It’s the MOST wonderful time of the year.
There is always something special in the air this time of year, and our shared similarities become more evident with each passing season.
It’s our differences, however, that can be fascinating—especially where family traditions are concerned.
Traditions abound during the holidays, with each of us having our perennial favorites. Personal rituals and family traditions alike.
We are enthralled by how each family celebrates this magical time of year. We thought, and we hope you agree, that this would be an incredible opportunity to look into the yearly traditions of a few artists performing during The Victory Productions’ Holiday Hoopla of shows coming to The Savannah Center over the next two weeks.
We submitted the same five questions to a collection of the upcoming acts to see what they are most looking forward to and some of their memories of the past.
Their answers entertained us, and we hope you will be entertained too.
Please enjoy.
First up we have Steve Solomon the star of My Mother is Italian, My Father is Jewish, and I’m Home for The Holidays…The Therapy Continues
My Mother is Italian, My Father is Jewish, and I’m Home for The Holidays…The Therapy Continues- The Savannah Center – December 6th – 4pm and 7pm
What is your favorite Holiday Tradition?
Easter/Passover – It’s the Italian/Jewish thing.
What is one of your most cherished holiday memories?
My son was born on Easter.
What food item can you not live without during the holidays?
I can always l live without liver, otherwise all foods are fine. Large quantities, please.
Do you prefer a White (cold) Christmas or a Sunshine (warm) Christmas?
Both…I love a cold winter in NY and a warm winter in Florida…I’m easy
What is your favorite holiday movie?
“March of the Wooden Soldiers” (Laurel and Hardy)
What is your favorite holiday song?
“The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” and… “Does your Chewing Gum Lose It’s Flavor (On the Bedpost Overnight?)” Look that one up.
Next up we have various performers from The Wizards of Winter
The Wizards of Winter – The Savannah Center – December 12th – 3 pm & 7 pm
What is your favorite Holiday Tradition?
Watching Rudolph & Frosty Christmas Specials with hot cocoa. – Manny Cabo-Lead Rock Tenor
What is one of your most cherished holiday memories?
Getting my first electric guitar on Christmas Eve 1980. – Steve Brown- Lead Guitar
What food item can you not live without during the holidays?
Anisette Cookies – Sharon Kelly Co-Founder Lead Vocalist and Flute
Do you prefer a White (cold) Christmas or a Sunshine (warm) Christmas?
Any Christmas weather as long as I am with my family, that’s all that matters to me. – Steve Brown- Lead Guitar
What is your favorite holiday movie?
“The Grinch” – Scott Kelly- Co-Founder, Musical Director, Keyboards
What is your favorite holiday song?
“Thank God It’s Christmas” by Queen – Shawna Marie – Vocalist
We are thrilled that the one and only John Tesh shared some of his cherished memories.
John Tesh – A Jazzy Swingin’ Christmas – The Savannah Center – December 7th – 7 pm
What is your favorite Holiday Tradition?
My wife, Connie Sellecca, is all about keeping an old school Christmas so there is always Sinatra and Glen Miller orchestra playing in our home and the Advent calendar is always stocked for the grandkids.
What is one of your most cherished holiday memories?
Putting together a three piece brass band and going house to house playing Christmas carols. I was 13 and played trumpet. People paid us to go away. It was that bad.
What food item can you not live without during the holidays?
Cranberry bread. Hot cider.
Do you prefer a White (cold) Christmas or a Sunshine (warm) Christmas?
I grew up in the cold on Long Island but I’m hooked on warm Christmas these days.
What is your favorite holiday movie?
“All about Christmas Eve,” starring Connie Sellecca and Gib Gerard
What is your favorite holiday song?
“It Wouldn’t be Christmas Without You”
EagleMania’s lead singer JD Kelly went in-depth with a few of his favorite memories.
EagleMania – The Savannah Center – December 16th – 4 pm & 7 pm
What is your favorite Holiday Tradition?
Pajamas and old movies on Christmas Day. There’s something really special about just staying comfy and warm all day, and watching all of the great old Christmas movies with someone I love.
What is one of your most cherished holiday memories?
When I was seven years old, I wanted a toy car called a Crusader 101 for Christmas. And, that morning, there it was. It was a huge, red, battery-powered remote control convertible. I loved that thing. In fact, as an adult, I located a couple of them and restored them to original condition. It brought back a lot of great memories.
What food item can you not live without during the holidays?
I’m Irish-Italian, so, I have two foods I can’t live without – or that I’d miss if they weren’t a part of the holiday. On Christmas Eve, my Italian side celebrates with a fish extravaganza that goes on for hours. And on Christmas Day, I’m looking for Egg Nog and cookies. It’s not necessarily Irish, but it was always on hand at my Irish aunts’ and uncles’ houses at Christmas.
Do you prefer a White (cold) Christmas or a Sunshine (warm) Christmas?
I’ve had both; I was in LA once at the holidays, and all of us transplanted East Coasters were pining for the snow. The nights are so peaceful when there’s snow on the ground. There is something magical about crunching through the drifts as you go from house to house. And the lights just look so beautiful. Nothing smells as good as a home-cooked meal when you have a cold nose. So, I prefer white.
What is your favorite holiday movie?
I’m always torn on this one. I don’t have a favorite. I love Jim Carrey’s take on “The Grinch,” I’m a big fan of Tim Burton, so “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a must-see, every year, as well. But I also find myself watching “Miracle On 34th Street”, and “It’s A Wonderful Life” too. In black and white, of course – as they were meant to be seen.
What is your favorite holiday song?
Another tough call (you’re killing me!). Of course, the recording of “Please Come Home For Christmas”, by the Eagles, is right up there. We recorded a cover of that with EagleMania, and it’s a part of our live show between Thanksgiving and New Years. That being said, I once recorded “O, Holy Night” at home, and I couldn’t get through it without getting very emotional. It took a half-dozen takes. Such a beautiful song. And I will stop anything I’m doing when Nat King Cole sings “The Christmas Song”. I’m not a big fan of novelty Christmas songs, but when an artist covers – or creates – a song that respects the meaning of the holiday.. family, love, redemption and the belief in a better world ahead – I’m all ears. Got any Egg Nog?
And finally, closing out our Holiday Hoopla of shows at The Savannah Center is the newly introduced, and quickly rising Villages’ favorite, Evolution: Motown. The guys shared some of their traditions with us.
Evolution: Motown – The Savannah Center – December 18th – 4 pm & 7 pm
What is your favorite Holiday Tradition?
The best part of the holidays is my family getting together to cook. The most fun usually happens when something is cooking. – Solomon & Jabari
What is one of your most cherished holiday memories?
Drinking hot cocoa near the end of the holiday party. – Cesar
What food item can you not live without during the holidays?
Cookies… always cookies. – Solomon
Do you prefer a White (cold) Christmas or a Sunshine (warm) Christmas?
Colddddd – Cesar
What is your favorite holiday movie?
“Scrooged” with Bill Murray – Jabari
What is your favorite holiday song?
“I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” – Solomon
“Silent Night” – The Temptations – Jabari
“Oh Holy Night” – Cesar
