Keith Urban Recalls Favorite Childhood Christmas Traditions

Keith Urban's childhood in Australia meant he celebrated Christmas much differently than he does now that he lives in Nashville, Tennessee, especially since Christmas Down Under falls when the weather is warm.

"I have great memories of getting up early and going and jumping on your parents' bed and getting them up," Urban recalled. "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."

Urban will perform in Nashville for the annual Jack Daniel's Music City Midnight: New Year's Eve in Nashville, but will then head to his native Australia to continue his Graffiti U World Tour, with his "Coming Home" duet partner, Julia Michaels, serving as his opening act. But regardless of which continent Urban is on, chances are good that his family, including his wife, actress Nicole Kidman, will be by his side.

"I feel very blessed that I have the support of my family like I do," Urban recently shared with PopCulture.com and other media. "It's a beautiful thing having two artists, because we understand the passion and the responsibility of what we get to do. Very important."

Urban received the CMA Award for Entertainer of the Year in November, which he credits to his Graffiti U World Tour, named after his recent album.

"It's an indescribable feeling to get that [award] tonight, cause I love playing," Urban said after receiving the CMA Awards' highest honor. "I love entertaining. I love putting on shows. I started playing guitar when I was six, and I came up playing in the clubs, four hours a night, five hours a night, five nights a week. And I wasn't writing songs. I was just schlepping my gear and doing cover tunes and learning my craft. To get to be able to play three, four hours a night of original material is the most extraordinary feeling. And everybody singing along."

Urban's Australian trek kicks off the Australian leg of his Graffiti U World Tour on Jan. 23 in Newcastle. Find a list of all of his upcoming shows at KeithUrban.net.

Photo Credit: Getty images/RB/Bauer-Griffin