The Muppets have sung with so many people over the years, from Elton John to Tony Bennett, yet it has always seemed like their performances with John Denver were somehow the perfect match. Christmas Together is a delightful–what else?–sing-along collection of Christmas favorites as performed by Denver and the Muppets ensemble. While the usual suspects have more than their say here–Kermit, Miss Piggy–the standout piece is "Twelve Days of Christmas." What could be better than a Muppet a day? Denver leads the critters through a tender "Silent Night," which comes couched in a medley that closes with a rousing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." "Deck the Halls" is equally raucous–about as raucous as Muppets can get. Listen for the subtle lyric adaptations and the witty exchanges between Denver and his minstrels. Definitely not just for kids.

Another installment in Collectables' The Ultimate Christmas Album series, volume four gathers a mix of well-known and offbeat holiday tunes, including Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas," the Platters' "Winter Wonderland," and Perry Como's "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas." Brook Benton's "You're All I Want for Christmas," Percy Faith's "Christmas Is," and Otis Redding's "Merry Christmas Baby" are some of the collection's soulful highlights, while Santo & Johnny's "Twistin' Bells" and Stan Freberg's "Christmas Dragnet" add some novelty to the festivities. Though it's a somewhat uneven collection, The Ultimate Christmas Album, Vol. 4: WCBS 101.1 has enough interesting and classic moments to make it worthwhile for anyone looking to go beyond the season's basic music.