The first track ( O Tannenbaum) couldn’t be more fitting, and once you get to Linus and Lucy, you will have found your groove. I don’t recommend listening to music while you’re getting the tree screwed into the base or making sure it’s all “even” (it never will be), but once you’re ready to decorate, cue up the soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas (Vince Guaraldi, 1965). You’re almost guaranteed to make some kind of mistake the question is whether you’re just going to break an ornament or knock the whole thing over. Putting up a Christmas tree is risky business.

Here are my favorites for every mood and taste. Every year, we add at least a couple more albums to the Christmas collection at my house, and many of these have become essential.

But during the couple of weeks leading up to the main event, nothing gets me in the holiday spirit like Christmas music. I can’t stand those tacky Hallmark Channel made-for-TV Christmas movies they’ve been torturing us with since July, and I definitely disapprove of Yuletide decorations before December.

Best holiday albums of all time