She & Him - A Very She & Him Christmas

For many people, the thought of Zooey Deschanel and Christmas tunes brings to mind that scene in Elf when the spirit of Christmas can only be summoned by her singing 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town'. Here, along with 'Him' (M Ward), 'She' (Deschanel) brings together a whole album of festive-themed tunes for us all to enjoy over the holiday season. Stripped down often to just Deschanel's soulful voice and Ward's guitar, A Very She & Him Christmas lacks a bit of the warmth or cheesy cheer you often associate with such albums. That's not to say it's bad, just that it's often a little twee in itself or quiet for doing so.

The acoustic '

' certainly show off Deschanel's voice well.

However, on other covers, such as Bing Crosby's 'I'll be Home for Christmas' and 'Sleigh Ride' (with Andy Williams' version already so well-known), that little bit of seasonal magic needed to make a decent song memorable is missing. The pacy '

' (she sang it with Will Ferrell in Elf), these moments are a little too few.

She & Him may have put together an enjoyable collection of Christmas classics that will make for easy listening come the season, but it's hard not to feel like A Very She & Him Christmas would be better suited to an outdoor campfire Christmas setting. Some mulled wine, toasty slippers and a warming fire would make for the perfect setting for She, Him and Us.