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From Herb Alpert’s Latin flair to Stryper’s heavy holiday vibes, this year’s Christmas album lineup has something for everyone. With fresh takes on classics and standout originals, which of these 2025 releases will make your holiday playlist sparkle? Los Angeles (tca/dpa) – We love those classic Christmas recordings. And we cherish the chance to hear Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, Barbra Streisand, the Beach Boys, Darlene Love and other greats sing these standards each and every Christmas season. Yet, we also like to spice things up and add some new voices to our holiday playlist. Thankfully, we never have any shortage of contenders trying to make the cut. That’s because there are dozens upon dozens ofnew Christmas albums released each season. We’ve combed through the offerings and have come up with what we consider to be the best of the bunch. Here are our picks for the top 10new Christmas albums for 2025: 1. “On This Winter’s Night: Volume 2,” Lady A The country act’s first seasonal offering, 2012’s “On This Winter’s Night,” was a joyous affair that included sparkling versions of such Christmas classics as “The First Noel” and “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” Thirteen years later, the platinum-plus-selling Nashville trio — consisting of lead vocalists Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley as well as the multi-talented Dave Haywood — returns with an equally good follow-up record. This second installment, in what hopefully will grow into a lengthy series, includes solid takes on “O Holy Night,” “Winter Wonderland” and other favorites. It also features guest appearances from Ricky Skaggs on “Why We Sing Noel” and Chris Tomlin on an absolutely gorgeous version of “Silent Night.” Listen to: “Silent Night” (featuring Chris Tomlin) 2. “Greatest Gift of All,” Stryper The holidays are about to get heavy — but in the right way — as powerhouse metal act Stryper finally releases its first-ever Christmas album. The SoCal outfit, best known for the platinum-selling ‘80s offering “To Hell with the Devil,” thoroughly rocks us around the Christmas tree as it thunders through a mix of holiday classics and originals. As far as the latter goes, we are really enjoying turning up the volume on “Still the Light” — which features some blistering guitar work from Michael Sweet and Oz Fox — and the Black Sabbath-esque “On This Holy Night.” Truly great stuff from Christian metal’s most legendary band. Listen to: “Still the Light” 3. “Greatest Hits Christmas,” LeAnn Rimes The country crooner — blessed with one of the finest singing voices in the history of the genre — has a long history with holiday recordings. It began in the mid-‘90s when she recorded “Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart” as a promotional/bonus single for her blockbuster major-label debut, “Blue,” and has continued through the years. This generous collection, which is big enough to warrant a double-LP release for vinyl fans, gathers up so many of her classic Christmas recordings — “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” to “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” — as well as three new cuts. Collectively, these songs serve to underscore that Rimes stands among the greatest Christmas music interpreters of the last 30 years. Listen to: “Little Drummer Boy” 4. “Let Me Carry You This Christmas,” Darius de Haas The versatile vocalist has quite a track record in the theater world, having appeared in Broadway productions of “Rent,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “Carousel,” “Marie Christine” and other plays. He’s also fashioned an impressive career as a concert/recording artist, performing with both the Boston and Cincinnati pops orchestras and releasing a number of albums. Now, he’s making his mark in the seasonal music realm with this 11-track outing. He’s blessed with a beautiful voice — which many know from him doing the singing parts for the character of Shy Baldwin on Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” — and he puts it to great use on “The First Noel,” “Silent Night” and other holiday tunes. Listen to: “Who Would Imagine a King” 5. “Come Home for Christmas,” Matthew West The contemporary Christian singer-songwriter, who gave voice to such chart-topping hits as “More,” “You Are Everything,” “Hello, My Name Is,” “Grace Wins,” “Broken Things” and “The God Who Stays,” is inviting music lovers to “Come Home for Christmas.” This eight-song offering follows is yet another Christmastime delight for West, who previously recorded “The Heart of Christmas” in 2011 and “We Need Christmas” in 2021. The set is a mix of original tunes and holiday standards. And, as an added bonus, it even includes a “kids version” of West’s excellent Thanksgiving ode “Gobble Gobble.” Listen to: “Because of Bethlehem” 6. “Nollaig — A Christmas Journey,” Celtic Woman These PBS favorites originally came together for a one-off performance in Dublin, Ireland, in 2004 and are still going strong 21 years later. And now they are embarking on “A Christmas Journey.” It is not — to put it mildly — their first such journey. Celtic Woman, which some have described as “’Riverdance’ for the voice,” has released approximately 215,334 seasonal albums over the years. Or it could be 215,335 — since the group might have released another since I started writing this. The reason the collective keeps releasing holiday