Cocktail Christmas

Baby, it's cold outside, but if you want a really cool Christmas, fire up these hep holiday numbers — from the mellow tones of Holly Cole (dueting with Ed Robertson from Barenaked Ladies) to the swingin' sounds of Rat Pack leader Frank Sinatra and the sultry seasonal beckonings of Christmas kittens Eartha Kitt and Julie London.

Do like Mr. Bublé says and "Let it Snow." These Christmas Cocktails Next Steps will keep you warm and (better yet) groovy, whether you're chillin' to the "Snowfall" at Esquivel's space-age bachelor pad, bundled up with Harry Connick, Jr. on a big-band "Sleigh Ride," or "Snowbound" with Sarah Vaughn and your favorite Christmas elf.

Do you hear what we hear? Is that "Jingle Bells" set to the bossa nova beat of Vinnie Zummo? The strains of Hawaii drifting home from "Christmas Island," courtesy of Bob Atcher and the Dinning Sisters? The glitzy, Vegas-style big band jazz of Matt Dusk? Get us some eggnog, quick — these Christmas Cocktail tunes are too crazy!

Take two parts cool cat, one part smooth operator, and add a liberal splash of Christmas cheer. Shake and stir, and you've got the recipe for a grown-up yule-time soundtrack packed with oh-so potent playlists concocted to set the mood for your swingin' holiday party or even a night in front of the fire with that special lounge lizard someone. These Cocktail Christmas Essentials will instantly add a sprinkling of elegance, a dusting of insouciance, and a smattering of sophistication to your holiday celebrations. Chin-chin.