When Christmas Comes Around...

{{quote box|width=30%|align=left|quote="My purpose for choosing this lyric as the title of this project was to bring forth a sense of reality to the fact that we are probably in very different places emotionally When Christmas Comes Around... Some of us are consumed with a new love, some of us reminded of loss, some filled with optimism for the coming new year, others elated for some much deserved time away from the chaos our work lives can sometimes bring us. Wherever you are, and whatever you may be experiencing, I wanted everyone to be able to connect to a message on this album. Each year you may even have a new favorite depending on where you are in your life, but while change can be unpredictable there is no better time of year, in my opinion, to breathe hope into one’s life and let possibility wander."|source=—Clarkson on naming the album When Christmas Comes Around... }}

Following the release of her first Christmas album Wrapped in Red in 2013 on RCA Records, Clarkson transferred to Atlantic Records and has issued the Christmas tracks "Christmas Eve" (2017), "Under the Mistletoe" (with Brett Eldredge), and a cover of Vince Vance & the Valiants' "All I Want for Christmas Is You" (2020). In an interview on the television program Entertainment Tonight, she revealed that she was not originally intending to record another Christmas studio album due to her fondness for her first, but later decided to following the emotional stress induced by the highly publicized divorce the previous year. In recording the album, Clarkson recorded cover versions of various Christmas classics and wrote new material featuring duets with American recording artists Chris Stapleton and Ariana Grande.

Atlantic Records has promoted When Christmas Comes Around... as an exploration of "a wide range of holiday emotions and experiences anchored by Clarkson's incomparable vocal prowess". Clarkson has elaborated that the album will explore various themes of love, loss, hope, and optimism — emotions that people tend to experience during the holiday season.

Drawing inspiration from her experiences during the past two years, she remarked of the album's title, her first to not have a titular track since My December (2007), as "when Christmas comes around, we are all in different places." Further adding that its selection of tracks will both evoke a somber and posit a jolly atmosphere. Characterizing it as "a different Christmas album", she portrayed When Christmas Comes Around... as feeling more like a normal studio album, but "there's Christmas sprinkled on it."

When Christmas Comes Around... was released by Atlantic Records on October 15, 2021. A special edition shipped exclusively to Target retail stores would also feature a Christmas card signed by Clarkson. Its lead single "Christmas Isn't Canceled (Just You)", was released on September 23, 2021. "Glow" with Stapleton and "Santa, Can't You Hear Me" with Grande were released as promotional singles alongside the album's release.{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/1gGakSDaIqMO3AvJyNPxBX|title=Spotify – Glow|last1=Clarkson|first1=Kelly|author-link1=Kelly Clarkson|last2=Stapleton|first2=Chris|author-link2=Chris Stapleton|date=October 14, 2021|website=open.spotify.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/5RNKudvhTz6IX57BupmjeD|title=Spotify – Santa, Can't You Hear Me|last1=Clarkson|first1=Kelly|author-link1=Kelly Clarkson|last2=Grande|first2=Ariana|author-link2=Ariana Grande|date=October 14, 2021|website=open.spotify.com}} The deluxe reissue of the album was released on November 1, 2024.

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}

| rev2 = Slant Magazine

| rev2score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{Cite web|last=Curto|first=Justin|date=October 15, 2021|title=Kelly Clarkson Declares It's Christmastime With When Christmas Comes Around …|url=https://www.vulture.com/2021/10/kelly-clarkson-when-christmas-comes-around.html|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=Vulture|language=en-us}}

}}

In a roundup of new holiday albums, The New York Times music critic Jon Caramanica praised Clarkson's "nimble" vocals and wrote that the original tracks, some of them strikingly "uncelebratory," make the album stand out. In the year-end episode of his Times podcast Popcast, Caramanica again praised the album, calling it "very, very good [...] solid [and] impressive," though "not quite Mariah-level." Mike DeWald of Riff Magazine praised how Clarkson's original songs are "something fresh and listenable." Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine, who gave the album three-and-a-half out of five stars, criticized some production choices but praised Clarkson's "impressive" vocals and "melodic variations" on the classics as the "chief selling point."

