Christmas was a Canadian psychedelic group from Oshawa, Ontario, founded in 1969 by guitarist and singer Bob Bryden and originally named „The Society for the Year-Round Preservation of the Spirit of Christmas“. The line-up included lead guitarist Robert Bulger, Tyler Raizenne on bass, drummer Rich Richter, and the two singers Gary Squires and Wolfgang Hryciuk. Through Bryden’s contacts, the band secured a record deal with Paragon, a Canadian label founded in 1968 that specialised (primarily) in country music. It was intended to be a „Top Hits“ album, but the two producers encouraged them to have a jam session.

The result, the self-titled debut album Christmas, was released in July 1970, reportedly without the band’s knowledge. It features three short, demo-style pop songs written by Bryden and two extended psychedelic rock jams in the style of Quicksilver Messenger. These expansive, intense and highly original compositions combine psychedelic soundscapes with progressive elements. As the album received no airplay outside Toronto, not to mention the fact that it was unfortunately shelved in shops in the Christmas music (Xmas) section, this album sank without a trace. This record is now phenomenally rare and ranks among the rarest psychedelic albums from Canada!