Mellow Christmas

By attaching the adjective "mellow" to Christmas, we may be somewhat guilty of fraud. Yes, the season to be jolly is often a stressful, stuffing-splattered time of family chaos, couch potatoism, and heinous over-indulgence. However, with these Essentials, Elvis ("Blue Christmas") and Bing ("Winter Wonderland") can help you smooth out the creases.

A glass of sherry, a crackling log fire, and the voice of Karen Carpenter on "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" — if that's not your perfect recipe for Yuletide relaxation, then either put those bath salts you got (again! why?!) to good use or add Toni Braxton's "Snowflakes of Love" to your seasonal playlist. Chill-out guaranteed.

Every shade of mellow is represented here, from the easy flowing drum 'n' bass of Sub Santa's "Jingle Bells" to the dive joint ivory-tickling of Tom Waits on "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis". The Beach Boys strike that perfect balance between pop and the choral sounds of a church service with their cover of "White Christmas".

A world dusted with snowflakes (which, as we all know, are crystallized tears of joy from the eyes of fairies); a household overflowing with harmony, good cheer, and impeccably behaved relatives; a turkey that cooks itself, covered in gravy that has slimming properties. We can all dream of a perfectly mellow Christmas, but the real world usually delivers freezing sleet, re-gifted socks, and a fierce argument over who ate the last caramel barrel. Which is why we've prepared this selection of warm-hearted, chilled-out Essentials to make Christmas the seasonal wonderland you always wished it could be.