The members of Lady Antebellum all have families of their own, and they’re all excited to pass on their own traditions to the next generation, which will include Dave Haywood’s new addition due any minute, as well as Hillary Scott’s twin daughters due in February. Charles Kelley, Dave and Hillary share their memories, traditions and favorites of the yuletide season below.
The trio is making their way up the country charts with their latest hit, “Heart Break.”
Audio / Lady Antebellum discuss real or fake trees for Christmas.
DownloadLady A (fake tree vs real tree) OC: (Charles) …the lights up. :47
DAVE/HILLARY: “Fake tree!”
CHARLES: “I would love to have a real tree, and we used to have it and I always wondered why I couldn’t breathe. [LAUGHS] Dave and I share, we’re allergic to everything in this world, so we have to have fake trees.”
HILLARY: “There not as messy. [CHARLES: “And who wants their house to burn down accidentally?”] They still kinda shed anyway like a real tree, but I don’t know, I just feel like the sap and everything, it gets on my floor.”
DAVE: “Which some people love! Most people … the cleanup and the smell, but for me it’s just a little too much maintenance at Christmas time. I’d rather focus on [HILLARY: “The family.”] presents, family, food [CHARLES: “And drinking.”], so then the tree just pops in the attic for good.”
HILLARY: [LAUGHS] “Pre-lit tree.”
CHARLES: “Omigosh, you’re going super laziness.”
DAVE: “You at least need to put some lights on.”
CHARLES: “At least string the lights up.”
Audio / Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott recalls some of her mom’s ornaments she thought was tacky when she was a child, but insists now that they hang on the tree.
DownloadLady A (Hillary—tackiest ornaments) OC: …this year? [laughs] :20
“My mom, I gave her such a hard time when I was a little girl, because she went to some store and got these, it’s like snowmen with an icicle hanging down from the bottom, so I thought they were so gawdy. But you know what? Now that I’m older, I love ‘em. And if they’re not on the tree, I’m like, ‘Mama, where are they? Where are the snowmen icicle lights this year?” [laughs]
Audio / Lady A’s Charles Kelley says he has some of his own childhood handmade ornaments on his tree…much to his wife’s chagrin.
DownloadLady A (Charles trimming the tree) OC: …she relented. :25
“My mom actually sent me some of our old ornaments that we had made and stuff. We always had the cheesiest tree (HILLARY: “Homemade…”), but I miss it. It was always so very colorful. And with my wife, she’s very stylish and chic, and so she wanted this really chic tree, and so she wanted this really chic tree, and I said, ‘Baby, I’m sorry. We’ve got to put a little color in this.’ So, I put some of my cheesy little stuff on there, and I think that’s part of Christmas. I think you have to have that, so she relented.”
Audio / Lady A’s Dave Haywood recalls his favorite Christmas gift.
DownloadLady A (favorite Christmas gift) OC: (Charles) …album cover, too. :15
“My favorite Christmas gift was probably my very first guitar from my Grandpa about 15 years ago. And more recently, I got a red Gibson about 5 or 6 years ago. That red one we use on stage was given to me by my Dad for Christmas years ago.” CHARLES: “It was on our first album cover, too.”
Audio / Lady A talk about their favorite Christmas movies.
DownloadLADY A (Christmas movies) OC: (Hillary) …Christmas Vacation. :14
CHARLES: “Favorite Christmas movie would have to be A Christmas Story! I never get tired out of it – ‘shoot your eye out’ is my favorite line.” DAVE: “National Lampoon’s…” HILLARY: “Yes! My favorite Christmas movie is – it’s close between It’s a Wonderful Life and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”
