Riding the high of the success of his first album, Hathaway released the holiday song, “This Christmas” in 1970. The soulful song, which captures the essence of the family and togetherness, has been a holiday classic for decades that has a guaranteed spot on almost every Black person’s Christmas playlist.
“Fireside is blazing bright;
We’re caroling through the night;
And this Christmas will be;
A very special Christmas for me,”
– “This Christmas,” 1970
Hathaway’s daughter Donnita loves the fact that song has become such an important part of the culture.
“It’s humbling that this original song performed by my father and written by my godmother has that impact every year,” she told Grammy.com in 2021.
