Christmas Music Videos

The Christmas music video is a uniquely potent media text, a subgenre defined by fierce commercial imperatives and a powerful system of visual shorthand. While early examples were often just televised performances, the format exploded into a cultural phenomenon with the advent of MTV in the 1980s. This was particularly true in the United Kingdom, where the battle for the Christmas Number One spot became an annual national obsession, turning the festive music video into a high-stakes cinematic event that could define an artist's career.

The 1980s British scene codified many of the conventions we still recognise today. The undisputed archetype is Wham!'s "Last Christmas" (1984), which established the narrative-driven template, using the holiday not as the subject, but as a backdrop for a universal story of love and heartbreak. Its visual lexicon is a masterclass in festive semiotics: the cosy ski lodge, the symbolic giving of a gift, and the ubiquitous falling snow all evoke a potent, idealised romanticism. In stark contrast stood Shakin' Stevens' "Merry Christmas Everyone" (1985), which eschewed complex narrative for pure, unadulterated festive energy, selling a feeling of uncomplicated joy through sleigh rides and direct-to-camera performance. The most culturally significant video of the era, however, was Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (1984). This consciously subverted glossy conventions, opting for stark black-and-white documentary footage of the recording process to convey gravity and authenticity, transforming the pop video into a powerful tool for charity. Not all hits followed this path; Jona Lewie's "Stop the Cavalry" (1980) became a festive staple through its anti-war narrative and animated sequences, proving a song didn't need to be about Santa to succeed. Later, The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl's "Fairytale of New York" (1987) became a perennial favourite precisely because it was the anti-Christmas video; its gritty narrative of a bickering, drunken couple used the holiday as a backdrop for regret and faded dreams. Meanwhile, Cliff Richard's "Mistletoe and Wine" (1988) represented the traditionalist wing, its video a cosy, almost pantomime-like vision of a perfect family Christmas.

As the 90s dawned, artists began to play with these established rules, often with higher budgets and more self-awareness. The decade was arguably defined globally by Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" (1994), a masterclass in blending nostalgic, black-and-white aesthetics with vibrant performance to create an evergreen holiday staple. However, the UK charts offered a more complex picture. East 17's "Stay Another Day" (1994), a Christmas Number One, was a masterful subversion; its video depicted a bleak, urban winter of sadness, with the only festive element being incongruous slow-motion snow, turning a boyband ballad into a melancholic memorial. This contrasted sharply with the high-concept fun of the Spice Girls' "Too Much" (1997), another Christmas chart-topper whose video was a postmodern pastiche of film noir and blaxploitation, proving the format could be a vehicle for cinematic ambition. And no discussion of the 90s UK chart is complete without the ultimate novelty entry, Mr. Blobby's "Mr. Blobby" (1993). Its chaotic, absurd video was a pure media construct, designed for maximum impact in the silly season, and its success demonstrated the British public's occasional appetite for pure festive nonsense over traditional sentimentality.

For media students, these videos are a rich case study. They demonstrate how a commercial product can simultaneously reflect and shape our cultural understanding of an entire season, leveraging a tight set of visual tropes to sell everything from a pop song and a charitable ideal to a moment of shared national silliness.

Codes and Conventions of the Classic Music Video

1. Narrative and Concept

• Linear Storytelling: A simple, clear story with a beginning, middle, and end. The plot often directly illustrates the song's lyrics (e.g., a love story, a breakup, a night out).

• Performance Hybrid: The most common structure. Inter-cut between shots of the artist/band performing and a separate narrative storyline. This keeps the focus on the music while telling a story.

• Pure Performance: The video consists solely of the artist or band performing in a specific location, such as a rehearsal studio, a dramatic stage set, or an abstract space.

• Breaking the Fourth Wall: The artist looks directly into the camera, singing to the viewer. This creates a sense of intimacy and connection.

• Fantasy or Surrealism: Especially in the 80s, videos often featured dream-like or nonsensical scenarios that were more about creating a mood than telling a coherent story.

  
  

2. Visual Style and Mise-en-Scène (Everything in the Frame)

• Iconic Locations: Choose a setting that defines the video's mood. Classic choices include: abandoned warehouses, rain-slicked city streets, deserts, grand stately homes, or for Christmas, a cosy ski lodge or a festive family home.

• Exaggerated Costuming and Hair: The styling is crucial. Think big hair, shoulder pads, leather jackets, spandex, oversized jumpers, and extravagant makeup. The look should instantly signal the era.

• Symbolic Props: Use objects to add meaning. A single rose for romance, a broken mirror for conflict, a ringing telephone for anticipation, or a classic convertible for freedom. For Christmas: tinsel, fairy lights, wrapped gifts, and fake snow.

• Deliberate Colour Palette: Limit your colours to create a specific feel. Common palettes include neon pinks and blues, monochrome with a single colour accent (like red), or the traditional warm golds and reds of a festive video.

• High-Contrast Lighting: Use strong shadows and bright highlights. Spotlights, neon signs, and lens flare are all classic tools to create a cinematic, dramatic look.

  
  

3. Cinematography and Camera Work

• Static Shots: Keep the camera still for certain shots, letting the action happen within the frame. This was very common in early 80s videos.

• Cutting to the Beat: This is a fundamental rule. Edit your visual cuts so they match the rhythm or key beats of the song.

• Slow Motion: Use for dramatic or emotional emphasis. A classic trope is a slow-motion shot of the singer walking towards the camera or a couple embracing.

• Crane or Dolly Shots: A sweeping camera movement that glides through the air or along a track. This adds a sense of scale, budget, and cinematic quality.

• Unusual Angles: Use Dutch angles (tilting the camera), low angles to make the artist look powerful, and high angles to make them seem vulnerable or small.

  
  

4. Editing and Post-Production

• Cross-Cutting: Edit between two different scenes happening at the same time (e.g., cutting between the narrative story and the band's performance).

• Dissolves and Fades: A dissolve (one shot fading into another) can show a connection between scenes or the passage of time. A fade to black is a classic way to end the video.

• Retro Visual Effects: Embrace dated effects to achieve an authentic feel. Think star wipes, primitive CGI, colour solarisation, and superimposing one image over another.

• On-Screen Text: Occasionally, key lyrics or the song's title would appear on screen in a stylised font.

  
  

5. Performance and Artist Representation

• The "Pained" Expression: Singers often perform with a highly emotional, intense, or "pained" facial expression, even on upbeat tracks.

• Synchronised Dance Routines: For pop groups, simple, repeatable dance moves are essential. These are often designed to be easily copied by fans.

• Miming with Gusto: Band members should enthusiastically pretend to play their instruments, with plenty of dramatic poses and hair-flinging.

• The "Cool Pose: Artists are often shown leaning against walls, staring thoughtfully into the distance, or looking moody and detached to project an image of coolness.