Sending You a Little Christmas: 2-Part Choral Octavo

Jay Althouse's 2-part voicing brings this already intimate song within reach for younger choirs and smaller ensembles, without sacrificing the emotional weight that made Brickman's original distinctive. The arrangement respects the song's pop sensibility while creating natural divisi moments that allow singers to find their confidence. This is the kind of contemporary holiday piece that sounds genuinely present, not nostalgic—perfect for choirs searching for something sincere to program alongside traditional carols.

Warm, direct, and emotionally grounded, this ballad honors the peculiar comfort of long-distance connection during the holidays. The melody settles into your singers' voices with ease, allowing them to focus on communication rather than technical survival. There's an understated sincerity here—no manipulation, just honest sentiment delivered with a gentle pop sensibility that feels current without chasing trends.

This arrangement fits choirs with treble-voiced singers at intermediate level and above—holiday programs, winter concerts, or seasonal community performances where authenticity matters more than spectacle. It works equally well for adult community choirs and high school ensembles seeking accessible contemporary material. Directors programming mixed 2-part repertoire will find this piece offers genuine musical substance without requiring divisi complications.

• Lean into the conversational quality of the lyrics. This song speaks directly to its audience, so encourage singers to connect with the "you" being addressed rather than simply executing the vocal line.
• Shape the melody through subtle dynamic swells at the end of phrases, letting the story unfold naturally rather than forcing uniformity across each measure.
• Blend the two parts with attention to vowel unification in the sustained passages; clean vowels will strengthen the harmonic resonance that makes this arrangement work.
• Consider the recorded accompaniment not just as a learning tool but as a performance partner that establishes the song's intimate, conversational tempo and emotional pacing.

Program this as a standalone feature or slot it between more energetic holiday selections to create a moment of reflection in your winter concert. The 2-part voicing and contemporary style make it an ideal bridge for choirs balancing traditional carols with modern repertoire, letting audiences hear how seasonal themes translate across different eras and genres. Consider pairing it with other pop arrangements to signal that your program recognizes how today's singers relate to music.

• Sustaining lyrical phrasing in contemporary pop idioms
• Blending two-part harmony with attention to vowel consistency
• Connecting emotional content to vocal execution
• Reading and responding to pop-inflected notation and style directions