Garrett Anthony Rice gives Christmas a very different emotional flavour with “As Magic As The Snow” which finds the magic of the season in a very poignant way, in a season that’s normally all about the happy stuff. It was released on 6th November 2026. The song is about a six year old boy going back to his favourite sledding hill, a hill that was once full of memories and shared adventures with his best friend. His friend had died the previous year so the boy is going back to that hill with the memory of that friendship and the memory of his friend’s death. It’s a very intimate story and it’s one that very gradually works its way from the innocence of childhood to the reality of loss.
Rather than Christmas as a continuous celebration, Rice is looking at the two sides of the festive period. Snow is more than just a seasonal thing, it’s the setting for memories that are still very much treasured even if the person you loved is no longer there. “Hold yours close, you never know when your garden may froze” is a perfect encapsulation of the fragility of human relationships and the value of those who are still with you. That’s the message that really hits home in the story, where an ordinary childhood memory has become inextricably linked with the act of remembrance.
Recorded at Darklands Studio in the Dublin City Centre with producer Dan Doherty, the single features a live brass section and orchestra (Rice’s first time working with either in the studio). It’s an arrangement that draws on the alternative Christmas tradition of “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” and “Pipes of Peace” and is in itself a juxtaposition of styles, orchestration and a very definite sense of nostalgia. All of that allows the subject matter to be both magical and a little bit melancholy.
“As Magic As The Snow” is a very thoughtful piece in its depiction of a childhood friendship and the way memories of a friend can remain with you even after their death. It’s not just a piece about the magic of Christmas in the traditional sense as it also allows for the possibility of a more reflective Christmas for those who are grieving. Rice is very clearly making the point that love doesn’t just go away when the person is gone and that gives the book a real emotional weight which extends well beyond the Christmas season.
LINKTREE FACEBOOK SPOTIFY SOUNDCLOUD YOUTUBE INSTAGRAM TIKTOK
