The Best Holiday Music – Vintage Firestone Christmas Albums

If you’re “of a certain age”, you remember the 1960s Firestone Christmas albums. We sometimes called them Julie Andrews Christmas albums because of her gorgeous voice singing “The Bells of Christmas” (Firestone Christmas Album 4) and many other songs.

Here’s a look at the history of these vintage Christmas albums, plus information on where you can buy them now. To me, they’re the absolute best Christmas music – the music I hear playing in my mind when someone says “Christmas carols”.

Firestone Christmas Albums – a Christmas Tradition Since 1960

Anyone who grew up during the 1960s and 1970s remembers the Firestone Christmas albums, and collecting Firestone Christmas albums is a great way to enjoy both traditional Christmas music and a bit of nostalgia.

The Firestone Tire Company has always linked its products to music and broadcasting, sponsoring radio programs in the 1920s and 1930s. In the 1960s, Firestone produced seven Christmas albums that became holiday favorites for families everywhere.

I love my collection of Firestone Christmas albums. My sisters and I have such fond memories of listening to them together in the early 1970s. We’d put them on while decorating the tree or baking cookies. A few years ago, I scoured flea markets and vintage stores, and found several which I packaged and mailed to my sisters for Christmas. They still talk about it – that’s how much both the albums and the memories mean to us.

Why not play these albums for your children or grandchildren and create new memories?

About the Firestone Christmas Records

The seven Firestone Christmas records are easy to identify . Each album cover featured a cleverly designed Christmas-present look as if the record album is wrapped in holiday paper and tied with a velvet bow. Inside, the record albums sported red and green labels and a mixture of choirs and soloists. On the reverse side of the album cover, the lyrics are included so you and your family can sing along.

Each of the seven albums also featured the Firestone Orchestra and chorus. Gene Forrell, an award-winning composer and conductor, conducted most of the music on all seven albums. Irwin Kostal produced many of the orchestrations, and vocal arrangements are by George Wilkins. The albums were produced in both stereo and High Fidelity and are indicated as ‘for use on all Stereo and Hi-Fi phonographs.’

Artists on the Albums

The albums featured popular artists, choirs and Broadway stars, including:

• Julie Andrews – nothing says Christmas like Julie Andrews singing “Away in a Manger” and the “Bells of Christmas,” among other favorites
• Leontyne Price – opera great Leonytne Price sang “O Holy Night” on Volume 7 as well as many other selections. Her beautiful voice soars on “O Holy Night”, making Volume 7 a very popular one in the series.
• Rise Stevens – another famous opera singer recorded Christmas music in the series, adding her famous voice to “What Child Is This” on Volume 1.
• Vic Damone – a popular crooner of the 1940s and 50s. I love his rendition of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” on Volume 4.

Other Artists

Guest conductors in the series included Andre Previn, best known as a jazz pianist but an excellent conductor and composer too. The Columbus Boys Choir and other choirs also contributed to the series. The Vienna Choir Boys and The Young Americans also provided choral arrangements to Firestone Christmas Album 7 (The Vienna Choir Boys) and Firestone Christmas Album 4 (The Young Americans)

How Many Firestone Christmas Records Were Made?

Seven albums total were produced in the series. After the seven Firestone Christmas Albums, Firestone again produced some Christmas albums in the 1970s, featuring popular stars of the day. They were not branded with the Firestone logo except for a small sticker on the outer shrink wrap.

Are OId-Fashioned Christmas Albums Out of Style?

Why collect old record albums like the Firestone Christmas records?

For some of us, Christmas isn’t Christmas without listening to at least one of these record albums.

Many people in the Baby Boomer and later generations had the Firestone record albums as their soundtrack playing while they opened their Christmas presents. Others simply long for Traditional Christmas music. Tired of weird renditions of old favorites, they turn to the Firestone Christmas albums for the good old-fashioned choir, soloist and orchestra they remember.

Where to Find and Buy Firestone Christmas Albums

While the albums have long since been discontinued, the good news is that the old 33 rpm records are easy to find at thrift stores, flea markets, antique malls, eBay and other auction sites. They are also inexpensive, and you can usually pick them up for under $10 each.

I have found albums to give as gifts or add to my collection in the following places:

• eBay
• Etsy
• Yard Sales
• Vintage Stores
• Flea Markets
• Amazon

Watch the prices on eBay, Etsy, and Amazon. Sellers often price them very high, thinking they are rare. They are not. Beloved, yes, rare, no. You can easily find most of them secondhand.

What about Mp3s? As far as I know, any digital copies sold online are bootleg. Firestone discontinued the album long before CDs and MP3s became popular. Buyer beware.

For me, I need to hear the snap, crackle, and pop of long-loved, dusty, scratched vinyl to feel like I am really listening to the old Christmas music. There’s something so comforting about hearing an old vinyl record on the stereo. I treasure my collection. You will, too, if you add the original vinyl.

So as you’re addressing your Christmas cards, wrapping presents, or baking cookies, be sure to find your old Firestone Christmas albums or pick up a few to enjoy. The sounds of Christmas will fill your home, making you nostalgic for simpler times.