"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
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
"Grown Up Christmas List" (edit) - 3:44
"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]
