The McCollums, Home for the Holidays

After a whirlwind year of touring, recording, winning major industry awards, and marrying the love of his life, Hallie Ray Light, country music superstar Parker McCollum is unplugging his guitar, stepping away from the mic, and heading home for the holidays. The first leg of his much-needed vacation is in Nashville at home with Hallie Ray, where they are celebrating their first Christmas as a married couple and creating their own family traditions.

“We are really excited about Christmas,” said Parker. “We love this time of year. We got some of our first ornaments together last year, and I know collecting ornaments for our tree is something we’ll continue to do.”

“We are looking forward to putting Christmas lights up on the house and decorating the tree for the first time as our own family,” added Hallie Ray. “Parker’s tour schedule is slowing down quite a bit, so we can just enjoy each other. He will be spending a lot more time at home, and I think that is the perfect way to spend our first Christmas together as a married couple.”

Hallie Ray loves to cook and is also excited about incorporating some of her favorite recipes into their holiday traditions.

“Growing up, my sisters and I made Puppy Chow with my mom and snacked on it throughout December. Last year I made a Christmas tree out of garlic cheese balls, and they were so good! I will most likely make those again this year,” she said.

Downtime in Nashville may include some Christmas shopping as well, but Parker shared that he already has a lot of that covered.

“This is the first time in my life that I shopped early. I went shopping for Hallie Ray in October. I felt very grown up doing that,” he said. “But I’m sure there will be some last-minute gifts.”

After some shopping, overdue alone time, and catching up on some R & R, the McCollums will be spending the remainder of the holiday season—leg two of their vacation time—in Parker’s hometown, Conroe.

“Conroe and this time of year just go together for me. I look forward to this all year long,” Parker said.

Christmas in Conroe means getting to spend time with his mom Stacey Yancey and her family, including his grandma JoJo, his dad Mark McCollum, his stepmom Meredith, and his grandparents Meemaw and Papa. Then add all of his aunts, uncles, and cousins who either still live in the Conroe area or also make their way back for the holidays. It’s a time for reminiscing about his childhood, especially Christmases growing up with his brother Tyler, and sister Michael.

“I was the youngest, so I was always up the earliest and would try to get everyone else up. As soon as we’d open all the presents, we’d get to eat my mom’s Christmas breakfast casserole,” he said.

His mom still makes this breakfast casserole every year. She started making when her kids were babies, and it evolved over time.

“It’s the French bread casserole that you pour eggs, milk, and cheese over, and then you can add whatever else you want. As they got older, I added more to it and it got a little more interesting,” she said.

“My mom always did a great job going all out for Christmas, she really did,” said Parker. “Even when we didn’t like it, she made us put the decorations up together and the lights in the yard together—we did it all. That’s probably why I am so fond of this time of year.”

Christmas memories in Conroe also include Parker getting his first guitar when he was 10 years old. Yancey bought guitars for both of her boys in 2002 and recalls it was money well spent.

“They picked them up and never looked back. That’s the one thing they did that I never had to ask them to practice. They were obsessed after that,” she said.

And then there was Parker’s fourth-grade year when the spotlight found him not once but twice.

“I took Michael to the Crighton Theatre for an audition,” said Yancey. “Parker and I were sitting and doing his homework when the director came out and said, ‘I’m going to audition him next.’ I told him we just came for my daughter, but they wanted him to audition. The next morning, I got a call, and he got the part of Tommy, the lead boy in ‘Miracle on 34th Street.’”

“My sister got a small role without any lines, and I got the lead role for the little kids. I think they just needed a little kid to do it,” added Parker.

That same year he played the lead in Giesinger Elementary’s production of “The Nutcracker.”

“Yes, they happened simultaneously. But that is the extent of my acting career,” Parker says with a laugh.

The holiday season also provides the perfect opportunity for reflecting on the past 12 months and giving thanks for incredible blessings. Parker and Hallie Ray have each had milestone years.

Parker toured with country artist Thomas Rhett, opened for his hero George Strait, and recorded a show for Austin City Limits. He had his second national No 1. song, set the all-time record for attendance at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, and sold out the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo—something he had dreamed about since he was a kid.

“It was so insane to be out there on that stage at NRG. You work for something for as long as you can remember. Then one day, you get off the bus, and you’re doing it. It was really hard to take it all in. I’m glad we’re getting a second chance to do it this next year. I will probably take the day in a lot slower this time and try to enjoy it more,” he said.

He also turned a hand injury into a positive 2022 memory. When he couldn’t play guitar, he called on his brother, Tyler, to join his band for a few weeks and play acoustic guitar while he recovered.

“That was so cool for me because he was such a big influence on me as a kid and the whole reason I found out about songwriters and learning to play guitar and doing this for a living. So, to do shows that big and have him there on the road—the vibe was just so good. To have a little bit of home with you on the road is always a good thing,” he said.

In 2022, Hallie Ray teamed up with her two sisters, Kamri and Kaylee, to launch their own company, KiHK.

“We wanted to start a brand that represented everyday athleisure, combining all three of our styles! The brand name, KiHK, was created from each of our initials with a lowercase “I” to form a word that makes sense,” she said.

Hallie Ray and her sisters design their own products by first starting with individual ideas and then combining their concepts into one final product.

“I think that is what makes it so fun, seeing all three creative minds bring one product to life and then getting to share that with our audience. We always strive for our pieces to be trendy and comfortable, making our customers feel and look their best,” she added.

In 2023, Hallie Ray and her sisters hope to expand KiHK to reach a larger audience with their stylish athleisure. Parker plans to put out a new album, start a headlining tour, and open the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

But for now, they will cherish the December slowdown, trim the tree, and take in all the holiday season has to offer.

Merry Christmas from the McCollums!