An Old-Fashioned Christmas is the second Christmas album and twelfth studio album by the American music duo Carpenters, released on October 26, 1984. It is also second posthumous release after the death of singer and drummer Karen Carpenter in 1983.
The album project had its genesis in six unused tracks featuring Karen's vocals from the Carpenters' previous Christmas album, 1978's Christmas Portrait. Richard Carpenter took these tracks and recorded new material of instrumental and choral music to make it into a full length album.[2] The album includes the slower version of "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town", a different version of which was previously released on Christmas Portrait.
Reissues
A 1984 expanded CD reissue of Christmas Portrait included eight tracks from An Old-Fashioned Christmas.
In 1996 a two-CD set, Christmas Collection, was issued containing both albums in their original running order.
Reception
Billboard noted "the duo's second Christmas album, following their gold Christmas
Portrait, consists of previously unreleased tracks, save for a shimmering version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." Although less consistent than the earlier set, this collection features several indispensable tracks with the late Karen Carpenter singing lead, most notably a heartbreaking "Little Altar Boy."[3]
Allmusic rated it four and a half stars out of five, noting that "their second Christmas album, with more of the soft sounds of the season, is made for mistletoe and someone you love."[4]
Track listing
All lead vocals by Karen Carpenter, except where noted; all tracks produced by Richard Carpenter except "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" by Jack Daugherty, R. Carpenter, and K. Carpenter.