Marcy Donelson of AllMusic gave the album three out of five stars, called it "a vibrant, fully orchestral, high-volume set on average", and singled out "Merry Christmas (To the One I Used to Know)" and "Santa, Can't You Hear Me" as highlights among the newest tracks." Vulture{{'}}s Justin Curto called Clarkson "the queen of the holidays", calling the album a gift for Christmas. Curto especially appreciated the collaboration with Ariana Grande, as it sounds "as majestic as you would expect from the two singers."{{Cite web|last=Curto|first=Justin|date=October 15, 2021|title=Kelly Clarkson Declares It's Christmastime With When Christmas Comes Around …|url=https://www.vulture.com/2021/10/kelly-clarkson-when-christmas-comes-around.html|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=Vulture|language=en-us}} Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine found that while the original songs on When Christmas Comes Around... "don't quite live up to the lofty bar she previously set" on Wrapped in Red, the album "juxtaposes the yuletide blues with jubilant holiday standards," further noting that "Clarkson's vocals, then, are the album’s chief selling point."

{{Track listing

| headline = When Christmas Comes Around...

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 47:51

| title1 = Merry Christmas Baby

| writer1 = {{hlist|Kelly Clarkson|Aben Eubanks}}

| extra1 = Jesse Shatkin

| length1 = 3:45

| title2 = It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

| writer2 = Meredith Willson

| extra2 = Shatkin

| length2 = 1:54

| title3 = Christmas Isn't Canceled (Just You)

| writer3 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Jason Halbert|Jessi Collins}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|Halbert|Joseph Trapanese}}

| length3 = 3:51

| title4 = Merry Christmas (To the One I Used to Know)

| writer4 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Eubanks|Halbert}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Halbert|Trapanese}}

| length4 = 4:10

| title5 = Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

| writer5 = Johnny Marks

| extra5 = Shatkin

| length5 = 1:52

| title6 = Glow

| note6 = with Chris Stapleton

| writer6 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Halbert|Floyd Nathaniel Hills|Hayley Warner|Jesse Thomas}}

| extra6 = Halbert

| length6 = 3:18

| title7 = Santa Baby

| writer7 = {{hlist|Joan Javits|Philip Springer}}

| extra7 = Halbert

| length7 = 2:50

| title8 = Santa, Can't You Hear Me

| note8 = with Ariana Grande

| writer8 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Eubanks}}

| extra8 = Halbert

| length8 = 4:02

| title9 = Last Christmas

| writer9 = George Michael

| extra9 = Halbert

| length9 = 3:09

| title10 = Jingle Bell Rock

| writer10 = {{hlist|Joseph Beal|James Ross Boothe}}

| extra10 = Shatkin

| length10 = 1:56

| title11 = Blessed

| writer11 = {{hlist|Lindy Robbins|Toby Gad|Nicole Cohen}}

| extra11 = Halbert

| length11 = 3:34

| title12 = Christmas Come Early

| writer12 = {{hlist|Bobby Strand|Brock Baker|Molly Kate Kestner|Dave Lubben}}

| extra12 = Halbert

| length12 = 2:59

| title13 = Under the Mistletoe

| note13 = with Brett Eldredge; Bonus track

| writer13 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Eubanks}}

| extra13 = {{hlist|Eubanks|Shatkin}}

| length13 = 3:45

| title14 = All I Want for Christmas Is You

| note14 = Bonus track

| writer14 = {{hlist|Andy Stone|Troy Powers}}

| extra14 = Shatkin

| length14 = 3:46

| title15 = Christmas Eve

| note15 = Bonus track

| writer15 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Halbert}}

| extra15 = Halbert

| length15 = 3:00

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = When Christmas Comes Around...Again{{nobold| – Deluxe edition}}

