The 12 concerts of Christmas: A dozen ways to hear your favorite carols in Austin

It's time to make merry, and no holiday has a better built-in soundtrack than Christmas. From country carols to soulful jazz and conjunto grooves, here's a selection of shows to make your holidays sing.

Dec. 3: KUT/KUTX Holiday Sing-Along and Downtown Stroll at the Capitol lawn

An Austin classic returns as DJs from Austin’s public radio stations KUT 90.5 FM and KUTX 98.9 FM lead Austinites in a festive evening of caroling that culminates in the lighting of the Texas Capitol Christmas tree. The dazzling conifer features 137,000 LED lights programmed to flash along to tunes by Austin artists like Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel and Vallejo, at the top and bottom of each hour.

Stroll South Congress Avenue and take in an hour of live music at 5 p.m., then gather at the Capitol for the sing-along at 6 p.m. Radio hosts Elizabeth McQueen, Miles Bloxson, Deidre Gott, Susan Castle, Laurie Gallardo, Jacquie Fuller and Taylor Wallace will lead the songs. The event will include a tribute to Austin radio icon John Aielli, who kicked off the tradition in the 1980s. Aielli died in July. Complimentary keepsake songbooks will be available while supplies last. (Note: Due to construction at the Capitol, this year’s singalong will take place in front of the tree.) Free. Info: kut.org.

More:Where to see Christmas lights in Austin and Central Texas in 2022

Dec. 3: 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' at Stateside at the Paramount

Indulge in nostalgia and create memories for the next generation as the Austin Chamber Music Center performs the timeless tunes from Vince Guaraldi’s wistful soundtrack to the 1965 holiday television special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Pianist Michelle Schumann, bassist Utah Hamrick and drummer David Sierra will recreate Guaraldi’s trio sound alongside special guest artists. The family-friendly event has three performances at 11 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. $25-$40. Info: austintheatre.org

Dec. 7: Jazz at Lincoln Center's Big Band Holidays at the Paramount

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will be joined by six-time Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Dianne Reeves and rising star Samara Joy, whose 2022 album “Linger Awhile” is up for a Grammy. Together they will present an evening of swinging and soulful recreations of your favorite holiday tunes. The orchestra will flip the classics with improvisational breaks and the group also promises entertaining storytelling. $25-$75. Info: austintheatre.org.

Dec. 7: Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the Moody Center

In the mid-1990s, rock opera enthusiast and Aerosmith collaborator Paul O’Neill put the wheels in motion to create the jaw-dropping holiday spectacle of light and sound that we now know as Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The group began touring in 1999 with a goal, O’Neill says on the band’s website, to create a show "as over the top as we can make it. We have two stages – with pyro, light and lasers – on both sides of the arena, as well as in the crowd and the best sound we can find.” This tour celebrates the 25th anniversary of the band’s debut album, “Christmas Eve and Other Stories.” $59.50 and up. Info: moodycenteratx.com.

Dec. 9:-10: Graham Reynolds Ruins the Holidays at the Long Center

Happy holidays are for chumps. With this show, now in its fifth year, the acclaimed composer wreaks havoc on your holiday favorites. He wrings the merriment from joyous carols with raucous arrangements in minor keys. Reynolds will be joined by a 10-piece band that includes trombone heavy Andre Hayward and master accordionist Stefano Intelisano from Italy. $37. Info: thelongcenter.org.

Dec. 13: A Merry-Achi Christmas with Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández

In his storied career, Hernández, a fifth-generation mariachi artist, has collaborated with everyone from Tejano sensation Selena to the Beach Boys. He considers himself an ambassador of mariachi music and has launched multiple initiatives to inspire a love of traditional Mexican music among the next generation. Trumpet in hand, he commands a tight-knit ensemble of a dozen players as they deliver the drama and romance of mariachi music to audiences around the world. $29-$49. Info: acl-live.com.

Dec. 14: A Geraldine’s Christmas with Tje Austin and Midnight Snack

R&B singer Austin, a master baker and former contestant on the NBC singing show “The Voice,” spends months planning his yearly holiday shindig. To make this year’s show extra tasty, he’s bringing fellow crooner Miggy Milla and keyboardist Zach Morgan, members of his pop/R&B trio Midnight Snack. Expect a lively mix of traditional and pop Christmas classics with special guests and fun surprises along the way. Free; reservations recommended. 8 p.m. Info: geraldinesaustin.com.

