Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2025 i Nashville Lifestyles Magazine

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The holidays bring magic to Music City with so many great experiences like Cheekwood LIGHTS and Christmas at Gaylord Opryland sure to put you in the holiday mood. I hope you are enjoying your favorite Christmas album now. In this issue, our cover star MŌRIAH talks to us about her new holiday song, her Christmas plans, and family traditions. Speaking of traditions, we have a few here at Nashville Lifestyles! There are two great holiday events coming up: • Bring your kids to our annual Ginger Snapped event at Cool Springs Galleria on December 13th 9-11 a.m. They’ll get to make their own gingerbread house and get a photo with Santa! • For the grown-ups on the nice or naughty list, come…

There are many Christmas fans out there – and a couple of Scrooges, too – but few love the season of joy as much as Trisha Yearwood. You can hear it from the first reverent notes of her new album, Christmastime. Mixing symphonic splendor and jazzy jaunts, the project showcases a ’90s-country icon taking the transformative quality of Christmas quite seriously, even while making it fun. With timeless vocals and a classy, orchestral sound, she says Christmastime is meant to match the tone of a special season that brings out the essential goodness in us all. On a personal level, it’s something she falls into as soon as possible. “I get into it – as soon as we get the trick-ortreaters done, I’m there!” she says with a laugh. “I…

IF YOU GO: What: for KING + COUNTRY’s A DRUMMER BOY CHRISTMAS: THE LIVE EXPERIENCE Where: Grand Ole Opry House, 600 Opry Mills Drive in Nashville When: December 15-19, 2025 Tickets: www.forkingandcountry.com When GRAMMY-winning Aussie brother duo for KING + COUNTRY step on stage, it isn’t just a concert—it’s a full-body experience. Joel and Luke Smallbone take their audience on a faith-based, percussion-driven, theatrical night of music that makes fans cry, sing, and get up and dance. After two highly successful theatrical releases, a new album, and an international tour in the last two years, for KING + COUNTRY spent much of 2025 off the road. But their renowned Christmas tour remains the brightest jewel in the duo’s crown—and they couldn’t sit a season out. Their A Drummer Boy…

Not Your Average Joe Treat the coffee lovers in your life to Rahm Roast. Expertly designed to remove any harmful toxins, this coffee is as delicious as it is pure. $28 (Rahm Roast; rahmroast.com) Accessorize Charming. Whimsical. Golden. Delight the nature lover on your list with Cheekwood’s Alex Monroe Gold Rabbit Allotment Necklace. Inspired by the English countryside, this charming piece features a playful rabbit motif handcrafted in sterling silver with 22k gold plating. Thoughtfully made in England, it’s a whimsical yet elegant keepsake. $225. (Cheekwood, 1200 Forrest Park Dr.; cheekwood.org) Precisely in Time for Christmas Surrounded by the quiet beauty of northern Japan’s white birch forests, the Grand Seiko SLGH005 Hi-Beat White Birch Watch draws its character from nature. Its textured white dial reflects the trees outside the Shizukuishi…

When I was in the 7th grade, I won a statewide essay contest about what I wanted to be when I grew up. Honestly, I didn’t know what a magazine editor was at that point. More than anything, I wanted to move to Nashville and work in country music. Eventually, I did. I graduated high school, packed my gold Saturn sedan, and drove from my native East Tennessee to Murfreesboro, where I majored in Recording Industry at MTSU. Beverly Keel, dean of MTSU’s College of Media and Entertainment, discovered I could write. She made me believe I could do it professionally. Sandee Suitt believed it, too. Sandee gave me my first writing job—a features reporter at Murfreesboro’s Daily News Journal. She asked me what I liked. I said music. She…

Brad Paisley didn’t even bother putting out pumpkins this year. “It’s October, and our Christmas decorations are already up,” he told Nashville Lifestyles. “I’m like, ‘Just do Christmas. Let’s start now.’” Honestly, Paisley’s Christmas holidays began so early this year that he may have missed apple pie on July 4. The three-time GRAMMY winner and Grand Ole Opry member has been living in Snow Globe Town — the name of his brand-new holiday album — since midsummer. The 16-song project, out now, is Paisley’s joyful deep dive into the magic, mischief, and meaning of Christmas. “Christmas is 100 percent anticipation — and almost zero percent destination,” he joked. “By the time you hit Christmas Day, it’s over by noon.” Paisley didn’t even plan to record a Christmas album in 2025.…

