Pass the Gravy

Ah, Thanksgiving. The holiday of togetherness and gratitude. A time to count blessings, not calories. To celebrate tight bonds in stretchy pants. To feast on foods we willfully ignore the other 364 days of the year (I’m looking at you cranberry sauce).

There’s no shortage of things to be thankful for on this celebratory day, but when big families pile into small kitchens, good vibes can be tested. 

The remedy: A carefully-curated playlist that keeps all the gourds in the cornucopia, so to speak. An effective turkey day playlist consists of the three important pillars listed below. 

Cross-Generational Tunes

Anyone with one television under their roof knows that settling on something the whole family can agree on is like trying to cook the bird in a toaster oven. Mixing in timeless classics like Bill Withers’ Lovely Day with contemporary jams like Leon Bridges’ Coming Home is imperative in keeping the attitude out of the gratitude. 

Mind the Message

Including only songs that celebrate optimism, unity, and mashed potatoes will serve as a constant reminder that there’s a time and place for Uncle Frank’s diatribe about Kids These Days, and today is not that day. 

Quality Over Quantity

Just like time spent, the ideal playlist should contain all substance and no filler. Twenty songs feels about right. Marathon playlists give no indication that the party is winding down, and that’s when you run the risk of Uncle Frank taking “a quick snooze” on the recliner and waking up on Black Friday. Bless his heart.

With these three pillars in mind, we’ve created your official Turkey Day playlist you can gobble up below. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.