From the recording Not the Same at Christmas
Not the Same at Christmas is a reflective holiday ballad that speaks to the quiet side of the season—the side shaped by absence, memory, and the ache of celebrating without someone who once made Christmas whole. Written and performed by Keith Garrett, the song offers a heartfelt voice for listeners who experience the holidays with mixed emotion, balancing beauty with longing.
Lyrics
Intro
Verse 1
Oh this festive time of year
That brings music, joy, and cheer
Is not...quite the same
These things that once brought joy
Seem so lost into this void
Of life...in pain
Verse 2
For the season of greetings
They no longer mean the thing
That it had...once before
The gifts and silent night
That made things seems so bright
Have gone...and are no more
Chorus
Not the same
Not the same...at Christmas
Not the same
Not the same...this Christmas
Verse 3
For now it's very clear
Oh I wish that you were here
Though lights...they twinkle on
Around there's all this love
But it never seems enough
Now that...you are gone
Chorus
Not the same
Not the same...at Christmas
Not the same
Not the same...this Christmas
Bridge
For at Christmas, it cannot be denied
It's bitter like a cold winter rain
For at Christmas, throughout the rest of time
This will be...forever changed
Chorus
Not the same
Not the same...at Christmas
Not the same
Not the same...this Christmas
Chorus
Not the same
Not the same...at Christmas
Not the same
Not the same...this Christmas
Outro
Oh this festive time of year
That brings music joy and cheer
Is not...not the same