platters — and the reason we keep buy them — is that it does a really good job with the Christmas songbook. And that’s certainly the case, once again, with this fine collection of wintery tunes. Listen to: “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” 7. “Christmas Time Is Here,” Herb Alpert The legendary trumpeter — who turned 90 earlier this year — has delivered such a gorgeous set of Latin-flavored holiday songs with “Christmas Time Is Here.” The collection of mostly instrumentals kicks off with a true jaw-dropper — with Alpert pouring such emotion and feeling into a softly held version of “Feliz Navidad” — and then continues to shine through such Christmas classics as “White Christmas,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Sleigh Ride.” Of course, this is not the first holiday rodeo for Alpert, who achieved massive success with 1968’s “Christmas Album” — recorded with his Tijuana Brass band — and then followed up with the well-received “Christmas Wish” some 50 years later. Listen to: “Feliz Navidad” 8. “Christmas,” Natalie Grant A lot has happened since this Seattle native released her first seasonal offering — “Believe” — in 2005. For starters, she won a mind-blowing four consecutive Dove Awards for female vocalist of the year from 2006-2009. (And then she’d add a fifth such trophy to her collection in 2012.) Twenty years after “Believe,” Grant returns with “Christmas,” another gorgeous set of holiday favorites (“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Winter Wonderland,” etc.) and other tunes. We especially love her work with MercyMe’s Bart Millard on “Silent Night.” Listen to: “Silent Night” 9. “Snow Globe Town,” Brad Paisley “Brad Paisley Christmas” was a fine holiday affair, filled with cool covers of seasonal staples (“Silent Night,” “Winter Wonderland,” etc.) as well as a few more unorthodox selections (notably, the PC-diss-track “Kung Pao Buckaroo Holiday”). The country music star’s long-awaited follow-up — coming 19 years after that first 2006 Christmas outing — is another intriguing platter that mixes tradition and novelty. Paisley, a decent vocalist and excellent guitarist, sounds like he’s having a blast on “That Crazy Elf (On the Shelf),” “A Marshmallow World” and other fun tunes. Yet, listeners are likely to enjoy his work on the slower numbers even more. Listen to: “The First N…

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New York (tca/dpa) – Fiddy is making good on his promise to expose Diddy. Hip-hop superstarCurtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s eagerly anticipated documentary aboutSean “Diddy” Combs will finally see the light of day two years after the project was announced. Netflix is set to release “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” globally on December 2, the streamer confirmed on Tuesday. The four-part series — directed by Alexandria Stapleton and executive produced by 50 Cent — is described by the streaming giant as “a staggering examination of the media mogul, music legend and convicted offender.” The documentary will feature new interviews with “those formerly in Combs’ orbit,” according to Tuesday’s announcement. It also promises to “(tell) the story of a powerful, enterprising man and the gilded empire he built — and the underworld that lay just beneath its surface.” In a teaser also released on Tuesday,former Bad Boy Records rapper Mark Curry is heard saying: “You can’t continue to keep hurting people and nothing ever happens. It’s just a matter of time.” Combs was found guilty in July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, following a nine-week trial in which his ex-girlfriend,R&B singer Cassie Ventura, served as the star witness . Last month, hebegan serving his four-year federal prison sentence at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey. He’s also currently facing a barrage of civil lawsuits connected to sexual misconduct allegations as he attempts to appeal his conviction and sentence. “This isn’t just about the story of Sean Combs or the story of Cassie, or the story of any of the victims, or the allegations against him, or the trial,” said Stapleton, whose previous credits include documentaries on Reggie Jackson, Chelsea Handler andJonBenét Ramsey . “Ultimately, this story is a mirror (reflecting us) as the public, and what we are saying when we put our celebrities on such a high pedestal,” she continued. “I hope [this documentary] is a wake-up call for how we idolize people, and to understand that everybody is a human being.” 50 Cent, meanwhile, said he’s “grateful to everyone who came forward and trusted us with their stories,” adding that he’s proud to have Stapleton to “bring this important story to the screen.” The “In Da Club ” rapper has hadlong-standing beef with Diddy , dating back to the 2006 diss track “The Bomb,” in which 50 accused Combs of having something to do with the 1997 murder of the Notorious B.I.G. The feud has continued ever since through social media jabs and rival business ventures. Actress, model and entrepreneurDaphne Joy, who shares a son with 50 Cent, was also named as one of Diddy’s “sex worker[s]” in alawsuit filed by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones . 50 Cent has said he suspected Combs’ alleged illegal behavior for years and that the documentary was already in the works prior toDiddy’s arrest in September 2024 . The following information is not intended for publication tca dpa coh

