Artists Celebrate the Holiday Season
BECKY BULLER
What's your favorite Christmas memory? I have a whole passel of first cousins on my dad’s side of the family. At the family Christmas gathering, we’d always put together a play of some sort. Often it was just the Christmas story acted out with caroling. One year we put on “The Three Billy Goats Gruff."
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? A potluck of all our favorite family dishes. Just don’t try the pickled herring in cream sauce after the cherry jello salad…
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? Christmas With The Rat Pack
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? We always watch “Donovan’s Reef” with my in-laws during the holidays.
What's been your favorite album of 2020? Chicago Barn Dance by Special Consensus
What are your hopes for 2021? Like everyone else out there, I’m hoping that COVID will be contained and we can all get back to normal life.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? I’m not a big drinker. I do love hot licorice milk, which I first tasted while on tour in Holland. I have to order the licorice powder from a Dutch import store. It’s sooooo good!
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JUSTINE BLAZER
What's your favorite Christmas memory? My favorite Christmas memories were when my dad use to be a professional Santa. He did that for 20 years or so. I used to go with him sometimes to the house parties and sing for the families. It was so fun and I really loved it. Plus, opening all the gifts on Christmas morning was always so much fun.
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? My mom makes the best sweet potato casserole and green beans. She has been making that every year. It never gets old! Yum!
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? Anything by Nat King Cole or Judy Garland is a favorite in my book.
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? We go see the Dancing Lights of Christmas every year in Nashville. I also love the movies Home Alone, Elf and Christmas Vacation.
What's been your favorite album of 2020? I really like the new Taylor Swift album, “Folklore." I’m digging her acoustic, stripped down and authentic vibe.
What are your hopes for 2021? Keep making and putting out more music. A new EP for sure - maybe a Christmas EP, too. Just keep writing and producing music to the best of my abilities.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? I love craft beer. Vanilla Java Porter is the best. I also love some red wine blend.
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CAMIE
What's your favorite Christmas memory? Christmas is my favorite time of year by far, so I have many happy memories. However, if I could only pick one, it’d be when I was about 9 years old and my grandfather was still alive/my family was very united. (We still are but back then it felt like everyone was way closer to each other, maybe it was because I was a kid and when you’re that young everything just seems easier and purer.) We all got along so well! My cousins and I would always prepare a little Christmas show for the family and it was really exciting.
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? Simple: Just having the people closest to you around the table sharing stories, drinking a nice bottle of wine, enjoying a home-cooked meal, and listening to Christmas songs! That's enough for me. And of course, we can’t forget all the presents under the tree.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? Although I love American Christmas carols, I’d say I love Colombian ones even more. Aside from singing them, I'd say we love dancing to them even more! We have this genre called “Musica Dicembrina”; It’s technically not Christmas music but we only listen to it in December during every gathering; It’s very traditional and fun. So I’d say rather that my favorite album I’d tell you my favorite Colombian/Christmas band would probably be “Los Cantores del Chipuco” or “Los 50 de Joselito". You’re not a real Colombian if you don’t know these two.
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? Absolutely! There are two movies that ALWAYS get me in the Christmas spirit; “Home Alone” and "The Polar Express”. The music in both is incredible and their story even better.
What's been your favorite album of 2020? Future Nostalgia by DUA LIPA. She is such an amazing singer and entertainer - I really love every single song from that album.
What are your hopes for 2021? Keep releasing more music, finish a script that I’ve been working on, and keep going on crazy adventures. I love hiking so I want to keep climbing more challenging mountains next year. I’m closing 2020 climbing Mt. Whitney for the second time.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? I’m a wine lover so I’ll take any opportunity at a party to indulge in some good rosé. But also during these sort of festivities, I enjoy Champagne and some gin and tonic.
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CODY CLAYTON EAGLE
What's your favorite Christmas memory? It’s hard to decide since every Christmas is special because I’m with the people I love.
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? For me it’s not about the dinner, it about the people who are around the table that make it special.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? You can’t go wrong with a classic Christmas song
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? My all time favorite is definitely Frosty The Snowman.
What's been your favorite album of 2020? My favorite has been Wild World by Kip Moore
What are your hopes for 2021? Bringing back live music!
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PAIGE KING JOHNSON
What's your favorite Christmas memory? When I was 10 years old, my Papa gave me my first guitar for Christmas. I was so surprised and so grateful for it, and it has taken me far more places than I could have ever imagined in that moment.
What’s your idea of a good Christmas dinner? My family has had many different traditions over the years as far as Christmas dinner is concerned. We always have the traditional Christmas lunch at my grandparent's house (almost identical to Thanksgiving lunch), but my immediate family has done everything from breakfast for dinner to finger foods to leftovers and everything in between. Just as long as there's good dessert, I'm fine with it!
