"Grown-Up Christmas List" (sometimes titled "My Grown-Up Christmas List") is a Christmas song written by David Foster (music) and Linda Thompson-Jenner (lyrics). Originally written by Foster for the 1989 CBC Christmas program A David Foster Christmas Card, the song was recorded as a duet with David Foster and Natalie Cole. In 1990, a Cole-only version of the song appeared on David Foster's River of Love album. The song was planned to be released as a single, but only a very small number of copies were sold in a limited region. In 1992, Amy Grant recorded the first cover version of the song for her second Christmas album Home for Christmas. This was the beginning of a series of cover versions by many artists, and it has become a standard Christmas song in the 21st century. It is one of Foster's most widely sung songs.
| "Grown-Up Christmas List" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Amy Grant | ||||
| from the album Home for Christmas | ||||
| Released | 1992 (U.S.) | |||
| Recorded | 1992 | |||
| Genre | Pop, Christmas | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | A&M, Word | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Brown Bannister | |||
| Amy Grant singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Grown-Up Christmas List" on YouTube | ||||
Amy Grant version
editLyric addition
editAmy Grant wrote an additional verse she sings as the song's second:
As children we believe
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely wrapped beneath the tree
But Heaven only knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal a hurting human soul
In a 2023 SiriusXM radio special for The Message channel, Grant stated she asked Foster for approval to add the lyric, and Foster was not only impressed, he offered to add Grant to the songwriting credits for the song, which she declined.
Since then, some artists have chosen to perform the song with Grant's additional lyric and some have not.
Personnel
edit- Amy Grant – lead vocals
- Robbie Buchanan – keyboards
- Tom Hemby – guitar
- Ronn Huff – conductor
- Alan Moore – orchestration
- The London Studio Orchestra – strings
- Nat Peck – contractor
Single CD track listing
edit- "Grown Up Christmas List" (edit) - 3:44
- "Grown Up Christmas List" (LP version) - 5:00
Music video
editA&M Records released a music video for Grant's recording of the song, featuring an appearance by Grant's son, Matthew Chapman. The song's edited version was used in the video.
Chart
editThe original version of Grant's single did not enter any of the Billboard charts until 2011. Since then, it has spent 30 weeks on the Christian Digital Songs chart, peaking at No. 11 in December 2017.[1] Kelly Clarkson's version entered the Adult Contemporary chart in 2003 where it spent five weeks.[2]
Weekly charts
edit| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[3] | 17 |
| Chart (2011-2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Christian Digital Song Sales | 11 |
| Chart (2006) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Latin Pop Airplay (Billboard)[4] | 31 |
Other recordings
edit| Year | Artist | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | David T. Clydesdale and Bobbi Page | The Sound Of Christmas |
| Randy Brooks | A Soap Opera Christmas | |
| 1995 | Bryan Duncan | Christmas Is Jesus |
| 1996 | Bill Medley | Christmas Memories |
| Chuck Negron | Joy To The World | |
| Donna Cruz | Merry Christmas Donna | |
| 1997 | Donny Osmond | Christmas At Home |
| B.J. Thomas | Christmas Is Coming Home | |
| Sam Levine | Christmas Sax | |
| Swing Sisters | Swingin' X-Mas | |
| 1999 | Natalie Cole with The London Symphony Orchestra | The Magic Of Christmas |
| 2000 | Monica | Platinum Christmas |
| David Pomeranz | The Eyes Of Christmas | |
| Helena Vondráčková | Veselé Vánoce A Šťastný Nový Rok | |
| Marianne Antonsen | Soulful Christmas Songs | |
| 2001 | Barbra Streisand | Christmas Memories |
| 2003 | Michael Bublé | Let It Snow! |
| Kelly Clarkson | American Idol: Great Holiday Classics | |
| 2004 | Paulini | Amazing Grace (Songs For Christmas) |
| Lea Salonga | The Christmas Album | |
| 2005 | Rene Froger | Pure Christmas |
| Jane Monheit | The Season | |
| 2006 | The Manhattan Transfer | An Acapella Christmas |
| Christian Ingebrigtsen | Paint Christmas White | |
| David Friesen and Jeannie Hoffman | Christmas At Woodstock | |
| Stan Whitmire | Christmas Around The Piano | |
| Thierry Condor and Miriam Dee | A Christmas Eve in L.A. | |
| Luis Miguel | Navidades | |
| 2007 | Boney James | Christmas Present |
| Silvie Paladino | Christmas List | |
| 2008 | Aretha Franklin | This Christmas Aretha |
| Rissi Palmer | single only | |
| Darja Švajger | Moji Obrazi | |
| Lani Misalucha | The Gift Of Christmas | |
| Sanna, Shirley, Sonja | Our Christmas | |
| 2009 | Magnus Carlsson | Christmas |
| Rodney Carrington | Make It Christmas | |
| Anthony Evans | What Christmas Means | |
| Eric Alexander | Revival Of The Fittest | |
| Mark Vincent | My Dream, Mio Visione | |
| 2010 | Joe | Home Is The Essence Of Christmas |
| Charice | Grown-Up Christmas List | |
| The Isaacs | Christmas | |
| Trijntje Oosterhuis | This Is The Season | |
| Crystal Lewis | Home For The Holidays | |
| Evelyn Escalera | A Traditional Freestyle Christmas, Vol. 1 | |
| 2011 | Kathy Troccoli | Christmas Songs |
| Los Angeles, The Voices | A Christmas Spectacular | |
| Jeffrey Biegel | A Steinway Christmas Album | |
| Richard Poon | Christmas With Richard Poon | |
| 2012 | Ali Lohan | Christmas With Ali Lohan |
| Halie Loren and Matt Treder | Many Times, Many Ways | |
| 2013 | ||
| Anthem Lights | Simple Little Christmas | |
| Lauren Alaina | single only | |
| Paul Carrack With The SWR Big Band | Swinging Christmas - Live | |
| Glennis Grace | One Christmas Night Only | |
| Nohelani Cypriano | Blue Hawaiian Christmas | |
| 2014 | Dave Koz & Friends | The 25th Of December |
| Sandi Patty | Christmas Blessings | |
| 2016 | Jordan Smith | 'Tis The Season |
| 2017 | Patti LaBelle | Home For The Holidays |
| Fabrizio Bosso Quartet | Merry Christmas Baby | |
| The Veronicas | The Spirit Of Christmas 2017 | |
| Lucie Bílá | Bílé Vánoce Lucie Bílé II. | |
| 2018 | Pentatonix | Christmas Is Here! |
| Bonnie Anderson | The Spirit Of Christmas 2018 | |
| Jess Moskaluke | A Small Town Christmas | |
| Taeyeon | The Magic of Christmas Time (DVD) | |
| Nils Jiptner | Christmas Everyday | |
| 2019 | John Barrowman | A Fabulous Christmas |
| 2020 | Delta Goodrem | Only Santa Knows |
| Mark Seibert | The Christmas Album | |
| Simone Kopmajer | Christmas | |
| 2021 | Cain | Wonderful |
| 2022 | David Foster and Katharine McPhee | Christmas Songs |
References
edit- ^ "Amy Grant Grown Up Christmas List". Billboard. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson - Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
- ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
- ^ "Luis Miguel Chart History (Latin Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 April 2017.