Acts both big, small get in on tradition

romance, a little reverence, a little a cappella harmonizing, a little tradition and a little contemporary sensibility. A little goes a long way.

Elvis Presley with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

“ELVIS CHRISTMAS” (Legacy)

The music-business elves who just can’t let the King of Rock rest are at it again, this time posthumously grafting strings, horns and celestial choirs onto a baker’s dozen of his beloved Yuletide recordings. The idea is best-suited to the vintage carols and prerock holiday standards, as it verges on the intrusive with the bluesier numbers such as “Merry Christmas Baby,” “Blue Christmas” and “Santa Claus Is Back in Town.”

Sia

“EVERYDAY IS CHRISTMAS” (Monkey Puzzle/Atlantic)

Australia’s quirky singer, songwriter and performance artist takes her first holiday album seriously — in concept, anyway. She and collaborator Greg Kurstin have written 10 songs and they bring effervescent energy to dance-minded tracks such as “Santa’s Coming For Us” and the Phil Spector-inspired “Candy Cane Lane” while investing real sincerity into more introspective numbers such as “Snowflake” and “Underneath the Mistletoe.”

Gwen Stefani

“YOU MAKE IT FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS” (Interscope)

The No Doubt singersongwriter infuses her effervescent spirit into a handful of originals that she mixes with fresh spins on “Jingle Bells,” “Silent Night” and “Let It Snow.” Naturally there’s a duet with her beau, Blake Shelton, on the sweetly romantic title track, which she co-wrote.

Various artists

The Americana label has pulled together spirited recordings largely of material pulled from deep in the repository of seasonal music. Any collection that opens with a version of “O Holy Night” by the group Murder By Death is off to a great start.

“13 DAYS OF XMAS” (Bloodshot)