How to Make a Holiday Party Playlist That’s Not Ho Ho Horrible

From casual kickbacks to formal family dinners, here’s a playlist sure to please any crowd

December belongs to the at-home entertainers. Early winter holidays and cooler weather offer myriad reasons to host events at home, from casual Christmas cookie swaps to intimate, cozy dinner parties. And one of the most fun, albeit daunting, tasks associated with hosting an event at home is organizing a playlist that sets the proper mood — especially when the genre is as polarizing as holiday music.

People have volatile reactions to holiday music; tearing up to a hymn at midnight mass, singing along to a classic, and excited gasps when a childhood tune unlocks a core memory. For everyone who thinks “Last Christmas” is a straight-up banger, an equal number of folks will groan when it plays. One mere holiday song can completely sabotage your party’s mood. (And yes, it’s “The Christmas Shoes.”)

So, we thought we might offer some guidance. With help from event planners, chefs, and hospitality staff across the country, we’ve crafted some guidelines for curating a holiday-friendly dinner party playlist at home. May your gatherings be merry and bright.

Choose a solid theme.

Seasoned entertainers know that a solid identity is the foundation of a successful party, whether it’s a whimsical wedding or country karaoke night at the dive bar. Your theme and environment affect everything from drinks to your soundtrack’s volume — homemade cocktails will correlate with a sit-down meal, nicer attire, and instrumental jazz covers, while a pot of spiked cider on the stove has more of a potluck and thrifted holiday sweaters energy.

Marshall Weinstein, founder of SET Artist Management, an event booking and talent agency that works with restaurants, bars, and private events all over the country, says the first step of curating a restaurant or bar’s playlist is identifying the group’s — or in this case, your home’s — vibe. From there, create a Venn diagram of music that fits both the environment and the occasion.

Look to the past for inspiration.

Holiday music evokes nostalgia for a reason: most of it has been recycled for decades. “I think that there are unavoidable standards of Christmas music and it’s basically the same 30 songs,” says Caleb Wheelus, deejay, vinyl collector, and co-owner of Atlanta hi-fi listening bar Stereo. “A lot of [classic artists] made a Christmas song and I feel like they were all pretty genuine and good for what they are.” Play closer-to-original versions of holiday songs, or opt for a period in time (1970’s Christmas) or trend (’90s Boy Band Christmas) that fits your mood.

Explore genres.

Since so many contemporary holiday songs are covers, you may as well take the opportunity to explore new-to-you takes on classic holiday songs by exploring different genres. This could be as simple as playing the Peanuts Christmas soundtrack suite and jazzy holiday covers in the background of your festive cocktail hour, or searching for distinct covers of holiday songs. “Everyone is just taking their specific genre of music and covering all these songs and what happens, happens,” Wheelus says. “And some of it’s really good for Christmas music.”

Don’t be afraid to get silly.

This time of year is aggressively positive — combine the constant marketing with early sunsets, dipping temperatures, and other end-of-year stressors. “As much as Christmas is this amazing holiday, it’s also stressful and people aren’t really themselves around their relatives,” says Wheelus. The antidote? Something that’s ridiculous on purpose, like Wheelus’ late-night holiday pop-up playlist, which includes tracks by the Moog Machine, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Jingle Dogs.

Consider live music.

If you also grew up playing an instrument, I’m willing to bet your family’s holiday gatherings included at least one performance plucked straight from your elementary school’s holiday recital repertoire. Turns out our parents were right and there isn’t anything much more festive or memorable than an intimate at-home performance. Take inspiration from Atlanta’s Christmas-themed pop-up Home For the Holidays and sprinkle live piano, guitar, or vocal covers in between courses, or host a private concert among friends as the event winds down.