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December 21, 2010 » The Most Wonderful Time All The Year: If Taylor Swift had her way, bad Christmas sweaters would be an all-year option. "I grew up on a Christmas tree farm, so that's why I'm obsessed with Christmas," Swift says. "I wish it was year-round ... for the feeling everyone has and [that] everyone's buying gifts for each other." So in keeping with the spirit of the season, we've compiled the holiday thoughts of several of country's top names. Read on... » Claus On Tape: On a mission to reveal St. Nick's true identity, a young Brad Paisley thought he'd outsmart the big guy by rigging a recording device by the family Christmas tree. "It was about third or fourth grade I was starting to get the hint that maybe there wasn't a Santa Claus, which there is, by the way," Paisley says. "But I wanted to prove it once and for all, so I [took] a tape recorder, pressed record, stuck it behind the Christmas tree and left it on, hoping that I would hear whomever was going to place the presents. [But] I forgot to plug it in." That or Santa pulled the plug on Paisley's plan. » Merry Christmas To Oil, And To Oil A Good Night: As a struggling musician, Sugarland's Kristian Bush tapped into his talents to come up with creative, one-of-a-kind gifts for his family and friends. "One of my favorite things to do for Christmas is record Christmas songs," Bush says. "When I was really broke, [I didn't] have enough money for gifts. There's just so many years you can make olive oil with stuff in it. But my brother and I got to the point where we could trade out some recording time, so we'd go in and record Christmas songs and give them to our family and friends. My mom used to love them. She would play them over and over again." » O Come All Yeti Faithful: For Chris Young, growing up watching the television classic Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer was more childhood trauma than yuletide drama. "I was afraid of the Abominable Snowman when I was a kid," Young admits. "There's that whole scene where he comes up over the top of the mountains and his hair flies up.... Anytime I got left in the car by myself [and] it was wintertime, I was afraid the Abominable Snowman was going to come get me. It was terrible." » Swaddling Clothes: Reba's older brother Pake is probably wishing he had put more thought into his wardrobe choices during their childhood Christmases. "The funniest thing I can always remember about Christmastime is my older brother Pake," Reba says. "When we were kids at home, he'd always be the first one to jump out of bed and run down the hall with his underwear on, and he'd say, 'If y'all don't hurry up and get up and get in here, I'm going to open all the presents by myself.' It was a standing rule that we'd all have to be in there before anyone could open a present. But I can still see Pake running down the hall." » Let's Hear It For The Boys: Christmas shopping for the Josh Turner has taken on new meaning as his family grows. "It was all about us, but since they've come along, we couldn't care less what we get," Turner says of the change in focus he and wife Jennifer have experienced. "As parents, we get much more satisfaction out of watching [them] open presents Christmas morning than we get out of opening our own." The Turners have three sons, the youngest being born just this month. » Life Note: Life just got a little sweeter for Shania Twain, who is engaged to Nestlé business executive Frederic Thiebaud. The news broke Monday (12/20) after photos of the couple with Twain wearing an oversized ring were published in Us Weekly. "I've never seen Shania so happy," a friend tells the magazine. "She has ended up with the love of her life." Read the cover story when it streets Wednesday (12/22). Details here. » Crib Note: Congrats to new parents Jay DeMarcus (Rascal Flatts) and Allison on Friday's birth (12/17) of their first child Madeline Leigh DeMarcus. "Allison and I are thrilled," Jay says. "Madeline is absolutely gorgeous; she looks just like her daddy! Both mom and baby are doing well." » In Case You Missed It: John Rich donned gold cowboy boots and a Santa suit during his surprise appearance on Thursday's (12/16) Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, during which Rich and Fallon performed "Drunk On Christmas." Watch the clip here. »Birthdays Jimmy Buffett (12/25) Barbara Mandrell (12/25) Steve Wariner (12/25) Marty Roe (Diamond Rio) (12/28) Jessica Andrews (12/29) On TV Wednesday (12/22): Various Artists, CMA Country Christmas (ABC); Jimmy Wayne, Home For The Holidays (CBS); Taylor Swift, Ellen DeGeneres Show (syndicated). Thursday (12/23): Darius Rucker, Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC). Upcoming Albums Steel Magnolia Steel Magnolia (1/11) Joe Nichols Greatest Hits (1/25) © 2010 LH Publications, LLC