Alternative Rock Xmas, various artists (Capitol)

This 2007 disc is mainly a trip through the vaults, but it's not bad for all that, even though fans probably have large numbers of the cuts on here. I personally have several copies of the Smithereens' "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," Dandy Warhols' "Little Drummer Boy," Sinead O'Connor's "Silent Night, Jimmy Eat World's "Christmas Card" and "12/23/95," and The Alarm's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)." But I definitely didn't have the two Decemberists' cuts here, "Angel Won't You Call Me" and "Please Daddy (Don't Get Drunk This Christmas)," Luscious Jackson's Gap commercial "Let It Snow," or The Specials' instrumental "Holiday Fortnight," which sounds more calypso than ska to these ears. Also on here are Marcy Playground's "Keegan's Christmas," Relient K's "In Like a Lion (Always Winter)," Starflyer 69's "Christmas Time Is Here," The Thrills' downtempo version of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," Dada's "My Baby Fell for Old St. Nick" and Everclear's male-voice take on "Santa Baby." Those without the resources to do mix discs could do worse than to grab this.