Christmas in Hollis
It was December 24th on Hollis Ave in the dark
When I see a man chilling with his dog in the park
I approached very slowly with my heart full of fear
Looked at his dog, oh my God, an ill reindeer
But then I was illin′ because the man had a beard
And a bag full of goodies, 12 o’clock had neared
So I turned my head a second and the man had gone
But he left his driver′s wallet smack dead on the lawn
I picket the wallet up, and then I took a pause
Took out the license and it cold said “Santa Claus”
A million dollars in it, cold hundreds of G’s
Enough to buy a boat and matching car with ease
But I’d never steal from Santa, ′cause that ain′t right
So I was going home to mail it back to him that night
But when I got home I bugged, ’cause under the tree
Was a letter from Santa and the dough was for me
It′s Christmastime in Hollis Queens
Mom’s cooking chicken and collard greens
Rice and stuffing, macaroni and cheese
And Santa put gifts under Christmas trees
Decorate the house with lights at night
Snow′s on the ground, snow-white so bright
In the fireplace is the yule log
Beneath the mistletoe as we drink egg nog
The rhymes that you hear are the rhymes of Darryl’s
But each and every year we bust Christmas carols, Christmas carols
Rhymes so loud, I′m proud you hear it
It’s Christmastime and we got the spirit
Jack Frost chillin’, the hawk is out
And that′s what Christmas is all about
The time is now, the place is here
And the whole wide world is filled with cheer
outro
My name′s D.M.C. with the mic in my hand
And I’m chilling and coolin′ just like a snowman
So open your eyes, lend us an ear
We wanna say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Listen to the song
Hør sangen
About the carol Christmas in Hollis
“Christmas in Hollis” is a Christmas hip-hop song by Run-D.M.C., released in 1987 as part of the A Very Special Christmas project. The song takes its name from Hollis, Queens, the New York neighborhood where members of the group grew up. Run-D.M.C. produced the track with Rick Rubin, combining rap with samples and sounds drawn from familiar Christmas music. Its inclusion on a major holiday compilation helped introduce a distinctly hip-hop approach to seasonal music.
The song describes Christmas through the perspective of the group and their neighborhood. Instead of presenting an idealized winter landscape, it brings Christmas into an urban New York setting, mentioning family, food, gifts and the experience of celebrating at home. The track samples Clarence Carter’s “Back Door Santa” and incorporates references to familiar Christmas melodies, creating a sound that is festive while remaining rooted in Run-D.M.C.’s musical identity.
“Christmas in Hollis” became an important example of how Christmas music could extend beyond traditional pop, rock and carols. Its connection to Hollis gives the song a strong sense of place, while its use of recognizable seasonal sounds makes it immediately identifiable as a Christmas recording. It has continued to appear in films, television and holiday playlists, helping it remain one of the best-known Christmas songs in hip-hop.
