The aroma of mint and cinnamon fills the kitchen. Bing Crosby plays on the record player. Presents sit underneath the tree eagerly awaiting their big moment. Kids run around on sugar highs while Dad watches National Lampoon’s Vacation from his favorite recliner. Sound familiar? If this is how your family does Christmas, then you know exactly what we are talking about! Maybe you have a completely different way in which you celebrate the Holidays! There are just so many ways to do it that the possibilities are endless. . . . and we got curious! So we asked some of our favorite country artists to chime in on their Christmas traditions, food, and favorite songs! We also wanted to know the best gift they ever gave someone else. And a Christmas questionnaire wouldn’t be complete without knowing if the tree is real or fake and if the lights are colored or white.
We received so many heartwarming and hilarious answers that we have decided to split it into three parts. Read on to learn how artists like Ronnie McDowell, Stephen Barker Liles from Love and Theft, Jenny Gill, and more carry on their Christmas traditions!
Ronnie McDowell
Well, this hasn’t happened for quite a while, but when I was growing up in Portland, TN, the local drug store used to have a Christmas Contest. It was kind of like A Christmas Story, when Ralphie wanted the Red Ryder air rifle… but, for me, it was a remote control airplane. So, when I was 7 years old in 1957, the consumer drug store had a contest where the winner was chosen based on how many store receipts you could turn in, and all of the possible prizes were displayed in the window; the winner was able to take their pick of the lot. After I saw that airplane I wanted so badly propped up in the window display with the other prizes, I stood outside the store every single day before Christmas, asking everyone who came out if I could have their receipts. On Christmas Eve, my name went up to #1 on the contest board, and I won the airplane!
John Berry
On Christmas Eve we gather with family and friends to read the story of Christ birth from the book of Luke. It’s a moment to remember why we celebrate Christmas.
Stephen Barker Liles (Love and Theft)
We all open our matching Christmas pajamas and eat pizza on Christmas Eve and open our yearly ornaments and hang them on the tree. Then we watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” and one more Christmas movie.
Adam Craig
Every year we go to my grandparents on Christmas Eve. We do dinner and presents out there. My dad and I usually sit by the fire and talk about everything under the sun til the sun comes up. Christmas Day we make a huge feast in the morning then head over to my sister’s house. Love watching all the kids go crazy over what Santa brought em.
Levi Hummon
We read The Night Before Christmas with my entire family next to a fire.
Candi Carpenter
This year I’ll be staying in Nashville to finish my EP. Usually we visit family in Florida, and spend Christmas Day on the beach!
Hannah Bethel
My family and I always cut a real tree from the woods. We make way too much food. We watch Elf every year and it is always funny.
2 Steel Girls
We get together every year before Christmas to make and decorate candy cane cookies. My dad made them with his grandma and he made them with us, and now he makes them with his granddaughter too.
Jenny Gill
My dad always cooks breakfast Christmas morning I’ve never seen him cook any other day of the year. (By the way, Vince, we’re going to need to see this in person! And taste it. . . you just tell us what time to be there 😉)
Leah Turner
Every Christmas on the Latina side of my family, the women get together and make home made tortillas and homemade tamales
Ashley McBryde
Making cookies with my Mom. Taking long walks with all the dogs. Washing my truck and fixing it up with my Pop.
Lindsay Ell
Baking with my mom!
Ana Cristina Cash
Yes! I love keeping eggnog in my fridge when the holidays roll around and we do the Elf On the Shelf at home.
Red Marlow
Play bluegrass music at my parent’s house.
Ben Caesre Band
My family would break tradition and open 2 or 3 of our gifts on Christmas Eve.
Also, to make it seem as if Rudolph visited our house (along with Santa), My dad would leave a plate of carrots and a plate with a large pile of sugar out on our back porch. On Christmas day, the carrots would be half eaten and there would be a large red circle in the middle of the sugar to make it seem as if Rudolph was eating the sugar (my Dad would pour a perfect circle of maraschino cherry syrup into the sugar to make it look like his nose was deep in the sugar).
Paul Bogart
My dad and I have a 25 year tradition of interrupting Christmas and New Year’s family plans by roping in a big team roping in Tulsa.
Dani-elle Kleha
We have tons of Christmas traditions in my family! It is our favorite time of the year. From cookie baking, to homemade pierogis, gingerbread house decorating, riding around looking at Christmas lights, watching Hallmark Christmas movies and “Christmas Vacation” and so many more. Traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day dinner as well surrounded by lots of family and friends and opening presents on Christmas morning. Ever since I was a baby, my parents have put a tree in my room along with the others throughout the house and it’s the same exact tree since I’m born. I can go on and on we have so many traditions!! It’s the best!!
