Ana Gasteyer Develops The Most Wonderful Song of the Year

Ana Gasteyer is turning her long-running love of Christmas into a new holiday competition series designed to discover the next seasonal hit. The project, titled The Most Wonderful Song of the Year, aims to identify an original holiday song that can become a modern classic and possibly join the ranks of enduring favorites like Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You.

Gasteyer, known for her six-year run on Saturday Night Live, has built a festive reputation through years of holiday-themed comedy and music. Her memorable SNL work included the famous Schweddy Balls sketch and her impersonations of Martha Stewart during Christmas-themed segments. She has also released a holiday jazz album, Sugar & Booze, further cementing her connection to seasonal entertainment.

The new series is being developed by Gasteyer and her company, Most Wonderful Company, in partnership with SuperBloom House and Mission Control Media, the producer behind Hollywood Game Night. The format will blend music, comedy and audience participation, with emerging and established artists competing by performing original holiday songs. Viewers will be able to follow along, vote and help determine which song has the strongest chance of becoming a lasting part of the holiday music landscape.

Instead of being pitched first to traditional television broadcasters or streaming platforms, the project is being designed as a social-first format. It will be produced as a vertical series, with distribution planned across platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. The creators say they want the show to be highly shareable and built for short-form viewing, with a focus on clips, social engagement and festive energy.

The concept reflects a broader effort to create a communal holiday music experience that invites audiences to participate in selecting the next seasonal anthem. Rather than relying on a panel of industry executives to decide what becomes a hit, the series puts the outcome in the hands of viewers. The format is intended to build excitement around both the songs and the artists performing them, while encouraging repeat listening and online conversation.

The project arrives during a busy period for Gasteyer. Schmigadoon! recently won the Tony Award for Best Musical, with Gasteyer nominated for her role in the production. She also has a new comedy feature, Never Change!, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and is set to debut on Hulu later this week.

Gasteyer said holiday music has a special ability to endure because great songs are not only heard but passed down from one generation to the next. She said the new series is meant to find that next song and let audiences decide its fate, promising music, comedy, guest appearances and surprises, with the possibility that she may even play the fiddle.

SuperBloom House’s Adam Milano said the show is designed to create a new holiday tradition while updating how entertainment is experienced in a social-media era. He said there is always room for more great holiday songs, and that the smallest screens can generate the biggest cultural energy.