I don’t know about you, but most popular holiday music sets my teeth on edge; if I someday plow into a parked car because “Feliz Navidad” came on the radio and I was frantically trying to change the station, nobody who knows me would be particularly surprised.

I ran across this site the other day (I know nothing about the music, but am amused by their logo), and started thinking about holiday music that I do like.

Gregorian chants are always nice (although I’m quite entertained that there’s a “Best of” monks album), and carols in Latin can sound meditative and atmospheric, but there are also some albums that are aimed at the darker psyche. Here are a few to get you started:

Dark Noel Vol. 1 (Excelsis)
A Winter’s Song (Excelsis)
Winter’s Knight (Nox Arcana)
Dark Noel (Projekt)

Don’t forget to put out some cookies for Santa tonight. You’re on your own with the reindeer chow.