Where to Buy Vintage Christmas Song Records

Thinking back to childhood days, I can still recall the thrill I felt when I pulled out an old Columbia recording of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, one featuring Gene Autry. Listening to the music and story was only part of the pleasure. Holding the cover of the record in my hands and scanning the artwork on the front and back was also a thrill. A few years ago, we bought a record player and started collecting vintage records again. We didn't have to do this, of course, not when traditional music, including Christmas carols and musical specials, could easily be found on CD. But somehow the sight of an old-fashioned record player spinning Christmas carols seemed to fit perfectly with the crackling fire, snow-covered trees outside our house and the smell of holly in the air. All we needed was a glass of eggnog to create the perfect holiday scene.

Collecting vintage Christmas records isn't hard to do - if you know where to find them

While it may seem baffling to try and find collectible or older holiday music, there are plenty of stores and venues that sell music from the 30s, 40s and 50s. You just need to know where to look - and the pros and cons of each venue. Here's a quick rundown on the some stores and other places to find vintage Christmas records.

Try looking for classic Christmas records at Half Price bookstores or used book dealers

Antique or collectible records at a bookstore? Absolutely! Our Half Price bookstore routinely carries older Christmas records. I've seen albums featuring Bing Crosby singing White Christmas as well as singers such as Dean Martin, Judy Garland and Elvis Presley. You might even find collection of Christmas music by the Osmond Family or Motown classics, including those from The Jackson Brothers, with the now infamous Michael Jackson.Of course, there isn't any telling what you'll find at a used bookstore or Half Priced books but searching is really a huge part of the fun. You can find locations here: www.halfpricebooks.com/