The 16 School Days of Christmas: Trans-Siberian Orchestra infuses classic Christmas music with rock sounds

Most artists who have released a Christmas album or two have redone songs such as “White Christmas” or “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.” But very few artists have released a Christmas concept album with original music. 

Trans-Siberian Orchestra fuses classical Christmas music with hard rock and heavy metal sounds. The band is composed of guitarists, vocalists, bassists, keyboardists, drummers, and string players, as well as storytellers for their concept albums. 

The band tours almost every winter season and spreads holiday cheer around the United States. They are able to draw crowds with their memorable riffs and unique Christmas themes.

The third and final album in their Christmas trilogy, The Lost Christmas Eve, released in 2004, came after Christmas Eve and Other Stories and The Christmas Attic. 

The album is considered a concept album, with the songs focusing on the story of a man who had abandoned his son in an institution, but later reconciles with him. With a Christmas Carol-esque story, the man becomes joyful and asks the son to come and live with him. At the end of the album, the man is able to fix his mistakes due to Christmas Eve magic and his change of heart. 

One single from the album, “Wizards in Winter,” is an instrumental track with a catchy guitar riff and driving beat. The unusual hard rock concept makes it memorable for listeners, as metal music does not often find itself intertwined with Christmas tunes.

Another hard rock song on the album, “Christmas Jam,” starts with four lines: “Carolize / Understand? / Turn it up / Christmas jam” followed by the introduction of guitar and percussion. When I was little, this song would often come on on our iPod, and my brother and I would find ourselves dancing in our living room. 

The album has a few ballads to counteract the loud metal sounds of some of the songs. “Christmas Bells, Carousels, and Time” has an orchestral feel, and features stringed instruments. It also has a slow, rhythmic feel. The song is only about a minute long, but it helps the album flow together. 

Overall, Trans-Siberian Orchestra creates rock music that has earned its place on Christmas playlists alongside greats such as Johnny Mathis, Harry Connick Jr., and Bing Crosby, and this can be heard on The Lost Christmas Eve.