Step into Christmas

"Step into Christmas" is a Christmas song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was released as a stand-alone single in November 1973 with the song "Ho, Ho, Ho (Who'd Be a Turkey at Christmas)" as the B-side. Upon its original 1973 release, the song peaked at No. 24 on the UK Singles Chart, and it reached a new peak of No. 8 on the same chart in 2019. In the United States, the single reached No. 56 on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart and No. 1 on the Billboard Christmas Singles chart.

"Step into Christmas" was later included as a bonus track on the 1995 remastered reissue of the album Caribou, even though it was released in the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road era. It also appears on the albums Elton John's Christmas Party, Rare Masters, To Be Continued, Diamonds and various Christmas compilation albums. Two versions with different vocals are known to exist: the original single mix and a version recorded for John's 1973 performance of "Step into Christmas" on The Gilbert O'Sullivan Show television programme (which featured Bernie Taupin standing in for Ray Cooper on percussion).

In 2009, "Step into Christmas" was listed as the ninth-most-played Christmas song of the 2000s in the UK. In December 2023, the song was certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry for sales and streams of 1,800,000 units. In September 2021, the song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales and streams of 500,000 units.

Recording
According to liner notes about the song (in Rare Masters and Elton John's Christmas Party), the track and its B-side, both produced by Gus Dudgeon, were recorded during a session on 11 November 1973 at London's Morgan Studios, which was owned by drummer Barry Morgan, who had played on several of John's early albums. "Step into Christmas" was mixed to sound like one of producer Phil Spector's 1960s recordings, using compression and imitating his trademark wall of sound technique. This was intentional according to both John and Taupin, and an homage of sorts to Christmas songs by Spector-produced groups such as the Ronettes.

Music video
The music video produced to promote the single features the band playing the song in a recording studio, with John playing at a piano adorned with a red feather boa. It is notable for its cameo appearance of Taupin, who is seen briefly during the song's bridge playing tubular bells, although they are played on the track by the band's percussionist Ray Cooper. John is also seen playfully holding his supporter's card for Watford F.C., the football club he would later own. Later in the video John is seeing playing a guitar alongside drummer Nigel Olsson and then embracing him, and briefly with drum sticks inserted into the ends of his mouth.