According to MusicWeek:

George Michael is joining Island for a one-off single Christmas, after fulfilling his contract with Sony.

The single, release as a download on December 13 and physically the day after, is a new version of the singer’s December Song., which he offered as a free download last year.

This will be the first Christmas single Michael has made available for commercial release since Wham’s Last Christmas.

Sony is to release a live George Michael DVD in December and this fulfils his obligations for the major, according to a spokesperson for the singer.