Delayed by a day here in the States, the new Christmas EP from Pet Shop Boys has arrived on these snowy shores and not a moment too soon.

The two-fifths festive Pet Shop Boys Christmas includes an update of “It Doesn’t Often Snow At Christmas,” a Tennant-Lowe composition that first surfaced in 1987 as a fan club-only single and finally (legally) reached the masses via Starbucks’ Elton John-curated Christmas Party CD in 2005. There’s also a new version of “All Over The World,” a track that originally appeared on this year’s Yes album. It’s built upon a sample from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite, giving “All Over The World” a seasonal reason for making the cut.

Marius De Vries produced both, and with lyrics that glisten and glimmer with optimism, together they’ll certainly brighten up any holiday celebration (as all good pop music should, really, all year ’round). Hear here:

Rounding out the 5-track Christmas EP are a couple of covers. The brilliant medley of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” and the Pet Shop Boys’ 1988 single, “Domino Dancing” is here (a highlight of the duo’s recent Pandemonium Tour), plus two versions of Madness’ “My Girl,” all of which makes me appreciate this little gift from Neil and Chris even more. And kudos to the art direction, courtesy Farrow!

Is it a crazy wish, boys and girls, that we’d hear Pet Shop Boys Christmas playing all over the world?

Purchase Pet Shop Boys – Christmas EP via iTunes, Amazon MP3.