Why does this sound like a stereotypical Christmas song?

I don't think you should take TXmusic's answer too seriously, even if he intends you to. Everything he mentions is common in all kinds of other music, it's not specifically "Christmas". Not even if those things all occur together.

Certainly most Christmas songs (at least modern ones or pop ones) will be upbeat, and in a major key, and probably with a simple singalong melody. That's because they have to sound happy. But we can write upbeat major key music wiht singalong melodies without it sounding Christmassy. They did it all year round in the 1960s...

The only things that really make a song Christmassy are (a) lyrics, and (b) sleigh bells. The lyrics don't have to mention Christmas or Santa, but if they don't they have to mention snow. Actual sleigh bells may not be necessary but there has to be a sound something like them..

/r/musictheory Thread Parent