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length =

| title1 = You for Christmas

| writer1 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Mark Ronson|Andrew Wyatt}}

| extra1 = Ronson

| length1 = 2:54

| title2 = Sleigh Ride

| writer2 = {{hlist|Leroy Anderson|Mitchell Parish}}

| extra2 = Ronson

| length2 = 2:10

| title3 = Merry Christmas Baby

| writer3 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Eubanks}}

| extra3 = Shatkin

| length3 = 3:45

| title4 = It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

| writer4 = Willson

| extra4 = Shatkin

| length4 = 1:54

| title5 = Christmas Isn't Canceled (Just You)

| writer5 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Halbert|Collins}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|HalbertTrapanese}}

| length5 = 3:51

| title6 = Merry Christmas (To the One I Used to Know)

| writer6 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Eubanks|Halbert}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|Halbert|Trapanese}}

| length6 = 4:10

| title7 = Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

| writer7 = Marks

| extra7 = Shatkin

| length7 = 1:52

| title8 = Glow

| note8 = with Chris Stapleton

| writer8 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Halbert|Hills|Warner|Thomas}}

| extra8 = Halbert

| length8 = 3:18

| title9 = Santa Baby

| writer9 = {{hlist|Joan Javits|Philip Springer}}

| extra9 = Halbert

| length9 = 2:50

| title10 = Santa, Can't You Hear Me

| note10 = with Ariana Grande

| writer10 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Eubanks}}

| extra10 = Halbert

| length10 = 4:02

| title11 = Last Christmas

| writer11 = Michael

| extra11 = Halbert

| length11 = 3:09

| title12 = Jingle Bell Rock

| writer12 = {{hlist|Beal|Boothe}}

| extra12 = Shatkin

| length12 = 1:56

| title13 = Blessed

| writer13 = {{hlist|Robbins|Gad|Cohen}}

| extra13 = Halbert

| length13 = 3:34

| title14 = Christmas Come Early

| writer14 = {{hlist|Strand|Baker|Kestner|Lubben}}

| extra14 = Halbert

| length14 = 2:59

| title15 = Under the Mistletoe

| note15 = with Brett Eldredge; Bonus track

| writer15 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Eubanks}}

| extra15 = {{hlist|Eubanks|Shatkin}}

| length15 = 3:45

| title16 = All I Want for Christmas Is You

| note16 = Bonus track

| writer16 = {{hlist|Stone|Powers}}

| extra16 = Shatkin

| length16 = 3:46

| title17 = Christmas Eve

| note17 = Bonus track

| writer17 = {{hlist|Clarkson|Halbert}}

| extra17 = Halbert

| length17 = 3:00

}}

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes

Recorded and engineered at

• Brooklyn, New York (Brooklyn Bridge Music)
• Burbank, California (The Eastwood Stage at Warner Bros. Studio, The Listening Station, Glenwood Place Studios)
• Los Angeles, California (The Ribcage)
• Nashville, Tennessee (Ocean Way, Southern Ground)
• New York City (Manhattan Beach Recording)
• Pasadena, California (The Vibe Room)
• Studio City, California (Everland Studios)
• Universal City, California

Performance credits

• Kelly Clarkson – all vocals
• Jessi Collins – background vocals
• Luke Edgemon – background vocals
• Brett Eldredge – featured vocals
• Ariana Grande – featured vocals
• Nayanna Holley – background vocals
• Tiffany Palmer – background vocals
• Bridget Sarai – background vocals
• Chris Stapleton – featured vocals
• Brandon Winbush – background vocals

Musicians

{{col begin}}

{{col-3}}

• Isabel Bartles – violin
• Kevin Bate – cello
• Hari Bernstein – viola
• Idalynn Besser – viola
• Jenny Bifano – violin
• Charlie Bisharat – violin
• Laura Brenes – French horn
• Jimmy Bowland – saxophone
• Jaco Caraco – guitar
• Paul Cartwright – violin
• Bruce Christiansen – viola
• Leroy Clampitt – bass
• Stuart Clark – clarinet
• Ryan Cockman – violin
• Maria Conti – violin
• Mike Cordone – trumpet
• Phil Cornish – Hammond B3 organ
• Wade Culbreath – timpani
• Janet Darnall – violin
• Charles Dixon – viola
• Andrew Duckles – viol
• Timothy Eckert – bass
• Conni Ellisor – violin
• Alicia Enstrom – violin
• Lester Estelle – drums
• Aben Eubanks – bass, guitar, keyboards, percussion
• Leslie Fagan – flute
• Katelyn Faraudo – French horn
• Nicholas Gold – cello
• Ali Gooding – violin

