Should You Write a Christmas Song?

Temps de lecture/Reading time : 2 minutes

A (Mostly) Serious Guide for Independent Artists

Every year around mid-November, something strange happens.
Your Instagram feed fills up with pine trees, Spotify smells like mulled wine, and a tiny voice in your head whispers:

“What if I wrote a Christmas song?”

Terrible idea? Hidden masterpiece? A legally binding deal with Mariah Carey?
Let’s talk about it.

Why Every Indie Artist Thinks About Christmas (Eventually)

Because Christmas is the emotional Black Friday of music.

• Platforms love Christmas songs
• Listeners are way less picky than usual
• Even average songs get played… a lot

And most importantly:
a Christmas song can come back every single year, which is more than you can say for most of your February releases.

The Real Benefits for Independent Artists

A rare moment when the algorithm is… nice

In December:

• fewer “regular” releases
• dedicated seasonal playlists
• listeners actively searching for vibes, not innovation

Translation: you actually have a chance to be heard.

The promise of “small money that comes back”

No, you won’t get rich.
But:

• a Christmas song can earn a little bit every year
• sometimes more than a whole EP you released in spring (yes, it hurts)

Think of it as the seasonal side job of your catalog.

A surprisingly good creative exercise

Writing a Christmas song means:

• facing clichés… and trying not to drown in them
• writing simple without being stupid
• triggering emotion fast

It’s like writing a love song, but with ugly sweaters.

The Very Real Dangers

The “bells = creativity” trap

If your song includes:

• sleigh bells
• the word Christmas repeated 14 times
• a random children’s choir appearing for no reason

step away from the keyboard.

Total mismatch with your artistic identity

If you make:

• extreme metal
• very dark rap
• cold, industrial minimal techno

…a Christmas song can work — if you fully commit.
If you don’t, it will sound awkward forever.

A song that disappears 10 months a year

Let’s be honest:

• in March, your Christmas song doesn’t exist
• in July, it’s slightly embarrassing
• in November… it rises from the dead

That’s the deal.

The Indie Artist Trick: Don’t Write a Christmas Song

Instead, write:

• a winter song
• a song about waiting
• a song about loneliness, absence, reunion
• a song that feels like Christmas without saying it

Result:

• you can play it all year
• it still fits winter playlists
• no forced references to reindeer

Smart move.

The Honest Checklist (No Lying Allowed)

Ask yourself:

• Do I want to do this, or am I just afraid of missing out?
• Can I do this without betraying my sound?
• Am I okay with this song coming back every year?
• Do I have something personal to say?

If you answer “yes” to at least two: go for it 🎄
If you answer “no” to all of them: make hot chocolate and write something else.

Writing a Christmas song as an independent artist is neither selling your soul nor a guaranteed win.
It’s:

• a gamble
• an experiment
• a small emotional poker move

And sometimes, the song you wrote “just for fun” becomes the one people listen to the most.

Turns out, even the algorithm has a heart