Dec. 16: Holiday Swingin’! A Kat Edmonson Christmas at the Paramount

The cabaret queen, who polished her pipes at Austin’s Elephant Room before heading to the Big Apple, released a collection of jazzy renditions of Christmas standards in 2021. She puts her swing on “Jingle Bell Rock,” offers a smoldering take on fireside classic “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” and snuggles up to a sensual “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.” $25-$50. Info: austintheatre.org.

Dec. 19: Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas at ACL Live

Throughout a storied 50-year career, Texas native Murphey has released 35 albums featuring hits like “What’s Forever For,” “Long Line of Love” and “Cowboy Logic." Murphey’s songs have been recorded by Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Lyle Lovett, John Denver and many more. Murphey released the live album “Cowboy Christmas” in 2019. $29 and up. Info: acllive.com.

More:Austin artists Willie Nelson, Spoon, Asleep at the Wheel and Black Pumas earn Grammy nods

Dec. 19: Chris Isaak's Everybody Knows It’s Christmas tour at the Paramount

For his second Christmas album, the 65-year-old crooner, whose 1989 hit “Wicked Game” left an indelible mark on American pop culture, pays tribute to the aesthetic of Sun Records, the famed Memphis label that was home to Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison. Isaak recorded the album in Dave Cobb’s “iconic RCA studio where John Prine had placed a year-round Christmas tree to keep the holidays alive," he said in a news release about the event. The collection of soft country Christmas classics and originals breaks into a boot-scootin’ rockabilly groove on rollicking tunes like “Run Rudolph Run” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” $35-$80. Info: austintheatre.org.

Dec. 19: David Archuleta's The More the Merrier Christmas Tour at Antone’s

"I'm finally learning what it's like to actually love myself," Archuleta told People magazine last month. Even as his career took took flight after a second-place finish on Season 7 of the reality singing competition show “American Idol,” the angel-voiced singer felt tortured as he tried to reconcile his Mormon faith and his sexuality. After coming out as queer, he told People, “I feel liberated.” On his 2009 album “Christmas From the Heart,” he tucked in a sweet rendition of the Spanish villancico "Ríu Ríu Chíu" among the holiday songbook singalongs, paying tribute to his Honduran mother and his father, who is of partial Spanish descent. $30. Info: antonesnightclub.com

Dec. 25: Santiago Jimenez Jr.'s 2nd annual Blue Christmas Dance at Antone’s

Over a storied career that spans more than six decades, the 78-year-old accordionist from San Antonio has carried forward the conjunto music pioneered by his father, Santiago Jimenez Sr., for the next generation. He’s been nominated for three Grammys, and in 2016, he was presented with the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama. This summer, he released the album “Still Kickin’” on Austin musician Jesse Dayton’s Hardcharger Records imprint. “Honestly, with all my heart and thinking about all the (expletive) albums I’ve done in all my life, this is my best. I’m not bragging. I just know this to be true,” Jimenez told the Houston Chronicle in June. $15. Info: antonesnightclub.com.

More Christmas music in Austin

• Dec. 2: 101X Indie Xmas Presents — Dayglow: People In Motion Tourwith Ritt Momney

• Dec. 8 Shane Smith and the Saints Ugly Christmas Sweater Party at ACL Live

• Dec. 9: Ian Moore Family Christmas at Stateside at the Paramount

• Dec. 9: Holiday Jamboree #5: A-Town Getdown vs The Portal All-Stars at Parish

• Dec. 11: 102.3 The Beat Holiday Jam: Ja Rule & Ashanti with Juvenile, Lloyd, Trina, Ying Yang Twins & more

• Dec. 12: Mix 94.7 Deck the Hall Ball with OneRepublic at ACL Live

• Dec. 17: Pat Byrne’s Christmas show at the Saxon Pub

• Dec. 20: Sister Golden Hair Holiday Hoopla at Geraldine's

• Dec. 22: A Tumbleweed Hill Band Christmas at the White Horse

• Dec. 25: Dale Watson’s annual Christmas show and dance at the Continental Club

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Holiday music concerts in Austin, like jazz, conjunto, country, more