I second Jim's nomination of the John Marks discs, but I also like the Cantus recordings Comfort and Joy Vols I & II. What I like about the Cantus discs is the variety of styles, ranging from ancient music to silly reworkings of carols ("Deck the Halls").[p]I'm assuming that Keith Richards' version of "Run Rudolph, Run" isn't what you had in mind by "classic."

Forgot to say that I also like some of the Christmas Revels CDs, especially The Christmas Revels and Wassail, Wassail. As someone who has had a sore abdomen for days after every John Roberts and Tony Barrand concert I've ever attended, I'll just have to order Just Say Nowell

http://revels.bizland.com/store/page9.html

Though some (I, for one) might refer to Vince Guaraldi's "Charlie Brown Christmas" as a classic, I suspect that isn't what you're looking for, Jim. The two volumes of "Comfort and Joy" have already been recommended. Here, therefore, are some other suggestions:

FOR THE VINYL CROWD: "A Nonesuch Christmas" Nonesuch 71232
Baroque, Renaissance and Middle Ages works - Bach etc.

"Christmas at the Bachs" Pro Arte PAL 1085
Tolzer Boy's Chior, Frans Bruggen, Gustav Leonhardt, etal

"Christmas with Ivan Hebroff" CBS Masterworks
Regensburger Domspatzen Choir and Orchestra

FOR THE CD SET: "A Festival of Carols in Brass" CBS MK7033
Philadelphia Brass Ensemble

Handel's "Messiah" CBS MYK38481
Bernstein, Westminster Choir, NY Philharmonic

"On Yoolis Night" Harmonia Mundi 90799
Medieval carols and motets

"A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert" Sony SK48235
Kathleen Battle, Frederica von Stade, Winton Marsalis,

"Christmas Favorites of the Worlds Favorite Tenors"
Sony MFK 53725
Carreras, Domingo, Pavarottti

"Favorite Carols from Kings" EMI 7112 Four CDs
Choir of Kings College - Cambridge

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.