Have you ever noticed that the Christmas season is more musically-inclined than any other holiday in the year? Every genre of composition has carols a plenty for your listening pleasure. Notable artists like Bing Crosby, Mariah Carey, and Burl Ives are almost synonymous with Christmas because of the beloved, unforgettable hymns they recorded to commemorate this time of year. Admit it, you feel warm at heart when you hear Crosby’s “White Christmas” play on the radio, or perhaps you get a sense of nostalgia upon listening to Ives’ “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.” This season, as you line up your in-home holiday traditions and festivities, set the mood for each merry atmosphere by tuning into the following Pandora holiday stations.
Decorating Your Home
If you are like me, you love putting out the Christmas decorations. You cannot wait to start adorning the tree, dressing the mantle with stockings, or stringing lights in the front yard; however, the entire process seems very slow pace without a musical backdrop to set the scene for the work ahead of you. You need a mix of songs that make you smile and feel jubilant that the holiday season is here, that serve as a source of energy for your efforts in decking the halls. Swingin’ Christmas Radio features holiday classics sung by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Louis Armstrong, and fellow swing-era artists, while Rockin’ Holidays Radio entertains with seasonal hits by Elvis Presley, The Eagles, The Beach Boys, and other rock and roll icons of the 20th century.
Baking Culinary Confections with Your Kids
Children are bundles of liveliness and joy, and they enjoy baking in the kitchen with mom and dad because they get to “adult” in a manner that is fun and reaps sweet rewards. Entertain your kids as they pursue their culinary talents by playing Family Christmas Radio, which pedals tunes from child-friendly features like the Rankin/Bass Production of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, with scores by Burl Ives; the Vince Guaraldi Trio – responsible for the Peanuts’ TV show melodies; and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Dinner Social
A holiday dinner social should be hosted in a warm, light-hearted setting that encourages easy conversation and allows for a pleasant feast. Rather than play tracks with a lot of energy and distracting lyrics, put on Classical Christmas Radio, which presents a pleasant compilation by renowned orchestras, including the Trans-Siberian and National Philharmonic, in addition to choirs and soloists like André Rieu. Peaceful Holidays Radio offers up the serene melodies of Jim Brickman, Michele McLaughlin, and other modern instrumentalists to softly fill the air like a gentle falling snow; however, if you prefer something with a more up-beat tempo, tune into Smooth Jazz Christmas for seasonal tracks by the likes of the Stephen Kummer Trio, Beegie Adair, and Jack Jezzro.
Holiday Party
The manner of music you play at a holiday party is strongly dependent upon the type of event you host. If you entertain a quiet, social gathering, with guests dressed in casual formal wear, drinking wine and enjoying polite conversation in a soft-lit room – the tree all aglow and the fireplace warmly crackling, Christmas Choral Classics accommodates a mature atmosphere with the vocal talents of renowned choirs, including the Vienna Choir Boys and the Cambridge Singers, with additional choruses led by established conductors like John Rutter. However, if you hope to throw a big holiday bash, with lots of laughter and fun over games and opening of presents, maybe even a little dancing, there are a few Pandora stations to choose from for a holly, jolly good time:
- R&B and Pop Holidays Radio plays numbers by modern pop artists like Michael Bublé, Pentatonix, and Brian McKnight.
- Today’s Christmas Radio broadcasts a wide selection of holiday hits from the talents of a diverse group of genre-entertaining artists, including Celtic Woman, Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, and the cast of Glee.
- 80s Christmas Radio rolls out seasonal scores from the era’s renowned bands, such as Dave Edmunds, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and Wham!
Christmas Morning – Opening Gifts
Finally, the moment we have all been waiting for! It does not matter if you are a child, a teen, or an adult; we all love to open presents on Christmas morning. Our smiles grow as we tear away the colorful packaging and bring our gifts to light; moreover, we feel a satisfactory sense of joy upon watching our loved ones’ elation at the sight of our gifts to them. Crown this cheerful pastime with Christmas Traditional Radio, which treats listeners to beloved carols sung by melodic vocalists like Nat King Cole, Andy Williams, Perry Como, and Bobby Helms.
Concluding Seasonal Tips
If you want a Pandora station that features Christmas songs traversing several decades and genres, tune into Christmas Radio for compositions by all the previously mentioned artists and more. You can also look up a song or soundtrack, such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and be treated to a filtered selection of songs that fall within that category – in this case, children’s holiday movies. For a complete list of Pandora’s holiday stations, click here.
Lennar wishes its homeowners to enjoy the best in-home experiences, and this includes how you listen to holiday music. We offer our homeowners a 15% discount on Polk Audio products, including sound bars, amplifiers, and speakers, which can be installed in both outdoor and indoor entertainment spaces; this season, hear a better caroling of joyful tidings as you decorate the tree, bake gingerbread men, or host a merry get-together. This complimentary benefit is available through Lennar’s MyRewards program.
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