Hallmark's classy offering is "Listen! It's Christmas." Johnny Mathis teams up with CeCe Winans and The London Symphony Orchestra - but, fans of Johnny (or of CeCe), be warned, it's not ALL him (or her) - not even all Johnny and CeCe together.
The opener has the two teamed up for "Happy Holiday," and they join forces - er, voices - again for "O Come All Ye Faithful," but that's the extent of the duets.
The second tune is Johnny alone doing "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year." Wow!
There are three other tunes where you get Johnny and the orchestra without CeCe, "White Christmas," "Silent Night" and "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen."
CeCe does a jazzy "Deck the Hall," "O Little Town of Bethlehem," "Away in a Manger," and closes the CD with "Joy to the World."
The Orchestra alone performs "He Is Born," and there is a performance of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by the Bradford Singers.
An excellent CD, though I'd have liked more of Johnny Mathis... of course, Johnny DOES have other Christmas CD's of his own - Merry Christmas, Christmas Music Of Johnny Mathis, Christmas With Johnny Mathis and Christmas Eve
CeCe fans - so does she - His Gift, and with BeBe, First Christmas ...those not familiar with her, she's been heard mostly as half of BeBe & CeCe Winans, a Grammy winner as well as a Dove award winner. CeCe has done several solo albums though... Her own site is at www.cecewinans.com; London Symphony fans - The Nutcracker & Other Orchesral Christmas Music is available from them, and they prformed on last year's Hallmark CD with Natalie Cole.

Natalie Cole is the 1998 featured artist. It opens with the sole "duet" with Nat King Cole here, on "The Christmas Song," which is most closely identified with her dad.
The London Symphony Orchestra accompanies Natalie on "O Tannenbaum," a lively "The Twelve Days Of Christmas," "Hark The Herald Angels Sing," "Christmas Waltz" and "Sweet Little Jesus Boy." The London Symphony Orchestra performs an instrumental version of "Silver Bells," "Silent Night" with a choir and "Gesu Bambino." St. Davids Cathedral Choir round it out with three others, including "What Child Is This?" and "Ding Dong Merrily On High."

1996 and 1997 ? I warned you these disappear fast.

Anyone who thought of Glenn Close just as a superior actress (and she certainly is that!) - this CD will show you she is quite a singer as well. Placido Domingo is my favorite of "The Three Tenors," and more approachable from a "pop" perspective for me, albeit via Latin American offerings. Matching Glenn Close with Placido Domingo kind of balanced the classical / operatic with lighter fare, but by no means lightweight. She's wonderful!
Glenn and Placido actually duet on only one song, "Joy To The World." Placido Domingo does "Gesu Bambino," "Ave Maria," and "It's Christmas All Over The World." Glenn Close sings "I'll Be Home For Christmas," "Deck The Hall," "For All The World, It's Christmas Time," a "Silent Night Medley," and closes the CD with "Ding Dong Merrily On High." The London Symphony Orchestra plays behind them, as well as perform three other carols with the Ambrosian Singers.

Remember, the stores' exclusive collections from prior years are ocassionally available in some stores - or though classified ads, garage sales or used CD stores.