Over the holidays I listened to a nontraditional Christmas song being
sung by a male vocalist but never found out who the singer was or the
name of the song.   It was done in a kind of bluesy rock manner and
definitely contained the lyrics, "A New York City Christmas," which
were repeated several times during the course of the song. I asked one
of my nieces who the singer was and she thought it was Bon Jovi; the
other niece thought it might be Matchbox 20. I'm dying to know the
artist or name of the song.  Again, it definitely contained the
lyrics, "A New York City Christmas"; however, I don't believe that's
the song's title.

Dear rinny,

One of your nieces is almost right. The song's name is "A New York
Christmas", and the singer is Rob Thomas, lead vocalist of the band
"Matchbox Twenty".

Rob Thomas has written and recorded this song with members of Matchbox
Twenty in autumn 2002 for the benefit of a New York children's
hospital; you can read more about the background here:
http://www.nyrock.com/worldbeat/12_2002/120602b.asp
(Source: NY Rock: Rob Thomas Releases Single "A New York Christmas" To
Support Blythedale Children's Hospital)

Originally available to the public per paid download only, it is now
also available on CD, for example from Amazon.com ($3.98):
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000UJLA0/103-5890886-7994211

For your convenience, here are the full lyrics:

A New York Christmas
by Rob Thomas

Call on your angels
Come down to the city
Crowd around the big tree
All you strangers who know me
Bring your compassion
Your understanding
Lord, how we need it
On this New York City Christmas

Yeah, I'm sending you a Merry New York Christmas
And a prayer for peace on Earth
Within our time
Yeah, the sidewalk angels echo hallelujah
And we understand them
Now more than ever

So call on your angels
Your beaten and broken
It's time that we mend them
So they don't fade with the season
Let our mercy be the gifts we lay
From Brooklyn to Broadway
And celebrate each and every day
Of this New York City Christmas

Yeah, I'm sending you a Merry New York Christmas
And a prayer for peace on Earth
Within our time
Yeah, the sidewalk angels echo hallelujah
And we understand them
Now more than ever
Merry New York Christmas

Call on your angels
Come down to the city
Let's crowd around the big tree
All you strangers, you know me
Bring your compassion
Bring your forgiveness
Lord, how we need it
On this New York City Christmas

Yeah, I'm sending you a Merry New York Christmas
And a prayer for peace on Earth
It's not too late
Yeah the sidewalk angels echo hallelujah
We understand them
We understand them
Merry Christmas
Yes, a New York City Christmas
(Oh Christmas)
Merry New York Christmas

Source:
Shady88's Weblog "What Is Life?", 13 November 2003
http://shady88.bloghorn.com/115


Search terms used:
"A New York City Christmas" lyrics
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=%22A+New+York+City+Christmas%22+lyrics&meta=
"rob thomas" "new york christmas"
://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=%22rob+thomas%22+%22new+york+christmas%22&meta=


Hope this answers your question!
Very best regards,
Scriptor

a very thorough response...thank you