The Christmas season is here, along with the hundreds of Christmas-themed albums and movies it brings with it. For the most part, the same music and movies are played every year. Most Christmas albums consist of the same tracks, just with different artist’s takes on them. Christmas movies usually have similar themes, but a good amount of them are pretty unique.

One of my favorite movies is Charlie Brown Christmas, and one of my favorite albums is the accompanying soundtrack. Containing one of the most memorable Christmas songs ever, at least in my opinion, this soundtrack is one that captures the mood of the holiday season. Overall it’s a great jazz album, with many of the tracks being upbeat while still relaxing, making it a great album to be played in the background of a Christmas party. Where I think this album shines the most is with tracks like “Christmastime is Here,” a very slow and mellow track. It captures what the holidays are really about, which is slowing down and relaxing. The movie is about what a good amount of Christmas movies are about: finding the true meaning of Christmas. One failed play and a very small tree later, Charlie Brown finds it.

Another great Christmas album is A Very Special Christmas, which was recorded by many artists. This is a typical Christmas album, consisting of all the tracks you’d expect to see. A different singer or artist handles each track, but that’s not what makes it great. It is the first in a line of albums made to benefit Special Olympics, the sports organization for adults and kids with disabilities. While it may be your average Christmas soundtrack, the cause it was made for makes it a standout among the rest of the Christmas-themed music.

My favorite Christmas movie is Elf, starring Will Ferrell. He plays an elf named Buddy, a standout among the other elves because he’s not actually an elf, but a human. The movie follows him as he finds his biological father, while also finding the true meaning of Christmas (whatever that may be). It’s a great movie, and is just different enough to be unique and break up the monotony that Christmas movies can cause.

While many other Christmas albums and movies are loved by many and played all season long, those are my few favorites that I watch and listen to every year. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.