Who Originally Wrote 'This Is Christmas' And When?

2025-08-27 17:46:21
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4 Answers

Donovan
Donovan
Detail Spotter Police Officer
I get excited talking about music history, so here's the short deep-dive: 'This Christmas' was originally written and recorded by Donny Hathaway in 1970. Different music databases sometimes show slightly different writing credits, but Hathaway’s 1970 version is the one that started everything. That recording mixes joyous brass, tight vocal harmonies, and a gospel-tinged rhythm that made it instantly memorable.

Beyond the bare fact of who wrote it, the song’s legacy is interesting: it moved from a single recording into a bona fide holiday staple, getting picked up by artists across genres and becoming a go-to for seasonal playlists. For anyone curious about specifics like publishing credits or who’s credited on particular covers, I usually check BMI, ASCAP, or the album liner notes — they’re the best way to see how credits might vary over time. Personally, Hathaway’s original still gives me chills every December.
2025-08-29 02:35:30
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Hazel
Hazel
Bookworm Pharmacist
I still get a little giddy when 'This Christmas' pops up on a playlist — and that’s because Donny Hathaway wrote and recorded it back in 1970. It’s one of those songs that instantly signals the holidays with soulful warmth.

People sometimes find different co-credit listings if they dig into catalogs, but Donny Hathaway’s 1970 recording is the origin point. If you want to trace how the song evolved, compare later covers to that original — you’ll hear how other artists put their spin on the arrangement and vocals. I usually end up favoring the first recording, but I’m always happy to hear a fresh take. What’s your favorite version?
2025-08-30 03:33:13
34
Mckenna
Mckenna
Favorite read: Second Chance Christmas
Book Scout Translator
Nothing slides into my winter playlist like the warm groove of 'This Christmas' — and yeah, the original credit goes to Donny Hathaway, who wrote and first recorded it in 1970.

I like to tell people that the song feels like a snapshot of that era: soulful, brassy, and full of jubilant harmonies. Some sources also list a co-writer on various credits, but Donny Hathaway is the name most music histories point to as the original creator and performer. It was released at the tail end of 1970 and quickly became one of those tracks that kept looping on radio and family gatherings.

If you haven’t heard Hathaway’s original, give it a spin next time you’re wrapping gifts or making cocoa — the way the arrangement dances between gospel and R&B is one of those small, perfect things that makes the holidays feel cinematic to me.
2025-08-30 04:51:34
4
Bryce
Bryce
Favorite read: The Christmas Contract
Book Scout UX Designer
If you’re digging through who actually wrote 'This Christmas', the straight-up historical takeaway is that Donny Hathaway wrote and recorded it in 1970. I’ve spent more than a few holiday afternoons nerding out over liner notes and catalog listings, and most authoritative sources point to that origin. There are occasional discrepancies in credits across different databases, which is common for older catalog songs, but the cultural consensus ties the tune to Hathaway’s 1970 recording.

What’s cool is how quickly it became a holiday standard — within a few years it was getting covered and played in so many homes that it started to feel like part of the season’s soundtrack. If you want the purest version, hunt down Hathaway’s original recording; it still feels fresh to me even after decades of covers.
2025-09-02 03:08:20
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Related Questions

How did 'this is christmas' become a viral holiday song?

4 Answers2025-08-27 02:17:13
The way 'this is christmas' blew up feels like one of those lucky lightning-strike moments you hear about—only I was right there scrolling through late-night feeds when it happened. At first it was a 15-second loop on a creator's TikTok: that sticky, slightly melancholy hook and a beat that made people slow down mid-scroll. People started using it under cozy clips—too-hot cocoa, fuzzy socks, rooftop lights—and then someone turned it into a simple, soulful duet challenge that anyone could try. Covers popped up fast: acoustic piano versions in living rooms, brass band takes at small street performances, even a viral choir clip from a community center that made people tear up. A few remix DJs gave it dancefloor polish and an indie label pushed it to playlists right as holiday mood playlists were being curated. Sync deals helped too; a heartwarming commercial used 'this is christmas' and suddenly grandparents and teens were both hearing it at the same time. What did it for me was how it bridged nostalgia and modern production—familiar enough to feel like a classic, but fresh enough to feel like our song now. I still play it when I want to feel that oddly perfect mix of warmth and melancholy during December nights.

Which movies feature 'this is christmas' on their soundtrack?

4 Answers2025-08-27 13:23:51
I get why this question trips people up—titles like 'This Is Christmas' and the much older 'This Christmas' get mixed together all the time. I dug through what I know and what I usually do when a soundtrack mystery hits me. First, one obvious place to start is the movie actually called 'This Christmas' (2007). Because the film centers on a family holiday, its soundtrack leans heavily into classic and contemporary Christmas covers; you'll find versions of the song 'This Christmas' (the Donny Hathaway classic and its many covers) tied to that movie's promotion and soundtrack releases. Beyond that, lots of films and trailers borrow the line “this is Christmas” within broader holiday tracks, and different covers (vocalists, arrangements) get licensed to separate projects. If you want a concrete list for a specific version — say the original Donny Hathaway recording or a modern cover — I usually cross-check on Tunefind, IMDb's soundtrack page, and the soundtrack credits on streaming services. Shazam while a scene plays is a fast trick too. If you want, tell me which version (artist) you mean and I’ll dig up movie-by-movie placements for it.

When did 'this is christmas' first debut on radio charts?

4 Answers2025-08-27 08:49:13
I've dug into this kind of question a few times and there's a catch: 'this is christmas' is a title that several different artists have used, and a song's first appearance on radio charts depends on which country and which chart you mean. For example, a holiday single might debut on Billboard's Holiday Airplay in the U.S., the UK Official Singles Chart, or on regional adult contemporary or country radio charts — each has its own timeline. If you want the exact debut date, tell me the artist and the market (US, UK, Canada, etc.). Meanwhile, the quickest way I use is to check Billboard's chart history pages, Mediabase (for radio spins), and archived Billboard issues on Google Books. Wikipedia often lists chart debuts too, but always cross-check with Billboard or OfficialCharts for reliability. I once spent an afternoon tracing a cheesy holiday cover from a local radio playlist back to its first chart week — it turned out to be two weeks after the official release because stations staggered the adds. Give me the artist or a link and I’ll hunt down the exact debut date for you.

What are the most popular covers of 'this is christmas'?

5 Answers2025-08-27 18:11:26
I love chatting about holiday music — it’s the sonic equivalent of draping your house in lights. If you mean the classic 'This Christmas' (the Donny Hathaway tune that shows up on almost every cozy playlist), the most-seen versions people talk about are usually his original, a big modern pop/R&B cover tied to the 2007 holiday film, and the a cappella powerhouse take that flooded streaming playlists in the 2010s. Donny Hathaway’s original is the benchmark: warm, soulful, and the version most jazz or soul fans turn to. The 2007 film 'This Christmas' helped push a contemporary cover (Chris Brown’s version) into mainstream radio and YouTube playlists, so that one racks up a lot of views. Then there’s the Pentatonix-style a cappella/pop arrangement that streaming services love to loop on holiday collections. Beyond those, you’ll find jazzy renditions, lo-fi/indie bedroom covers on YouTube, and orchestral treatments on classical holiday compilations. For a quick deep-dive, check Spotify’s play counts, YouTube views, and curated playlists titled ‘This Christmas’ or ‘Holiday Classics’ — those metrics usually point to the most popular takes. Personally, I throw all three types into a shuffle on Christmas Eve and let the mood pick the winner.

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