THEME TIME: Christmas Cards

Sending Christmas cards is a tradition that is slowly fading thanks to modern media. Despite this, it remains a beloved subject of hate, longing, and everything in between in Christmas music. The result: a huuuuge number of songs about it. We cherry picked a few.

Take Ethan James Young for example, who wrote a song back in 2023 in which he, not too kindly, asked someone to stop sending him Christmas cards. Tough lyrics, sweet song. 



John Dunbar sees it differently. At this time of year, he longs for a card from that special someone, though that's not always a resounding success either. There's no shortage of bells in this quiet indie rock song with a catchy organ.



One of the most famous Christmas cards ever sent is, of course, the one from a hooker in Minneapolis to Charlie. This fragile yet indestructible Tom Waits classic has been featured here several times. Deschtuco from Tucson, Arizona, included a beautiful, extended cover version with tuba on their 2021 Christmas album, featuring 'Silent Night' as the intro and outro.



A brilliant pastiche, this eclectic 'XMAS Card from NYC to Anyone Who'll Read It, 1946' by THE SORT OFs. It goes from guitar violence to Elton John-esque singing and piano playing before spiraling out of control in a climax with horns and choirs. Nothing Christmassy about it, but one surprise after another.



You can find a solution for anything, as evidenced by 'I Ate Your Christmas Card', a slightly quirky country track with wonderful waving steel guitar and somewhat uncertain but appealing vocals from Gladys the Elf, who hails from, where else, Nashville, Tennessee. "I tore it into pieces and mixed it into my cereal." Enjoy your Christmas meal, Gladys!



Joyce Manor from Torrance, California plays the kind of rattling punk rock that English bands seem to have the patent on. But nothing could be further from the truth, because these guys hail from Torrance, California, and with this powerful track from 2008, they've already brought another modest Christmas classic to the alt-rock scene, which has since been covered countless times.



And that's why the Joyce Manor track would actually deserve its own Theme Time: Covers post in itself. For now, we'll stick with the next four covers. This one, for example, by Rats in a Wall. They recorded a fantastic, heavily distorted, chaotic and intense cover for the Nympho Lullaby Records Christmas compilation in 2022.



Illuminati Hotties (ft. Rosie Tucker) recorded a stripped-down, minimal, but yet oh-so-exciting version of the classic Joyce Manor track. Big hashtag delicious tenderpunk.



And waddabout this one by Lovers Turn to Monsters. Mainly acoustic and ultra cool.



And the last one really gets going again. A nice, blunt, straight-to-the-point rock version by the Spanish Bombs from Bradenton, Florida.



Let's call it casio-driven alternative pop, this kinda mellow electronic and catchy Christmas card song for Lloyd by Adam Hopper & The Wimps from Manchester, UK. 



Autosonic is Mårten Haug from Oslo, Norway, and he's had enough of everything. And that's what resulted in this beautiful Christmas poprock song.



Another category: Gift Card Christmas. A track from the album Moon Magnet: Kyle's Xmas Special The Soundtrack 3. Quirky yet entertaining track with people whispering in the background and a Christmassy choir, singing the praises of the Gift Card while Kyle gruffly grumbles over it.



Save the best for (almost) last. Joe Rocks from the UK describes himself as Singer Songwriter, Hip Shaker, Foot Stomper and Hit Maker, but for this beautifully dignified track he goes for acoustic introspection, stillness and... hope.



And finally, a little cheat with the theme, because this isn't a track about Christmas cards, but an entire album with that name. Wonderful Christmas Tex-Mex by Track Dogs from Spain, but with members from Ireland, the US, and the UK. Replace that Santa hat with a sombrero and enjoy!

 => You got more? Drop 'em in the comments! <=