Holiday

4 Playlists for Christmas Morning

December 19, 2017

If we could ask for anything this Christmas, it would be for peace on Earth, but if that's not possible, then we'd like to be cozied up in our pajamas come Christmas morning—preferably with a mug of hot chocolate. Whether your Christmas morning looks an awful lot like the one of our dreams—or if, come today, you'll be skiing, flying, or pulling back into the North Pole—we have a playlist to suit your holiday needs. Plug in your noise-cancelling headphones, turn up the gramophone, and tune into one of our four Christmas playlists, curated by our editorial team:

Photo by Rocky Luten

If you want the classics—and only the classics...

If your idea of Christmas includes a sleigh ride through a winter wonderland, with Mariah Carey singing in the background, this is the playlist for you. Jam to Frank Sinatra while you top off the eggnog, sing with Ella as you open presents, and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, courtesy of Judy Garland.

If you know every word to every Top 40 song...

Why stop listening to them on Christmas? Jam with Kelly Clarkson like it's still 2002 and with Bieber to his 2011 instant-classic, "Mistletoe."

If you're way too cool for Michael Bublé...

Just because it's Christmas doesn't mean you have to be separated from your favorite bands—just for you (and Brooklynites everywhere), we put together a playlist that's the best of both worlds. The Shins will soothe you, you'll fall asleep by the hearth to the calming voice of Bahamas, and you'll rediscover Glen Hansard (and maybe the joy of Christmas, too).

If you're willing to trust us...

We asked the Food52 team for their favorite Christmas songs. They responded with several classics, some Phoenix, one Taylor Swift-inspired Hanukkah song, and more than a few that make us want to stomp and clap. As a complete playlist, it's a very intimate look into our office party.

What will you be listening to come Christmas morning? Tell us in the comments below!

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This article originally appeared in December 2016.

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See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Paul Eskridge
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    Jenny
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I eat everything.

9 Comments

Paul E. December 26, 2017
We listened to yours with enjoyment. I am adding a link to a group of songs that I created for my close friends and family (tell Julie M. Cool Yule is one of the songs).
https://itunes.apple.com/us/playlist/sounds-from-pesky-christmas/pl.u-yZyVE61sXModL8
 
Julie M. December 25, 2017
What?!? No "Cool Yule" by Louis Armstrong? It's the best Christmas song EVER!!!
 
Panfusine December 25, 2017
Mary's Boy CHild Jesus Christ.. It was a tradition my dad started when he used to play this first thing in the morning on CHristmas at home in Mumbai.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCZx5GrmJzk
 
Jenny December 22, 2017
I'm a sucker for all the songs on the Home Alone soundtrack but ESPECIALLY The Drifters' version of White Christmas. The best!
 
702551 December 20, 2017
Okay, going old school with my suggestions.

1.) Händel's Messiah: John Eliot Gardiner, English Baroque Soloists, Monteverdi Choir. Maybe the best Messiah recording in the past half century.

2.) The Nutcracker Suite by Tschaikovsky. Not his best ballet music, but it's so classic, you can imagine what's going on stage. Sleeping Beauty has better music, Swan Lake has better visuals, but since ballet is a winter art, I associate all classical ballet with the holidays. The Nutcracker is a fun dream.

3.) Mahalia Jackson's Christmas album. Old school gospel singer who died in 45 years ago. From a different era. People don't record like this anymore.
 
Catherine T. December 27, 2015
I loved your Playlists... Thank You
 
susielou December 25, 2015
Adele, Paolo Nutini, Leonard Cohen, The Clash. I celebrate Chanukah, and so I'll wish everyone a Happy Holiday and a wonderful New Year.
 
Betsy H. December 25, 2015
Hey y'all missed a genre! check out my old country crooners playlist here...
https://open.spotify.com/user/betsyhindman/playlist/1CmMNXLyOOlJG29v8Kjpww
 
Heather |. December 24, 2015
i will be playing the pentatonix christmas albums on repeat all day long (which really isn't different than a usual day, but oh well).