Sidewalk Prophets

DAVE FREY

Favorite Christmas Memory:
One of my favorite gifts that I’ve ever received was a Nintendo entertainment system. I came downstairs to find this rectangular box and inside was a gorgeous gray piece of the 90’s. Fast forward to college and I’m playing Mario still and who should happen to walk in to my dorm room, but Ben McDonald. I like to think that it was because of the Nintendo that here we are today with a band together named Sidewalk Prophets.

Favorite Christmas Tradition:

Definitely decorating our Christmas tree. The Christmas tree decorating always kicks off with Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas 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 "The 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.

Favorite Holiday tradition:

Every Christmas my Dad shares a devotional with the entire family and afterwards, we usually go around the room and share what we're most thankful for.  I think it's important to reflect on all that we've been given and to cherish the moments we have together. That I must say, would be my favorite Christmas tradition!

JOEL

Best present you ever received / Best present you ever gave:

It was the first Christmas we spent in the US, Dad was out of work and we were just kids. We were roughing it, sleeping on beds made out of clothes in a furniture-less house. Mum said to us, “Santa will only be able to bring gifts from the Dollar Store this year.” I remember thinking, “No way, Santa's not dictated by whether or not we have money.” Unbeknownst to me, a 1st grade class found out we had no money and sponsored our family for Christmas. We received more gifts that year than ever!

Favorite Holiday tradition:

In Australia, Santa doesn't stick gifts under the Christmas tree or come down the chimney (due to the fact that there are no chimneys in most Australian homes), but rather, he puts the presents at the end of your bed. So as a family on Christmas Eve we would paint pictures and write our names on empty pillow cases and then stick them at the end of our beds. In the morning we'd wake up to the pillow cases overflowing with gifts! Not to mention, Santa always ate some of the banana and drank some of the milk I left out… But he never drank or ate it all because, I figured, there were a lot of other children who would put out food and milk as well?

Big Daddy Weave

MIKE

Favorite Christmas Tradition:

I love seeing the look of surprise and happiness on my kid’s faces as they come downstairs. Kandice and I sit downstairs and video tape and take pictures of the kids as they come down the steps. It’s like the red carpet!

Best give you have ever received:

Being welcomed into Kandice’s family. I first met them at Thanksgiving before we got engaged and they were so great and welcoming. It is one of the best gifts I’ve received!

JAY

Best present you have ever received:

I got married in December 2003. It was the best present I have ever received! 

Favorite Holiday tradition:

In the new Weaver household, we decorate the Christmas tree with all old standard carols – 40s the day after Thanksgiving.

JEFF

Favorite Christmas story:

One year when I was a kid, my parents hid my big Lego present behind the tree from me and let me believe I didn’t get it. After I almost started crying, they brought it out to show me.

Favorite part about Christmas:

The cold weather, hot chocolate, Christmas music in the background, watching my cats play under the tree and play with Elf on the Shelf with my daughters.

JOE

Favorite Christmas memory:

The fun times of snow sledding and then to come in for hot chocolate and warmth by the fireplace.

Best present you ever received:

I love anything handcrafted by my kids!

JEREMY

Favorite part about Christmas:

Seeing and spending time with family.