No Skip Christmas

Music
Comedy

Building the perfect Christmas playlist episode by episode. Musicians, comedians and podcasters recommend songs and Arnie Niekamp (Hello from the Magic Tavern, Jackbox Games) decides if they're added to his ever-growing Christmas music playlist or not.

Justin McElroy

Arnie and Justin McElroy (My Brother My Brother & Me, The Adventure Zone) swap Christmas songs to see what does and doesn’t go on their Christmas playlists. Songs from Pearl Baily, Ariana Grande, Bill Murray and more.

Creator and Host: Arnie Niekamp

Follow him on Bluesky or Instagram or send an Email the show at noskipchristmas@gmail.com

Guest: Justin McElroy

Producer and Editor: Garrett Schultz

Artwork: Allard Laban

Opening Theme Music: Andy Poland

Song Playlists:

Playlist of all the songs for this episode here

A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives

Five Pound Box of Money - Pearl Bailey

Just Like Christmas - Low

Santa Tell Me - Ariana Grande

Dear Santa (Bring Me a Man This Christmas) [Pt.1] - The Weather Girls

Winter Man - Clarence Reid

December (Based on “September”) - Earth, Wind & Fire

Alone on Christmas Day - Phoenix, Bill Murray, Buster Poindexter, Jason Schwartzmann, Paul Shaffer

O Holy Night - Barenaked Ladies

The growing list of accepted Christmas songs here

Christmas-ellaneous: all the songs lovingly rejected so far here

Additional Materials:

Demi Adejuyigbe’s September videos playlist

Support No Skip Christmas with a tip of any size: Support Arnie Niekamp

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Helen Zaltzman

Arnie and Helen Zaltzman (The Allusionist, Answer Me This) swap Christmas songs to see what does and doesn’t go on their Christmas playlists. We discuss how American and UK Christmas music is different. And at least one of Arnie’s song choices makes Helen say, “Why?”

Creator and Host: Arnie Niekamp

Follow him on Bluesky or Instagram or send an Email the show at noskipchristmas@gmail.com

Guest: Helen Zaltzman

Check out The Allusionist and Answer Me This

Producer and Editor: Garrett Schultz

Artwork: Allard Laban

Opening Theme Music: Andy Poland

Song Playlists:

Playlist of all the songs for this episode here

(Everybody’s Waitin’ For) The Man with the Bag (Remastered 1996) - Kay Starr

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Wizzard

Lonely This Christmas - Mud

The Christmas - Donny Hathaway

Only You - The Flying Pickets

Stop the Cavalry - Joan Lewie

Stay Another Day - East 17

Santa’s Comic’ In a Whirly Bird - Gene Autry

Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End) - The Darkness

Merry Christmas Everyone - Shakin’ Stevens

Christmas Trumpets/We Wish You a Very Merry Christmas (1996 Remaster)- Ray Anthony

The growing list of accepted Christmas songs here

Christmas-ellaneous: all the songs lovingly rejected so far here

YouTube Videos:

Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day

Mud - Lonely This Christmas

Flying Picket - Only You (on Top of the Pops)

Jona Lewie - Stop the Cavalry

East 17 - Stay Another Day

The Darkness - Don’t Let the Bells End

Additional Materials:

A playlist of Allusionist Christmas episodes

A recent Answer Me This Christmas episode

Support No Skip Christmas with a tip of any size: Support Arnie Niekamp

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jonathan Coulton and Paul and Storm

Musicians Jonathan Coulton and Paul and Storm swap Christmas songs with Arnie to see what makes his playlist. Songs from Aimee Mann, Louis Armstrong, Eagles and more.

Creator and Host: Arnie Niekamp

Follow him on Bluesky or Instagram or send an Email the show at noskipchristmas@gmail.com

Guests: Jonathan Coulton and Paul and Storm

Get info and tickets for JoCo Cruise!

