carrie underwood christmas album
Carrie Underwood arrives at the American Music Awards on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Unwrap Carrie Underwood's 'My Gift (Special Edition)' on Sept. 24

Carrie Underwood's first-ever Christmas album, My Gift, arrived on Sept. 25, 2020, and it features special guest appearances from pop superstar John Legend and Underwood's oldest son, Isaiah Fisher. The award-winning album gets a fresh coat of paint almost a year to the day of its release with the Sept. 24, 2021 arrival of My Gift (Special Edition).

Two songs from Underwood's HBO Max special are among the three bonus tracks: Underwood co-write "Favorite Time of Year" (previously released as an Amazon Original) and a live medley of "Let There Be Peace" and "Something in the Water." The third addition, Michael W. Smith and Wayne Kilpatrick co-write "All is Well," is a brand-new version of a song previously recorded by Underwood with Smith for his 2014 album The Spirit of Christmas.

Nearly eight months after its original release, the album won Underwood a Billboard Music Award for Top Christian Album. Underwood won on May 23, 2021 over several of the top contemporary names in Christian music: Elevation Worship, We the Kingdom, Zach Williams and Bethel Music.

On Dec. 3, 2020, HBO Max debuted streaming holiday special My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood.

"I'm thrilled to be collaborating with Playtone and HBO Max to bring My Gift to life," said Underwood in a press release. "Just like the album, I hope this special will help bring some much-needed joy and become part of the soundtrack to people's holiday festivities this year as it streams throughout the season and beyond."

Playtone is co-owned by Gary Goetzman and Tom Hanks.

"This special is an homage to the classic, timeless holiday specials, highlighting the vocal gifts of the incomparable Carrie Underwood," says Goetzman in a press release.  "She's an artist who transcends genres and shows here why audiences love her around the world."

During an appearance on Today earlier this year, Underwood described what it was like to cut a duet with her son Isaiah.

"I was in the booth with him, and trying to get him to access all his little 5-year-old emotions, which he can totally do on his own... When I heard the song back with his sweet little voice on it, I was laughing and crying," she said. "Just so many emotions. I'm so proud of him."

Read More: Twitter Helps Carrie Underwood Win Donut Debate With Mike Fisher

She also opened up about sharing the 2020 ACM Entertainer of the Year award with another proud parent, Thomas Rhett.

"All the people around us afterwards were like, 'We kept asking the accounting firm, are you sure? Are you sure?' It's also the year of strange things happening, right?" She continued. "I'm more than happy. Thomas is a great guy, and, you know, this year makes it special."

Other Nashville stars with holiday albums released in 2020 include Dolly Parton plus Underwood's Cry Pretty 360 tour mates, Runaway June.

My Gift (Special Edition) Track List

  1. "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee"
  2. "O Come All Ye Faithful"
  3. "Let There Be Peace" (an original song)
  4. "Little Drummer Boy" feat. Isaiah Fisher
  5. "Sweet Baby Jesus"
  6. "Hallelujah" with John Legend
  7. "O Holy Night"
  8. "Mary, Did You Know?"
  9. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
  10. "Away in a Manger"
  11. "Silent Night"
  12. "Favorite Time of Year"
  13. "All Is Well"
  14. "Let There Be Peace / Something In the Water" (Live from My Gift: A Christmas Special from Carrie Underwood)

This story originally ran on Sept. 25, 2020.

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