I'm listening to An Irish Christmas as we type...lovely violin and whistle playing The First Noel.
I'm listening to The Boston Camerata CD, "A Renaissance Christmas". It includes some lovely French and Spanish carols, and they are accompanied by recorders, some early violins, hand held drums, and some mellow brass. Some of it is like dance music.
I also have some CD's that are Christmas carols done by a string quartet. The music would accompany a dinner party quite nicely.