Favorite Christmas Tradition: Definitely decorating our Christmas tree. The Christmas tree decorating always kicks off with Mariah Carey’s MerryChristmas album. Then, after the entire tree is decorated, at the very end, we turn off all the lights and look at the beautiful Christmas tree and listen to Charlie Brown’s Christmas album.
 
BEN MCDONALD



Favorite Christmas Memory: Probably music at family gatherings  - my Grandpa on the fiddle, uncle on the drums, dad on guitar and everyone singing (some better than others)!  Good times.

Favorite Christmas Tradition: Decorating the Christmas tree while watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation…"She'll have to see it later dare, her eyes are frozen." CLASSIC.
 
CAL JOSLIN

Favorite Christmas Memory: 
When I think back, my favorite memories are of spending Christmas day with my family growing up. We would sleep in a little, open presents, eat a really great brunch and just enjoy the day together.



Favorite Holiday Tradition: 
In my family, my mom always cooks an authentic Swedish dinner for Christmas (well at least the meal she learned from her mother and so on), and it is definitely something that I look forward to every year. Swedish meatballs, Korv Sausage, Limpa bread, creamed potatoes, Lingonberry jam (which I pass on), rice pudding and sometimes even Pepparkakor cookies... yum!

JUSTIN NACE

Favorite Christmas memory:
 The candlelight services on Christmas Eve

Favorite Holiday Tradition:
Opening one gift on Christmas Eve!
 

Group 1 Crew

 
BLANCA
 
Favorite Christmas memory: I was getting to spend Christmas in Puerto Rico for the first time with my dad and my brother and all my family on the Island. I remember it being so different for me because I was so used to spending Christmas in Orlando with my mom. But it will always be a special memory for me because now that my father has passed, its memories like this one that you hope to remember forever.
 
My favorite part about Christmas:
 EVERYTHING!! I can't pick one thing! One of my top things is the music! I also love decorating and eating lots and lots of food!! It’s like no matter what diet you’re on, you know that once the holidays come around, all diets go out the window!
 
MANUEL
 
Favorite Christmas memory: My favorite holiday memory from my childhood would have to be opening presents the night before Christmas. We used to stay up until midnight opening our gifts on Christmas Eve.
 
Favorite Holiday tradition: One tradition I am starting with my family is not to give gifts for each other, but we provide a good Christmas for another family who otherwise would not be able to provide Christmas for themselves and for their kids. That's what I want Christmas to be about from now on in my house.

Patrick Ryan Clark

Favorite Christmas Memory: When I think about my favorite Christmas memory, it has to be the year that "Santa" brought me a boom box. Yeah I said it, a boom box. I waited for months and months and then on Christmas morning, I walked out into the living room and there it was. It was black and silver, buttons and knobs everywhere, it was the most glorious thing I had ever seen. Then came the real test, the sound.  I popped in my Michael Jackson "Thriller" cassette, I had never heard anything so beautiful. Ahh, what a great year.
 
Best Present I ever received: The best present that I ever received would have to be my first guitar that my parents bought me. The first time I ever attempted to play a guitar was with my roommate’s guitar in college and I remember thinking to myself, "This thing sounds horrible."  I played for hours every day and it didn't matter how much I was improving the sound of that guitar just would not get any better. I played that borrowed guitar for about six months until Christmas finally came. My parents bought me my first guitar that I would end up playing for years to come. It was a "Simon and Patrick" and it was a great sounding guitar. I’m still so thankful that my parents bought me that guitar!
 
Favorite Holiday Tradition: Without a doubt it has to be watching "A Christmas Story" on TNT before falling asleep on Christmas Eve.  It is such a ridiculous movie but there is just something about it that our family loves. We watch it, we quote it. Christmas around the Clark house just wouldn't be the same without that crazy movie playing on Christmas Eve. "You'll shoot your eye out!" Amazing.
 

for KING & COUNTRY

LUKE
 
Best present you have ever received:
 When I was about 10 or 11 I had asked 'Santa' for a drum set (I know, I was dreaming big!). That Christmas morning I woke up to zero presents and I'm thinking, "Did Santa forget about me? Maybe I asked for too much?" After looking around for a bit I saw a little bag at the end of my bed.  I grabbed the bag and opened it up to find a pair of drum sticks!  All that to say, it was a rather magical moment when I ran downstairs to see a brand new drum set all set up waiting for someone to play it!
 
Favorite part about Christmas:
 My favorite part of Christmas would have to be the time spent with family.  Everyone is so busy throughout the year but Christmas is one day that everyone stops and reflects on the year and shares the memories that were created.