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? I don't know that I have a particular favorite Christmas album. I love getting to listen to all the different renditions of Christmas staples sung by different artists across genres. It's so cool to hear their different spins on such classic songs.
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? My home church in North Carolina always has a candlelight communion service on Christmas Eve that my family attends. It's one of my favorite traditions that we've done since I was born. I love the beauty in the church with all the decorations and only light from the lit candles, with everyone singing "O Holy Night" - it gives me chills each year.
What's been your favorite album of 2020? That's a hard one too! So much new music has come out of quarantine that I've been playing catch up on all the albums. I have to say I probably anticipated the new Lori McKenna album the most.
What are your hopes for 2021? I hope that I, and all other musicians who have been home bound for so long, can finally get back out on the road to play shows for people again. Touring is my favorite part of this career, and I miss getting to meet new people and hug their necks after shows. I'm also desperate for a good road trip in general!
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? I love a good apple cider, so any kind of spiked cider is delicious! It can be served hot or cold, and just add a little bit of Fireball to have a good seasonal tasting cocktail!
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SARAH HARRALSON
What's your favorite Christmas memory? When I was little, one Christmas morning I woke up and my mom told me she put reindeer treats outside the night before and that all of the reindeers came by and knocked the patio furniture over and left 'reindeer droppings' (chocolate). I am still amused to this day that she did all of that work making the outside furniture a mess so I would believe her.
What’s your idea of a good Christmas dinner? Christmas dinner for my family is usually similar to Thanksgiving. We usually make a ham, Thanksgiving sides, and of course, a dessert. Usually chocolate pie or cheesecake accompanied by a good wine.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? There is a country compilation Christmas album I have on CD that I would always listen to. I also love Michael Buble's Christmas albums and 'A Very Special Christmas', which is a 1987 album with some great pop artists at the time.
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? There are two movies I watch with my family during Christmas Eve- 'Holiday in Handcuffs', a silly Christmas movie with Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez, and then of course, 'It's a Wonderful Life' on the night of Christmas Eve.
What's been your favorite album of 2020? The Chicks came out with a great album this year, but I think my absolute favorite album of the year has been 'Heart Theory' by Lindsay Ell.
What are your hopes for 2021? I hope by early next year, we can start overcoming this pandemic. I hope to be able to play more shows and release more music as well as start traveling more again.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? I always love a whiskey ginger during winter, but I try to come up with a new holiday drink to make every year. Last year, I made some yummy spiked hot chocolate.
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CHRISTOPHER GRIFFITHS
What's your favorite Christmas memory? I got my first guitar for my 12th Christmas. Beginning of the end.
What’s your idea of a good Christmas dinner? I liked Prime rib personally with all the trimmings of a winter meal mash potatoes, Mac n cheese, stuffing, cranberry sauce, I like a big Greek salad to offset all the starches.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? Very Special Christmas Vol 1
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? Die Hard is my favorite Christmas movie. We watch it every year.
What's been your favorite album of 2020? Will Hoge’s Tiny Little Movies. I’ve also enjoyed Jason Isbell and Margo Price's latest music.
What are your hopes for 2021? TO BRING BACK LIVE MUSIC!!!!!!!
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? Well I don’t tend to drink Mixed drinks. I’m more of a straight up Don Julio 1942 guy. But if I am gonna make a mixed drink I keep it simple, Ice, Titos vodka, olive juice, shake strain pour into a chilled glass and add a dab of Tobacco sauce. The Bloody Dirty.
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LINDSAY ADAMSON
What's your favorite Christmas memory? My favorite Christmas memory is definitely baking and building gingerbread houses with my family. My brother, sister and I always had so much fun in the kitchen learning to make Christmas cookies and all kinds of yummy themed treats. And I loved working together, while listening to Christmas music and just having so much fun!!
