Kimberly Schlapman, 56, Shares ‘Surreal’ Moment Meeting Dolly Parton—and Her Secret to the Best Christmas Traditions Ever (Exclusive)
From cozy baking to 'pinch-me' chats with Dolly: See how the Little Big Town plans to have a 'stress-less' holiday
Curl up on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa and feel the nostalgia set in as you reminisce on Christmas traditions this season with Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman and her special Christmas Traditions Unwrapped with Kimberly Schlapman, a new Wonder Project Original on Amazon Prime. Step into the warmth of the season with Kimberly as she shares her favorite feel-good Christmas traditions — made even more magical with family and famous friends.
From bundling up to cut down the perfect tree with Lauren Alaina, to cozy days baking with loved ones, sipping eggnog with Kathie Lee Gifford, and crocheting alongside Emily Ann Roberts, every moment sparkles with heart. A cherished family tradition leads to a touching conversation with Dolly Parton, setting the stage for a truly unforgettable performance by Grammy winner Carly Pearce — lovingly dedicated to three very special sisters.
Woman’s World touched base with Kimberly to talk more about her heartwarming traditions. Here, she shares how she stays stress-free during the holidays, her favorite parts of the season, and what it was like having Dolly Parton on set on her new special with the Wonder Project.
Woman’s World: What is something that you feel like Christmas is not complete without? (i.e., dessert/food, tradition, place, person, movie, song, etc.)
Kimberly Schlapman: To me, Christmas is not complete without my sister’s counter full of Christmas goodies and my daddy’s reading of the Christmas story.
WW: What are your best tips for keeping Christmas stress-free?
KS: Every year, I proclaim in October that I’m going to get started on my Christmas shopping early and make it a stress-less Christmas, but I have yet to fully achieve that goal. I have found that the earlier I can get my shopping done, the better off I feel the whole month of December. I’ve also begun to be ok with store-bought meals and goodies at times. We have our traditional girls’ baking day every year, but for other times, I’m ok with not completely stressing myself out trying to cook and host like Martha Stewart!
WW: What was it like getting to sit down and chat with Dolly?
KS: Being around Dolly Parton is surreal! It’s a continuous “pinch-me” moment. I’m always like “Dear Lord! How did I get here?!!” She’s so incredibly charming and down to earth and loving. She’s pure inspiration. There are almost no words!
WW: What is the most meaningful Christmas memory that you cherish?
KS: The most meaningful Christmas memory I cherish is the Christmas season when we were able to hold our baby Dolly in our arms. That one will never be beat!
WW: What excited you most about having the opportunity to work with Wonder Project for this special?
KS: I am raising a family, and I love that with Wonder Project I can find safe, wholesome shows for my family to snuggle up and watch together. I’m honored to be a part of their launch to the world!
WW: What does Christmas morning look like in your house?
KS: We always spend Christmas Eve night with my parents and my sister and brother and their families. Christmas morning starts kind of slow, where all the parents sneak out of their bedroom and head straight for coffee! We make the kiddos stay together out of sight of the Christmas tree while we guzzle down a little caffeine and get the cameras ready. Then we tell the kids to “go,” and they make their way to the tree to see what Santa brought.
After some time at the tree, we line all the cousins up on the staircase from youngest to oldest and take a picture — a tradition we’ve done for many, many years! It’s been amazing to watch how that picture has changed and grown over the years!
WW: What Christmas song is a must-play and/or means the most to you?
KS: Since childhood, my favorite Christmas song has always been “O Come All Ye Faithful.”
WW: Who in your family influenced your love for Christmas the most? Did it start when you were young?
KS: My deep love for Christmas has always been there. My parents made every Christmas very special, and I know there were many years where there wasn’t much money, which must have been really hard on them. But since they didn’t stress to us the priority of money, my siblings and I never even noticed. From playing parts in the live nativity at our church, to Christmas having parties with both sides of our family (ALL the cousins), to gathering around my daddy’s chair in our living room every Christmas Eve – as far back as I can remember — as he read the Christmas story from the Bible, our Christmas seasons were full of love, celebrating of the birth of Jesus and making memories with our loved ones.
Subscribe to Wonder Project’s subscription on Prime Video ($8.99/month or $89.99/year. 7-day free trial available) to watch Christmas Traditions Unwrapped with Kimberly Schlapman!
In addition to the Wonder Originals, Wonder Project’s subscription on Prime Video offers more than 125 licensed titles and over 1,000 hours of hand-picked films and TV series across multiple genres that embody the company’s mission. These titles include “Miracle on 34th Street,” “Cast Away,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Sherlock,” “The Sound of Music,” “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” “The Mysterious Benedict Society,” “Pride & Prejudice,” “Jesus Revolution” and more. Take a scroll through the page here to get a glimpse of available titles!
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