Please don’t stop the music!
Spread holiday cheer at any party this season with the help of an expert-curated playlist. "Music plays an integral part in setting the energy and tone of a party," celeb party Jes Gordon tells UsMagazine.com.
Here, Gordon, who has thrown bashes for Madonna and Jennifer Lopez, shares her top rules for creating a perfect holiday playlist.
Pace your music
Every party has a beginning, middle and end. Start off the evening with something mellow as guests mingle.
Albums to try: Charlie Brown Christmas and Christmas Cocktails
Then, as guests finish their first round of drinks, throw a little more fun into the mix with upbeat songs.
Albums to try: Ultimate Christmas Collection by Jackson 5 and Christmas in Harmony by Wilson Phillips
Add a little something for everyone
"A perfectly balanced playlist of classic tunes, unexpected covers and familiar genres will have guests rocking out the holiday for sure," Gordon explains to Us.
Albums to try: The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection and This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday
Remember the classics—with a twist
"Keep your playlist fresh with unexpected updates by contemporary artists," says Gordon.
Albums to try: Merry Christmas II You by Mariah Carey and The Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection
Don’t skimp on the songs
"Nothing’s worse than dead silence at a party," Gordon tells Us. That said, the right song can end the party on the perfect.
Songs to try: "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” by Carrie Underwood and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by The Pretenders