Producer and Editor: Garrett Schultz

Artwork: Allard Laban

Opening Theme Music: Andy Poland

Song Playlists:

Playlist of all the songs for this episode here

Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney

You’re a Mean Once Mr. Grinch - Aimee Mann

Please Come Home from Christmas - Eagles

I Believe in Father Christmas (Without Orchestra) - Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Nuttin’ for Christmas - Art Mooney, Barry Gordon

Nuttin’ for Christmas - Smash Mouth, Rosie O’Donnell

Christmas Night in Harlem (Single Version) - Louis Armstrong, Benny Carter

Same Old Lang Syne - Dan Fogelberg

Christmas in Jail - The Bobs

Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (Live at C.W. Post College, Greenvale, NY, December 1975) - Bruce Springsteen

Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Bobby Rodriguez

The growing list of accepted Christmas songs here

Christmas-ellaneous: all the songs lovingly rejected so far here

YouTube videos [these songs are currently unavailable on Spotify]:

Electronic Santa Claus by Blazer Force

What Do You Get a Wookie for Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb?)

Support No Skip Christmas with a tip of any size: Support Arnie Niekamp

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mega Ran

Rapper Mega Ran swaps Christmas songs with Arnie to see what makes his playlist. Songs from Outkast, Run DMC, Weird Al and more.

Creator and Host: Arnie Niekamp

Follow him on Bluesky or Instagram or send an Email the show at noskipchristmas@gmail.com

Guest: Mega Ran

Producer and Editor: Garrett Schultz

Artwork: Allard Laban

Opening Theme Music: Andy Poland

Song Playlists:

Playlist of all the songs for this episode here

Snow Business - Mega Ran, Lefty

The Nutcracker Suite (Remastered 1996) - Les Brown & His Band of Renown

Player’s Ball (Christmas Radio Mix) - Outkast

Don’t Believe in Christmas - The Sonics

Christmas in Hollis - Run-D.M.C.

Kissin’ By the Mistletoe - Aretha Franklin

Silent Night - The Temptations

Christmas at Ground Zero - “Weird Al” Yankovic

The growing list of accepted Christmas songs here

Christmas-ellaneous: all the songs lovingly rejected so far here

YouTube videos [this songs is currently unavailable on Spotify]:

The Futureheads - Christmas Was Better In The 80s

Support No Skip Christmas with a tip of any size: Support Arnie Niekamp

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zach Reino and Jess McKenna (from Off Book: The Improvised Musical)

Musical improvisers Zach and Jess swap Christmas songs with Arnie. Songs from Justin Bieber, the Chieftains, Kermit the frog and more.

Creator and Host: Arnie Niekamp

Follow him on Bluesky or Instagram or send an Email the show at noskipchristmas@gmail.com

Guests: Jessica McKenna and Zach Reino

Listen to Off Book: The Improvised Musical or check out thezachandthejess.com!

Producer and Editor: Garrett Schultz

Artwork: Allard Laban

Opening Theme Music: Andy Poland

Song Playlists:

Playlist of all the songs for this episode here

We Need a Little Christmas - The New Christy Minstrels

Drummer Boy - Justin Bieber, Busta Rhymes

Skating - Vince Guaraldi Trio

Disco Santa Claus - The Rain Dolls

One More Sleep ’til Christmas - Kermit

The Boar’s Head - The Chieftains

Christmas at the Airport - Nick Lowe

Come on! Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance! - Sufjan Stevens

Dominick the Donkey (The Italian Christmas Donkey) - Lou Monte

The growing list of accepted Christmas songs here

Christmas-ellaneous: all the songs lovingly rejected so far here

Support No Skip Christmas with a tip of any size: Support Arnie Niekamp

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hrishikesh Hirway (from Song Exploder)

Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder) swaps Christmas songs with Arnie. Their lists are VERY different. Songs from the Vienna Boy’s Choir, Dr. Dog, a “witch house” band and more.

Creator and Host: Arnie Niekamp

Follow him on Bluesky or Instagram or send an Email the show at noskipchristmas@gmail.com

Guest: Hrishikesh Hirway

Hrishi's Home Cooking podcast with Samin Nosrat

Hrishi’s ep of Hello from the Magic Tavern

Producer and Editor: Garrett Schultz

Artwork: Allard Laban

Opening Theme Music: Andy Poland

Song Playlists:

Playlist of all the songs for this episode here

The Little Drummerboy - Vienna Boys’ Choir

Christmas Cookies - George Strait

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland

Sweet Gingerbread Man - Sammy Davis Jr.

