What I Really Want for Christmas is the sixth studio album by Brian Wilson and his first solo seasonal release. It was released by Arista Records in October 2005 and features many traditional Christmas songs, as well some of Wilson's originals, including remakes of the Beach Boys' "Little Saint Nick" and "The Man with All the Toys". As a bonus, Wilson elected to include a sampling of seasonal recordings initially available on his website a few years earlier.

Track listing

All tracks traditional; except where indicated

Personnel

• Karen Elaine Bakunin - Viola • Scott Bennett - Glockenspiel, Organ, Piano, Vibraphone, Background Vocals • Nelson Bragg - Percussion, Background Vocals • Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick - Cello • Jeffrey Foskett - Guitar, Sleigh Bells, Background Vocals • Probyn Gregory - Flugelhorn, French Horn, Guitar, Trumpet, Background Vocals • Jim Hines - Drums • Robbie Hioki - Trombone • Sharon Jackson - Violin • Peter Kent - Violin • Bob Lizik - Bass • Paul Mertens - Flute, Harmonica, Saxophone • Taylor Mills - Vocals • Carol Robbins - Harp • Darian Sahanaja - Glockenspiel, Organ, Piano, Vibraphone, Background Vocals • Nick Walusko - Guitar, Background Vocals • John Yoakum - Oboe, Saxophone

Reception

Critical reaction was mixed; Alexis Petridis of The Guardian newspaper gave it one star out of five and criticized it: "What I Really Want For Christmas is the least fascinating album of Wilson's career, and may well be the least fascinating album of Christmas - which, given the seasonal presence of G4 in the charts, is not a phrase to bandy lightly. It features two new songs: Christmassy, which is appalling, and the title track, which is even worse." The album eventually peaked at #200 for one week on the Billboard 200 chart in the US, though "Deck the Halls" became a Top 10 Adult Contemporary hit.