Chad’s Winter Wonderland As a lifelong Christmas fanatic, Chad Barnard certainly knows how to capture the beauty and fun of the season. Since he was 12 years old, he has been crafting magical displays with handmade wood cutouts, loads of lights, and even more heart, soul, and creativity. In this annual 12-acre Lebanon drive-through display, which Barnard changes every year, visitors are transported to a world of holiday joy with nearly three million lights, a nativity scene, Santa’s workshop, and more. Don’t miss out on the amazing cinnamon bread, and be sure to wave hello to Santa Claus, The Grinch, and Frosty the Snowman. The holiday journey costs $25 per car and runs from Thanksgiving night until New Year’s Eve. (791 Old Laguardo Rd. E., Lebanon; facebook.com/chadswinterwonderland.com) Holiday LIGHTS at…

This recipe from Turkey and the Wolf: Flavor Trippin’ in New Orleans takes a classic holiday comfort dish and makes it utterly unforgettable and undeniably delicious. Swapping traditional bread cubes for toasted hot dog buns, Used to Call It Stuffing, Now I Call It Dressing builds flavor with browned sausage, roasted chicken wing meat, and a medley of herbs that say “I’ll have another serving.” It’s the kind of dressing that earns a permanent spot on your holiday table and maybe even a few new fans who never liked stuffing until now. (turkeyandthewolficehouse.com) Courtesy of chef and cookbook author Mason Hereford of Turkey and the Wolf Icehouse from his new cookbook, Turkey and the Wolf: Flavor Trippin’ in New Orleans (Serves 8-10) Ingredients: 11 oz (6 to 8) hot dog…

4 BARTENDER BASH: HOLIDAY EDITION Bartender Bash: Holiday Edition is bringing together Nashville’s top bartenders for a festive cocktail showdown. Guests will enjoy unlimited samples of holiday-inspired drinks made with Old Dominick Memphis Vodka and The Original Toddy Bourbon, all while soaking in the classic Christmas decor. Attendees will vote for their favorite cocktail, with the winning bartender earning bragging rights for the season. The evening also features bites from The Union Station, lively DJ tunes, and plenty of photo booth fun to capture the holiday cheer. The event is for ages 21 and up. For tickets and more details, visit Nashville Lifestyles’ EventBrite page or website. (The Union Station Nashville Yards, 6 – 8 p.m.; nashvillelifestyles.com) THROUGH DEC. 31 POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEUMSTANCE Gaylord Opryland Resort is thrilled to…

Matthew Johns, the founder of luxury lifestyle curating brand Francis and Adeline, is opening the door to the holiday season with his magical, curated décor and door installations. These festive creations are sure to bring joy and cheer with each glance. Don’t save the view for just the holidays, though, because his work will breathe life into your home year-round. His work and contact information can be found on his Instagram @francisandadeline. We spoke with Johns to learn more about the brand and creative process. BUILDING THE BRAND: I was living in Rock Island, Tennessee, and trying to bring more life and creativity to the holiday. So, I taught myself how to handmake garland from greenery I foraged in the woods. It was my Martha Stewart moment. The name Francis…

In a city where cowboy boots can outnumber tulips, it takes a special kind of magic to make Music City feel like a garden party. Next month, that magic will return when the Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville brings “American Elegance” to the Music City Center, January 9–11. Presented by Northern Trust, the annual event — now in its 36th year — will benefit Cheekwood Estate & Gardens and other Economic Club of Nashville (ECON) charities. Last year’s show attracted more than 17,000 visitors who came for the antiques and art dealers, stayed for the gardens and lectures, and left plotting how to fit a Hartley greenhouse into their East Nashville backyard. Chairs Paula Kinard and Phyllis Vandewater, longtime friends and creative collaborators, are steering this year’s vision with…

Latin country artist MŌRIAH stared into the light-rimmed mirror of her backstage dressing room at the Grand Ole Opry House. Her sister, Emmy-winning news anchor for FOX5 NY, Bianca Peters, flew in to surprise her and do her hair. Peters carefully threaded a bright red ribbon through the singer's long brown curls. Minutes away from her Opry debut, the small room hummed with energy. Her husband, for KING + COUNTRY's Joel Smallbone, her parents, brother, and band filled every corner, their voices blooming into joyful noise as the 33-year-old third-generation American gathered herself for one of the most significant moments of her career. "I looked around and thought, this is what it means to carry your people with you," MŌRIAH says. "My family, my team, my friends — every one…

Be the host with the most or the best of the guests with this batched cocktail recipe, courtesy of Char. This take on a Black Manhattan serves eight, perfect for warming up holiday happenings. This festive cocktail blends the rich spice of Uncle Nearest Rye with the deep, velvety sweetness of fig and a touch of citrus. Raise a glass and toast to the season. (nashville.charrestaurant.com) IT'S A PARTY Ingredients: 16 oz Uncle Nearest Rye 4 oz Amaro Averna 4 oz fig syrup (see recipe) 8 dashes of orange bitters Fig Syrup: ½ jar of Dalmatia fig spread ½ cup of sugar ½ cup of water Peels of 2 oranges 2-3 sprigs of rosemary Fig Syrup Directions: Combine fig spread, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a…