Holiday Homestead – 2020

Books + Music + Art

With the holidays here and very nearly gone, I wanted to share something small I started last year – a holiday playlist.

I had hoped to share this a bit sooner and put a little extra curating into it, but falling behind seems to be the trend around G+D these days. Oh well, I suppose.

This playlist started when I was listening to a great Spotify original mix of classic Santa inspired tunes. When all was said and done, I had skipped half the playlist and was tired of the music in under an hour. With that fatigue went some of the eagerness I had surrounding the holidays. I wanted something that didn’t immediately overplay such specific and fleeting songs, but still genuinely wanted to enjoy holiday music and the spirit of the holidays.

And so Holiday Homestead was created. A playlist that picks out the best holiday specific songs (old and new), songs that remind me of holiday music (such as non-chestnut specific Nat King Cole), and songs from my normal Spotify rotation which fit the energy. The holiday tunes make up the smaller percentage of the total playlist so that when they come on you can really enjoy them.

I can promise that I have thought about every song that has gone into this playlist, and imagined myself or the people I care about in various holiday scenarios – sitting around a fire, making cookies, arguing with bourbon county in hand, putting up the aluminum pole – all the normal holiday antics to ensure the vibes in some way or another fit the season. And outside of maybe a stray curse here and there, this playlist won’t result in someone saying earmuffs or grandma gasping and scowling.

If you have suggestions for songs that you think would fit well, feel free to let me know on Twitter (@Grit_n_Dynamite).

I hope you can find whatever sentiments and energy you seek during the holidays in this collection of songs. Holiday Homestead will be back next year with updates and additions.

Now that I think about it, maybe 5 days is the perfect amount of time to play and appreciate holiday music.

Start listening here: Holiday Homestead

Happy holidays – good things are on the way.
Nick

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