Canadian Country Music Christmas Q&A

Christmas is so close I can taste the turkey… and I know I’m not alone.

In fact, with the help of some great people in Canadian Country Music that we’ve been able to meet and hangout with over the last couple years, we’ve broken down some of the best things about the holidays.

We’ve got answers from 8 awesome people, who happen to also make country music…
Tim Hicks – Boots & Hearts alum x3, Dierks Bentley tour-mate, and all around nice guy.
Kira Isabella – Uber talented singer, sweetheart of a person, and 2013 CCMA Female Artist of the Year.
Trinity Bradshaw – 2014 SiriusXM Emerging Artist Showcase winner at Boots & Hearts, energetic performer, so kind it’s almost unbelievable.
Riki Knox – Singer/songwriter working crazy hard every day, with new edgy, upbeat, fun & relatable music coming to all of you in January 2015… and a classmate of mine way back in the day.
Meghan Patrick – Super fun singer with The Stone Sparrows AND her own solo material which is coming early in 2015.
Cadence Grace, Ann Chaplin and Stacey Zegers – The super sweet ladies of Runaway Angel, Boots & Hearts alums, passionate performers and hard workin’ musicians.

Question 1. It’s not always easy to narrow it down, but what is your favourite Christmas carol to sing?

★ Tim Hicks: I’d say my favourite is Silver Bells. My parents have a Bing Crosby Christmas CD that has been playing in their house for 20 years every holiday season and I just love it, and that song in particular. It ain’t Christmas without Bing!

★ Kira Isabella: White Christmas – Bing Crosby

★ Trinity Bradshaw: Oh my goodness, I don’t even know if I can narrow it down to one. I love Christmas music … It’s my favourite thing about the winter months – the one thing that I get extra excited for every year. I sang “Little Drummer Boy” at my Jr. Highs annual Christmas show at a 500 seat theatre… It felt amazing and still remains one of my all time favourites 🙂

★ Riki Knox: My favourite carol was always Silent Night. It was my job to sing it every Christmas Eve before anyone could open gifts. There’s something so magical about that song at Christmas time.
Most recently, my new holiday single ‘Christmas in the Country’ is at the top of the list. I wrote it with songwriting legends Willie Mack & Gilles Godard…I’m pretty excited about it!

★ Meghan Patrick: My favourite Christmas carol would probably be “White Christmas”…I love a snowy Christmas and I LOVE Bing Crosby.

★ Cadence Grace: All I want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey

★ Ann Chaplin: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas!

★ Stacey Zegers: All I want for Christmas is You!

Question 2. Does your family have any awesome Christmas traditions that you can share?

★ Tim: Yeah, my wife’s mother is from Trinidad, so we celebrate Trinidadian Christmas on Christmas Eve with her family. The meal that night is always FANTASTIC! There’s samosas, usually we cook Cornish hens, and the best part is this dish called “potato stuffing”- it’s my absolute favourite. Imagine mashed potato mixed with seasoned ground pork and beef. So good!!

★ Kira: We give each other one thoughtful present on Christmas Eve and spent the evening by the fire just hanging out. Looking forward to it.

★ Trinity: Christmas Eve traditions have changed since I’ve moved away from PEI. Being on the other side of the country makes it hard to visit home for Christmas every year. As children though, my sisters and I loved Christmas. So much love in the air – which is what it’s all about.

★ Riki: Being together as one big happy (and sometimes dysfunctional…lol) family, is my favourite tradition! As we get older, life gets busier, and we don’t see each other as much as we’d like to. Christmas is a guarantee that my siblings and I, along with our extended family, will pack into my Dads farmhouse and spend quality time together.

★ Meghan: Every year we go as a family (dogs and all) to cut down our own tree, and we listen to old christmas tunes on vinyl and decorate it together. Every year my Mom gives each of us a new ornament.

Christmas Eve tradition is an awesome big dinner cooked by my dad (usually short ribs and they’re insanely good) then we have a lineup of Christmas movies we watch together… The Grinch, Christmas Vacation (my favourite), It’s A Wonderful Life (I’ve kind of always had a crush on Jimmy Stewart lol), and finally White Christmas.

Christmas morning, my little sister wakes me up at a ridiculous hour and we watch old Christmas cartoons or Elf until we are allowed to go downstairs, and then we all head down together and listen to Bruce Cockburn’s Christmas album and open presents. This is followed by an amazing brunch of homemade cinnamon rolls and potato pancakes and a hike down to the creek behind our house with the dogs.

Boxing day, the mall is the LAST place you’ll find me…instead, my family and I will be out on the local hill skiing and snowboarding!

★ Cadence: A game of Night Before Christmas Mad Libs!

★ Ann: We’re pretty traditional. We do stockings and presents under the tree, and usually go for a nice long hike or cross country ski before a big dinner!

★ Stacey: Baileys and appetizers on Christmas Day while watching movies.

Question 3. Everyone has one, what is your favourite “holiday celebration” beverage?

★ Tim: Anything within arms reach!

★ Kira: My dad always makes hot chocolate from scratch with real cocoa!

★ Trinity: Egg nog paralyzers!! (1 oz  Bourbon or Spiced Rum – 1/2 oz  Kahlua – Top up glass with ice – Cola – Splash of Eggnog)

★ Riki: Spiced rum…something I only drink over the holidays. I love the taste of it, so mixed with just about anything works for me!

★ Meghan: When it comes to holiday celebration beverages with my family I have one word. WHISKEY. Bourbon Sours, Hot Apple Cider Whiskey with cinnamon, and Rye and Gingers. Although my dad has been known to sip a rum and eggnog or two as well.

★ Cadence: Egg Nog and Rum!

★ Ann: If you MUST know…I make an ‘Eggnog’ Martini.. but the recipe is a secret;)

★ Stacey: Baileys!

Question 4. Last one, what’s the number 1 thing on your Wish List this year?

★ Tim: Time. Time to catch my breath and relax with my family. It’s been an amazing ride these last couple years, and I love every minute of it, but especially around the holidays I look forward to getting off the rollercoaster so I can just spend time at home with my wife and babies. That’s the best part of the Holidays for me.

★ Kira: I’ve spent a lot of time away from my family this year so I just want to spend as much quality time with them as I can, and squeeze in as many hugs as possible.

★ Trinity: I’ve got everything I need. I’ve never made a list…

★ Riki: As I get older, my material wishes become less and wishes of the heart become greater. More than anything, I wish for the happiness and health of my loved ones. (although I wouldn’t turn away a new pair of Lane cowboy boots 😉 )

★ Meghan: The number one thing on my wish list? a Remington 870 Express SuperMag pump-action shotgun and winter tires for my truck.

★ Cadence: A Vacation!

★ Ann: My wish is always that my whole family can be together and healthy on Christmas! And of course that my sister’s Stacey and Cadence have a wonderful holiday as well.

★ Stacey: An all expenses paid trip somewhere warm!

Thank you so much to every one of these awesome artists for playing along. They were a big part of why 2014 was so much fun for me… and why 2015 is going to be even better.

Here’s hoping each of these 8 friends, and all of you have a great Christmas and holiday season.

Be awesome!

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Joshua Murray

creator of content, daddy blogger, writer, coffee drinker, fan of the Batman. proud mo bro. prouder dad.

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Trish Cassling

Writer/Photographer/Editor

Toronto Music Blogger