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? A big table surrounded by all of my family members, is already the recipe for a perfect Christmas dinner in my books. But we always work together to make lots of yummy dishes too. I always have just as much fun making the meal, as I do eating it! Some of my favs are mashed potatoes, and this amazing rutabaga dish that’s been passed down the family for generations. Christmas crackers on the table are my favorite!! I love wearing the crown and sharing the jokes that come inside with each other. Sometimes I think I’ll always be a kid at heart.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? Oh my gosh yes! My favourite album to throw on at Christmas (or any time after November 1st really) is Brett Eldredge’s Glow Album. I just love it so much! This year, I’ve also been listening a lot to Maddie & Tae’s new Christmas album. I’ve been singing their ‘We Need Christmas’ song a ton! Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? I am a big sucker for the Hallmark Christmas movies. I try to watch as many as I can. My mom and I love to curl up by the fireplace and watch them together, whenever we can. This year, unfortunately it’s the first year in my life where I’m unable to go home for Christmas, but my boyfriend and I have been starting all kinds of new Christmas traditions, and watching all the famous Christmas movies has definitely been a part of that! When I was little, I learned French in school, and there’s this one French Christmas song for kids that we still play every year on Christmas morning, and I simply can’t picture Christmas without it! What's been your favorite album of 2020? This is one of the hardest questions in the world because I love music so much, and there’s so many artists I’ve listened to on repeat this year! One album I’ve spent most of the year listening to is Tenille Arts’s ‘Love, Heartbreak, & Everything in Between’. She’s a fellow Canadian, and so damn talented. And I felt particularly drawn to some of the songs I heard her perform live, and tell the stories behind. I deeply relate to a lot of the things she writes about. What are your hopes for 2021? In 2021, my main focus will be taking the momentum I gained this year, in my first year of releasing music, and roll with it BIG time! Being new in Nashville, this year I spent really getting my bearings. Moving forwards, I’ve got so many creative musical projects planned, and I’m ready to take my music career to the next level! I’ll be recording my first music video, releasing at least 3 more singles, and starting to write and record my first EP. I look forward to connecting and writing with so many amazing songwriters in town. And hopefully the state of the world allows for LOTS of performing out, and getting to share my music with the world. Other than that, at the end of any year, I always think about the bucket list items I’d like to cross off my list in the following year, and also about all of the amazing memories I’d like to create with the people I love most! The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? That’s a great question! It’s quite ironic, because I was just out buying the ingredients today, to make some special Christmas cocktails for my friends! This year I’ll be making a Peppermint White Chocolate Christmas Martini! Recipe: - 2oz Vanilla Vodka - 2oz White Chocolate Liqueur - 1/2 oz Creme de Menthe - 1 oz White Creme de Cacao - 1 oz half-and-half
- White Chocolate Syrup
- Candy Cane Bits to Garnish the Rim! Start by prepping your glass! Pour some white chocolate syrup onto a small plate and dip the rim of your glass into it. Spread your crushed up candy cane bits onto another small plate, and then dip your glass. You’ve now got your glass rim prepped and ready to go! Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, vodka, white chocolate liqueur, creme de menthe, white creme de cocao, and half-and-half. Shake, baby shake, and then strain into the glass you just prepared!
And voila! A totally delicious Christmas cocktail that will leave you feeling slightly buzzed & totally nostalgic!
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SPENCER JORDAN
What's your favorite Christmas memory? So, I have a younger sister, Abbie, who is 7 years younger than me. One of the best parts of that was that we got to hold onto the “Christmas magic” for just a little bit longer because of her. When she was between 7-10 (I honestly can’t remember, I just knew I was in high school), she was starting to get a little skeptical of the existence of Santa Claus. But, it was just so much fun to keep it going, so the whole family worked really hard to keep her believing. That year, my oldest sister and I made our Christmas lists and gave them to our mom to “mail them to the North Pole” but Abbie insisted on putting it in the mailbox herself without showing my mom what was on the list. Christmas day came around and we all opened our “Santa gifts” and Abbie just started laughing as she opened her Nintendo DS, which is what she told my parents she wanted. We all looked at her and were like “what’s so funny Abbie?” and she just puts on this smug-ass grin, shrugs and says “I asked Santa for a skateboard.”
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? Something my mom doesn’t have to spend all day in the kitchen making. We’ve had the Cornish hens & the glazed salmon & more turkey than I can even mentally digest, so I don’t feel like I’d be missing out in that area. I get that home-cooked meals are great, but if it’s just going to stress my family out and make Christmas more about “stuff” and less about family, hell, I’ll take a strong drink & Chinese food.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? This might lose me some fans...but I hate Christmas music. Like, loathe it. Vehemently. I just can’t get behind a genre of music that is cheesy 99% of the time and can only be listened to for 1/12 of the year. That being said, every year my mom plays the Jewel Christmas album while she decorates the tree, and to me it’s definitely tied to a lot of great memories, for better or for worse. So I’ll say that one. Her rendition of “Rudolf the red nosed reindeer” gets a pass from me.
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? Every year since I can remember, my whole family has read “The Night Before Christmas” on Christmas Eve from this God-knows-how-old cloth book. Think of a picture book, but made out of blankets. We take turns reading each part, and as we’ve gotten older and more “mature”, we’ve started inserting funny ad-libs and some more adult content into the read. And at the end, without fail, we all yell out “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!” No matter how “modern” our family gets, we have always come together for that little moment.
What's been your favorite album of 2020? OOF that’s hard. If I had to narrow it down, I would say from a quantitative approach (ie. how much I’ve listened to it) it would have to be Quinn XCII’s most recent album. My favorite songs of the year were on it, and honestly I wouldn't have gotten through 2020 without the serotonin boost. My Spotify Wrapped had him as my top artist, and his song “Little Things” was my top song of the year by a MILE.
