Poster John Birge
John Birge
YourClassical MPR

YourClassical Christmas Favorites 2025: John Birge's picks

It's time for YourClassical's Christmas Favorites. We need your help spreading holiday warmth and cheer this year by selecting up to 10 of your favorite carols.

Six YourClassical hosts — Jake Armerding, John Birge, Tom Crann, Vernon Neal, Melissa Ousley, and Lynne Warfel — have each chosen five of their favorite carols.

Here are John Birge’s picks, with an audio player to sample:

John Rutter What Sweeter Music
Cambridge Singers

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'What Sweeter Music'

 

Traditional Wexford Carol
Bryn Terfel, baritone

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'Wexford Carol'

 

Paul Lohman What Child
VocalEssence Singers and Chorus

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'What Child'

 

Gustav Holst In the Bleak Midwinter
Shawn Colvin

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'In the Bleak Midwinter'

 

Harry Belafonte The Gifts They Gave
Harry Belafonte

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'The Gifts They Gave'

Voting for YourClassical’s Christmas Favorites ends at midnight on Sunday, Dec. 7, so don’t delay!

Find the YourClassical Christmas Favorites Voting Page here.

All voters can enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets for MN Opera’s opening night of My Name is Florence at the Luminary Arts Center in Minneapolis at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31.

Then grab some eggnog and join us live for a one-hour special with hosts Tom Crann and Jake Armerding on Thursday, Dec. 18, to hear the top 10 holiday songs, as chosen by you.

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