Move over Johnny Mathis... Country icon Martina McBride has set her sights on one-upping you. And she just may have succeeded.

If you're anything like me, you took one look at the cover of this, and said, "A country star makes a Christmas album? Why is that in the Christian bookstores?" But it would be a crime to dismiss this quality album so quickly. Setting aside the fiddle, McBride has produced a holiday album that is traditional in every sense of the word. This sounds like the grand old classics that you'd put on in the background to give your Christmas party just the right atmosphere. The lush orchestrations, the classic arrangements, and McBride's smooth vocals make for just the right mix to make what could have been just another Christmas album into something special.

Top Picks: Hard to nail down just one -- the whole album's great.

Pros: Even though I don't usually go for secular artists (no disrespect, just not my cup of tea), I would definitely have no qualms about recommending this terrific album to anyone I know.

Cons: Absolutely nothing original or distinctive is found here.

The Verdict: My mom used to play Christmas records by Johnny Mathes and Perry Como, so this is right up my alley.