What are your hopes for 2021? I have so many songs planned, and I am so excited to put them out. It’s my favorite body of work thus far and I just cannot contain how much I want people to hear it. I’m also anxious to get back on stage, which will hopefully happen sooner than later.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family.
What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? I’m a simple boy with simple pleasures. We might as well call this a family tradition as well, because on Christmas day I become the family bartender - and the only thing on the menu is “Whiskey Gingers.” That’s Jack Daniels whiskey & Seagram’s ginger ale. Nothing special, but I make a darn good one. Sometimes we’ll throw in a cinnamon stick to make it a tad more festive, but regardless, that’s my Christmas drink.
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LLOYD CARTER
What’s your favorite Christmas memory? Growing up in the country we didn’t have cable TV and we only had three channels. I remember so patiently waiting for that wonderful night when Rudolph the red nose reindeer was going to come on CBS.
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? A great Christmas dinner would be anybody that I love still here with me to celebrate this wonderful holiday. All year long we get so wrapped up in this hustle bustle of what we call life. Christmas marks a time to where we can slow down, spend quality time and appreciate one another.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? I do love the classics, if I had to pick one it would be Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas”
Do you have a favorite movie for the holiday season? Favorite holiday movie without any doubt is “Christmas Vacation” I mean honestly, what hard-working dad could not relate to Clark W Griswold? He was the ultimate family man wanting nothing best for his tribe, and how many of us have a cousin Eddie? Heck how many of us are cousin Eddie??? Lol
What’s been your favorite album of 2020? “Nothing To Lose” is my favorite album for this year obviously. No seriously, Morgan Wallen has had an absolute phenomenal year musically. I first heard him in 2018 when he released “If I Know Me” and really loved the tone in his voice. This year he’s released some fabulous singles and he’s one of my favorite newer artist.
What are your hopes for 2021? I am really praying 2021 will be a whole lot better for everyone getting through COVID-19 issues. I have so many friends and family that have been affected and I’m truly hoping something will be done with a vaccine. I just miss performing live with our musical family and I know so many people that work in the entertainment industry that have been struggling so much with the shut downs.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? Katie makes this holiday sangria which has always been a crowd favorite.
Ingredients
1 bottle fruity red wine
2 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup Triple Sec
1/4 cup simple syrup (equal amounts sugar and water, heated until sugar dissolves, cooled)
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1 large orange, halved and thinly sliced
1 green apple, cored, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup red grapes, sliced in 1/2
Combine all ingredients in a pitcher, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 48 hours before serving. Serve over ice.
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KAREN MCCORMICK
What's your favorite Christmas memory? Spending Christmas overseas for the first time in 2018! We were in The Netherlands. It was amazing.
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? My mom makes her African dish, cassava leaves every Christmas as a special treat, it's my favorite!
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? I love Kelly Clarkson's "Wrapped in Red" record--ever since it came out, I've listened to it every year around the holidays.
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? I watch "Christmas with the Kranks" every single year--I'm obsessed! My family makes fun of me for basically having it memorized. It's one of the feel good, cheesy, family movies. I love it.
What's been your favorite album of 2020? I loved Lindsay Ell's "heart theory", it captured the stages of falling in love, breaking up and moving on in a beautiful way.
What are your hopes for 2021? I plan to release more music, and I hope I have the opportunity to perform those songs live for listeners.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? I'm not a big drinker--so sparkling apple cider is a big staple at my house.
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TERA LYNNE FISTER
What is your favorite Christmas memory? I think I have two favorite Christmas memories. One from when I was little and somehow my mother managed to get “reindeer hoof prints” in the snow on our roof outside her bedroom window. I was old enough to know better but they were DAMN GOOD TRACKS and really sent my mind reeling. My second memory is a little bitter sweet. The last Christmas we had mom around. She passed away the March after, but the fact that she even made it to Christmas, looking back, really was impressive. She got me a tie-dye hoodie that has become one of my favorite staples in my closet. I remember my dad got her a really nice pair of leather gloves because the chemo had wrecked her nerves and the cold was BRUTAL on her. But she was happy, and we were happy, and it was a good day. The cancer took a back seat in all of our minds and I think we all just took a big breath. But I think we all also knew it was probably the last one so I feel like we all cherished it. Every second. In the moment.
What’s your idea of a good Christmas dinner? To be honest, I don’t feel like we have a staple “Christmas meal." We are usually early risers so if anything it would be the breakfast! Mom always made pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon, cinnamon rolls. All the breakfast things. I can’t really say I have a dinner that sticks out to me.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? My favorite Christmas album technically is the soundtrack from White Christmas but after that it is Mariah Carey's. DUH! Lol
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? We ALWAYS put on the 24 hour marathon of “A Christmas Story” on the TV. Of course we also watch the original Grinch, Frosty The Snowman, and Rudolph with my nieces and nephews. The claymation ones!
