The Ultimate Holiday Party Playlist

A couple years ago, I posted my Top Ten Holiday Songs.  While it has since been labeled "a brilliant piece of social commentary by a horribly disturbed and presumably disfigured man" and "prose not even Hemingway could vomit out of his pen, no matter how drunk he was," it doesn't help you if you are throwing a holiday party (or, as we used to call it, a "Christmas party") unless your party is only like 37 minutes long.  Lately I've been racked with guilt over this, so I decided to make amends by providing you with the ultimate holiday party playlist.  This list includes 34 holiday songs that will keep your party going longer than your yule log will stay lit.

Now, before you go ape shit on me for not including certain classic holiday songs, bear in mind that this list is geared towards parties, not sitting on your bearskin rug in front of a fire with a snifter of brandy and a high-priced call girl.  Thus, for the sake of keeping the party goers from falling asleep, I tried to keep some slower classic songs off the list (i.e., "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby's version of "White Christmas," "Baby, It's Cold Outside," "Christmas Time" by Ray Charles).  I also assume your party goers aren't eight-year-olds, dude, so I didn't include "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" or "Nuttin' For Christmas."  That said, I included the most awkward Christmas song ever –- the collaboration of Bing Crosby and David Bowie on "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy."  Your guests will laugh when they hear it.  Or leave.

I did not include multiple versions of the same song, even if other versions would be worthy.  The songs are in alphabetical order by title.  For your listening pleasure, I also made a playlist with whatever songs Playlist.com has.  Hit "shuffle," grab some nog, and go nuts.

"All I Want for Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey

"Back Door Santa" by Clarence Carter

"Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley

"The Chanukah Song" by Adam Sandler

"The Chipmunk Song (Please Christmas Don't Be Late)" by The Chipmunks

"Christmas All Over Again" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" by Darlene Love

"Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid

"(Everybody's Waiting For) The Man With the Bag" by Kay Starr

"Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday" by William Bell

"Frosty the Snowman" by The Ronettes

"Here Comes Santa Claus" by Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" by The Jackson 5

"Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms

"Jingle Bells" by Wayne Newton

"Last Christmas" by Wham!

"Little Saint Nick" by The Beach Boys

"Mele Kalikimaka" by Bing Crosby

"Merry Christmas Baby" by Lou Rawls

"Merry Christmas, Baby" by The Beach Boys

"A Party for Santa Claus" by Lord Nelson

"Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" by Bing Crosby and David Bowie

"Please Come Home For Christmas" by Charles Brown

"Rock and Roll Christmas" by George Thorogood & The Destroyers

"Rock-a-Billy Christmas" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by The Temptations

"Run Rudolph Run" by Chuck Berry

"Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" by Bruce Springsteen

"Santa's Beard" by The Beach Boys

"Sleigh Ride" by The Ronettes

"What Christmas Means to Me" by Stevie Wonder

"White Christmas" by Otis Redding

"Winter Wonderland" by Darlene Love

Any songs I'm missing?