How one woman went from a marketing job to writing Christmas music for a living

"Queen of Christmas" Elizabeth Chan on how she quit her marketing job to puruse her life-long dream of writing and performing holiday music for a living.

"It brings me literal tears of joy when I think about Christmas music and how much I love it and how lucky I am to get to share music around the world. Sometimes I wake up, and I'm like, how did I do this? It's crazy. I'm Elizabeth Chan. I have dedicated my life writing Christmas music."

"I was just always singing, always thinking about like snow and snowmen and Santa. When I was a child, and I would say how much I wanted to write Christmas music, it was cute. When I got older, it started to be like, what are you talking about?"

"And I didn't have the courage to actually take seriously my dreams until I tried the life that everybody else expected me to live."

"My last album, "The Queen of Christmas," is considered for a Grammy nomination. I was literally told I would never be up for a Grammy by the president of the Grammy Association like six years ago. I never thought I would do this. The odds were so against me. For someone like me, where this is my passion, to know that somewhere around the world my Christmas messages and music is being heard by others-- I'm always so grateful for it."

Video Transcript

ELIZABETH CHAN: It brings me literal tears of joy when I think about Christmas music and how much I love it and how lucky I am to get to share music around the world. Sometimes I wake up, and I'm like, how did I do this? It's crazy. I'm Elizabeth Chan. I have dedicated my life writing Christmas music.

(SINGING) Jingle all the way. All the way.

This dream of mine to write Christmas music was something that I'd had since I was a child.

(SINGING) Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.

I was just always singing, always thinking about like snow and snowmen and Santa. When I was a child, and I would say how much I wanted to write Christmas music, it was cute. When I got older, it started to be like, what are you talking about?

And I didn't have the courage to actually take seriously my dreams until I tried the life that everybody else expected me to live. I was working for a boss in marketing in my cubicle. I barely had a life. I never saw my friends. I ended up having a heart arrhythmia from the stress. I ended up having shingles.

And my husband was like, you know, obviously your mind and your spirit is so unhappy that it's taking a toll on your health. And I had to really think about, like, when was I most happiest? This want and this need to write Christmas music never left my spirit or my soul.

(SINGING) I, I want to deck the halls.

It took several years, and those were the toughest years of my life. I would try to sell these songs that I would write. I woke up every day, wanting to figure out, how can I make this work? And that passion was louder than any voice that I heard saying, go back to your other job.

(SINGING) The years go by so fast.

And then all of a sudden, I had this awareness that other people were listening to my music.

(SINGING) Christmas in the city, there ain't nowhere I'd rather be.

I just put out my 12th Christmas album. And as of last week, I've had my eighth top 10 Christmas single.

(SINGING) Whenever I hear a Christmas song, you're always in my heart.

My last album, "The Queen of Christmas," is considered for a Grammy nomination. I was literally told I would never be up for a Grammy by the president of the Grammy Association like six years ago. I never thought I would do this. The odds were so against me. For someone like me, where this is my passion, to know that somewhere around the world my Christmas messages and music is being heard by others-- I'm always so grateful for it.

(SINGING) Celebrate me home. Give me one more--

The holidays-- they always come with so much hope and love and faith. My music is really just all about that because my life is about that. Your dreams are made for you. It's like a fingerprint. It's not easy going after your dream. But there's magic when you believe in yourself.

(SINGING) I want to deck the halls. Fa, la, la, la, la, la. And jingle all the bells.