Christina Milian celebrates the holidays with flavor and flare

As the holiday season approaches, Christina Milian shares her best tips and tricks.

When it comes to the holidays, Christina Milian is considered one of the “queens of Christmas.” The multi-faceted entertainer has traveled the world, but family and the holidays are always a priority. Looking ahead to the season, Milian shares a few of her favorite holiday memories, tips and a little festive advice along the way.

While it has been said many times, this holiday season will adapt to the times. According to Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book, 86% of Americans will be driving to see loved ones over the holidays. Whether traveling near or far, those holiday traditions and memories are an integral part of the merriment of the season.

Currently, Milian is filming Mauritius. While the Alicia Keys produced Netflix film will come out in the future, Milian took some time to share her holiday traditions, favorite holiday foods and a few fun ideas to keep the season full of fun.

Since many families look to traditional dishes to be served on the holiday table, Milian has a few traditions of her own. For her holiday celebrations, Milian said that she “Yes, traditionally I love to make turkey with stuffing, we have at least two versions, my version has raisins and ground beef along with carrots, celery and chopped up green pepper inside of the turkey. Of course, we all have different palettes, some of us don’t like raisins, so my mom makes good old Stove Top stuffing and puts that in the turkey and I just can’t get over how good that is! Years and years later, I still make it, and some people might make fun of it, but I can’t get enough of it. It always makes me happy every time I taste it – I can taste it now just thinking about it!”

Even though certain foods need to be on the table for Milian, she mentions that the whole family helps with the celebration. Milian said, “2-3 weeks in advance we decide who’s house it will be at and who is making what – each person makes about 2 things each, and we usually come with 4 things each. We make plans of who’s making what and where we’re gonna bring the food to – but bring it cooked, I don’t want it cooked in my house and have a big mess!”

Just like many families, Milian is looking to adapt this year’s celebrations. She mentioned, “We’re going to cook a less food and even if we make too much, it’ll get eaten. Our adaption will be one house will get brunch, one will get Christmas Dinner, or Christmas Eve., etc. We’ll cycle in where we go for what time and how many people we have over at once. It’s possible because we all still have our own stuff in our own houses – we’re going to wing it.”

While it sounds like Milian is going to have a huge feast for the holidays, everyone tends to have a preferred indulgence. When it comes to savory or sweet, she has a clear preference.

Milian said, “Savory all day! I’m always savory, always. Turkey with gravy and collared greens and mac and cheese – something sweet on the side too like sweet potatoes or plantains.”

Even though there are some holiday traditions, sometimes the celebrations are a reason to bring back experiences and memories from travels. For Milian, she is always looking to bring back a piece of her travel experiences.

Milian mentioned that “I actually just bought a cookbook of a local chef today from a restaurant we went to featuring his recipes. The chef is Austrian but has been living in Mauritius for a long time – his food was amazing, and I can’t wait to read it. I will bring back recipes with me and a lot of local seasonings as well.”

As some people take to the road this holiday season, many people are looking to make the whole process easier. Even though the road trip has made a comeback, there are a few comforts that can make the time in the car more enjoyable.

Milian said, “I love a good road trip – and people should join in on the giveaway that Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book are doing to win an “ugly” sweater themed mask and steering wheel cover, you can enter at HolidayinDrive.com. They light up – literally- and bring a lot of cheer this holiday year. most people will be doing road trips this year instead of flights and will be driving to look at Christmas lights or driving to go camping or have smaller family gatherings. It’s important to keep the spirit alive and open up our minds to new ways to celebrate this year. People should check Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book ahead of their road trip to check out their offerings for how to service your car or get a virtual tour of a new car if you’re in the market for that, and making it safer during the pandemic. You don’t have to question as much of “how am I going to do this?” – you’re capable of doing it all online through Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book.”

This holiday season take a moment to celebrate. From travel to the holiday table, those holiday memories will be cherished for a long time.

How are you celebrating the holidays this year?