i said in the past that i would never buy another christmas album(how many versions of deck the hall's do you need?)BUTwhen i heard this at a friend's house, i just needed a copyWHY!? because it has a fantastic version of the"Hallelujah chorus" that sets this album a little above the others makeing it a worthwhile buy & NEIL IS JUST THE BEST!so you cannot go wrong

This is probably one of my favorite holiday albums. Any fan of Neil Diamond's should buy this disc. My favorite tracks are Mary's Boy Child, I'll be Home For Christmas, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and Candlelight Carol which is worth the price of this cd alone.

This album is a wonderful mix of holiday standards and lesser known Christmas music. Neil's varied interpretations range from near stock arrangements of O Little Town of Bethlehem and The First Noel to a whimsical version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer that allows his rather mischeivous musical sense of humor to shine through.

There is a powerful, dual-language (English and Latin) presentation of O Come All Ye Faithful and a dramatic rendition of the Hallelujiah Chorus, including a full orchestra and vocal chorale.

The highlight of the album is a heartrendingly beautiful arrangement of the hard-to-find John Rutter classic Candlelight Carol. This single track is worth more than the cost of the entire album.

Whatever you do, DON'T buy this to stick in someone's Christmas Stocking! The moment it arrives, open the package, put the disc in your CD deck, and let Neil Diamond's musical magic brighten your Holiday Season!

Neil's 1st Xmas album is beautiful, but he sounds uncomfortable (jewish boy sings XMAS!) But this album he knows we will love his music, and he is so relaxed and really enjoying the music he is singing..some are so much fun like Rudolph! I love the whole album/so do all my clients that hear it at my work! THANKS NEIL/ANOTHER WINNER!

Diamond's second Christmas collection is an improvement on his first. By sticking with tunes that don't have signature renditions, Diamond has an easier time making the songs his own. Having fun with a variety of traditionals like, "Deck The Halls" and "The First Noel," and by putting a new spin on "Rudolph" and "Sleigh Ride;" Diamond does a decent job. Not exactly a vital part of my Christmas collection, but not a bad contribution.