Keith Urban and his family, including wife Nicole Kidman and daughters Sunday and Faith, usually 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.”
Keith also enjoys a holiday movie or two. “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.”
One of his favorite Christmas gifts as a child was a toy that was not easy to tear up. “I got a yellow Tonka truck when I was about 6, I think, and it’s probably still (one of) my favorite Christmas gift ever. Those things last forever, too.”
Keith released his first Christmas song, “I’ll Be Your Santa Tonight,” a few years ago (see video below).
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 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.”
Audio / Keith Urban reveals what gets him in the Christmas spirit.
DownloadKeith Urban (what gets him in the Christmas spirit) OC: …goes away. :10
“The lights going up, uh, 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 ONE OF HIS FAVORITE CHRISTMAS GIFTS AS A CHILD.
DownloadKeith Urban (Christmas—yellow Tonka truck) OC: …forever, too. :09
“I got a yellow Tonka truck when I was about 6, I think, and it’s probably still my favorite Christmas gift ever. Those things last forever, too.”
Audio / KEITH URBAN TALKS ABOUT HIS HOLIDAY SONG, "I'LL BE YOUR SANTA TONIGHT."
DownloadKeith Urban (I’ll Be Your Santa Tonight) OC: …the magic. :31
“I wanted to write a song that could kind of just travel anywhere really, I guess, and be also about the sort of the romantic side of this particular Christmas Eve. The idea that this girl is about to have the bleakest Christmas ’cause there’s no, there’s too much fog, there’s no snow, her mom’s not going to be able to make it, her sister can’t come, it’s all going to be a complete mess. And the guy steps up and says it’s gonna happen. ‘I’ll bring the magic.’”
