About the Song
Album: Merry Christmas Strait to You
Release Year: 1986
Nobody captures the spirit of Texas quite like George Strait—and when the holidays roll around, his easygoing voice brings a whole new kind of magic to the season. In “When It’s Christmas Time in Texas,” featured on his 1986 holiday album Merry Christmas Strait to You, the King of Country delivers a fun, twangy, and unmistakably Southern take on Christmas that’s as comforting as a warm fire and a mug of cider.
With cheerful steel guitar, lively fiddle, and Strait’s laid-back vocals, the song paints a joyful picture of Christmas done the Texas way: sunshine instead of snow, boots instead of slippers, and country hospitality that never goes out of season. It’s a lighthearted reminder that while the weather may be warmer down south, the holiday spirit burns just as bright.
What makes this track shine isn’t just its toe-tapping rhythm or clever lyrics—it’s the way George Strait makes it all feel real and familiar. You can almost see the glowing lights on a small-town square, smell the brisket on the smoker, and hear the laughter of family gathered under a starry sky. And when he sings, “Maybe up in Tennessee or up in Washington D.C., Christmas means a whole lot more to me,” you know he means it—from the heart.
“When It’s Christmas Time in Texas” is perfect for driving home to see family, wrapping presents with the grandkids, or dancing in the kitchen with someone you love. It’s fun. It’s festive. And most of all, it’s full of the kind of warmth and joy only George Strait can deliver.
So whether you’re celebrating in Amarillo or Austin, El Paso or Fort Worth—turn this one up, tap your boots, and let George remind you what a Texas Christmas really feels like.