Christmas Stories

Jason Gray’s Christmas Stories was released October 23, 2026, through Centricity Music, expanding the repertoire of his 2012 Christmas Stories: Repeat the Sounding Joy into a 19-track collection running approximately 64 minutes. Rather than an entirely new set of songs, it brings that earlier album’s character-driven Nativity material together with additional seasonal recordings and collaborations. Its defining quality is perspective: the Christmas story unfolds through the experiences of Mary, Joseph, the innkeeper, the shepherds, and the wise man, placing personal uncertainty alongside religious celebration. The expanded sequence gives those reflective songs a broader setting, balancing intimate storytelling with familiar carols and guest performances from Point of Grace, Kathy Kruger, Carrollton, and Marc Martel.

“Christmas Is Coming” establishes the anticipation before “Comfort and Joy,” with Point of Grace, and “Rejoice (O Come O Come Emmanuel),” with Tasha Layton, introduce two additions to the original program. “Rest (The Song of the Innkeeper),” “Ave Maria (The Song for Mary),” and “Forgiveness Is a Miracle (A Song for Joseph) / Man of Mercy” preserve its narrative center, while “O Holy Night” interrupts the character portraits with a traditional centerpiece. Later, “Silent Night,” featuring Kathy Kruger, “Baby King,” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” featuring Carrollton, widen the seasonal selection before the playful “Christmas for Jesus,” sung with Gray’s son Gus. “Children Again” and “Joy to the World” lead into the closing collaboration with Marc Martel on “O Come All Ye Faithful,” giving the 2026 edition a fuller celebratory finish while retaining the earlier collection’s emphasis on the human experiences within the Nativity.