Pop Christmas

Look, there's no way around it being "the most wonderful time of the year" . . . again, so why don't you start making a list and checking it twice. While you worry about the presents, we'll ready some merry Crimbo sounds for the trip to the shops — from jingle bell-shaking pop spins on Christmas standbys, like "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (Miley Cyrus), "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (the bass-heavy bounce of the Cheetah Girls), and "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (a ballroom duet between Jessica Simpson and her ex, Nick Lachey) to such ultra-modern originals as Mariah Carey's mistletoe teaser "All I Want for Christmas Is You". Need to make numerous shopping trips? Don't worry — our Next Steps will keep you jolly despite all those maxed-out credit cards.

Here, Christmas pop-pickers, we've tossed a ton of traditional Christmas songs into the hands of today's popsters, including Kelly Clarkson ("Oh Holy Night"), Ali Lohan (discovering a surreal blend of R&B and seasonal expectation on "Groove of Christmas"), and American Idol semifinalist Kimberley Locke (the playful pleas of "We Need a Little Christmas"). Snow Patrol, meanwhile, gives the tinsel, the baubles, and all the other jolly trappings of Xmas a sideways glance with their alternative slow-roaster, "When I Get Home for Christmas". Whether our yule-pop stars are belting out covers or originals, their whiffs of fresh holiday cheer carry over into our Deep Cuts.

Our Christmas pop tunes are as unpredictable as a stack of well-wrapped presents — just ring the changes (and the bells) as you take in the synth-guided shuffle of Christina Aguilera's "This Year", the raw piano-backed passion of "Elvis Ain't Dead (Xmas Version)" by Scouting for Girls, the toasty chill-out of Groovecatcher's "O Come O Come Emmanuel", the unstoppable seasonal randiness of Girls Aloud on "I Wanna Kiss You So (Christmas In a Nutshell)", and the impeccable harmonies of pop's evergreen goodie-giving St. Nick, Cliff Richard ("Santa's List").

Nothing against the chestnut-roasting classics of Bing Crosby or Nat "King" Cole, but it doesn't hurt to hear a new Christmas song or cover tune from time to time — keeping things contemporary as you hang stockings by the fire or fill every crevice of this year's tree. To make sure there's something for everybody at your house this Xmas, we've pulled a staggering variety of songs from the past couple of decades, including several tracks from Top 40 favorites, like Destiny's Child, Christina Aguilera, *NSYNC, and Kelly Clarkson, as well as choice cuts of ska-punk (No Doubt), modern rock (Snow Patrol), and R&B (Babyface) that's smoother than a tub of crème de menthe ice cream.