Published by Cel Manero from Global One Media Inc.
Despite the fact that the children in her family have all grown up, Parton says the Christmas tradition continues.
Granny Claus—also known as Dolly Parton—is coming to town!
In the latest issue of Good Housekeeping UK, Parton opened up about how she celebrates her favorite holiday, Christmas. She revealed that she goes “over the top,” including finding a way to come down the chimney like Santa himself.
“Every year, I play Granny Claus—I put on my Santa suit and come down the chimney with my sack full of presents,” she explained. “Even though many of the children are now grown, they still expect me to do it. One day, I’ll be hobbling in that elevator!”
At 78, Parton, who doesn’t have children of her own with her longtime husband, Carl Thomas Dean, finds joy in sharing love with others. “Now that I’m older, I realize I didn’t have kids of my own, so everybody’s kids could be mine,” Parton said in her 2018 cover interview with PEOPLE. “I want to empower children and give them confidence.”
Inside her home, Parton creates a winter wonderland, but she keeps the exterior decor a bit more understated. “Tourists come by to look at the outside of my house, so for their sake, it’s a little less tacky out there, but inside I can make it as tacky as I want!” she joked with Good Housekeeping UK. “I have Christmas trees in every room, everything is covered in lights—and then we add even more lights, and then some more. I change up all the decor—the dishcloths and the curtains.”
Her holiday spirit is also reflected in her fashion choices. “I have Christmas lights in my hair—I have them everywhere,” she revealed. “I wear earrings that light up, a reindeer necklace that lights up, and sweaters with Christmas lights on—you just push a button, and I light up!”
Parton’s love for Christmas attire is well-known. In 2023, she posted on Instagram showcasing her holiday outfits from over the years, captioning it, “I’m always in costume on Christmas.” She also discusses her passion for extravagant fashion in her book Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones. In an interview with The Guardian, Parton revealed that her style was influenced by the “town tramp.”
“She was flamboyant,” the “Jolene” singer recalled. “She wore bright red lipstick, had long red fingernails, and high-heeled shoes with little floating plastic goldfish in the heels. She wore short skirts and low-cut tops, and I just thought she was beautiful.”