Snowflakes

About

Snowflakes is the ninth track on the Christmas Future disc of The Christmas Present. Written by Robbie Williams with Flynn Francis, Conrad Olsen and Philipp Steinke, it is a comic yet affectionate depiction of family life during the festive season.

The song takes its title from the modern term “snowflake”, meaning someone who is easily offended, and playfully contrasts it with the literal sense of a snowy Christmas. Williams explained that he wanted to write “a comedy version of what happens in our house at Christmas Day,” weaving satire into a bright, brassy melody full of singalong hooks.

Lyrics describe a chaotic household gathering, from “Nana Gwen’s drank too much” to “My lovely wife was buzzed at brunch,” portraying a multigenerational Christmas dinner full of affection and minor dysfunction. Despite the humour, the chorus — “Time won’t change us, nothing will, I know they’re not perfect but I love them still” — affirms the importance of family and forgiveness.

“It was cool to be able to use some modern language in an old Christmas style format. It’s basically a comedy version of what happens at our home, the Williams household, on Christmas Day.”Robbie Williams

Performed with energetic brass and gospel-style backing vocals, Snowflakes became one of the live highlights of Williams’s 2019 Christmas Party concerts. Balancing wit, warmth and a touch of chaos, it captures the album’s central theme of celebrating imperfection and connection.