4 Festive Music Therapy Interventions
- Lauren Schaff, MT-BC
- Dec 19, 2025
- 4 min read
The first official day of winter is upon us, and if you’re reading from anywhere in the Midwest, you’ll know that it has felt like winter for a long time! For music therapists, this time of year is such a fun opportunity to tap into our repertoire of winter and holiday tunes. If you are looking for new tools for your winter music therapy toolbox, here are 4 winter and Christmas themed interventions you can try!
12 Days of Christmas - Instrument Play Remix
Goals Addressed: Increase movement, build group cohesion, build memory and sustained attention, encourage creative expression
The 12 Days of Christmas is a song full of unique sounds and festive gifts. I love to adapt this song for large groups, giving each client a different instrument so that each line in the song stands out! Go around the circle, client by client, and have each client share what instrument they have and describe the sound it makes. Here’s an example:
On the 1st day of Christmas Santa gave to me
A guitar with brand new strings!
On the 2nd day of Christmas, Client 1 gave to me
2 shakers shaking
And a guitar with brand new strings!
On the 3rd day of Christmas, Client 2 gave to me
3 cabasas twisting
2 shakers shaking
And a guitar with brand new strings!
On the 4th day of Christmas…. (repeat this process for each client!)
For groups of less than 12, you are welcome to give clients multiple instruments, and after going around the circle one time, start over with the first client using that client’s second instrument.
This intervention promotes idea sharing, group cohesion, and cognitive skills as more and more instruments and sounds are added to the song. Clients can even improvise a short solo on their instrument during their verse, further promoting self expression, leadership, and confidence!
12 Days of Christmas Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QPQI5QUs74&list=RD9QPQI5QUs74&start_radio=1
12 Days of Christmas Lyrics and Chords: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/misc-christmas/twelve-days-of-christmas-chords-1202668
Mr. Grinch - Song Rewrite
Goals Addressed: Elevate mood, increase creative expression, build rapport between therapist and client or group members, sharing negative feelings appropriately
“You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” is filled with humorous imagery and follows a similar structure throughout, making it a great candidate for a song rewrite! By rewriting this song, we can help our clients turn this already hilarious and colorful song into their own unique version to showcase their creativity and sense of humor.
Here’s a template for 1 verse of the song:
You’re a ______, Mr. Grinch
(something scary)
You really are a _________.
(something yucky)
You’re as _____ as a ______,
(adjective) (something scary)
You’re as _____ as a ______,
(adjective) (something yucky)
Mr. Griiiiiiinch!
You’re a _________ with a _____________________!
(yucky food) (what’s yucky about that food)
The song follows this same structure throughout, so this template can be reused multiple times to make as many verses and variations as your client(s) would like!
“Mr. Grinch” can be adapted in numerous ways for various populations and settings. In a school setting, you could relate this song rewrite to parts of speech, word connotations, and literary devices like metaphors and imagery if this would support your clients’ educational goals. For a young client working on speech or communication goals, you could use flashcards or a visual word bank to choose new song lyrics, while also encouraging speech using playful, silly, or nonsense words.
“Mr. Grinch” Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Hj3U18FHgQ&list=RD3Hj3U18FHgQ&start_radio=1
“Mr. Grinch” lyrics and chords:
“When It’s Cold” by Laurie Berkner
Goals Addressed: Increase movement, increase creative self expression
I remember listening to Laurie Berkner when I was young, and love using her songs with my clients today! Her song “When It’s Cold” features drastic tempo changes, and embeds movement directions in its lyrics, making it an engaging and energetic way to explore different speeds and dance moves.
The original song features various animals and their respective movements, and if you want to further tailor this song to your clients, encourage them to share an animal and a movement that can replace the original lyrics! Winter themed ideas include stomping like a yeti or a polar bear, flying like a snowy owl, making snow angels, or prancing like a reindeer.
An added bonus to this song is the repeated “c-c-c-c-cold” lyric, giving clients with speech goals many opportunities to practice their “k” sound as they sing along!
Here are the song lyrics to “When It’s Cold:” https://laurieberkner.com/song-lyrics/when-its-cold
And a video of the song:
“Winter Wonderland” Song Rewrite
Goals Addressed: Increase reminiscence, increase positive social interaction
While this song is associated with Christmas, anyone can appreciate this song’s depictions of the sights, sounds, and feelings we experience in the wintertime. I like to use this song to prompt discussion, with groups or individual clients, about favorite winter activities and holiday traditions. Through discussion, we can also rewrite “Winter Wonderland” with clients’ ideas!
Here is a fill-in-the-blank template of “Winter Wonderland” for your convenience:
____________, are you listening?
In the _______, _______ is ________
A _______ sight, we're ______ tonight
_______ in a winter wonderland
Gone away is the ________
Here to stay is a _________
___________ as we ______
______ in a winter wonderland
In the _______, we can __________
And _________________________
_________________________
_________________________
Later on, we'll ______
As we ____________
_________________________
_______ in a winter wonderland
*One thing to note with this song: in the original, the song uses an outdated and derogatory term for Inuit people toward the end. When singing the original song, here is how I like to approach that verse:
When it snows, ain’t it thrilling
Though your nose gets a chilling
We frolic and play, and have fun all day
Walking in a winter wonderland
Given the many sensory aspects of the original song, such as hearing sleigh bells ring, seeing snow glistening and falling, and the textures one might feel while building a snowman, a client with sensory needs and communication goals may also benefit from rewriting this song based on a winter sensory bin.
“Winter Wonderland” Youtube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP5_dJUd3BY&list=RDGP5_dJUd3BY&start_radio=1
“Winter Wonderland” Lyrics and Chords:
As you can see, there are so many different ways you can adapt existing winter and holiday songs to your clients’ individual needs, preferences, and creativity. I hope these ideas helped in your winter session planning, and I wish you a warm, restful holiday season!
