Sky Kids Releases Reimagining of “Silent Night”

Sky Kids has teamed up with singer-songwriter Paloma Faith and the Sky Kids Choir for a reimagining of the Christmas carol “Silent Night.”

“Silent Night, Gentle Light” offers a new perspective on the sensory challenges faced by neurodiverse children during the holiday season, from wearing itchy sweaters and navigating busy crowds to bright decorations and noisy shops. The lyrics focus on how to reduce sensory overload while embracing joy to make Christmas inclusive.

The single coincides with the launch of the Christmas TV special of Ready Eddie Go!, which centers on a 6-year-old autistic boy as he navigates everyday experiences for the first time. The show’s creator, Nikki Saunders, and lead writer, Joseph Morpurgo, co-wrote the lyrics to Silent Night, Gentle Light.

Saunders has also partnered with the Caudwell Children’s Charity to share some tips for parents and guardians to make Christmas less overwhelming and more enjoyable for all children. This includes decorating the house slowly over a few days and maintaining calming routines amid the festive time. All proceeds from “Silent Night, Gentle Light” will be donated to Caudwell Children’s Charity.

“Ready Eddie Go! is a really special show for us at Sky Kids,” said Lucy Murphy, director of kids’ content at Sky. “The series helps support neurodiverse children and their families and friends as they navigate the world. We know that Christmas can be particularly tricky for some children, so we’re delighted to have enlisted the iconic Paloma Faith and our Sky Kids choir to reimagine one of our favorite carols and help everyone enjoy the holidays in the ways that work for them.”

Saunders commented, “Thank you to everyone involved in this beautiful campaign, helping so many children feel supported. I created Eddie, a beautiful autistic character for my son to relate to, sharing his same experiences. The Christmas season brings changes in routine, sensory challenges, unexpected visitors and overwhelm at times. Therefore, our Christmas episode of Ready Eddie Go!, alongside this campaign, raises awareness about the build up to Christmas Day, encouraging everyone to do Christmas your way.”

“When Sky Kids approached us with the idea for this campaign, we couldn’t wait to get involved,” added the Caudwell Children’s Charity. “Their reimagined version of ‘Silent Night’ delivers a powerful and inclusive message that it’s OK to celebrate Christmas in your own way. Christmas is a very exciting time for a lot of families but for some families, especially those with neurodivergent children, Christmas can be a very unpredictable and daunting time. Our aim is to remind everyone that you don’t have to follow traditional norms; you can create your own rules to make Christmas enjoyable for your family. The campaign also reminds people to be mindful of others and makes people aware of things you wouldn’t necessarily think about. Simple things, like bright lights or loud sounds, can be overwhelming for neurodivergent individuals.”