Dec232020

George Strait – Old Time Christmas Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

KeyKeyCapo

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[Intro]
C        | G7/D        | 
C/E        | F        |
Dm       | G           | G

[Verse 1]
C            G7/D        
  Tricycles,   bicycles, 
  C/E             F
  candy canes and candlelight,
Dm                G/B      C     
  tryin' to stay awake all night 
     Dm                 G
  to catch a glimpse of Santa's 
  reindeer.
C              G7/D             
  Mama bakin',   sister makin', 
  C/E           F
  angels in the fallin' snow,
Dm                G/B   C   
  now it seems so long ago, 
  Dm                 Gsus4      G
  I wish they all were here.

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[Chorus]
             C        Em         
We'd have an old time Christmas, 
   Dm       C
an old time Christmas,
F               G    
  just like the ones 
             C         F    G
  from yesterday.
               C       Em       
We'd leave the world behind us, 
        Dm     C
let the spirit find us,
            F        G         
and have an old time Christmas 
              C     G7/D    
for old times sake.
C/E    F      F

[Verse 2]
C                  G7/D             
  Friends singin',   bells ringin', 
  C/E                 F
  snowman standing in   the yard,
Dm              G/B       C     
  it's a living Christmas card, 
  Dm              G
  captured in our hearts forever.
C                  G7/D               
  Friends scatter,   it won't matter, 
      C/E         F
  the magic never melts away,
Dm                G/B       C   
  it only takes a Christmas Day 
     Dm          Gsus4       G
  to make it reappear.

Feel free to use our free Chord Shape Generator to see every chord in this song on guitar, ukulele and piano.

[End-Chorus]
             C        Em         
We'd have an old time Christmas, 
   Dm       C
an old time Christmas,
F               G    
  just like the ones 
             C           F    G
  from yesterday.
               C       Em       
We'd leave the world behind us, 
        Dm     C
let the spirit find us,
            F        G         
and have an old time Christmas 
              C       C
for old times sake.

[Outro]
              Am      G/B       
So, leave the world behind you, 
        F      C
let the spirit find you,
            Dm       Gsus4     G 
and have an old time Christmas   
              C    G7/D    
for old times sake.
C/E   F      C

How to play Old Time Christmas: key, chords and progression

These are the chords for Old Time Christmas by George Strait on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

Old Time Christmas by George Strait is in the key of C major (no sharps or flats). The song uses 10 chords: C, G7/D, C/E, F, Dm, G, G/B, Gsus4, Em and Am.

Most of the song cycles through C – G7/D – C/E – F (I – V7 – I – IV in C major). In solfa, that is doh – soh – doh – fah. Get these 4 changes smooth and the rest comes quickly.

Beginner-friendly: on guitar almost every chord is an open shape, which makes this a good song to learn early on.