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Hand-sized, colourful plus a loving message – these playful cakes are popular, selling like – well – hotcakes, partly thanks to social media. Even novice bakers can create beautiful, sweet surprises. Berlin (dpa) – They're creative, look impressive and come from the heart: Bento cakes. These South Korean mini cakes have long since spread beyond Asia thanks to social media. While only palm-sized, they offer everything a large cake does, including a base, filling, coating and decoration. They often feature a short message to the recipient. A buttery "Love yourself" or an apologetic "Oops" are words that come from the heart. "In South Korea, people love colourful, playful and cute things," says Man Ahn Büschges, master confectioner and operator of an online bakery. No wonder that the trend started there. The name "bento" is derived from the Japanese bento boxes, those lovingly assembled lunch boxes that enjoy cult status in large parts of Asia. Photos of bento cakes and videos of people surprised when opening a box are often shared on social media, but bento cakes don't need an online audience. "They are easy for anyone to make and are a great gift," says Marid Lubenow, author and food blogger. Instagram-worthy bento cakes are relatively easy to bake at home, with manageable effort and no need for professional equipment. One batter, two creams plus imagination "Patience is the most important ingredient," says Lubenow. "Allow more time than you think you'll need," says Büschges, because it's crucial for success that the cake is well chilled between each step. The typical bento cake is a layer cake. For beginners, sponge mixtures are suitable, which are given an interesting flavour by special ingredients. Lubenow bakes a chai cake with spices like vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom. She also likes to add a little olive oil to her Italian orange cake. If you don't have a mini baking tin with a diameter of 8-12 cm, you can use an existing baking tin and cut circles out of a larger base. Once the cake base has been baked and cooled, the filling and coating, also known as frosting, are prepared. "Mousse fillings are particularly popular. They are light and less sweet," says Büschges. She offers cakes with three sponge bases and two mousse fillings. "Sponge cake stacks well and a finger-width layer of mousse keeps the cake stable," says Büschges. If the layers are too thick, the cake could break when carried. For those trying their hand at frosting for the first time, Lubenow recommends American buttercream or icing. Cream cheese frosting, Swiss meringue or ganache are more elaborate. Small mistakes when applying the frosting can be corrected. If crumbs get into the cream or the frosting is uneven, chill the cake and frosting again. Later, add a second layer on top to create a clean and smooth coating. Helpful tools, but not essential, are a turntable and a palette knife for spreading the cream. Icing on the cake and kind words Once the cake is covered with frosting, put it back into the fridge, because the artistic piping decorations work best when it is well chilled. Lubenow advises first trying out the piping nozzle on a plate. Now put the test cream back into the nozzle and, once cooled again, use it to decorate the cake. "With a little patience, it will turn out fine and the cake will look homemade," says Lubenow. It takes some courage and skill to write a message on the tiny cake. Büschges advises, "Write with the base colour of the icing. If you make a mistake, just smooth it out again." When you are happy with the result, write over it with the coloured cream. Another tip from Lubenow: write on baking paper with liquid chocolate and place the lettering on the cake later. It doesn't always have to be a layer cake. "The cake should look good and taste good to the recipient," says Lubenow, who makes a New York cheesecake and a lemon tart in bento style. Even vegan versions are possible, such as a courgette bento cake. Now the packaging There is a trick to lifting the finished cake into the box without destroying the work of art. At the very beginning, the bottom layer is placed on a piece of baking paper cut to size. You can lift the cake by grabbing the protruding corners. "If brown baking paper doesn't work, I use white sandwich paper," says Büschges. You can order a wide selection of suitable boxes online. Or "just ask at your local snack bar if you can buy a burger box," says Lubenow. And what to do with the cake scraps left over from cutting out the shapes? If you haven't already nibbled them away while baking, you can use them to make cake pralines or layered desserts in a glass. You can find inspiration for bento cakes everywhere. Lubenow finds new flavour combinations or exciting ingredients while shopping. She also gets ideas from cafés or friends, which she incorporates into her creations. Büschges also uses social media as a source of inspiration. She gets ideas for the visual design of the cakes from interior design websites. "Interior photos provide trendy ideas," says Büschges. So, with a little creativity and a lot of patience, anyone can bake little works of art that make someone's heart beat a little bit faster. In the end, it's not the perfect photo that counts, but the smile on someone's face. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn ode bzl cwg loe xxde arw coh

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)