Re Mattei
I like to drink egg nog with some Captain Jack spiced rum while I decorate the tree. Watch Christmas Vacation on Christmas eve.
Alexandra Harper (Music City CMT)
Every year our family goes to the candlelight service at church and then we all have Christmas at my parent’s house. Someone always ends up crying, someone ends up too drunk, and someone always leaves in a fight over a Dirty Santa gift. But aside from all of that, we love celebrating the birth of our Savior together as a family.
Bailey James
Christmas traditions? During Christmas Eve, my mom’s entire family gets together to celebrate, eat, exchange gifts, etc. They always do these competitive games too. Our family is the most competitive bunch of people…super intense always makes me remember the Seinfeld episode, “Festuvus for the rest of us.”
Tim Atwood
In the past we’ve given the children and grandchildren matching Christmas pajamas, and we all gather together for a family photo. It’s one of those things I groan about outwardly, but inwardly it brings me great joy to have my family together—laughing and teasing each other. For one blessed moment all is right with the world.
Joe Denim
SPICED EGG NOG
JoLivi
My family and I usually spend Christmas in Hawai’i … my brother will make scaled eggs with cream cheese and my dad will make french toast.. SOOO GOOD!
Boys Called Susan
Bryan: My family and I go to Pennsylvania each year. My in-laws live in the same town that actor Jimmy Stewart is from, and each and every year, I am not only swept up with the charm of Christmas in small town USA, but I also find myself wondering how in the world that town missed the golden opportunity of naming the museum that pays homage to Stewart’s life, “It’s a Wonderful Museum?”
Brett Westgrove
Undecorating the fake Christmas tree that is set up downstairs (the fancy tree is upstairs), on Christmas Eve with my brothers, after the parents have gone to bed. We then rearrange the branches in some ill conceived manner, and add 5000+ lights (it’s only a 7ft tree so it’s a lot of lights!)
Audio Vixen
We as siblings (RIA, CHRISTINE & ROSS) are part of a large Australian family. Every year for Christmas (as with all our festivities), parents, cousins, uncles, aunties etc. (all of which add up to about 38), get together to celebrate Christmas. We love watching classic movies like Miracle of 34th Street, King of Kings, Ben Hur, etc.
Ashyln Grayce
My family always puts on pajamas, makes hot chocolate and drives around town to see all the Christmas lights and decorations while listening to Christmas music on the radio! Another family tradition is making time to go out to Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort to see all the amazing lights and decorations. We also love go to ICE! and the Dancing Lights of Christmas!
Anna Brinker
Hallmark and coffee every morning, starting around a month before Christmas
Katie Austen
My favorite Christmas tradition growing up was my brother always waking me up on Christmas morning. I never really realized it was a tradition till now! Haha. We’d sneak peek what Santa brought while waiting on my parents to wake up. My favorite year was when I wanted a purple bike SOOO BAD. But it had been already been SOLD at Sears. I was devastated. That Christmas morning, my brother woke me up as usual and we could see the bike tire peaking from behin the tree from my room upstairs! ️
Jimmy Bowen
Most of the Christmas Tradition is to get together with family, Grandparents, parents, kids, grandkids. We play games and eat finger foods most of Christmas Eve. We awake Christmas morning and watch the kids and grandkids see what Santa has brought. We are actually starting a new tradition this year, volunteering on Christmas Day with an organization called “Compassionate Hands” This organization spends the whole Christmas Day with the homeless and those that have no family. They play games, talk, watch movies, TV shows, and just talk and tell their story. Then we help serve and feed these folks. Going to be a wonderful experience because we are so bless and fortunate while others have very little.
JT Lewis
Growing up, my Sicilian Great Grandmother used to make the best lasagna of all time every Christmas and Easter. She taught me the recipe years ago before she passed away and my mom and I still make it every year for Christmas Eve to this day.
Deanie Richardson (member of Grammy-nominated Sister Sadie)
My Grandmother always made chocolate covered peanut butter balls. I remember them every year since I was a kid. She passed away and now my Mom makes them. In fact, she just brought some to my house for my granddaughter. She loved them. So it continues….
And so this continues as well. . . . we hope you’re hungry because Favorite Christmas Food is coming next! #ChristmasTake5