by Stephen Thomas ErlewineThe New Christy Minstrels' Merry Christmas! is a joyous seasonal album. The key to the record's success is that it doesn't rely on standards; the backbone of the record is comprised of original compositions or new tunes from outside writers. Such an approach means that there are no familiar tunes for the average contemporary listener, but that's exactly why it is entertaining. It's true that few of the songs even approach the quality of standards, but it is fun to hear fresh holiday tunes (even if they're decades old), and the entire project is a great folk-pop article from the early '60s.