The Tar Heel Blog Staff’s Holiday Favorites

It is the most wonderful time of the year. It is a time filled with family, traditions, and really good food.

It is also that time of year where many sports blogs and radio shows share and debate their favorite Christmas movies and/or songs. This past week, Roy Williams even answered a few holiday questions from Fran Fraschilla. As you will see in the video below, Roy must be too busy with recruiting during this time of year to watch any holiday specials.

In the spirit of the holidays, the staff at the Tar Heel Blog share some of their favorites...

Favorite Christmas Movie or Special?

Michael - Elf

Jason - Die Hard

Evan - National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Daniel - A Christmas Story

Jake - Polar Express/White Christmas

Paul - A Woodland Critter Christmas (South Park)

Akil - Nightmare Before Christmas

Jay - Elf

Alex - A Christmas Story

Matt - The Muppet Christmas Carol

Favorite treat, snack, must-have thing to eat during the holidays?

Michael - Mom’s snickerdoodle cookies

Jason - Tri-colored cookies

Evan - Honeybaked ham

Daniel - Stuffed french toast on Christmas morning

Jake - Homemade fudge

Paul - Fudge

Akil - Candy canes

Jay - Peppermint Bark

Alex - Homemade shortbread cookies

Matt - Pierogies (I'm Polish, that's what we have for Christmas dinner)

Favorite Christmas song (and who it is sung by)?

Michael - “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” by Darlene Love

Jason - “Holly Jolly Christmas” by Burl Ives

Evan - “Merry Christmas from the Family” by Robert Earl Keen

Daniel - “Silent Night” by the Temptations

Jake - “Mary Did You Know” by Kenny Rogers

Paul - “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey

Akil - “O Holy Night” by Nat King Cole

Jay - “Baby, It's Cold Outside” (old school version - not sure which artist)

Alex - “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” by Barenaked Ladies

Matt - "All I Want For Christmas is You" by Mariah Carey

Favorite holiday memory, tradition, or gift that you received when you were a kid?

Michael - Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve

Jason - My Super Nintendo became a huge part of my childhood. My dad and I would play Donkey Kong Country for hours.

Evan - A Carolina model train under the Christmas tree

Daniel - My favorite gift and memory growing up was doing the classic jump-up-and-down response when Santa brought me my original NES system back in the 80s. My favorite tradition growing up was going to my grandparents house every Christmas afternoon to open presents, eat Christmas dinner, and hang out with my cousins.

Jake - 1996. Parents made a scavenger hunt that led to tickets to my first (and only) Army/Navy game.

Paul - We always have a different and interesting lunch with the whole family

Akil - My family, being pretty secular, likes to watch non-Christmas movies on Christmas Day, so I've been introduced to a lot of movies I really enjoy that way.

Jay - Sneaking downstairs with my brother and sister at ridiculous hours of the morning hoping not to wake anyone.

Alex - The year that Santa brought me my first bike. I was four years old and it was the best day ever!

Matt - Annoying my youngest sister by watching The Muppet Christmas Carol.

What is at the top of your Christmas list this year?

Michael - A plane ticket home.

Jason - A gym membership.

Evan - Carolina Hurricanes Rod Brind'Amour 3rd jersey

Daniel - A NES classic edition or some UNC Nike Train Speed 4 shoes, but most of all, watching my two toddlers enjoy the magic of Christmas.

Jake - Going home to NC for the first time in 18 months. Mission Accomplished.

Paul - Stuff to help me when I move to New York after graduation in May.

Akil - Tar Heel Championship. Also, a real job.

Jay - Being with family is #1, but in terms of gifts, I'm working on a drone for photography.

Alex - A UNC Men's Basketball National Championship

Matt - Another UNC Final Four run

Thanks to everyone for reading, and I hope you all have and safe and wonderful holiday season. Happy Holidays!