Like many people, I’m a fan of “Celtic Woman,” the enchanting sopranos and magical violin player that have been performing throughout America over the last year. If you were lucky enough to catch their PBS special, you know what I’m talking about! These Irish lasses are captivating to say the least.

I recently received a copy of their newly released Christmas CD, entitled “Celtic Woman – A Christmas Celebration.” I was hopeful, after all, these ladies had already proven their worth as performers, yet part of me wondered what they could possibly do to songs that had already been redone hundreds of times already. Let’s face it, folks, sometimes we all get tired of hearing the same old carols over and over, no matter how nicely they are redone.

So with an open mind, I loaded the CD onto my iPod, and started listening. And, I found myself pleasantly surprised. There are a total of 15 tracks on the CD (the 15th track being a bonus track).

The songs include:
O Holy Night:
Away in a Manger
Ding Dong Merrily on High
White Christmas
Silent Night
Christmas Pipes
The Christmas Song
Carol of the Bells
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Panis Angelicus
Don Oiche Ud I Mbeithil (That Night In Bethlehem)
O Come All Ye Faithful
The Little Drummer Boy
The Wexford Carol
Let It Snow!

The more traditional carols are very nicely redone, my favorite being “O Holy Night” which features all five ladies. One of my other favorites would have to be Christmas Pipes (again, featuring all five ladies), which is a song I’ve never heard. It’s playful, and brings to mind gatherings with family and friends, kissing under the mistletoe, and sipping hot buttered rum on snowy evenings. Panis Angelicus (once covered by Pavarotti and Sting) is absolutely beautiful, and Don Oiche Ud I Mbeithil (another of my favorites) is so tender and sweet, that it brought tears to my eyes.

Máiréad (who reminds me a bit of a beautiful blonde pixie) is the fiddle player, and she is a former all Ireland fiddle champion. Her talents are put to good use on this CD. Méav, who once played Erin the Goddess in Lord of the Dance, shines (I especially love her vocals on the “The Wexford Carol”); Orla is a captivating harpist, as well as a fabulous singer; Lisa Kelly is actually also a very talented actress, and provides beautiful vocals (I really like her version of “The Christmas Song”), and Chloe Agnew, who is a wee 16 years old provides vocals that are both beautiful and enchanting.

I would have to say that this is one of my favorite Christmas CDs ever; the vocals are stunning, the fiddle playing is magical, the background music is enthralling, and the arrangements do not disappoint. I would highly recommend “Celtic Woman – A Christmas Celebration” to anyone who wants to make their holidays more magical and enchanting.