seasonal music to accompany the downing of Egg Nog and the opening of presents.

The outstanding Christmas release for 1993 is "The Bermuda Christmas Collection'', featuring June Ventzos and two dozen local entertainers.

Transcending all musical categories, this long-awaited project is on the shelves in time to add a local dimension to the celebrations.

In R&B and Soul , The Sound of Blackness's "The Night Before Christmas'' is a highly listenable gospel/soul "musical fantasy'' by the 41-member band, a mix of classics and originals which would bear listening at any time of the year.

Motown has re-released Christmas records by Stevie Wonder, and the Jackson Five. The best of the bunch is "Give Love At Christmas'' by the Temptations, which was first released in 1980.

The most in-demand Christmas offering will likely be "Christmas Interpretations'', an all-new album by Boyz II Men. The band's growing talent and self-confidence shines through every track, to make this another album which might reward year-long play.

Also in this category, The O'Jays are "Home For Christmas'', and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir remind us that "It's Christmas''.

A goodly number of Pop artists have released Yule product.

Gloria Estefan opts for the traditional approach on "Christmas Through Your Eyes'', as does Broadway producer David Foster, who has gathered on his "The Christmas Album'' an all-star line-up including Johnny Mathis, Natalie Cole, Tom Jones, Michael Crawford, and Vanessa Williams.

Carnie and Wendy Wilson (of Wilson Phillips) chart a poppier course on their "Hey Santa!'', but the pick of the crop is a lush collection by pianist and vocalist Harry Connick, Jr., accompanied by 162 musicians and vocalists, entitled "When My Heart Finds Christmas'' -- a welcome stocking stuffer for just about anyone.

New Kids on the Block's "Merry Merry Christmas'' will please the teenage set.

Seasonal reggae albums sell out first in Bermuda, and among a smaller batch than usual, "Reggae Christmas'', a collection from the Joe Gibbs Family of Artists, seems set to move even faster than the rest. Dennis Brown and Sly and Robbie head an impressive list of performers on this enormously accessible effort.

Carlene Davis's "Christmas Reggae Rock'' is the other standout in a field which, this year, comprises mostly re-releases.

Another surprisingly small group this year is the Jazz field, but the GRP label has issued three records sampling all the artists on the label. Any one of these discs would warm a jazz fan's heart.

Those only in the market for one Christmas album should opt for "The Bermuda Collection''. But one other album is equally worthy, by Nat King Cole: "The Christmas Song'' is a timeless and wonderful sample of the man's astonishing vocal prowess. If he has, down the years, become synonymous with Christmas, this album suggests 14 incomparable reasons why.

*** CDs were supplied by, and are available from, Music World in the Bermudiana Arcade.

WHERE THERE'S A WILSON... there's usually a Phillips, but on "Hey Santa!'', Brian's daughters Wendy and Carnie are going it alone.

CHRISTMAS WITH CONNICK -- Accompanied by a full orchestra, occasional Bermuda visitor Harry Connick Jr.'s "When My Heart Finds Christmas'' is just the tonic for the Yule season.