Hilary Duff is starting the holiday season early with Holiday Things, a five-track Christmas EP released Friday, Oct. 23.
The project arrives as the follow-up to Luck… or Something, Duff’s sixth studio album of new material, and adds another chapter to her return to releasing music after a decade-long retreat.
Holiday Things combines familiar seasonal songs with three new originals. Duff covers “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and revisits Wham!’s “Last Christmas,” a song she previously recorded for her 2002 debut studio album, Santa Claus Lane.
The updated “Last Christmas” sits alongside original tracks “I Guess It’s Christmas,” “All You Want for Christmas Is Me” and “I Want (A Few Small Things).”
Hilary Duff Teased an Early Christmas
Duff announced the EP in an Instagram post on Wednesday, Oct. 21, writing, “I guess Christmas came early … Holiday Things is yours this Friday 10.23 ✨💗🥂.”
The accompanying image took a deliberately less-than-cheery approach to the festivities. Duff appeared glum in a frilly party dress while seated in front of pink and blue balloons, with a cake and champagne on ice nearby.
The new release comes shortly after another holiday-themed milestone for the singer-actress. On Oct. 15, Duff marked the 24th anniversary of Santa Claus Lane on Instagram. Her post included the album cover, throwback promotional pictures from her teen-star period and photos of her three children with her husband, producer Matthew Koma.
By including a newly updated recording from that debut alongside three original songs, Holiday Things connects Duff’s earlier Christmas material with her current run of releases.
A Busy Return to Music
Duff’s latest EP continues a year packed with new and revisited music. Luck… or Something debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, marking her return following a decade away from releasing music.
She followed that album in April with (Mine), a collection featuring re-recordings of Hot 100 hits including “Come Clean,” “What Dreams Are Made Of” and “Wake Up.” Earlier this month, she also released “CATastrophe,” a song from The Cat in the Hat soundtrack.
That sequence gives Holiday Things a notable place in Duff’s comeback: it is not an isolated seasonal release, but the latest project in a sustained stretch that has included a studio album, fresh versions of familiar songs and soundtrack music.
ShowBiz Take
Holiday Things finds Duff looking both backward and forward. The refreshed “Last Christmas” directly returns to material from Santa Claus Lane, while the three original tracks expand her holiday catalog beyond covers.
The timing also underlines the pace of her renewed music activity. After a decade-long break from releasing music, Duff has moved quickly from Luck… or Something to (Mine), “CATastrophe” and now a full five-song seasonal EP. With her No. 3 Billboard 200 debut and a slate of sold-out and scheduled concerts ahead, the Christmas collection arrives during an especially active period.
What Happens Next?
Duff is preparing to take the new phase of her music career on the road. A sold-out run in Australia is scheduled to begin Saturday, Oct. 24, at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.
In December, she is set to appear at four iHeartRadio Jingle Ball shows in Los Angeles, New York, Boston and Nashville. Her touring plans extend even further, with a 2027 North American, European and South American tour scheduled to keep her on the road through next November.