 The song has received critical acclaim. Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone gave the song a positive review commenting, "Swift's voice is unaffected enough to mask how masterful she has become as a singer; she lowers her voice for the payoff lines in the classic mode of a shy girl trying to talk tough." Jonathan Keefe from Slant Magazine complimented Swift's ability "to write an indelible melody" and praised the production of the song, writing "[the song] showcase (s) Swift's unique knack for matching the overall tone of a melody to the broader themes of a song". He added that "it isn't easy to make a melancholy song like" Back to December "sound catchy at the same time, but that's what Swift does, and it's an impressive trick." Bobby Peacock from Roughstock gave the song four stars out of five and praised Swift's vocal, saying that "it's her best vocal since" Tim McGraw "". He concluded that "[the song] feels a little more focused, a little more mature and a little better-sung than her previous material." The Oxonian Review considers it the centerpiece of the melancholic album, noting how "equating regret with December is a mainstream American musical tradition" and this song is "the congruence of her singing and songwriting at its finest."