{{col-3}}

• Erik Gratton – flute
• Gerald Greer – violin
• Jim Grosjean – viola
• Jason Halbert – Hammond B3 organ, keyboards, piano, programming
• Erin Hall – violin
• Dylan Hart – French horn
• Neel Hammond – violin
• Keyon Harrold – trumpet
• Amy Helman – violin
• Mark Hill – bass
• Luanne Homzy – violin
• Jack Jezserio – bass
• Tommy King – organ, piano
• Pete Korpela – percussion
• Jennifer Kummer – French horn
• Marisa Kunney – violin
• Anthony LaMarchina – cello
• Jules Levy – bass
• Keith Loftis – tenor saxophone
• Tim Loo – cello
• Lucia Micarelli – violin
• Camille Miller – violin
• Jeffrey Miller – trombone
• Jesse McGinty – saxophone
• Ray Montiero – trumpet
• Craig Nelson– bass
• Jenni Olsen – flute
• Alyssa Park – violin
• Anthony Parnther – bassoon
• Greg Phillinganes – piano

{{col-3}}

• Peter Povey – violin
• Linnea Powell – viola
• Aaron Redfield – drums, percussion
• Sari Reist – cello
• Danny Rivera – baritone saxophone
• Katty Rodriguez – baritone saxophone
• Rob Schaer – trumpet
• Erick Serna – guitar, ukulele
• Jesse Shatkin – drum programming, percussion, synthesizers
• Jung-Min Shin – violin
• Garrett Smith – trombone
• Vanessa Freebairn Smith – cello
• Ron Sorbo – timpani, percussion
• Anna Spina – French horn
• Marcus Strickland – tenor saxophone
• Luke Sullivant – guitar
• Amy Tatum – flute
• Charlie Tyler – cello
• Alan Umstead – violin
• Catherine Umstead – violin
• Mary Kathryn VanOsdale – violin
• Ina Veli – violin
• Diana Wade – violin
• Corey Wallace – trombone
• Bruce Wethey – violin
• Kyle Whalum – bass, upright bass
• Lara Wickes – oboe
• Karen Winklemann – violin
• Shu-Zheng – viola

{{col end}}

Production

{{col begin}}

{{col-3}}

• BTW Productions – music preparation
• Drew Atz – brass recording
• Greg Gigendad Burke – art direction and design
• Nick Cazares – music librarian
• John Chapman – orchestra recording
• Nathan Cimino – engineer
• Anthony Circo – scoring coordinator
• Kelly Clarkson – executive producer
• Jessi Collins – vocal arrangements
• Mike Cordone – brass arrangement
• Danja – co-producer {{small|(track 6)}}
• Spencer Dennis – assistant
• John DeNosky – additional engineer, additional programming
• Sam Dent – engineer
• Jeff Fitzpatrick – pro tools operator
• Gloria Elias-Foeillet – makeup

{{col-3}}

• Chris Gehringer – mastering
• Serban Ghenea – mixing
• Jason Halbert – arrangement, producer
• Jennifer Hammond – additional orchestrations
• John Hanes – engineer
• Tom Hardisty – Eastwood Stage crew
• Keyon Harrold – brass arrangement
• Luanne Hornzy – concertmaster
• Jason Lazarus – additional arrangement
• Mark Lubetski – backline technician
• Craig Kallman – executive producer
• Whitney Martin – orchestra contractor
• Candace Lambert McAndrews – styling
• Jamie Olvera – Eastwood Stage crew
• Rachel Orscher – additional programming
• Tom Peltier – 2nd engineer

{{col-3}}

• Greg Phillinganes – arrangement
• Robert Ramos – hair
• Clark Rhea – additional arrangement
• Mark Ronson – producer
• Jesse Shatkin – engineer, producer
• Carter Smith – photography
• Nick Spezia – orchestra recording engineer
• Andy Taub – engineer
• Joseph Trapanese – orchestra arrangement, conductor, production
• Robert Venable – engineer
• Alan Umstead – orchestra contractor
• Sam Wahl – engineer
• Richard Wheeler, Jr. – Eastwood Stage crew
• Booker White – music preparation
• Shane Wilson – engineer
• Derek Zeoli – technical coordinato
• Ginna Zimmitti – orchestra contractor

