Back in 1926, Gramophone asked readers to select their top 10 Christmas party records as part of a competition. It was won by Leonard Emms, with John Beer as runner-up. Here are their lists, made up of popular tunes of the day (as 'the musical gentleman must be debarred from his favourite classics for the day').

CHRISTMAS PARTY RECORDS: A programme of Ten Gramophone Records suitable for a Christmas Party

They should suit the old folk, the young folk, old Uncle Tom Cobley and all after a heavy meal. This was the subject of one of the September Competitions, and most of the competitors entered admirably into the spirit of the subject. It is not easy to discriminate between the merits of many of the lists; but with an eye on the prices of the records and the question of what was on both sides of them, the Editor awarded the first prize to LEONARD F. EMMS, 6, West Street, Stratford on Avon, and consolation prizes to J. W. Beer, 20, Greenhill Avenue, Bolton; V. H. Scrivener, 22, Parfrey Street, London, W.6; D. Broad, 19, Commercial Road, Bournemouth; and Haydn H. Hanna, 28, Peter Street, Cumberland. 

Both the following lists are good models for any reader who is proposing to entertain his family and friends after the Christmas dinner: 

WINNING LIST

1. Christmas Time in Merrie England, Parts 1 and 2 (Theo. Bennett), played by H.M. Grenadier Guards. 

This record is particularly bright and gay; it creates the right atmosphere for a Christmas party. 

2. (a) Uncle Tom Cobleigh (Widdicombe Fair), (b) Tavvystock Goozey Fair, sung by Frank Webster. 

(a) A rattling good "chorus" record and full value for the money, generally encored, and while the party gets their wind (b) can be played and enjoyed. 

3. (a) Two Lovely Black Eyes (chorus sung in nine languages), (b) The Man Who Broke The Bank at Monte Carlo, sung by Charles Coburn.

This record makes a big appeal to the early middle-age folk, but all can join in the fun. 

4. (a) Shenandoah and Billy Boy, (b) Haul Away, Joe, and Bound for the Rio Grande.

Sea shanties sung by John Thorne and male trio. Goes splendidly at a party. 

5. (a) Stop yer ticklin', Jock, (b) The Lass of Killiecrankie, sung by Sir Harry Lauder. 

6. Parson addresses his Flock, in two parts, by Vivian Foster.

7. Reading a Novelette (sketch), by Will Evans and Co. (b) Winner Laughing Record. 

8. (a) Looking for a boy, (b) That Certain Feeling, two foxtrots played by Alfredo's New Princes Orchestra.

Something up to date for "Miss 1926" and her friends. 

9. (a) When father papered the parlour, (b ) John, put your trousers on; sung by the late Billy Williams.

These two songs go with a real swing. The Scala list contains a wide choice of comic songs by Billy Williams. 

10. (a) Old Jim's Christmas Hymn, (b) The Miner's Dream of Home, sung by Sidney Eden and quartette.

Very nicely sung and popular with old and young folk. 

LEONARD F. EMMS 

RUNNER-UP

A Gramophone Programme to cater for every taste likely to be present at a Christmas Party, and yet preserve more or less the spirit of the season, is a tall order. But here goes. 

We must make a start, and the kiddies love a march, so we put on Turkish Patrol and Stars and Stripes, Coldstream Guards.

The old folks love the old songs, so, though we must not have anything too lachrymose, Peter Dawson singing Simon the Cellarer and The Pride of Tipperary should please them and Uncle Cobley too.

The kiddies must have their Christmas story, so Montefiore tells them one on The Night before Christmas, and on the other side we have the Trinity Choir giving us all the well-known Christmas tunes in which everyone can join.

A little humour will not be amiss now, so we call in the aid of Harry Lauder singing The waggle of the kilt and The wedding of Sandy McNab. This will please any Scots present and give occasion for a little joining in the chorus. 

The musical gentleman must be debarred from his favourite classics for once, but we may be able to keep the children sufficiently quiet after their recent vocal efforts to allow us to put on a really nice tenor, Mr. H. Williamson singing The Star of Bethlehem, and the Christmas Song of Glory. The old folks will also enjoy the former.

The kiddies having been very good during the last record, we give them Happy-go-lucky-day and The Kinky Kids Parade, by the Duncan Sisters, and follow this up with Gilbert Childs in The Rich Man Drives By, which should give all the grown-ups a real hearty laugh.

Miss Seventeen and Master Twenty will no doubt want some musical comedy stuff, so we give them I Want to be Happy and Tea for Two, by Helen Clarke and Lewis James; this will give another opportunity for joining in a very appropriate chorus.

We follow this with Derek Oldham and Edith Day singing Rose Marie and Indian Love Call on a Columbia disc of which I forget the number at the moment. This really fine record should please the musical gent in spite of its being a" popular" number.

By this time dinner should have settled down a bit and the old folk will want to retire to their whist and the" young 'uns" to clear the room and hunt out the dance records, so we finish up with Old Jim's Christmas Hymn and Auld Lang Syne, sung by Peter Dawson with chorus and orchestra, in which latter the whole company can join. 

JOHN W. BEER