Christmas Ain't Christmas
SWV Lyrics


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Christmas just ain't christmas
Without the one you love
New Years just ain't new years
With the one you love

Underneath the missletoe
I saw his face all aglow
Last year this time
Now I stand all alone
And my house is not a home
Without that man of mine

Christmas just ain't christmas
Without the one you love
New Years just ain't new years
With the one you love

Twelve O' clock and all is well
And I was doing O' so swell
Last year this time
Going shopping for presents together
Making vows to leave each other-never
It was a waiste of time

Christmas just ain't christmas
Without the one you love
New Years just ain't new years
With the one you love

Oh, and now I stand all alone
And my house is not home
Without that man of mine, OOOOH

Christmas just ain't christmas
Without the one you love




New Years just ain't new years
With the one you love

Overall Meaning

In SWV's song "Christmas Ain't Christmas," the lyrics express the sentiment that the holiday season is not complete without being with the one you love. The first verse states that "Christmas just ain't Christmas without the one you love" and "New Years just ain't New Years with the one you love." This sets the tone for the rest of the song, which focuses on the loneliness that comes with being without a loved one during the holiday season. The second verse describes the singer's memories of spending Christmas with her significant other, and how now that he is gone, she feels alone and her house is not a home.


The song references the traditional holiday customs of being under the mistletoe and shopping for presents together, but now those activities are bittersweet memories. The chorus repeats the message that Christmas and New Years are not complete without the person you love. The line "Making vows to leave each other-never, it was a waste of time" suggests that the singer regrets taking her relationship for granted and wishes she had made more of an effort to keep her loved one in her life. Overall, the song captures the poignancy of spending the holidays alone and serves as a reminder to cherish the people we love.


Line by Line Meaning

Christmas just ain't christmas
Christmas doesn't feel like the same holiday it used to be


Without the one you love
When you are without the person you love, Christmas is not enjoyable


New Years just ain't new years
New Years doesn't feel like the same holiday it used to be


With the one you love
When you are with the person you love, New Years is enjoyable


Underneath the missletoe
In a romantic setting, specifically under the missletoe plant


I saw his face all aglow
I saw the face of the person I love, who was happy and radiant


Last year this time
At this same time last year


Now I stand all alone
Currently, I am standing by myself


And my house is not a home
My living space does not feel like a welcoming, warm home


Without that man of mine
Without the presence of my beloved partner


Twelve O' clock and all is well
When the clock strikes midnight, everything seems to be okay


And I was doing O' so swell
At that moment, I was doing very well


Going shopping for presents together
We were enjoying the holiday season by shopping for gifts with each other


Making vows to leave each other-never
We promised each other that we would never leave each other's side


It was a waiste of time
In retrospect, our promise turned out to be a waste of time


Oh, and now I stand all alone
Once again, I find myself standing alone


And my house is not home
Once again, my living space does not feel like a welcoming, warm home


Without that man of mine, OOOOH
Without the presence of my beloved partner




Contributed by Molly N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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