Sometimes, Keith Urban and his family, including wife Nicole Kidman and daughters Sunday and Faith, head Down Under for the holiday, visiting family and hitting the beach, which is what he did on Christmas Day when he was a kid.
“We had great Christmases growing up. I really, really enjoyed them,” says Keith. “Mostly, we’d go to the beach, you know, ’cause there it’s summertime. Load up the station wagon and head off to the beach.”
He and his family still love to do that when they’re in Australia since it’s summer there. “We still love going to the beach at Christmas time, as long as we’re in Australia, because it’s like the Fourth of July. It’s huge. Everybody’s out. It feels very celebratory. It’s in the ‘90s. It’s crazy, but having grown up with that, it feels very natural to me. Albeit it, we still had all of the same Christmas songs, so we’re in like 90-degree heat with shorts and tank tops singing ‘Walking in a Winter Wonderland,’ and I remember getting Christmas cards of like Santa on a surfboard, so that probably explains a lot.”
He says the lights, the music and getting the house decorated put him in the spirit of Christmas. “The lights going up, which was a little earlier this year because of Thanksgiving, you know, we didn’t wait,” says Keith. “We just put those puppies up, and the place looked awesome. We had the best Christmas-looking Thanksgiving ever. (laughs) So, the lights, the music, all of that, the house sort of transforming into Christmas. I love it. It’s sad when it all has to go away.”
Keith just released the first Christmas song, “I’ll Be Your Santa Tonight,” which he co-wrote with Shane McAnally (see video below).
After Christmas, Keith will be getting ready for his fourth headlining gig on New Year’s Eve in Nashville.
Audio / As a kid in Australia, Keith Urban headed to the beach for Christmas. Because it's summer Down Under during the holidays, most families hang out in the surf and sun.
DownloadKeith Urban (Christmas-beach) OC: …to the beach. :24
“I have great memories of getting up early and going and jumping on your parents’ bed and getting them up. You know, and then of course you tear open the presents and then it’s done and it’s like eight in the morning, and you’ve got all morning now to sort of wish you had more presents to open. We had great Christmases growing up. I really, really enjoyed them. Mostly, we’d go to the beach, you know, ’cause there it’s summertime. Load up the station wagon and head off to the beach.”
Audio / Keith Urban says he and his family still love going to the beach at Christmas.
DownloadKeith Urban (still loves going to the beach at Christmas) OC: …explains a lot. :33
“Yeah, we still love going to the beach at Christmas time, as long as we’re in Australia, because it’s like the Fourth of July. It’s huge. Everybody’s out. It feels very celebratory. It’s in the ‘90s. It’s crazy, but having grown up with that, it feels very natural to me. Albeit it, we still had all of the same Christmas songs, so we’re in like 90-degree heat with shorts and tank tops singing ‘Walking in a Winter Wonderland,’ and I remember getting Christmas cards of like Santa on a surfboard, so that probably explains a lot.”
Audio / Keith Urban explains what gets him in the Christmas spirit.
DownloadKeith Urban (what gets him in the Christmas spirit) OC: …goes away. :25
“The lights going up, which was a little earlier this year because of Thanksgiving, you know, we didn’t wait. We just put those puppies up, and the place looked awesome. We had the best Christmas-looking Thanksgiving ever. (laughs) So, the lights, the music, all of that, the house sort of transforming into Christmas. I love it. It’s sad when it all has to go away.”
Audio / Keith Urban talks about a few Christmas movies he enjoys watching during the holidays.
DownloadKeith Urban (Christmas movies) OC: …every year. :17
“I love A Christmas Story, that’s a good one, and It’s a Wonderful Life, of course. I have one of my main guitars is called Clarence, and it’s named after the angel (in It’s a Wonderful Life), and then for some reason, I swear, no matter what you’re doing flicking around the TV, but you’re gonna land on Charlie Brown (Christmas). I don’t know how that happens, but it happens every year.”