What’s been your favorite album of 2020? My favorite album of 2020, is actually from 2017 because I am behind!! But I really fell in love wit Tyler Childers this year. His album “Purgatory” has been on repeat for several months. I cannot get enough of his song “Lady May.”
What are your hopes for 2021? My hopes for 2021 are for me to keep on my path of self love. Making sure that I take care of me so I can show up for everyone else when needed. When I am healthy, my career is healthy, my relationships are healthy, and my standards are high. I hope the people of the world continue to push towards being good to one another. To loving and accepting one another. I hope by loving each other we begin to take better care of this magical earth we seem to have taken for granted. I hope I continue to make music the touches souls. and I hope that music reaches even more ears. Amen.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? A signature cocktail recipe for me would be either tequila or a nice glass of Cab. Unfortunately I am not well versed in mixed drinks!! You’ll have to share some recipes with me!
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MATT KOERNER
What's your favorite Christmas memory? Too many to count....first iPods from mom and dad when we were 12 and 8 years old....every single time we got to spend time at grandma and grandpas house with the extended family. Those times were so precious and I miss them.....proposing to my beautiful wife in this wonderful month a few years back.
What’s your idea of a good Christmas dinner? Pretty much the exact same thing as thanksgiving dinner lol.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? Clay Alien
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? Home Alone, The Grinch
What's been your favorite album of 2020? Morgan Wallen’s new album
What are your hopes for 2021? Success in music and a healthy year for the world.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? I will have to get you the recipe but my Aunt Flo makes a concoction every year that has champagne, lime aid, a huge block of ice in the middle and she serves it with a ladle....I probably got those ingredients wrong because I’m pretty sure there’s no alcohol but I’ll get you the recipe.... PHENOMENAL!
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ALAYNA
What's your favorite Christmas memory? Having family over
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? Ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad. Yum :)
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? YES! Jewel’s "Joy: A Holiday Collection"
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? I absolutely love "A Charlie Brown Christmas"
What are your hopes for 2021? Things will normalize and I will be performing way more live shows again!
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? Grinch Juice! — http://www.sandytoesandpopsicles.com/celebrate/christmas/grinch-juice-recipe/
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MOLLY LOVETTE
What's your favorite Christmas memory? Having my grandpa read “The Night Before Christmas” to us grandkids - we somehow always fall into laughter and it takes us forever to finish the book.
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? Ham, potatoes, asparagus, bread and butter.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? Gene Autry’s Christmas Album
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? Having
grandpa and my mom read "The Night Before Christmas," Watching Hallmark Christmas movies with my mom, Putting the angel on the tree, Watching Rudolph every year with my family, Coming downstairs on Christmas morning to the song “Here Comes Santa Claus."My favorite movies: Jack Frost, Elf, Polar Express, The Grinch
What's been your favorite album of 2020? Kelsea - Kelsea Ballerini
What are your hopes for 2021? For live music to be back in full swing - safely! I plan to release some new music and want to be able to perform for people.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? My family is Irish - so we always have Bailey’s Irish Coffee at our Christmas!
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ANDREA VASQUEZ
What's your favorite Christmas memory? I come from a very large Latin family so our Christmas parties are very large, they're a total blast. We play white elephant every year and we all get a kick out of seeing what gift everyone picks out and then continuously keep on "stealing" each other's gifts at the expense of teasing each other. Our humor is what brings us all together and by the end we're just crying of laughter. We definitely look forward to that every year.
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? A good Christmas Dinner consists of a ham (my favorite), lots of sides and tons of dessert. I may or may not have a really bad sweet tooth during the holidays.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? I have always been a big fan of Christina Aguilera's Christmas Album and you also can't go wrong with some Michael Bublé.
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? My mom is obsessed with the movie The Holiday so my sister and I like to watch that a couple times curled up on the couch with her, as if we don't know all the words to it.
What's been your favorite album of 2020? A lot of great music came out in 2020 even with the pandemic, but I have to say I had Sam Hunt's Southside on repeat as well as Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia when I was in a feel good mood.
What are your hopes for 2021? I have spent most of this past year writing and brainstorming content for the next year and I am so excited to hit the studio and release so much more music and hopefully be able to play some live shows once it's safe to. I really hope I get to connect with more fans in 2021 and can't wait to see where this new music takes me. I feel really good about it.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? I love a good hot toddy for the holidays. 1 part whiskey 2 parts apple cider cinnamon stick enjoy responsibly! :)
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BECCA BOWEN
What's your favorite Christmas memory? My favorite memory is the one Christmas that I celebrated at Fort Jackson with the soldiers, who were stationed there away from home. The base put on a very special Christmas for the soldiers. Headlining was James Brown and I was his opening act. It was the most amazing Christmas! The soldiers were so excited and grateful to have us bring them some Christmas cheer! It was a Christmas I will never forget! I have so much love and respect for those who serve our country and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my Christmas!
