Honestly, the holidays usually feel like a giant, over-sanitized corporate hug. You know the drill. Every December, a different pop star puts on a sparkly dress, stands in front of a fake fireplace, and sings the same five carols we’ve heard since 1994. But then A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter dropped on Netflix, and suddenly, Christmas got... weird. In a good way. Mostly.
It premiered on December 6, 2024, and it wasn't just a concert. It was a 50-minute fever dream of vintage variety show vibes, campy humor, and enough double entendres to make your grandma blush if she’s actually paying attention to the lyrics.
Why the Sabrina Carpenter Christmas Special Isn't Your Average Carol Sing-Along
Most people expected a filmed version of a tour. They were wrong. Sabrina basically took the DNA of an old-school Dean Martin or Sonny & Cher special and injected it with 2024 internet culture. She’s leaning hard into this "naughty list" persona, and it works because she’s so self-aware about it.
The whole thing kicks off with her descending from a giant red cake stand like a modern-day Marilyn Monroe. She literally tells the audience that Netflix gave her an unlimited budget as long as she promised to go viral. It's meta. It's dry.
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The Guest List Was Actually Insane
You didn't just get Sabrina. You got the "Avengers" of the pop world and some truly random comedy cameos.
- Chappell Roan: They did a "Last Christmas" duet that looked like a chaotic house party after-math.
- Tyla: They performed "This Christmas" while making espresso martinis.
- Shania Twain: She showed up as Mrs. Claus to sing "Santa Baby." Watching Sabrina geek out over Shania in the middle of a professional set was probably the most "human" moment of the whole show.
- Sean Astin: Yes, Rudy himself played Sabrina’s much older boyfriend, "Nick." The joke? He’s literally Santa, but she just thinks he has a "dad bod" and a really boring job.
The Music: From Fruitcake to Espresso
If you haven't listened to her Fruitcake EP, the special is basically a visual companion to it. Songs like "buy me presents" and "santa doesn't know you like i do" take center stage. But she also throws in these "A-list" covers. The Kali Uchis collab on "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" was slowed down into this sultry, almost haunting version that felt very "Short n' Sweet."
Then there’s the comedy music.
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There’s a track called "What Do I Get My Brother-in-Law?" that felt like an SNL digital short. It’s an autotuned rap about the literal agony of buying a gift for a man whose only personality trait is "likes IPAs." It’s painfully relatable.
It’s Not Exactly for the Kids
Let’s be real. If you’re looking for a wholesome "Frosty the Snowman" vibe, keep scrolling. This special is rated TV-PG, but the jokes about "Nick" being good in bed and the "ho-ho-ho" wordplay are definitely aimed at the TikTok generation.
One segment features Quinta Brunson and Cara Delevingne in a "Christmas Carol" parody where they play women ghosted by "Ebby" Scrooge. It’s biting and sharp. It mocks the very idea of the "perfect" holiday.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Special
The biggest misconception is that this was just a promotional tool for her album. While "Espresso" makes a cheeky appearance (the joke is that she refuses to actually sing it), the special is more about her proving she’s a "triple threat." She’s acting in sketches, she’s dancing, and she’s singing live.
Critics were split. Some loved the campy, "I'm over it" attitude. Others found it a bit too polished or "staged." But the numbers don't lie. It pulled in over 2.6 million views in its first few days. People wanted to see the "Nonsense" outro version of a Christmas song, and she delivered.
Practical Ways to Experience the "Nonsense" Vibe
If you’re late to the party or want to recreate that energy, here’s what you actually do:
- Watch on Netflix: It’s still there. It’s 50 minutes. Perfect for a pre-game or a lazy Sunday.
- Listen to 'Fruitcake': If you liked the songs, the EP is the source material. "Cindy Lou Who" is the standout if you want to actually feel something sad for three minutes.
- The Outros: Look up the "Nonsense" Christmas outro lyrics. She changed them specifically for the special to include more holiday-themed... let's call them "rhymes."
- Charity Angle: Remember that some of the merch from this era actually supports Feeding America and The Trevor Project.
The Sabrina Carpenter Christmas special isn't going to replace The Grinch as a timeless classic, but it wasn't trying to. It was a snapshot of a pop star at the absolute peak of her powers, winking at the camera while the world watched. It made the holidays feel a little less like a chore and a lot more like a party you weren't sure you were cool enough to attend.
To get the full experience, start by streaming the Fruitcake EP on Spotify to catch the lyrical nuances before re-watching the visual gags on Netflix; the contrast between the soulful "cindy lou who" and the raucous "A Nonsense Christmas" finale is the best way to understand her current era.