Holiday Gift Guide : Calendar’s little helpers offer suggestions in pop, jazz, holiday, family and classical music, plus videos, computer games and books. (Good news: They’re easy to wrap.) : BOX SETS! : Elves Burn Night Oil on Elvis ‘70s Package

It’s almost Christmas, so you know there’s going to be a new Elvis Presley set in the stores. And sure enough, RCA completes its decade-by-decade retrospective of rock’s greatest star with the 1970s. Hint: You’ll find better things in Santa’s bag this year.

* * * ELVIS PRESLEY, “Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential ‘70s Masters,” RCA (about $80). There are moments in Presley’s ‘60s work--all those movies aside--that match or exceed his landmark ‘50s recordings, but little from his ‘70s period can make that claim. This set includes priceless moments, but too much of it is burdened by routine or wildly misguided material. Five discs, 120 selections.

* * * * THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, “Peel Slowly and See,” Polydor Chronicles (about $60). This gem contains all four original albums plus 25 previously unreleased recordings by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-bound band. It’s an excellent look at the evolution of the creative process of a group (led by Lou Reed) whose minimalist sound and social realism approach continue to influence countless artists, from R.E.M. to U2. Five discs, 74 selections.

* * * 1/2 VARIOUS ARTISTS, “Def Jam Music Group: Ten Year Anniversary,” Def Jam (about $60). Boasting a roster that has included such diverse artists as Public Enemy, the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J and Warren G, this New York rap stronghold ranks alongside the great American indie labels--from Sun to Motown--that changed the face of modern pop. Four discs, 60 selections.

* * * 1/2 VARIOUS ARTISTS, “Soul Train: 25th Anniversary Hall of Fame,” MCA (about $50). The salute here is to another American pop institution--Don Cornelius’ long-running TV show--and it serves as a rich showcase of black pop, though it sidesteps today’s controversial rap. Original recordings by everyone from Chuck Berry, Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye to Michael Jackson, Prince and Babyface. Three discs, 58 selections.

* * * * VARIOUS ARTISTS, “That’s Entertainment!: The Ultimate Anthology of MGM Musicals,” Turner Classic Movies Music/Rhino Movie Music (about $90). This spectacular salute gives us the key musical moments from 82 films, among them “An American in Paris,” “Meet Me in St. Louis,” “Easter Parade” and “Singin’ in the Rain.” Six discs, 129 selections.

* * * 1/2 WILLIE NELSON, “Revolutions of Time . . . The Journey 1975-1993,” Sony Legacy (about $40). As a writer, Nelson ranks with the greatest ever in country. As a singer, he is on a short list of challengers to Sinatra’s crown when it comes to character and phrasing. This package contains some of the Texan’s most celebrated work. Three discs, 60 selections.

* * * 1/2 TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS, “Playback,” MCA (about $70). There have really been two Pettys artistically--the fearless, idealistic rocker of the ‘70s and early ‘80s and the mellower, less challenging Petty of recent years. The package supplements two discs of the former and one of the latter with three CDs of rarities. Six discs, 92 selections.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (f a ir), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).