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? I am from the south so my idea of Christmas dinner is good ole home cooking! Turkey and dressing, ham, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato casserole, Rolls, Apple pie, cookies and anything else we can fit on the kitchen table!
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? My favorite Christmas album is Mariah Carey’s iconic Christmas album that has “All I want for Christmas is you” on it.
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? My favorite holiday movie is Home Alone. It is a family tradition for my family to watch this movie after we open our presents. It just would not feel like Christmas morning without watching this movie!
What's been your favorite album of 2020? There have been so many great albums In 2020. It’s difficult to name just one. Jimmie Allen’s collaboration album, Carly Pearce and also my absolute favorite singer Cris Stapleton released a fantastic album this year.
What are your hopes for 2021? In 2021 I hope for things to get back to normal. 2020 has been a rough year for many of my friends and loved ones. I truly hope that the pandemic will subside. It has been scary times and I just want to see everyone flourish again.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? I don’t drink alcohol but I make a really great punch that I share with my family.
The ingredients are simple but delicious.
64 fluid oz Hawaiian Punch
12 fluid oz pineapple juice
1 liter ginger ale
Mix together in a large pitcher or punch bowl. Serve over ice.
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BAILEY JAMES
What is your favorite Christmas memory? My favorite Christmas memory is probably when I was little, and I got the little kid drum set. I remember thinking that was really cool!
What’s your idea of a good Christmas dinner? My idea of a good Christmas dinner is any food with my family.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? Carpenters. That lady’s voice is gold. I love the Eagles’ Come Home for Christmas.
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? I love the old Christmas movies. My favorite is “The Year Without a Santa Claus."
What’s been your favorite album of 2020? Hmm… maybe Billie Eilish’s new one.
What are your hopes for 2021? To be grateful.
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TORI MARTIN
What's your favorite Christmas memory? I can vividly remember one year when my Paw-Paw came to our home for Christmas from Arkansas. He always made Christmas so magical and even funny. He would tell us we had to go to bed very early so Santa could visit. We didn’t know it then but he would be the one to eat the cookies we left for Santa and leave us a note. That same year he even pranked us by giving us all a can of sardines. Of course we thought it was disgusting, but he thought they were pretty delicious! What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? I love a good traditional Christmas dinner with turkey, ham, dressing, cranberry sauce, and pecan pie. The most important thing to me is who’s seated around the dinner table and the memories we make together. Do you have a favorite Christmas album? “Wrapped in Red” by Kelly Clarkson comes to mind. Christmas classics tend to always be my fave though!
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? I love to watch Christmas Vacation. It takes the edge off when things can sometimes be stressful! We always open one present and bake cookies on Christmas Eve.
What's been your favorite album of 2020? I’ve been loving “Folklore” by Taylor Swift. What are your hopes for 2021? I hope that the holiday season brings us some of the “normality” we’re all craving! In 2021 I would love to see more unity and peace in our world. For music, it would be amazing to tour. I sure do miss being on stage! The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? This year I want to try the hot cocoa bombs that have gone viral on TikTok. They look so delicious and like it would be a fun family activity!
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CARRIE CUNNINGHAM
What's your favorite Christmas memory? Good question. I had to think about this one. But, I use to love making gingerbread houses as a kid. You know, the graham crackers, frosting, gum drops, licorice, red hots etc. Last year was the first year my children, husband and I all had a competition to see who could be the most creative. We posted them on social media and had my fans vote. I didn't post whose was whose, but I won. I loved my daughter’s, though. She made a tropical shack on an island. It was very creative!
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? I'm a traditionalist, so I love turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, butternut squash puree, etc. As long as its from scratch, I eat it, lol!
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? YES! Bing Crosby's White Christmas
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? I love "A Christmas story" and my kids love “Elf,” so those two movies are often played around our house. As far as traditions go, I collect Danbury Gold Christmas ornaments and old Vintage Christmas ornaments. We as a family collect Nutcrackers. We get one or two each year. We also add to our Christmas village collection every year as well.
What's been your favorite album of 2020? Hmm. Good Question. I would have to say Old Dominion's Latest album. Some of the singles hit in 2019, but I believe the album as a whole was released in 2020. I would also say Harry Styles "Fine Line" and Taylor Swift's "Folklore” are freaking amazing!
What are your hopes for 2021? To expand my business as not only an artist, but also build my business in the auctioneering and keynote speaking world.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? Ha! I leave that up to my husband, unless I can count my amazing butternut squash puree as something you'd want to drink
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ASHLYN GRAYCE
What's your favorite Christmas memory? I have so many! Growing up my mom, dad, little brother and I would do Christmas with my grandparents on Christmas Eve which I always loved, and then my little brother and I would go to bed super early that night in preparation for Santa to come! We would bake cookies and sit out milk and even leave carrots outside for the reindeer! We would wake up really early, wait for mom and dad to get the video camera and then rush in to see what all Santa left us! I always loved that time with my family and sharing such special times together! Another sweet memory I have is of my entire family gathered ‘round the piano, singing Christmas carols together! My family is all about harmony!
