"It's Not Christmas Without You" is a song performed by the cast of the television show Victorious featuring Victoria Justice. The song was released on December 3, 2011, as the lead single for the Nickelodeon holiday compilation album Merry Nickmas (2012). The song was featured in a Victorious holiday special episode. The song peaked at number 23 on the US Holiday Digital Song Sales chart and number five on the US Kid Digital Song Sales chart.
Contents
Release
"It's Not Christmas Without You" was released as a single on December 3, 2011, by Nickelodeon Records and Columbia Records. It was also featured in a holiday special titled "A Christmas Tori" for the American television sitcom Victorious on the same day. It features Victoria Justice, Ariana Grande, Elizabeth Gillies, and Leon Thomas III performing the song during the episode. "It's Not Christmas Without You" was later released as the second track for the Nickelodeon holiday compilation album Merry Nickmas on November 19, 2012.
Composition
"It's Not Christmas Without You" is 2 minutes and 33 seconds long. It is an upbeat Christmas and pop track that features lead vocals from Justice, Grande, Gillies, and Thomas. The song has background vocals from Niki Watkins, Zack Hexum, who also plays saxophone, Michael Corcoran, and Eric Goldman. Corcoran and Goldman co-wrote and co-produced the song with the show's creator Dan Schneider, and Corcoran handled both engineering and mixing. The track also includes Demian Arriaga on drums and Gabe Johnson on trumpet, while mastering was completed by Stephen Marcussen.
Reception
Writing for Young Hollywood, Casey Clark placed "It's Not Christmas Without You" second on her "5 Throwback Disney & Nick Songs You Need On Your Holiday Playlist" list, stating that people need to "send this song to someone who makes the holidays special". Miranda for WKNC-FM said "It's Not Christmas Without You" is "great to put you into a Christmas mood". Natalee Bravo of Her Campus opined that it ties "the holiday spirit together", describing its lyrics as "fun and catchy". She said the "blend of the cast's voices is seamless while also showcasing their individual strengths".
Jarrod Houseknecht for The Miami Hurricane described the track as a "bop", commenting the song is "so merry" that it is "sure to bring back some of your favorite childhood holiday memories". The staff of The Times of India stated that Justice "added a nostalgic touch" to the song. Jake Mauriello of Study Breaks Magazine called the track an "infectious number", remarking that its "corny lyrics" and "killer brass section" make the song "the perfect blend of all the ingredients that make a great Christmas song". Commercially, "It's Not Christmas Without You" charted at number 23 on the US Billboard Holiday Digital Song Sales chart and number five on the US Billboard Kid Digital Song Sales chart in the United States.
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.
Victoria Justice – vocals
Ariana Grande – vocals
Elizabeth Gillies – vocals
Leon Thomas III – vocals
Niki Watkins – background vocals
Zack Hexum – background vocals, saxophone
Michael Corcoran – background vocals, writer, producer, mixing engineer, engineer
Eric Goldman – background vocals, writer, producer
Dan Schneider – writer
Stephen Marcussen – mastering engineer
Demian Arriaga – drums
Gabe Johnson – trumpet