Jennifer Nettles Is Back for a 'Country Christmas'

I'm not usually one to sacrifice a night of ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas — it's practically the only thing that gets me through those cold December nights. But when December rolls around this year, I'll have to give up the first night for CMA Country Christmas on ABC, because no one reigns in the Christmas spirit like country music superstar and annual CMA Country Christmas host Jennifer Nettles. The unbelievably talented Sugarland front-woman is returning to ABC at 8 p.m. on Dec. 1 for what will be her fifth year as host of the two-hour Christmas celebration, and it's a tradition you won't want to miss.

When you think Christmas-time television, you probably conjure images of being snuggled up on the couch with some tea and a fire going watching endless Christmas movie marathons. But somewhere in between Elf and Love Actually, we need to leave a little room to remember the Christmas music. Nothing gets me through the winter like blasting the holiday classics and shamelessly jamming out on my way to work. And, yes, people stare — but having my holiday spirit skyrocket is worth the risk of being judged by strangers. CMA Country Christmas gives you the joy of night-time television with the addition of some necessary Christmas tunes, courtesy of country music's biggest stars. But above all else, the two-hour event holds your attention because Jennifer Nettles makes the concert the greatest holiday celebration of the year.

SHE'S BASICALLY THE FACE OF COUNTRY MUSIC

Jennifer's impact on the music industry is unmatched. The American country duo Sugarland has been killing it on the charts since its debut in 2004. It wasn't a surprise when the duo's first album went multiplatinum because Jennifer's voice was like nothing we'd ever heard before. Most of the artists who will hit the screen with her Dec. 1 rightfully idolize Jennifer for her talent and her accomplishments, which should be true of any host.

SHE'S GOT THE PERSONALITY TO KEEP YOUR ATTENTION FOR HOURS

Jennifer is one of those rare celebrities who you can tell is genuine even when the cameras turn away. She's witty and professional all at the same time, and makes you want to be her friend for the two hours she's on your screen. Jennifer has described her love for writing music as an opportunity to continue discovering herself, which is an admirable philosophy we should all look up to. When the artists share memories between performances, her's are the ones you'll want to pay attention to.

THE GIRL CAN SING

Country music just wouldn't be the same without Jennifer's voice in its midst. Her tone is one of the most recognizable in the industry and has become somewhat iconic. Even if you're not the biggest country fan, you'd probably know Sugarland's sound anywhere because of Jennifer's vocals. Nothing can be better than an iconic host who can also throw in astonishing performances here and there throughout the show. My guess is you'll be hearing her voice more than almost any other artist's, and it won't just be her speaking voice.

Image: Craig Sjodin/ABC