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? I’m all for keeping up traditions, and typically my family does turkey, ham, veggies...almost like a Thanksgiving dinner, or sometimes it’s Italian or seafood but on Christmas morning, my mom and dad make a huge country breakfast and my favorite thing is my dad’s homemade buttermilk biscuits! They are absolutely amazing and definitely my favorite!
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? Michael Buble's Christmas album, such a classic!
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? Favorite tradition...my family and I would always get in our pjs, make hot chocolate and then drive around and look at Christmas lights together! As far as movies go, Elf and Home Alone are definitely my favorites!
What's been your favorite album of 2020? Kelsea Ballerini’s album Kelsea
What are your hopes for 2021? That life gets back to “normal “and that there is more love and peace within the world!
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? My family is big on breakfast, so honestly mimosas! I like to spice them up a little bit with other fruit juice! My favorite is adding pineapple juice! So simply mix champagne, orange juice and pineapple juice together! Cheers! : )
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JESSIE RITTER
What's your favorite Christmas memory? When I was little growing up on the farm we used to put up an “angel tree” outside. We’d decorate it with popcorn and other things that were safe for the birds to pick at. And the angels would leave us gifts. Mostly camping stuff. A new flashlight, or a canteen, or a compass. One year we got the mini John Deer tricycle with the wagon you see in the family photo on the cover of the artwork for my single “Home.” But the year we got the tiny four wheelers... Now that is a Christmas I will never forget. Nothing means freedom on the farm like your own little four wheeler.
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? My mom usually cooks a big roast. Everything is warm and dripping with juices and just feels like a hug from the inside. And so many pies. I feel like every cousin brings their own pie to Christmas Eve.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? I love how jazz music gets a resurgence every year during Christmas time. So I love listening to classic jazz Christmas albums. I also went to Belmont with this girl named Andrea von Kampen who has developed the most relaxing folk/songwriter style. She has a 2016 project called AVK Christmas and just released A Midwest Christmas. I really like letting her songs play and then seeing what Spotify finds for me in matching folk acoustic Christmas songs.
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? I love reading books under the Christmas tree. A chance to slow down and pick up a book and sit quietly on the floor beneath twinkly lights with a cup of hot chocolate is so peaceful and so welcome. We also really like doing puzzles as a family when we all come home. What's been your favorite album of 2020? Oh this is so hard! There have been so many great projects. I really like watching this new crop of country artists come up. I really enjoy Hailey Whitters’ The Dream. Her album release concert in Nashville was the last show I went to before most of the venues shut down. Kylie Frey also released an EP called Rodeo Queen that is just awesome. Like Shania Twain meets Garth Brooks, with Louisiana and Texas sprinkled on top. I’m also loving Ian Munsick’s new batch of songs, especially Long Haul. The songwriting is great and the western Wyoming sound mixed with Nashville works really well. And of course every song on Lori McKenna’s The Balladeer is incredible. She is the best of us. What are your hopes for 2021? I hope people can get along! I hope we find a COVID vaccine. I hope people can have parties again and we can go to concerts safely. I hope the world returns to normal, but I hope people have learned what is really important and continue to make those things priorities. I think we do a lot of running around, at least I know I do. And it’s a nice thing to be home with your family making dinner in your own kitchen. When the world is slow enough for prayer time in the morning and going on afternoon walks… I’d like that to continue. The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family.
What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? We love trying to make new cocktails in our house! I still think nothing will ever beat a full bodied glass of red wine. Seasmoke Southing Pinot Noir is the best glass I have ever had the privilege of drinking. But last year my husband and I made some pretty awesome peppermint Old Fashioned drinks with a peppermint stick garnish that went over really well at our Christmas party. We’ll definitely be mixing those up again!
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COLE BRADLEY
What's your favorite Christmas memory? Ahh – this is so difficult! I have way too many. The first would probably be that every Christmas Eve morning, I bring all my friends over to my house and we skate on the rink in my parent’s backyard and play hockey! We’ve been doing it for eight years now and it’s a very special tradition that brings all my best friends together. Sometimes, it’s the only time of year we all get to see each other. We call it the “Christmas Eve Classic”. The second would be how on Christmas Eve night and Christmas Day, I am lucky to spend time with my parents, sister, and little cousins. We’ll do fondue on Christmas Eve and a big dinner on Christmas Day. Just being able to spend quality time with my family is probably my favorite Christmas memory. There’s a lot of beers flowing and laughs to go around!
