By Darryl Sterdan, Special to the Free Press


Whitney Houston; Arista/BMG

Chestnuts roasted: Most of the disc, including The First Noel, The Christmas Song and Little Drummer Boy -- all of which Whitney naturally oversings like a Popstars finalist.

Yule love: The snappy funk of Deck the Halls/Silent Night and the gospel-choir uplift of Joy to the World.

Yule wish: She didn't keep squandering her gifts on the sort of self-indulgent, impersonal glop that dominates this overproduced set.