Bing Crosby

Great holiday music comes in many genres. But these five soft, pop-tinged selections hang together just right, making up a wintry mix of songs that, when heard collectively, simulate a soothing bath in a tub of warm cocoa.

Irving Berlin wrote nearly a thousand songs, which include the standards "God Bless America" and "There's No Business Like Show Business." But "White Christmas," recorded by Bing Crosby and others, has proved to be his most popular song.

Performance Today explores a vivid chapter in the life of violinist Jascha Heifetz. During WWII, he played more than 300 USO shows, sometimes near the front, in perilous surroundings. Here's a portrait of Heifetz during the war, with vintage audio, interviews and stories from those who knew him best.

Weeks of e-mail from listeners have produced an unofficial list of loved and hated holiday songs. And it turns out they're most passionate — and also most divided — about one song in particular: "The Little Drummer Boy." But Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" remains a favorite.