Joy to the world, Christmas time is here. The kitchen already smells like sweet treats, we’re volunteering during the holidays, and looking forward to celebrating a white Christmas in California. The holiday decorations are already up; a festive soundtrack is precisely what we need to get our holly jolly on. There are many songs to choose from—almost every artist has had a Christmas album out at some point during their career. From timeless classics to modern holiday tracks, we just can’t get enough of the seasonal tunes. Play this festive holiday playlist on full blast all season; you want to jingle all the way.

The Holiday Music Your Playlist Needs Now

There’s nothing like hearing a favorite old tune that brightens your spirits immediately—don’t deprive your playlist of that. The nostalgia you feel while listening to your holiday music playlist goes beyond just feeling warm and gooey inside (which is a milestone in its own right), but it actually has proven positive neurological effects. Your brain’s pleasure circuit becomes stimulated, releasing dopamine and serotonin when it hears a catchy tune; it improves your memory, stress level, and significantly reduces pain. 

So, for this holiday season, take a look at all the oldies (and also a few newsies) and select the ones that sound the fondest to you—really listen to your brain when it says ‘all I want for Christmas is for this song to play on repeat/’

“Little Saint Nick” by The Beach Boys
“Please Come Home For Christmas” by The Eagles
“Holiday” by Capital Cities
“A Surfer’s Christmas List” by Surfaris

The Best Christmas Playlist For When You're Alone

This one’s for the guilty pleasures—and perhaps a few of the conflicting thoughts about the holiday season. As either a musician or a music fan, you need to know how to feel your feelings through music, and chances are you’re already doing that without realizing the full potential of a little ‘me’ time in the whole ordeal. Making Christmas playlists for yourself will help you better understand what you’re experiencing during the season of festivities; how you feel about it, what you like and dislike about it, what movies you like to watch, and more. 

Seek out new tunes, rely on the classics, but whatever you do, set aside a bit of time this Christmas to listen to the chart-toppers and up-and-comers in the privacy of your own thoughts. Here are a few of our picks to add to your best Spotify Christmas playlist—the joy is in giving, right?

“All Alone On Christmas” by Darlene Love
“Oi To The World” by No Doubt
“Kidnap The Sandy Claws” by Korn
“I Won’t Be Home For Christmas” by Blink-182

Classic Christmas Playlist For When You're With Your Beaux

How love works on our mind, body, and soul is why people write music; there's nothing like hearing a Christmas song play to get your heart racing. And the confusing in-between of 'feeling' and 'emotion' is further accentuated when a familiar classic tune plays, releasing powerful chemicals that make you want to maintain constant closeness to your loved one. 

Even science has begun to show us that music can alter brain waves and can greatly enhance whatever mood you're in. Apply that to romance and you’ll get an antidote to stress, mood swings, distractions, and uneasiness. Music doesn’t just soothe your disposition at the moment; its lyrics can also communicate a great deal—you and your beaux will be able to really reflect on the words and apply it to your relationship. Here are a few songs to add to your Christmas playlist paired well with matching ugly sweaters.

“You Make It Feel Like Christmas” by Gwen Stefani featuring Blake Shelton
“Christmas And You” by Los Lobos
“Sleigh Ride” by Ella Fitzgerald
“California Christmas” by Mary Mary

The Best Holiday Music Playlist For When You're Hosting a Dinner Party

So you want to be a hostess with the mostess? Between all the cooking classes and healthy renditions you’ve recycled from Friendsgiving, there’s one more thing that could absolutely make or break your dinner party: the tunes. You’d better bring out your best Spotify Christmas playlists or else... 

Curating precisely the right roundup of songs can have a significant effect on your guests’ experience—they probably won’t straight up walk out of the party, but their moods will definitely be affected. To make sure you’ve locked in the best Christmas songs playlist imaginable, we’ve rounded up a few tips for you.

1. Always know the duration of the party. This is always a significant determinant of your playlist selection. Depending on how long your party is, it'll be easy for you to know what kind of songs to prioritize, but always make sure to overplan just a little bit in case your party ends up longer than expected.

2. Don’t shuffle your music library. A Christmas playlist should be organized to flow seamlessly. If you shuffle, you might end up creating a clutter of sound that doesn’t feel as organic. Take a tip from California’s best dance venues and order your tracks up to move from slow to up-tempo.

3. Ensure that the sound quality is up to par. You may have the best Christmas playlist ready to go, but without the right sound, no one’s really going to enjoy it. To get optimal sound at a reasonable volume, customize your volume settings and have it play at varying levels based on the music genres.

4. Let your playlist match the party’s style and theme. Have you ever been to a party and felt that the music was a little out of place? If you did actually notice it, that means the playlist was not curated as well as it could have been. Whether it’s a barbeque, a workplace party, or a family holiday reunion, the chosen songs must seamlessly blend with the occasion and its intended ‘audience’.

Here are a few of our packs that go with practically any occasion:

“Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto” by Snoop Dogg and Nate Dogg
“Shake Up Christmas” by Train
“You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” by Tyler, The Creator
“Christmas Time In California” by The Dan Band
“Deck The Halls” by Red Hot Chili Peppers