'CMA Country Christmas' Will Spread Holiday Cheer

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. The second best way is to enjoy all the loud singing from the comfort of your couch, courtesy of some of your favorite country stars. To kick off December, ABC will air the fifth annual CMA Country Christmas on Monday, and it’s a tradition that no country music fan will want to miss. This year, the holiday-season celebration features major country artists like Hunter Hayes, Little Big Town, and Carrie Underwood, but there were also special appearances outside the realm of country by artists like Idina Menzel, Steven Tyler and some other interesting surprises. But will you get to hear all of these artists perform live on CMA Country Christmas ? Sort of. While it won't be broadcast live on Dec. 1, you'll be watching a two-hour event that was filmed live in Nashville on Nov. 7. From the looks of it, the holiday concert will be the perfect way to end a year of amazing music.

In case you’re one of those people dreading the snowy weather and endless checkout lines, turn on ABC at 8 p.m. on Monday, because this celebration is guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit. It’s not every day that some of the biggest names in music come together on one stage. Add in a set list jam-packed with Christmas classics and little “Let It Go” action and you’ve got yourself the show of the year.

Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles returns to host her fifth consecutive Country Christmas and it would appear that she did not disappoint. The video above of her duet with the absurdly talented Idina Menzel proves that you don't need to love country to love this musical event. You may think you've heard every possible rendition of Frozen's Grammy-winning song "Let It Go," but you have never heard it like this.

The best part about having a musical host is the sporadic performances throughout that you didn't know would happen. I assumed when I saw Idina's name on the performers list she'd be belting out the Frozen phenomenon (even though it's not exactly country or holiday-themed), but never did I expect it to be with one of country music's biggest superstars. The female duet was poised, powerful, and absolutely perfect.

Jennifer and Idina's powerhouse performance might be one of the biggest highlights of the night, but it certainly won't be the only one. Since Country Christmas' debut in 2010, a variety of popular country artists and a few mainstream artists perform traditional Christmas songs, in addition to some new songs each year — so who knows what we're really in for. Rumors and sneak peeks suggest a killer performance of "Run Run Rudolph" by country heartthrob Brad Paisley and rock n' roll superstar Steven Tyler that I personally cannot wait to see.

Some unbelievably lucky fans got to witness the live event at Bridgestone Arena in November, but the wait is finally over for the rest of us. Usually ABC replays the recording of the celebration several times throughout the month, so be sure to catch it at least once. Your holiday spirit will surely thank you.

Images: Image Group LA/ABC; Giphy