It’s Christmas time once again. The time of year where Christmas tree lots pop up in parking lots overnight, everyone is shopping for the perfect gifts, and, of course, Christmas music starts playing everywhere. Whether you love it, hate it or are somewhere in between, Christmas music is a constant. There are always new Christmas albums released around this time from a variety of singers. To help you wade through the onslaught of Christmas music and find some new and distinct sounds, this reviewer would like to give you some thoughts on three of the year’s top Christmas albums.

 One of the most popular seasonal albums this year is Michael Bublé’s newest release, “Christmas.” This album is well worth the money and a great addition to any Christmas music lover’s collection. Listening to these songs is like taking a trip back to a simpler time. The similarities to Frank Sinatra are unmistakable. Bublé takes these 15 classic Christmas songs and transforms them with his silky smooth voice. He puts his own spin on them while maintaining the purity and the beauty of the original songs. All of the songs seem to meld perfectly with his voice. His duet with Shania Twain on “White Christmas” is spot-on. The song is perfect and he and Shania sound beautiful together. The only odd choice on the whole CD is the inclusion of “Santa Baby.” If you’ve heard the song, you know it’s usually a jokingly sensual song addressed to Santa and performed by a woman. Bublé tries to put a joking, buddy-buddy spin on it but it still comes off as a little creepy. However, this is the only slight problem on an otherwise flawless album.

 Another top Christmas album this year is “Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 2.” Unlike Bublé’s CD, this one contains a mix of songs. There are some very classic songs, such as “Little Drummer Boy,” “Let It Snow” and “Blue Christmas.” There are also some more modern and original songs thrown in the mix, such as “Christmas Eve With You,” “River” and “Christmas Wrapping.” These were, by far, the weakest songs on the album. They also included a rendition of “Santa Baby,” one that was upbeat and different but far less weird than Bublé’s version. Basically, if you are a hard-core fan of Glee or even just a casual viewer, you will probably enjoy this light, fun Christmas album.

 Finally, a surprise hit this Christmas season has been a release from the relatively lesser known group, She & Him. The group is characterized as an indie pop duo comprised of M. Ward (a singer-songwriter and guitarist) and Zooey Deschanel (the singer-actress seen in the Christmas movie “Elf” and this season’s hit comedy show “New Girl”). This is a great album for those who are not fans of traditional Christmas music. While many of the classic Christmas songs are included, they are entirely different from Bublé’s versions. Deschanel’s voice is, simply put, enthralling. She has the ability to charm and enchant and far outshines Ward in each and every one of these songs. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” is included which seems a great choice since Deschanel sang that very song beautifully in “Elf.” However, the main part of the song is given to Ward and Deschanel only sings back-up, so that song was a bit of a disappointment. However, the rest have a wonderfully modern edge. She & Him has adapted these classic songs to appeal to a new generation, proving that Christmas music never goes out of style.