{{col end}}

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite web |last1=Caramanica |first1=Jon|title=13 Albums That Revisit (and Redefine!) Holiday Classics|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/09/arts/music/new-christmas-holiday-albums.html |work=The New York Times|access-date=December 11, 2021 |date=December 11, 2021}}

{{cite web |last1=Caramanica |first1=Jon|title=What We Forgot to Talk About in 2021|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/28/arts/music/popcast-2021-recap.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=December 28, 2021 |date=December 28, 2021}}

{{cite web |last1=White |first1=Jack|title=Kelly Clarkson to release second festive album When Christmas Comes Around... on October 15 |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/kelly-clarkson-to-release-second-festive-album-when-christmas-comes-around-on-october-15__34095/ |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=September 22, 2021 |date=September 22, 2021}}

{{cite web |last1=Clarkson|first1=Kelly |title=When Christmas Comes Around...|url=https://music.apple.com/nz/album/when-christmas-comes-around/1586039341 |publisher=Apple Music |access-date=September 22, 2021 |date=September 22, 2021}}

{{cite magazine |last1=Towers |first1=Andrea |title=Kelly Clarkson drops holiday breakup bop 'Christmas Isn't Canceled (Just You)' just in time for... fall |url=https://ew.com/music/kelly-clarkson-song-christmas-isnt-canceled-album/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |publisher=Meredith |access-date=October 3, 2021 |date=September 23, 2021}}

{{cite web |last1=Calvario |first1=Liz |title=Kelly Clarkson Shares the Inspiration Behind Her New Breakup Christmas Song and Holiday Album (Exclusive) |url=https://www.etonline.com/kelly-clarkson-shares-the-inspiration-behind-her-new-breakup-christmas-song-and-holiday-album |website=Entertainment Tonight |access-date=October 3, 2021|date=September 24, 2021}}

{{cite web |last1=Fisher |first1=Kelly |title=Kelly Clarkson Dishes On Her 'Purpose' For Christmas Breakup Single |url=https://www.iheart.com/content/2021-09-27-kelly-clarkson-dishes-on-her-purpose-for-christmas-breakup-single/ |publisher=iHeartRadio |access-date=October 3, 2021 |date=September 27, 2021}}

{{cite web |title=Kelly Clarkson – When Christmas Comes Around (Target Exclusive, CD)(Christmas Card) |url=https://www.target.com/p/kelly-clarkson-when-christmas-comes-around-target-exclusive-cd-christmas-card/-/A-84284049 |publisher=Target Corporation |access-date=October 3, 2021}}

{{cite magazine|last1=Zemler |first1=Emily|title=Kelly Clarkson Welcomes the Holidays With 'Christmas Isn't Canceled (Just You)' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kelly-clarkson-christmas-isnt-canceled-single-1231107/ |magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=October 3, 2021|date=September 23, 2021}}

{{cite web|last1=DeWald|first1=Mike|title=Kelly Clarkson celebrates the season on 'When Christmas Comes Around…'|url=https://riffmagazine.com/album-reviews/kelly-clarkson-when-christmas-comes-around/|website=Riff Magazine|date=October 15, 2021|access-date=October 15, 2021}}

{{cite web|last1=Cinquemani|first1=Sal|title=Review:Kelly Clarkson's When Christmas Comes Around Is a Jolly Breakup Album|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/kelly-clarkson-when-christmas-comes-around-album-review/|website=Slant Magazine|date=October 15, 2021|access-date=October 15, 2021}}

{{cite web|last1=Cinquemani|first1=Sal|title=When Christmas Comes Around... Review by Marcy Donelson|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/when-christmas-comes-around-mw0003598991|website=AllMusic|date=October 15, 2021|access-date=October 15, 2021}}

}}

• {{Official website|https://staging.kellyclarkson.com/when-christmas-comes-around/}}

{{Kelly Clarkson}}

Category:2021 Christmas albums

Category:Albums produced by Mark Ronson

Category:Albums produced by Jesse Shatkin

Category:Atlantic Records albums

Category:Christmas albums by American artists

Category:Kelly Clarkson albums

Category:Pop Christmas albums