Donny Hathaway wrote the definitive Black Christmas song, which is to say he wrote a Christmas song that has nothing to do with snow. 'This Christmas' is about the particular warmth of being Black and in love during December ... the way the holidays become a backdrop for something more intimate, the way soul food and slow jams and the specific amber light of a living room with the tree lit can make any December night feel like a secret the rest of the world is not invited to share. become a standard because it understands that Christmas is not a season. It is a feeling, and the feeling is available in any climate.