ASHLEY COOKE - "Wrapped" - Big Loud Records

Christmas music thrives on nostalgia, but the most enduring holiday songs do more than evoke familiar seasonal comforts; they capture the feelings that make the season meaningful. On “wrapped,” Ashley Cooke finds that magic in the intimacy of a winter romance, turning the prospect of being snowed in with someone special into a charming celebration of togetherness. With its easygoing country sensibility, playful imagery and inviting vocal delivery, the song offers a welcome addition to the modern holiday soundtrack.

The title track from Cooke’s first-ever Christmas EP, “wrapped” is one of two original songs on the five-track collection, alongside “secret santa.” Written by Cooke with Lauren Hungate, Jimmy Robbins, Alysa Vanderheym and Ben Williams, and produced by Jacob Durrett, the song imagines a couple happily tucked away together while winter carries on outside. Rather than treating Christmas as little more than a collection of seasonal references, Cooke uses the setting to explore the particular comfort of being with someone whose company makes the rest of the world seem unimportant.

The song’s central metaphor gives its romantic premise an appropriately festive twist. Its comparison of two lovers to wrapping paper and a red velvet ribbon is simple, immediately recognizable and well suited to the season. Yet the imagery serves a purpose beyond holiday decoration: it conveys the feeling of two people becoming part of each other’s lives, bound together by affection and shared experience. Cooke understands that a romantic song does not need elaborate declarations to make its point. Sometimes, the most persuasive expression of love is the feeling of being exactly where you want to be.

Durrett’s production reinforces that intimacy without overloading the arrangement. Sleigh bells supply a delicate seasonal shimmer, while warm guitar tones and tender Dobro melodies establish the song’s country foundations. A relaxed groove keeps the performance moving at an unhurried pace, allowing the instrumental details to color the atmosphere rather than compete for attention. The result feels festive without becoming overly ornate, giving the song a musical identity that extends beyond the novelty of its Christmas setting.

Cooke’s vocal performance is central to that balance. Her delivery is relaxed and personable, with enough character to keep the song’s sweetness from tipping into sentimentality. She approaches the material with a conversational ease that makes its romantic scenario feel inviting rather than idealized. Instead of relying on vocal theatrics, she lets the melody and lyric carry the emotion, creating a performance that feels natural to the song’s intimate perspective.

That restraint is one of “wrapped”’s greatest strengths. Holiday recordings can sometimes become so preoccupied with seasonal spectacle that the underlying emotion gets lost. Cooke takes the opposite approach, allowing the romance to remain the focus while the production supplies just enough festive color. The result is contemporary country music that embraces Christmas without depending entirely on the season for its appeal.

The wider EP places the title track alongside Cooke’s original “secret santa” and her interpretations of “have yourself a merry little christmas,” “jingle bell rock” and “silent night (with the cooke family).” The inclusion of a family performance on the latter adds a personal dimension to the collection, while the two original songs give Cooke room to establish her own holiday identity. The five-track EP is scheduled for release on November 6, 2026.

With “wrapped,” Cooke demonstrates that a successful Christmas song need not compete with the grandest traditions of the season. Its appeal comes from the interplay of thoughtful production, affectionate songwriting and an unforced vocal performance. By finding holiday magic in the simple pleasure of being close to someone, she delivers a country love song that feels both seasonally appropriate and genuinely personal. In a musical landscape crowded with Christmas spectacle, “wrapped” makes its impression through something quieter—and all the more convincing for it.

(Review Written By: Chad Carlson)