Christmas is still five weeks away, but...

Christmas is still five weeks away, but Rhino Records has just released a series of holiday albums, the best of which are so much fun that there’s no reason to wait until Christmas day to play them.

Fun isn’t the first word that usually comes to mind with Christmas records, but Rhino owners Harold Bronson and Richard Foos are obsessive pop fans whose love of both rock’s most prized and absurd moments has instilled the Santa Monica-based record company with a spirit of adventure and fun.

The best of Rhino’s new Christmas CDs (most of the packages are also available in vinyl and cassette) are in keeping with that spirit.

Phil Spector’s “A Christmas Gift for for You”--which dresses such traditional holiday favorites as “White Christmas” and “Winter Wonderland” in Spector’s unique “wall of sound” production style--is widely regarded as the best Christmas album of the rock era. The 1963 package was re-released last year by Rhino and is made available again through an arrangement with Phil Spector International. Just 35 minutes, but essential. On a rating scale of one (poor) to four (excellent): * * * *.

The six other albums are available on CD for the first time. The best of them:

James Brown’s “Santa’s Got a Brand New Bag” (16 songs, 55 minutes)--A fascinating retrospective of holiday recordings by Brown, some of which were released on albums, but many of which only appeared as singles. The material--mostly original rather than Christmas standards--ranges from slow and soulful to funky and sassy. * * * 1/2.

“It’s a Spike Jones Christmas” (21 songs or medleys, 51 minutes)--There are signs of Jones’ famous zany side in tunes such as “Two Front Teeth” and “Nuttin’ for Christmas,” but, surprisingly, the heart of the album consists of traditional Christmas songs sung by a 25-voice choir. However, Jones injects the music with a warm, informal tone that is akin to a family or neighborhood sing-along. * * *

“Hillbilly Holiday” (18 songs, 43 minutes)--A curious, but disarming and amusing collection of mostly long-forgotten attempts by country artists (from Tex Ritter and Loretta Lynn to George Jones and Buck Owens) to come up with holiday hits. * * * .

The Rhino series also includes the re-issue of a 13-selection Four Seasons Christmas album and two 18-song, rock/R & B-oriented multi-artist retrospectives (“Christmas Classics,” featuring such artists as Aretha Franklin and Roy Orbison, and “The Best of Cool Yule,” whose line-up includes Ike & Tina Turner and the Ventures).

BONUS TRACK: The latest entries in Columbia Records’ massive Collector Choice budget series (under $10) include Bob Dylan’s “Planet Waves”.