Jordan Blackmore of NYC’s Three Squares Studio is a nice young man who likes to get knotty. Here, he shows New York editor Jordan Blumberg how to keep her hair out of the punch bowl with help from a flashy top bun.

Pull hair into a tight (think face-lift tight), high ponytail and hold. (Flip head upside down to make sure locks are gathered right on your crown.) Spritz with beach spray.

Brush/smooth hair underneath and tousle front section, leaving it imperfect. Hook rubber band in at the center, twist, and tie. Brush ponytail smooth, working in a dab of cream product.

Create a cylinder by pinching at the base and wrapping your ponytail around your fingers like a donut. Tuck the end into the center hole.

Secure with pins around the base of the knot. Blackmore suggests one pin every half inch to start and stresses that you can’t use too many hairpins. (We got up to 30.)

Use a rattail comb to muss up your hairline. Pull out small wisps where hair is extremely flat.

Rub Oribe gold pomade in your palm and “paint” along the hairline with a finger. Soften lines and clumps with a damp cloth.

Stylist Yubelkys Tejada (Yube for short) of NYC’s Snip ’n’ Sip vows to give updo-novice confidence with an easy side ponytail with just enough crown height to keep things graceful. Research editor Stephanie Almazan nabbed a seat and gave Yube her full attention.

Bend the ends (Yube’s simple mantra) using a half-inch flatiron to create texture and a loose curl.

Use a rattail comb to gently tease the hair at the crown.

Gather hair at the crown into a half-up style, pushing hair forward slightly to create height. Hold in place with one hand. Using the other hand, point a bobby pin (pried open with your thumb and forefinger) perpendicular to the back of your head and secure hair on one side. Repeat on other side with another pin. Secure base of sides with pins. (Thicker hair will need more pins.)

Bring hair to one side over the shoulder. Take a small section of hair from the bottom and use it to wrap around the base of the ponytail. Secure the ponytail with two bobby pins using the same method in Step 3.

Wrap the ends of the ponytail around your finger to smooth the curls. Spray the crown and ponytail with hair spray.

You have enough to think about between the mistletoe and New Year’s Eve. Brooklyn-based Woodley & Bunny stylist Owen Gould walks production assistant Kristin White through a braid-bun hybrid that’s anything but holiday harried.

Spray dry shampoo throughout the crown to give the hair more volume. Tease lightly by back-combing sections of hair at the root.

Pull hair into three side-by-side ponytails at the base of the neck (can be one or two ponytails depending on thickness of hair). Pinch and pull the hair to loosen it a little and keep it from looking too done.

Fishtail or regular braid each of the ponytails. Lightly pull the braids apart to make them appear fatter.

Pin all the braids into a bun at the nape of the neck.

Take inspiration from the swingin’ ’60s for an updo that’s more flowy than flower child, courtesy of Ryan Cotton at New York City’s Marie Robinson Salon.

Spray dry shampoo all over the roots to give the hair texture and hold. Create waves with a one-and-a-half-inch curling iron, wrapping the hair around the iron in alternating directions for loose, nonuniform curls.

Tease the hair at the crown to add volume.

Secure a thin elastic headband around the crown, allowing “give” for volume in the back. Pin to hold in place.

Using two fingers, gently roll the hair upward and secure under the headband to create the illusion of ringlets. Fasten in place with bobby pins.

Adorn with a barrette on one side (toward the front of the head) for a bit of sparkle.