Picture this: it’s mid-December, you’re at a family gathering, and someone asks,
“Can you play us something festive?”
That familiar flutter of panic sets in – you’ve been meaning to learn a carol, but somehow the weeks disappeared and you’re still stumbling through the first page
Ring any bells? Perhaps you’ve been in this position before.
Every year, many of us set out with good intentions to learn something Christmassy, only to find ourselves scattered across too many pieces with too little time.
We start Silent Night, have a go at The First Noel, peek at O Holy Night… and by Christmas Eve, we can’t play any of them confidently.
🎶 What If This Year Could Be Different?
This December, I’ll be reopening my Musical Christmas Card Challenge, and I wanted to give you a sneak peek of what’s coming.
Instead of juggling five unfinished pieces, we’ll focus on one — beautifully.
The song? The Christmas Song (you might know it as Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire).
I chose it for a reason:
It has a lovely, relaxed tempo — no racing, no stress.
The melody is warm and familiar, and it’s a classic that everybody loves.
There’s music for most instruments and lessons to guide you through.
But this isn’t just about learning another piece.
By the end, you’ll have the chance to record yourself playing along with a gorgeous piano accompaniment and turn it into a musical Christmas card to send to friends and family.
Imagine your loved ones opening an email and hearing you playing for them. 🎁
🌟 How It Works
The challenge includes five short, pre-recorded tutorials you can follow entirely at your own pace. If you need two days on one section, that’s absolutely fine.
No deadlines, no pressure — just clear, step-by-step guidance to help you finish something before Christmas.
You’ll learn new practice tips that you can apply to any piece in the future, so it’s well worth investing just to see how to learn a piece quickly without those frustrating mistakes.
You don’t need to send a card if you don’t wish, you can make your goal to complete the piece and learn new practice techniques.
Here’s a little glimpse of what’s inside:
🧠We learn the melody using memory techniques that help your brain actually retain what you’re practising (no more playing something perfectly on Tuesday and forgetting it by Thursday).
🎵We smooth out the phrases, work on the tricky bits, and add musical expression so it doesn’t sound mechanical.
🎹 You’ll practice playing along with the jazz piano accompaniment – this is where it really comes alive and sounds impressive.
🎄We create your musical Christmas card using one of ten templates I’ve designed. It’s as easy as drag and drop – honestly, if my mum can do it, anyone can!
🎥 Recording time. I’ll guide you through this step by step, and it’s much simpler than you might think
🎓Each tutorial is short – usually 20-25 minutes – so you’re never overwhelmed. Just focused, effective practice that actually gets results.
💬 What Past Participants Have Said
“If you’d told me last month I’d be sending a video of me playing, I’d have laughed! But I did it — and my friends absolutely loved it.” Wendy
“I’m thrilled with my Christmas card video and can’t wait to send it to my family.” Katie
“The card is beautiful, and my husband was greatly impressed.” Kathy
The lovely thing is, their family and friends didn’t critique technique or spot mistakes. They were simply moved that someone had created something so thoughtful and personal just for them.
✨ Coming Soon
The Musical Christmas Card Challenge will open for enrolment on November 16th — for one week only.
After that, registration closes until next year.
When it opens, I’ll send you full details and a link to join.
For now, start thinking:
Who would you love to send a musical Christmas card to this year?
Maybe a friend who lives far away.
Someone who could use a bit of cheering up.
Or perhaps just your mum — who’d treasure hearing you play.
This could be the year you finally share your music in a way that means something special.
