Released 2000 Length 4:50 | Recorded 1999 - 2000 Label Benson | |
Genre CCM
Christmas
country pop Writer(s) Leonard Ahlstrom, Eddie Carswell | ||
"The Christmas Shoes" is a Christmas-themed song by the Christian vocal group NewSong. The song was released through Benson Records as a bonus track on their 2000 album Sheltering Tree, and it reached No. 31 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. "The Christmas Shoes" spent one week at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart and No. 42 on the Hot 100 chart. It was written by NewSong group members Eddie Carswell and Leonard Ahlstrom.
Contents
Content
The song recounts the events experienced by a narrator completing the last of his gift-shopping on Christmas Eve. While joylessly completing this task, the narrator finds himself waiting in the checkout line behind a young boy. The boy attempts to purchase a pair of expensive shoes for his terminally-ill mother. The boy explains to the cashier that he hasn't much time remaining before she finally succumbs to the undisclosed illness and that he wants her to appear presentable before Jesus. However, he lacks enough money to pay for the shoes. The narrator ends up paying for the shoes, to the boy's delight. The narrator reflects that through this experience, God has reminded him of the true meaning of Christmas.
Cover versions and other media
One year after NewSong released the song, country music girl group 3 of Hearts released their own version, which peaked at No. 39 on the country chart.
In 2002, Donna VanLiere produced a novelization of the song which was published in 2002 by St. Martin's Press. The book became a made-for-TV movie released in December 2002.
Pop-punk band FM Static released a cover of this song in 2008.
Criticism
The song has appeared on various "worst Christmas song" lists. In 2011, the song was named "The Worst Christmas Song Ever" by Jezebel.com, following a weeks-long survey of commenter votes.
On December 24, 2008, internet critic Nostalgia Chick named this song the most disturbing and inescapable Christmas song. Three years later, she wrote a review of the TV movie. What she found most insulting, as she stated in both videos, is the implication that "God killed that woman because you didn't get the meaning of Christmas."