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? Hmm, I would say good company with lots of booze and great food! My nanny always made a massive Turkey Dinner spread with tons of desserts. My mom and aunt do most of the cooking now but it is still amazing!
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? Oh – 100%. It is the Michael Buble “Christmas” album. It’s incredibly festive and the music is so great! Plus – Michael Buble is Canadian (like myself) so how can I not love it?!
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? Aside from the family dinners and “Christmas Eve Classic”, I would say that my family and I will usually watch a holiday movie to kick off this special time of year. It’s always an argument between “Love Actually” or “Elf” – but you can’t go wrong with either in my opinion!
What's been your favorite album of 2020? This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise for those who know me, but Kenny Chesney’s new record “Here and Now” probably tops the list. As people know, I am die hard Kenny fan and I felt like he did a great job with this new record. Kenny always does country albums in the best way– a couple of rocking anthems, some classic ballads , and a couple of summer tracks that you can sing along to!
What are your hopes for 2021? I have high hopes for 2021. We have a release in the new year that I poured my heart and soul into. I am also working with a new team which is really exciting. In addition, I have been working very hard on my songwriting so I am hoping that some of these songs I have written will be able to reach even bigger audiences than they have in the past.
The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? Jameson Whiskey on the rocks……..lots and lots of ice! That’s what my loved ones and I will be drinking all December. I recommend that you all do the same! ;)
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CHARLOTTE MORRIS
What's your favorite Christmas memory? When I was really young, maybe 4 or 5? It was Christmas morning. Everyone was downstairs in their PJs; we were in the living room opening presents, and I realized that I hadn't gotten a present for my sister! Of course, as a 4 or 5 year old, this was a HUGE deal. I ran out of the room, saying I "just had to check on something." I ran down to the basement to our big, old desktop computer where I proceeded to print out maybe 50 pages of "The Lion King" coloring pages. I must've been gone for ages, but eventually, got all of the pages together, and waltzed back into the living room as if nothing was out of the ordinary, proudly presenting my "very planned present" to my sister. Of course, everyone knew what had really happened, and I don't think my sister colored in even one page, but it made for a funny memory. Since then, I have always been extremely on top of my gift giving. What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? In my family, we have always kind of just done a replay of Thanksgiving for Christmas Day dinner - and I'm not complaining about it! I'm looking forward to more stuffing & sweet potatoes, plus our household traditional X-mas dessert: Angel Food Cake with homemade whipped cream. Do you have a favorite Christmas album? "A Johnnyswim Christmas" by Johnnyswim
Do you have any favorite traditions or favorite movies for the holiday season? There are so many holiday traditions that I love - overall, December is my favorite month of the year. I celebrate my birthday, and then a week later, Christmas! Christmas has always been the holiday that my Dad gets into the most, so we have MANY traditions. But if I have to pick one, I would say: my family hangs our stockings, my dad closes all of the doors to the living room (so that we can't spy on Santa!) and we aren't allowed back in until everyone is gathered together in the morning. Then we all go in together on Christmas morning to open presents, eat treats, and sit around the tree. And my favorite holiday movie is Love, Actually!
What's been your favorite album of 2020? It would have to be a tie between The Light by Delta Rae and Funeral for My Past by Liz Longely.
What are your hopes for 2021? Oh boy. Well, I'm just hoping 2021 is better than 2020! But, I'm really hoping to get on stage for an audience again soon. I miss the thrill of performing live! I hope a lot of people listen to my new album, Songs for My Next Ex - dropping December 17, 2020. I'm hoping the year will be filled with more faith in, and competence from, our white house administration. In January, I move into a van and head out on a 2 month cross country trek where I hope to adventure while hiking, biking, and more, write a lot of new songs, and have some crazy life-changing experiences. I could go on and on, but, bottom line, I have high hopes for the new year :) The holiday season brings the best parties and time together with friends and family. What is your signature cocktail recipe that you will be drinking/serving? I definitely cannot take credit for this recipe, but...on Christmas Eve, I will be ordering in my favorite cocktail from a local restaurant called "Pear Pressure". It's made of Three Olives Apples & Pears Vodka, Pear, Honey, Cinnamon, Lemon and it literally tastes like Christmas in a cup.
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American Blonde
What's your favorite Christmas memory? Nata: My favorite Christmas memory is the one Christmas I spent in New Orleans with my family back in 2017. We spent such close, fun quality time together running around the city, eating and drinking our hearts out while making so many memories in the process. Family is so important to me, so any close quality time I get, I cherish dearly!
Tinka: My favorite Christmas memory is when I was around maybe 10 or 11 years old, and I flew down the stairs early that Christmas morning to find my very first drum kit sitting there so perfectly under the Christmas tree! I played on that tiny little Pearl kit the entire Christmas Day. So much fun!
What’s your idea of a good Christmas Dinner? Nata: My idea of a good Christmas dinner includes sitting down and sharing home