by Stephen Thomas ErlewineCEMA Special Markets' A Country Christmas with Merle Haggard collects ten Christmas carols, holiday tunes, and "If We Make It Through December," all recorded during his glory years at Capitol. It's not an official Christmas album -- Merle didn't head into the studio with the intent of cutting this specific record -- but since all the music was recorded within a few years, it holds together very well. It may be a budget-priced compilation, but it's one of the better country Christmas albums you'll hear. A Country Christmas with Merle Haggard was reissued in 2007 as Hag's Christmas with the same track listing but a different cover.