As the festive holiday season approaches, some wonder how their favorite stars celebrate the holidays. Let's explore how a few of these Utah icons embrace the magic of the season.
Derek Hough
For Derek Hough, Emmy-winning choreographer and dancer, Christmas is a time to reconnect with his roots, recharge, and enjoy the simple pleasures of family time away from the glare of the spotlight.
“That’s the time I kind of switch off, turn off and just chill,” he told Us Magazine. Amid the happy chaos of family celebrations, he enjoys relaxing by playing in the snow, practicing piano, or enjoying a new art kit. “I’m always painting or drawing,” he says.
Brandon Flowers
Brandon Flowers, the iconic frontman of The Killers, fondly remembers several family traditions from his early years in Las Vegas. His family would start the day by having breakfast at the Nevada Palace on Boulder Highway. Then they’d head to Mt. Charleston to find some snow and go inner tubing.
Flowers’ longest holiday tradition might be his band’s annual Christmas single, a ritual started in 2006, when U2’s frontman Bono asked him to contribute to his charity. Between 2006 and 2016, the band released 11 Christmas songs and raised over one million dollars to fight against AIDS.
Brandon Sanderson
For Brandon Sanderson, prolific and internationally acclaimed fantasy author, the spirit of giving is integral to the holiday season. For many years, Sanderson has held an auction where people can bid for the right to name a character in one of his upcoming novels. Proceeds support his community’s food bank through the winter season.
Since 2015, the Sanderson family has run the Lightweaver Foundation, which releases limited-edition Christmas ornaments inspired by Sanderson's Cosmere universe. Proceeds fund charities like the Primary Children's Hospital.