King Night - SALEM

Panpepato - Dr. Dog

Mishima (Bob’s Burgers Arrangement) - Philip Glass, Bob’s Burgers, Courtney Swain, John Dylan Keith

Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake - The Irish Rovers

O Holy Night (Arr. John Rutter) - Adolphe Adam, Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, Stephen Cleobury

The growing list of accepted Christmas songs here

Christmas-ellaneous: all the songs lovingly rejected so far here

YouTube videos:

bobs burgers s13e10 full xmas xylophone song

Muppet Songs: Sweet Gingerbread Man (Ed Sullivan)

That cookie we mentioned at the end is apparently available here

Support No Skip Christmas with a tip of any size: Support Arnie Niekamp

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Eurovangelists (Jeremy Bent, Oscar Montoya and Dimitry Pompée)

The hosts of the Eurovangelists podcast (Jeremy Bent, Oscar Montoya and Dimitry Pompée) swap Christmas songs with Arnie.

Warning: This episode has an Explicit tag for strong language during the last two songs. That said, there is a warning in the episode when those songs come up.

Creator and Host: Arnie Niekamp

Follow him on Bluesky or Instagram or send an Email the show at noskipchristmas@gmail.com

Guests:

Jeremy Bent

Oscar Montoya

Dimitry Pompée

Check out their great podcast Eurovangelists, covering Eurovision Song Contest developments present and past.

The episode of Eurovangelists that Arnie guested on is here.

Check out Jeremy’s podcast Mission to Zyxx, including the new prequel miniseries The Young Old Derf Chronicles.

Producer and Editor: Garrett Schultz

Artwork: Allard Laban

Opening Theme Music: Andy Poland

Song Playlists:

Playlist of all the songs for this episode here

Feliz Navidad - José Feliciano

Birthday Card at Christmas - Jethro Tull

Mary’s Boy Child - Boney M.

Back Door Santa - Clarance Carter

Sleigh Ride - The Ventures

El Burrito Sabanero - La Rondallita

Having Grandma Here for Christmas - Subwoolfer

Don’t Start Without Me (2019 Radio Edit) - The Fizz

Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses

A Christmas Duel - The Hives, Cyndi Lauper

Ho Ho Ho - TEYA, SALENA

I’m Growing a Beard Downstairs from Christmas (feat. The Beards) - Kate Miller-Heidke

The growing list of accepted Christmas songs here

Christmas-ellaneous: all the songs lovingly rejected so far here

Support No Skip Christmas with a tip of any size: Support Arnie Niekamp

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Paul F Tompkins and Janet Varney

Paul F Tompkins and Janet Varney swap Christmas songs with Arnie. Songs from T Rex, John Prine, the Everly Brothers and more. Also a Christmas mystery from Janet.

Creator and Host: Arnie Niekamp

Follow him on Bluesky or Instagram or send an Email the show at noskipchristmas@gmail.com

Guests:

Paul F Tompkins

More info on seeing Paul live with Varietopia and other shows: http://paulftompkins.com/live

Janet Varney

Get more info on SF Sketchfest 2026: SF Sketchfest - The San Francisco Comedy Festival

Check out Janet’s podcast E Pluribus Motto: E Pluribus Motto | Maximum Fun

Producer and Editor: Garrett Schultz

Artwork: Allard Laban

Opening Theme Music: Andy Poland

Song Playlists:

Playlist of all the songs for this episode here

Christmas Will Be Just Another Lonely Day - Brenda Lee

Christmas Eve Can Kill You - The Everly Brothers

2000 Miles - Pretenders

Christmas Bop - T. Rex

Ain't No Chimneys in the Projects - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

Christmas in Prison - John Prine

A Musical Christmas Card: O Christmas Tree/The Sleigh - Fred Waring & The Pennsylvanians

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen: Big Band Version - Jimmy Smith

Winter Wonderland - Count Basie Orchestra

The growing list of accepted Christmas songs here

Christmas-ellaneous: all the songs lovingly rejected so far here

Videos:

Silent Night by Janet and Paul (along with Jonathan Coulton and Eban Schletter): Silent Night

John Gorka’s I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day: John Gorka - I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

Support No Skip Christmas with a tip of any size: Support Arnie Niekamp

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.