You're Christmas To Me

Album: single release only (2023)
Charted: 2

Songfacts®:

  • "You're Christmas To Me" is a cheerful and upbeat tune that celebrates the joy of spending the festive period with a loved one. Sam Ryder sings about how his romantic partner is the star upon the tree, the only gift he needs, and the reason he believes in miracles.
  • Sam Ryder wrote "You're Christmas To Me" with Max Wolfgang and Tom Howe. Max Wolfgang is a British singer-songwriter and producer who also co-penned Ryder's Eurovision hit "Space Man." He has also worked with artists such as BlackPink ("Hard To Love") and Celine Dion (Perfect Goodbye"). Tom Howe is a British composer and music producer who has scored films and TV shows such as A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Ted Lasso, and The Great British Bake Off.
  • The Nocturns produced the track. A UK production/songwriting team comprising Charlie Martin and Joe Housley, their other credits include songs recorded by Mimi Webb ("House On Fire") and Maisie Peters ("Therapy").
  • Ryder and the other songwriters created the track for the British Amazon Prime comedy film Your Christmas or Mine 2.
  • Amazon Music released "You're Christmas to Me" on November 7, 2023. It entered the UK Singles chart dated November 26, 2023, at #50, becoming Ryder's second successive Christmas hit following his cover of "Jingle Bells." Ryder's power-pop version of the festive classic reached #41 in 2022.
  • Sam Ryder's tendency to procrastinate almost led to him missing the August deadline for the song. "When I wrote it, the deadline was that day; I had to get it to Amazon Prime Video for their movie Your Christmas or Mine 2," he told Official Charts. "I thought 'I'll sort it out tomorrow,' then 'tomorrow' became the next day, then the next day."

    "The day came and it was like 'have you got your homework to hand in?' essentially. I was like 'oh my God!'" Ryder continued, "I took a train to my friend Max [Wolfgang]'s, and I'd had the chorus for a Christmas song in my head for a long time. I was thinking 'whatever I come up with on this train journey is the song, because there's no other option."

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