THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT is a nicely assembled anthology of holiday songs the Man in Black recorded over the years. There are no dates or musician credits here, but from the sound of it--especially the plethora of Jordanaires-style vocal backing--most of this dates from the mid-'60s. Highlights include the self-penned title song, in which Cash reminisces about spending Christmas in various foreign countries; "Christmas As I Knew It," a monologue about how the holiday felt while growing up poor; and a weird but interesting take on "The Little Drummer Boy" that pits Cash's sepulchural baritone against tribal drums, tremolo guitar, finger cymbals, and an angelic female chorus.