No matter how anti-Christmas you may profess to be, it is difficult to hear the opening piano melody of Fairytale of New York and not be engulfed in cascades of Christmas spirit. There is something nicely comforting and familiar about a good Christmas song. It is like pulling into your garage after a hard day's work, or sitting in front of a warm fireplace on a freezing cold day. It is a feeling that - despite all the crazy twists and turns that may have happened throughout the year - you are back home, and everything is normal again.

That feeling is no doubt intensified when you have an awesome home speaker system that the whole family can listen to. But for whoever is in control of the tunes, make sure your selection is as tasteful and uncontroversial as possible. Ludacris's 'Ludacrismas' is perhaps too lacking in wholesome Christmas references to appeal to your nan, while only someone with an unbounded and borderline unhealthy interest in the 80s would be able to stomach any more plays of Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody'.

So if you're putting together a Christmas playlist, make sure you include the following songs:

If nostalgia had a voice, it would be that of Christmas crooners like Perry Como. Lending a slow jazz feel to a classic carol, this is a great choice for your festive celebrations. With tacky Christmas jumpers all the rage these days, vintage is the way to go this holiday season!

There's no better way to get into the festive spirit than hearing the legend that was Johnny Cash repeat the Barum-pum-pum-pum refrain of this Christmas classic. His version lends an air of profundity to a song that is too often approached in a playful spirit.

Now this next one is arguably nowhere near entering the traditional canon of Christmas tunes, but its inclusion is primarily due to the fact that it's The Killers. And like any Killers track, its thumping bassline and anthemic vocal melody is enough to get even the most stubborn of Scrooges up on their feet.

An obvious choice, but a true Christmas classic. From the soulful opening few lines to the emphatically danceable chorus, this has that familiarity and togetherness that we all need at this time of the year. It also offers up some comic moments as friends and family at various degrees of intoxication attempt to match Mariah's impressive vocal range.

And finally... This track has everything: tenderness and sensitivity, while also providing ample dancing opportunities for those who appreciate the jaunty folk rhythms The Pogues have always specialised in. In just over 4 minutes, the listener is subjected to the whole gamut of human emotion. It therefore represents the trials and tribulations of the Christmas period itself.

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A note to all DJ's: For anyone looking to throw the best Christmas party ever, make sure your guests are subjected to the full experience. While these tracks may sound OK on your son's tinny computer speakers, you need that warmth and richness offered by a superior sound system. Lithe Audio's ceiling speakers offer a superb 65Hz-20kHz audio range that is sure to enhance that festive feeling in anyone lucky enough to hear your playlist. Forget kissing under the mistletoe, whack on a Christmas classic and smooch your partner under the speakers!