"Christmas Is Coming" is an original jazz composition by pianist Vince Guaraldi, written in 1965 for the animated television special A Charlie Brown Christmas. It was first recorded by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, with Fred Marshall on bass and Jerry Granelli on drums, during sessions at Whitney Studio in Glendale, California and Fantasy Records in San Francisco. The piece is a driving, uptempo jazz original with a jaunty, energetic melody that captures a sense of holiday excitement. Its bouncy rhythmic character gives the drummer considerable freedom, and the form includes a samba-inflected bridge that introduces a contrasting Latin feel amid otherwise straight-ahead jazz sections. The composition stands apart from the album's arrangements of traditional carols as a fully original Guaraldi creation, showcasing his gift for writing catchy, melodically appealing jazz themes for the Peanuts franchise. While it has not achieved the iconic status of fellow Charlie Brown compositions "Linus and Lucy" or "Christmas Time Is Here," it remains a recognized part of the holiday jazz repertoire. The tune appears on A Charlie Brown Christmas, one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time, released on Fantasy Records. It exemplifies Guaraldi's distinctive ability to blend accessible pop sensibility with genuine jazz improvisation, a quality that made his Peanuts scores beloved across generations.
