Whitney Houston performs in 1988. David Corio/Getty Images hide caption
Holidays 2012 The Year's Best Books, Music And More
Charity workers dressed as Santa Claus wave to pedestrians in New York. Professional Santas say it's not an easy job, and it's not just as simple as putting on a beard. John Minchillo/AP hide caption
It's Not Jolly, It's A Job: You Need More Than A Beard To Be Santa
ILLuminate (featuring Kendrick Lamar)
Stasia Irons of THEESatisfaction performs at KEXP's All Songs Considered party at The Vera Project on August 20, 2012. Dave Lichterman/KEXP hide caption
Dixon has gathered her Nativity collection from many sources around the world. She says this set is made of banana fronds and was given to her by a friend who was a missionary in Nigeria. Jeff Brady/NPR hide caption
Britain's Alt-J was this year's Mercury Prize winner, for the band's debut album An Awesome Wave. The group is also Bob Boilen's pick for Album Of The Year. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Clockwise from upper left: Acid Pauli, Kendrick Lamar, Samuel Yirga, Kelan Philip Cohran, Waxahatchee, Pallbearer, Matthew Dear Courtesy of the artists hide caption
