A Ceremony of Carols

This as the first "non-traditional" Christmas music I ever learned.  I was in the 5th grade (if memory serves), in a boy's choir under a Music Ph.D.  We all thought it was ancient tunes, or something.  Had no idea who Britten was (I'm sure he told us; we were too busy giggling.  That's my primary memory of the poor man's work with us.  He was VERY SERIOUS about music, and had the patience of Job, though I didn't realize it at the time.)

I used to remember all of it (we memorized it for performance, simply by dint of practicing it every week for months.  Ages, to a young boy.).  And I don't listen to it every year.  But it's still a favorite.