Inspired by Dr. J’s 12 Days of Christmas Music, Confucius says: here’s twelve albums of Christmas music from the past dozen or so years that are worth your while (and money). Of course, this will only bring us to the twenty-fourth, so you’re on your own for the actual Twelve Days of Christmas unless we get any more bright ideas. That said, we figure you’ll probably want to be left alone to deal with all the treed fowl, leaping lords, etc., that tend to fill up that period.

Enya — The Christmas EP

Enya, Clannad…weird, ethereal Irish-language music that the Elves sing on their way to the Gray Havens, right? Yeah, but it is damn atmospheric, and she has a lovely voice. Her 1989 “Oíche Chíun” is on here, and it’s an otherworldly “Silent Night.” “Ebudæ” has neat, prominent drums, and “The Celts” does some neat stuff with synth harpsichords.

N.B. Looks like the EP is out of print (and expensive). The link at right is for a “maxi-single,” whatever that is, that has “Oíche Chíun” and “’S Fagain Mo Bhaile” off it. (’Puter’s got a story about fagain mo bhaile, but you really don’t want to know.)

Confucius, Œc. Vol.

Don’t ask impertinent questions like that jackass Adept Lu.