Released: 2019
“Make It To Christmas” by Alessia Cara is a melancholic yuletide plea. Through the lyrics, this song captures the despair of a relationship that’s falling apart, but the desire to hold on just long enough to make it through the holiday season. Cara capitalizes on the nostalgic charm of Christmas to underline her expressively raw appeal to salvage a dying romance.
The first stanza sets the stage for the unfolding narrative – a relationship that was once warm, now growing icy cold. The phrase ‘frozen, hanging by a thread’ signifies a delicate situation on the verge of breaking apart. When Cara implores, ‘Can we just try to try’, she is pleading for a last-ditch effort to save their sinking love-ship, at least till the festive period passes. The reference to ‘favorite day’ underlines the significance of Christmas for her, making her plea even more poignant.
The chorus, with the heartbreaking query “can we make it to Christmas?”, is a plea to her significant other to keep up the facade till the festive cheer simmers. The recurring phrase “Darling, I know that our love is going cold” reflects an acceptance of their doomed love. Yet, she remains hopeful, attributing their estrangement to the cold winter as if spring can restore their love. The line ‘Don’t have me spending it alone’ reflects her deep-rooted fear of loneliness during Christmas, a time regarded for togetherness and gaiety.
Following verses delve deeper into her dread of facing her parents’ disappointment, and the loneliness of awaiting ‘Santa in her bed’. The stark image of ’empty chair’ and the ‘I don’t want to be angry at mistletoes’ underscore the painful contrast between festive environs and her unraveling personal life. It proves that Cara is literally living every pop princess’s worst nightmare – heartbreak during the holidays.
The bridge introduces the notion of ‘Breaking my heart on Boxing Day’, suggesting that she is ready to accept the inevitable end to their relationship, just not on Christmas. With this acceptance, the chorus’s repetition becomes even more desperate and haunting, a futile plea against the inevitable.
In the narrative arch of “Make It To Christmas”, it’s clear that Alessia Cara expertly intertwines the yuletide joy with the gloom of a dying relationship. It’s an interesting twist to conventional upbeat Christmas themes, making it relatable to many experiencing similar emotions during the holiday season.
