Dressing The Tree With David Emanuel

What music do you listen to when you put up your festive decorations and dress your tree?

Fashion designer David Emanuel discovers what's on the nation's playlist at this special time of year.

Some stick with traditional fayre like the Sinatra and Buble Christmas albums, but for others it's the record they played when they shared their first Christmas together as a married couple, or one that takes them back to their earliest childhood.

David builds an eclectic playlist featuring tracks as chosen by listeners and his celebrity pals. Plus, he chats to historian Lucy Worsley about why and when the tradition of festive decorations took hold in the UK, and a retail archivist discusses the nation's current favourite baubles and trees, and reveals how trends have changed over the years.

Written and produced by Malcolm Prince

Quote from David:

I've dressed Hollywood royalty, West End stars and an English princess, and now I'm delighted to be making my presenting debut for BBC Radio 2 at this special time of year.

One of the things I look forward to is preparing the house for Christmas, and when I do, I always play Elaine Paige's album 'Christmas'. It's a ritual.

And it got me thinking, what do other people listen to when they dress their trees?

In this show, I'll be discovering just that, and finding out when the tradition began and how it's changed over the years.

And, with the help of my listeners and some friends, I'll create the perfect playlist to dress the tree. And it's one that might surprise you!'.

David Emanuel reveals the music people listen to when putting up their festive decorations