Grown-Up Christmas List Explained

Grown-Up Christmas List
Cover:Grown-Up Christmas List Cover.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Amy Grant
Album:Home for Christmas
Released:1992 (U.S.)
Recorded:1992
Genre:Pop, Christmas
Label:A&M, Word
Producer:Brown Bannister
Prev Title:Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)
Prev Year:1992
Next Title:Let the Season Take Wing
Next Year:1992

"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.

Amy Grant version

Lyric Addition

Amy 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

Single CD track listing

  1. "Grown Up Christmas List" (edit) - 3:44
  2. "Grown Up Christmas List" (LP version) - 5:00

Music video

A&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

The 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

Other recordings

YearArtistAlbum
1994David T. Clydesdale and Bobbi PageThe Sound Of Christmas
Randy BrooksA Soap Opera Christmas
1995Bryan DuncanChristmas Is Jesus
1996Bill MedleyChristmas Memories
Chuck NegronJoy To The World
Donna CruzMerry Christmas Donna
1997Donny OsmondChristmas At Home
B.J. ThomasChristmas Is Coming Home
Sam LevineChristmas Sax
Swing SistersSwingin' X-Mas
1999Natalie Cole with The London Symphony OrchestraThe Magic Of Christmas
2000MonicaPlatinum Christmas
David PomeranzThe Eyes Of Christmas
Helena VondráčkováVeselé Vánoce A Šťastný Nový Rok
Marianne AntonsenSoulful Christmas Songs
2001Barbra StreisandChristmas Memories
2003Michael BubléLet It Snow!
Kelly ClarksonAmerican Idol: Great Holiday Classics
2004PauliniAmazing Grace (Songs For Christmas)
Lea SalongaThe Christmas Album
2005Rene FrogerPure Christmas
Jane MonheitThe Season
2006The Manhattan TransferAn Acapella Christmas
Christian IngebrigtsenPaint Christmas White
David Friesen and Jeannie HoffmanChristmas At Woodstock
Stan WhitmireChristmas Around The Piano
Thierry Condor and Miriam DeeA Christmas Eve in L.A.
Luis MiguelNavidades
2007Boney JamesChristmas Present
Silvie PaladinoChristmas List
2008Aretha FranklinThis Christmas Aretha
Rissi Palmersingle only
Darja ŠvajgerMoji Obrazi
Lani MisaluchaThe Gift Of Christmas
Sanna, Shirley, SonjaOur Christmas
2009Magnus CarlssonChristmas
Rodney CarringtonMake It Christmas
Anthony EvansWhat Christmas Means
Eric AlexanderRevival Of The Fittest
Mark VincentMy Dream, Mio Visione
2010JoeHome Is The Essence Of Christmas
ChariceGrown-Up Christmas List
The IsaacsChristmas
Trijntje OosterhuisThis Is The Season
Crystal LewisHome For The Holidays
Evelyn EscaleraA Traditional Freestyle Christmas, Vol. 1
2011Kathy TroccoliChristmas Songs
Los Angeles, The VoicesA Christmas Spectacular
Jeffrey BiegelA Steinway Christmas Album
Richard PoonChristmas With Richard Poon
2012Ali LohanChristmas With Ali Lohan
Halie Loren and Matt TrederMany Times, Many Ways
2013
Anthem LightsSimple Little Christmas
Lauren Alainasingle only
Paul Carrack With The SWR Big BandSwinging Christmas - Live
Glennis GraceOne Christmas Night Only
Nohelani CyprianoBlue Hawaiian Christmas
2014Dave Koz & FriendsThe 25th Of December
Sandi PattyChristmas Blessings
2016Jordan Smith'Tis The Season
2017Patti LaBelleHome For The Holidays
Fabrizio Bosso QuartetMerry Christmas Baby
The VeronicasThe Spirit Of Christmas 2017
Lucie BíláBílé Vánoce Lucie Bílé II.
2018PentatonixChristmas Is Here!
Bonnie AndersonThe Spirit Of Christmas 2018
Jess MoskalukeA Small Town Christmas
TaeyeonThe Magic of Christmas Time (DVD)
Nils JiptnerChristmas Everyday
2019John BarrowmanA Fabulous Christmas
2020Delta GoodremOnly Santa Knows
Mark SeibertThe Christmas Album
Simone KopmajerChristmas
2021CainWonderful
2022David Foster and Katharine McPheeChristmas Songs

Notes and References

  1. Amy Grant Grown Up Christmas List. Billboard. December 24, 2020.
  2. Web site: Kelly Clarkson - Awards. AllMusic. April 14, 2018.