Song Information
Title: If We Make It Through December
Artist: Merle Haggard
Writer: Merle Haggard
Album: Merle Haggard’s Christmas Present
Release Date: October 1973
Genre: Country
Label: Capitol Records
Producer: Ken Nelson
This song became one of Merle Haggard’s biggest hits, spending four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and crossing over to the pop charts. It has remained a holiday staple, not for its festive spirit, but for its poignant realism.
Song Summary
If We Make It Through December tells the heart-wrenching story of a working-class father who has just been laid off from his job at a factory. As Christmas approaches, he is haunted by his inability to provide for his daughter during what’s supposed to be the happiest time of the year. The song captures the emotional weight of disappointment, fear, and hope all bundled into one man’s quiet desperation.
Despite the hardship, the father clings to a single hope—that they’ll “make it through December,” and that things will somehow be better in the new year. He dreams of moving his daughter to a warmer place, both literally and emotionally, where they can escape the cold—of the season and of their situation.
What makes the song particularly powerful is its simplicity. With sparse instrumentation and a haunting melody, Merle Haggard’s delivery feels honest and raw. His voice carries the burden of every parent who has ever struggled to put food on the table or gifts under the tree.
Deeper Meaning & Emotional Impact
On the surface, If We Make It Through December is a holiday song, but at its core, it’s a sobering portrait of economic hardship and emotional endurance. Unlike the jolly, commercial Christmas songs that dominate the airwaves in December, this song speaks to those who feel left behind during the holidays.
Merle Haggard, having grown up in poverty during the Great Depression and spending time in prison before finding fame, knew firsthand what it meant to struggle. This song, written entirely by Haggard himself, wasn’t just fiction—it was lived experience. That authenticity seeps into every word and note.
The father’s hope isn’t built on grand resolutions, but on mere survival—just making it through the month. December, in this case, becomes a metaphor for any dark, cold period in one’s life. The song reminds us that not everyone sees the holidays as joyful, and that for many, it’s the hardest time of year.
It’s a reminder to practice empathy, and perhaps most of all, it gives a voice to the invisible struggles people face behind closed doors during the holidays. It’s not about giving up—it’s about holding on.
Watch the Song Video
🎥 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w397SIxbDo
Lyrics
If we make it through December
Everything’s gonna be all right I know
It’s the coldest time of winter
And I shiver when I see the falling snow
If we make it through December
Got plans to be in a warmer town come summer time
Maybe even California
If we make it through December we’ll be fine
Got laid off down at the factory
And there time is not the greatest in the world
Heaven knows I been workin’ hard
I wanted Christmas to be right for daddy’s girl
Now I don’t mean to hate December
It’s meant to be the happy time of year
And my little girl don’t understand
Why daddy can’t afford no Christmas gift
If we make it through December
Everything’s gonna be alright I know
It’s the coldest time of winter
And I shiver when I see the falling snow
If we make it through December
Got plans to be in a warmer town come summer time
Maybe even California
If we make it through December we’ll be fine