Christmas: The Gift is an album released in 1996 by country music artist Collin Raye. It was Raye's first Christmas album. It is composed largely of cover songs, except for "It Could Happen Again", which was newly written and recorded for this album. Track listing "The Christmas Song" (Mel Tormé, Robert Wells) – 4:18 "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram) – 4:24 "It Could Happen Again" (Tamara Hyler, Will Robinson, Bruce Burch) – 4:10 spoken intro by Johnny Cash "The First Noel" (William Sandys, Traditional) – 4:29 "Away in a Manger" (Traditional) – 2:58 "White Christmas" (Irving Berlin) – 4:29 "Winter Wonderland" (Dick Smith, Felix Bernard) – 3:20 guest vocals by The Beach Boys "Angels We Have Heard on High" (Traditional) – 2:51 "The Little Drummer Boy" (Harry Simeone, Katherine Davis, Henry Onorati) – 3:19 "Silent Night" (Franz Gruber, Joseph Mohr) – 3:21 "The First Noel (Instrumental)" (William Sandys, traditional) – 4:30 "O Holy Night" (Adolphe Adam, John Sullivan Dwight) – 5:03 Personnel David Angell – violin Monisa Angell – viola Sam Bacco – percussion Larry Cansler – orchestration Johnny Cash – spoken intro on "It Could Happen Again" Joe Chemay – bass, background vocals Pat Coil – keyboards Ernie Collins – trombone Joann Cruthirds – viola David Davidson – violin Cynthia Estill – bassoon Dennis Good – trombone Carl Gorodetzky – violin Barry Green – trombone Gerald Greer – violin Jim Grosjean – viola Phil Hansen – cello Mike Haynes – trumpet John Hobbs – keyboards Mary Hoepfinger – harp Jim Hoke – harmonica Dann Huff – acoustic guitar, electric guitar Ron Huff – string arrangements Al Jardine – background vocals on "Winter Wonderland" Bruce Johnston – background vocals on "Winter Wonderland" Jana King – background vocals Lee Larrison – violin Paul Leim – drums Lee Levine – clarinet Sam Levine – flute Mike Love – background vocals on "Winter Wonderland" Chris McDonald – trombone Anthony LaMarchina – cello Anthony Martin – background vocals Bob Mason – cello Margaret Mason – cello Farrell Morris – percussion Cate Myer – violin Craig Nelson – bass Carole Rabinowitz-Neuen – cello Leslie Norton – french horn Randall Olson – violin Mary Kathryn Van Osdale – violin Kathryn Plummer – viola Collin Raye – lead vocals, background vocals Ann Richards – flute John Wesley Ryles – background vocals Antoine Silverman – violin Pamela Sixfin – violin Calvin Smith