Yorkshire songwriter Paul Stone has released “What Does Christmas Mean To You?”, an original Christmas single recorded with Paul Stone & The Basement Collective in a studio built beneath his family home in England. The song came out on November 6, 2026, and is available on all major streaming platforms.
Listen to “What Does Christmas Mean To You?” here.
One Simple Question
Blending adult-contemporary pop, soul and jazz, the song pairs the warmth of classic Christmas records with a simple question: what does the season mean to each of us? Its message centers on hope, compassion and togetherness, while recognizing that Christmas brings celebration for some and loneliness, loss or separation for others. Stone, a builder and father of four, wrote it last year after looking at his own family and realizing that having each other mattered most. That made him think about other families, older people and those spending Christmas alone. He says:
“For me, Christmas is when everything slows down. The phone stops ringing, the building sites close, and we finally have precious time together as a family. But I started thinking about how many people, for so many different reasons, don’t have that same opportunity.”
Paul Stone
Rather than offering one definition of Christmas, the song invites listeners to think about their own experiences and the lives of the people around them.
Made in a Basement Studio
Stone designed and built the professional studio where he writes and records, alongside running his building business. The Basement Collective brings together accomplished British musicians and longtime friends who share a love of live performance, analog recording and the chemistry of people playing together in a room. The recording features Stone’s vocals with piano, guitar, bass, drums, tenor saxophone and strings, and the studio clip above shows the band at work. Stone stresses that the music is written, performed and produced by real musicians.
Paul Stone & The Basement Collective’s earlier music has been supported by BBC Radio, Jazz FM and Boom Radio, along with international airplay and Spotify UK Jazz editorial support. You can follow the band on Instagram.
Our Take
Lots of Muzik usually covers heavier sounds, but a good Christmas song is a good Christmas song. “What Does Christmas Mean To You?” goes for warmth rather than novelty, with tenor sax and strings that recall classic holiday records, and its reminder that the season is hard for many people is a welcome one. It is a nice independent alternative to the usual seasonal playlist.
