Four Strings and a Santa Hat: The 2026 Works Christmas Do Setlist That Saves the Night

The office Christmas do is a delicate ecosystem. There is a buffet, a secret Santa, a finance director hovering near the mince pies and at least one person who says, with tremendous conviction, that they will not be singing. And yet, somewhere between the second round of drinks and the arrival of the cheese board, four strings can work a small miracle.

At Ukes of Hazzard we are firmly of the view that the ukulele is the ideal instrument for the works Christmas party. It is portable, cheerful and quietly disarming. Nobody expects a full band to turn up next to the photocopier. But a ukulele, a lyric sheet and a bit of gentle showmanship can turn a room of reluctant colleagues into a chorus. The trick is not to force it. The trick is to build a set that meets people where they are: slightly baffled, mildly festive and holding a paper plate.

First, Read the Room Before You Read the Chord Chart

Before you decide that this is the year the accounts team finally tackles a Pogues classic, take a moment. Is the venue a function room with a carpet that smells faintly of chips? Is there a quiz? Is there a designated area where people are pretending to network? All of this matters.

A works do is not a gig. It is a social contract with tinsel. Your job is not to prove you can play every chord inversion known to humanity. Your job is to make the room feel like joining in is the easiest and most enjoyable option available. That means keeping the tempo steady, the volume sensible and the banter short. If someone asks whether you know any Oasis, the answer is yes. If someone asks whether you know any obscure B-side by The Cure, the answer is also yes, but perhaps later.

The Five-Song Spine of the Set

These five songs are not a decree from on high. They are a sturdy little spine around which you can hang requests, repeats and the occasional desperate encore. All of them work with a handful of open chords and a room full of people who know the chorus but not the verse.

1. Merry Christmas Everyone — Shakin’ Stevens

This is the warm-up. It has a chorus that arrives like a friendly labrador and a title that does exactly what it says on the tin. Chords are pleasingly straightforward: G, C and D will get you through the bulk of it, with a little E minor if you are feeling fancy. Keep the strum relaxed and do not rush. The goal is to make the first singalong feel accidental, as if the room simply could not help itself.

2. Last Christmas — Wham!

A modern office classic, despite being older than most of the people in the room. The chord shape is forgiving, the melody is familiar and the chorus gives everyone permission to point at a colleague during the line about giving someone their heart. Use a capo if the key sits awkwardly for the singers. And please, for the love of all that is holy, do not attempt the high harmony unless you have warmed up and have a glass of water within reach.

3. Fairytale of New York — The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl

This one is a gift and a hazard. The gift is that people adore it. The hazard is that it invites enthusiastic duetting, questionable accents and at least one uncle who knows all the words to the radio edit. Stick to the radio edit. Keep the tempo from turning into a shanty. If you have two confident singers, wonderful. If not, let the room take the chorus and enjoy the fact that everyone suddenly believes they are in a folk band.

4. Sweet Caroline — Neil Diamond

Not a Christmas song, but a works-do nuclear option. The chords are simple, the “ba ba ba” section is irresistible and the collective joy is almost impossible to derail. This is the point in the evening when the quiet person from IT becomes the loudest person in the room. Let it happen. Do not overplay. Just keep the rhythm steady and watch the paper hats start to bounce.

5. Wonderwall — Oasis

Every ukulele player eventually plays Wonderwall. It is practically a rite of passage, like owning a capo you never use. At a Christmas do it works because everyone knows it, it is not too high, and the chorus gives people a reason to lean in together. A capo on the second fret and a handful of basic shapes will do the job. If anyone groans, remind them that Wonderwall is a communal experience, not a personal attack.

Chord Tips for People Who Own One Ukulele and Three Minutes

You do not need to be Jake Shimabukuro. You need to be reliable. Learn C, G, Am and F until they feel like putting on a seatbelt. Add D and Em when you are ready. Use a capo to move the songs into keys that suit the room rather than your ego. Keep your strumming simple: down, down-up, down-up, down-up. If in doubt, go back to C. C is always there for you.

One more thing: tune up before you start and again halfway through. There is nothing less festive than a ukulele that has slowly drifted out of tune while everyone is queuing for pigs in blankets.

The Reluctant Colleague Protocol

There is always one. They stand at the back with a glass of something orange and a look that says, “I am here under duress.” Do not call them out. Do not point at them. Do not say, “Come on, everyone knows this one!” The reluctant colleague is not a problem to be solved. They are a person who needs a low-pressure entry point.

Print lyric sheets. Put them on tables. Start with a song everyone knows. Sing the first chorus yourself and let the room decide when to join in. If someone wants to shake a tambourine, let them. If someone wants to hold the lyric sheet for a colleague, excellent. The ukulele is a small instrument, but it is very good at making people feel included without being cornered.

Encore, Buffet and Mistletoe Management

For an encore, keep it short and bright. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree or a brisk Jingle Bells will send people towards the buffet with a spring in their step. If you have time, White Christmas is the gentle exit music. Do not attempt a second encore. A works do has a natural ending, and it is usually the announcement that the bar is closing.

A word on mistletoe requests. They will come. Someone will ask for a song about kissing, someone else will ask for Fairytale of New York again, and someone will ask whether you can play Baby It’s Cold Outside. You can smile, say, “We’re keeping it family-friendly for HR,” and move swiftly on. It is a Christmas party, not a referendum on office romance.

A Final Check Before You Zip Up the Gig Bag

Charge anything that needs charging. Pack a spare set of strings. Bring a tuner, a capo and a lyric sheet for every song. Check whether the venue has a microphone or whether you will be projecting your voice over a room of people discussing the parking situation. And remember: the best ukulele set at a Christmas do is not the most impressive one. It is the one that makes the room feel like one big, slightly chaotic choir.

That is the Ukes of Hazzard approach: four strings, big grins, singalong fun. If you can manage that in a function room in December, you have done your bit for festive civilisation.