Another vinyl attack

We're just about to enter the fourth quarter of 2018 — or, as we view it in our household, the increasingly rapid slide into the holiday season — and you know what that means:

More new packaging for vinyl editions of Guaraldi's original album score for A Charlie Brown Christmas.

This seems to have become an annual tradition. I have to assume that folks keep snapping them up, or else we'd not be getting more every year.

First up is the Target exclusive, which features the classic cover and LP, and also comes with a "limited edition original art poster." It went on sale September 28.

Not to be outdone, two weeks earlier Barnes & Noble released a much more tempting version, which boasts a cute "limited edition picture disc."

Mind you, I'm not complaining. Anything that keeps the album relevant is cool in my book, and it's great to see that these large chains regard Guaraldi's 1965 album as a hot ticket. It's the best possible way to ensure that his music keeps getting introduced to the ears of new generations of young listeners.

Unfortunately, it still has a long way to go before overtaking the all-time best-selling holiday albums: a list topped by (in order) Elvis Presley, Kenny G, Josh Groban, Now That's What I Call Christmas!, Mannheim Steamroller (twice), Nat King Cole, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and Barbra Streisand. Guaraldi does have the best-selling jazz Christmas album (assuming one regards Nat King Cole's release as pop). (And no, Kenny G ain't jazz.)

But who knows? With special annual releases such as these, and the ongoing steady sales of CDs and downloads, Vince may catch up with at least some of the folks on that list...