Little Things
by ABBA

Album: Voyage (2021)
Charted: 61
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Little Things" is a soothing ballad where Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog sing of the "little things" that make their Christmas a joyful one. Theirs is a family Yuletide where the husband and wife wake up on a "lovely Christmas morning." Anni-Frid and Agnetha thank their spouses for packing the stockings full of nice things and enjoy their children's excitement as they play with their new toys.

    The song ends with a children's choir reveling in some other festive "little things":

    Like the precious jewels on rings
    Or a music box that will fit in socks
    Tiny elves with wings
  • ABBA described the song as a "gentle reflection on the joy of Christmas morning and family time around this special time of year."
  • ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson wrote the festive tune. According to Bjorn, Benny didn't perceive this as a Christmas song but Bjorn said it couldn't be anything else. "It is early, early Christmas morning," he told Apple Music. "The stockings are hanging right there and then this couple wakes up."
  • "Little Things" is ABBA's first Christmas song, though they did record a New Year's song in 1980: "Happy New Year."
  • Benny Andersson played the keyboard. The other musicians were:

    Piano: Kimberley Akestar
    Flute: Pär Grebacken and Jan Bengston
    Clarinet: Pär Grebacken
    Percussion: Per Lindvall
    Children's choir: International School of Stockholm Choir
    Conductor: Kimberley Akester
  • ABBA also featured a children's choir on 1979's "I Have A Dream." That song was notable for being their first tune that had additional vocalists other than the four band members.
  • ABBA released "Little Things" as a single with all the proceeds going to UNICEF's Global Child Protection Fund. The Swedish pop group has a long history with the United Nations agency. Back in 1979, ABBA donated half the proceeds from "Chiquitita" to UNICEF.
  • Sophie Muller directed the video, which focuses on a group of school-age children creating an ABBA Voyage Christmas Special.

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