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The first time you listen to this disc you will undoubtedly be transported directly back to your childhood. Charles Schulz’s Peanuts characters will go toe-tapping and funky-dancing through your mind’s eye. Play it a few more times, though (ignoring the dialogue snippets, if you can), and you will begin to truly revel in Guaraldi’s wonderful, humorous, deep piano playing. You’ll hear why he’s such an influence on new age ivory tickler George Winston, but you’ll also realize that Winston’s holiday music never quite sparkles with the underlying passion, and humor, that twinkles in these grooves. Buy it for the nostalgia–keep it because it will remain one of the most enchanting albums in your holiday collection. –Michael Ruby

Original soundtrack recording of the CBS television special recorded in 1965, tracks include ‘O Tannenbaum’, ‘What Child Is This’, ‘My Little Drum’, ‘Linus and Lucy’, ‘Christmas Time Is Here’ (instrumental), ‘Christmas Time Is Here’ (more…)