Jim Shea
Brad Paisley didn’t even bother putting out pumpkins this year. “It’s October, and our Christmas decorations are already up,” he told Nashville Lifestyles. “I’m like, ‘Just do Christmas. Let’s start now.’”
Honestly, Paisley’s Christmas holidays began so early this year that he may have missed apple pie on July 4. The three-time GRAMMY winner and Grand Ole Opry member has been living in Snow Globe Town — the name of his brand-new holiday album — since midsummer.
The 16-song project, out now, is Paisley’s joyful deep dive into the magic, mischief, and meaning of Christmas.
“Christmas is 100 percent anticipation — and almost zero percent destination,” he joked. “By the time you hit Christmas Day, it’s over by noon.”
Paisley didn’t even plan to record a Christmas album in 2025. Executives from Hallmark Channel called him over the summer and gave him a challenge: write a ’90s-era country Christmas hit, a father-daughter song for a movie, and a theme for their holiday campaign.
“It flipped my calendar,” he says. “Suddenly, I’m writing Christmas songs in the middle of summer.”
The challenge turned into inspiration.
“It was exactly the push I needed,” he continues. “Let’s make an album that feels like you’ve walked into a town that’s magical this time of year.”
That vision became Snow Globe Town, a newyet-nostalgic sonic journey through the season that mixes eight new Paisley originals with eight re-imagined classics. Then he sequenced the songs to play like one cozy, cinematic story.
A Soundtrack (Almost) Straight Out of a Hallmark Movie
The album opens with a swoosh, laughter, casual chatter, and bells jingling — signaling Santa Claus is on the way. Paisley wanted it to feel like stepping straight into a festive small-town holiday.
The record’s release coincided with his collaboration with Hallmark Channel — the home of beloved, feel-good Christmas movies. Paisley co-wrote and recorded three new songs for the network this season. “Counting Down the Days” serves as the official anthem for Hallmark’s 16th annual Countdown to Christmas campaign. He wrote “Falling Just Like the Snow” and “Leave the Christmas Lights On for Me” for A Grand Ole Opry Christmas — a brand-new Hallmark film that premiered Thanksgiving weekend and is now streaming on Hallmark+. T he movie stars Nikki DeLoach and Kristoffer Polaha and unfolds on the Opry stage as the institution celebrates its 100th birthday.
“The Hallmark Channel, to me, is a major part of finding the joy and the spirit of the holidays,” Paisley says. “We turn it on and leave it on in our house like Christmas tree lights.”
That partnership helped define the sound and heart of the record. He wanted songs that felt like home — familiar, hopeful, and welcoming. The project quickly expanded beyond a few film tie-ins into a full-length album that celebrates every side of the season.
Three Days, 16 Songs, and a Lot of Heart
Paisley recorded the album live in Nashville with his touring band and several of the city’s top studio players — in just three days. The speed gave the record an easy looseness. What listeners hear are mostly first and second takes from musicians who have played together for years. The result is spontaneous and full of character: a jazz-kissed “My Favorite Things,” a blues-drenched “The First Noel,” and an intricate solo version of “O Holy Night” that Paisley cut alone late one night.
Most arrangements bear his unmistakable and distinct sound — clean, cutting guitar tones and playful phrasing that weaves through the classics and his originals.
Like the musician himself, his new songs are equal parts heart and humor. “Snow Globe Town” bottles small-town nostalgia. Paisley recalled the magic of downtown Franklin’s Christmas spirit and decorations and wanted to communicate that warmth and excitement through the lyrics. “Lit” pokes fun at too-much family togetherness, and “That Crazy Elf” nods to the household havoc created by Elf on the Shelf.
Brad Paisley’s “Favorite Song” on Snow Globe Town
The emotional peak of the album, though, is “Last Year,” a vulnerable and introspective ballad he wrote about coping with loss during the holidays. “If you live long enough, everybody’s got that story,” Paisley says, explaining he wrote “Last Year” after his wife’s cousin died just before the holidays. Before his death, he came to the Paisley’s home every year for Christmas. “We used to call him Cousin Eddie because he was just such a funny guy,” Paisley says, adding he left behind a wife and a small child. “It was rough. We all experienced that together, and then we have to decide, like, ‘What do you do with these traditions?’”
A few years ago, the Paisleys started a new tradition. The singer and his wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, turned their compassion into action. They founded The Store, a free, referralbased grocery store that provides food with dignity and choice for Nashville families in need.
Each December, The Store transforms into The Toy Store, a holiday pop-up stocked with brandnew toys so parents can “shop” for gifts at no cost. This year, about 500 children will have presents under the tree because of The Store.
“Watching those kids light up — that’s the moment you think, okay — there’s hope,” Paisley says.
The couple has also launched a capital campaign to fund a second location in Nashville, expanding the organization’s reach even further. Donations and volunteer opportunities are available through thestore.org and via Amazon’s Wish List.
A Season Worth Savoring
As the holiday season unfolds, Paisley is doing his best to savor the quiet moments. While Snow Globe Town came together in a rush, now it reminds him to slow down. The songs shimmer with nostalgia yet feel grounded in the humor and humility that define his character.
“It’s music meant to keep you company — whether you’re wrapping gifts, baking cookies, or driving home under a street full of lights,” he says. Paisley hopes Snow Globe Town finds its place among the holiday classics he returns to every year—albums by Vince Gill, Alabama, Alan Jackson, and others whose music feels timeless. He believes Christmas records endure because they remind listeners of their best selves.
“The world changes fast,” he said. “But Christmas — thankfully — doesn’t. It’s the one thing that still slows us down and reminds us what matters.”