<Table> <Tr> <Td> "Heart Hotels" (1980) </Td> <Td> "Same Old Lang Syne" (1980) </Td> <Td> "Hard to Say" (1981) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> "Heart Hotels" (1980) </Td> <Td> "Same Old Lang Syne" (1980) </Td> <Td> "Hard to Say" (1981) </Td> </Tr> <P> "Same Old Lang Syne" is a song written and sung by Dan Fogelberg released as a single in 1980 . It was also included on his 1981 album The Innocent Age . The song is an autobiographical narrative ballad told in the first person and tells the story of two long - ago romantic interests meeting by chance in a grocery store on Christmas Eve . The song peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and is now frequently played during the holiday season and alongside traditional Christmas songs . </P> <P> The narrator is reunited with an old flame at a grocery store on a snowy Christmas Eve . She doesn't recognize him at first glance and when the two reach to embrace, she drops her purse causing them to laugh until they cry . They eventually decide to have a drink somewhere, but are unable to find any open bar . Settling on a six - pack purchased at a liquor store, they proceed to drink it in her car while they talk . </P>

Same old lang syne dan fogelberg christmas song