dancing and singing to it. Also, Harry won over my husband, who is very cynical about any music I buy. I caught him sneaking the CD to play at his Christmas party at work! It's hard not to love it! Wish the radio stations would give more airplay to some of these during the holiday season. They would become instant classics, and give us a break from some of the overplayed holiday tunes. My next CD will be one of Harry's. It's just too bad I've been neglecting him for so long!