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Home • News

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
By Essence · Updated October 28, 2020
01
The Obamas Get Their Christmas Tree

Call us sentimental but we know it’s time to get merry when Mrs. Obama and her daughters pick out their Christmas tree for the year.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
02
The NBA is Back!

Can you imagine Christmas without a basketball game on TV? Neither can we. Thank goodness the NBA is back in action. The season will reportedly kick off on Christmas day.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
03
Jennifer Hudson Performs for the Holidays

J-Hud brings her soulful sounds to the capital to perform in the “Christmas in Washington” special, which airs December 16th at 8pm on TNT.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
04
Mariah Carey Sings on ‘The Biebs’ Christmas Album

We love a good Mariah Carey album during the holidays. Sadly, while she’s not releasing her own album this season, she can be heard on Justin Bieber’s rendition of “All I Want for Christmas” off his “Mistletoe” album.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
05
Beyonce: Live at Roseland DVD

Queen Bee continues to amaze with the holiday release of her “Beyonce: Live at Roseland” DVD (out Nov. 25th).

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
06
Halle Berry Stars in ‘New Years Eve’

One thing we love is a good movie during the holidays. After a short break Halle Berry is back on the screen to star in “New Years Eve,” in theaters December 9th.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
07
Cee-Lo

The Soul Train Music Award winner joins Jennifer Hudson in the “Christmas in Washington” special, which airs December 16th at 8pm on TNT.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
08
Lloyd

The R&B heartthrob is getting festive this season by releasing two new songs for the holidays. We’re currently jamming to “She’s All I Want for Christmas,” available on iTunes.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
09
Chrisette Michele Peforms for the Holidays

Chrisette is performing not one but two special holiday concerts in New York City. First up is the 98.7 KISS Fm Holiday Concert on December 23rd, and then in the “Very Special Christmas Evening” concert on Christmas at the Highline Ballroom in NYC.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
10
Ludacris Stars in ‘New Years Eve’

Luda stars alongside Halle Berry and an A-list ensemble cast in “New Years Eve” (in theaters December 9th).

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
11
Alicia Keys Makes Her Broadway Debut

What better way to kick off the season than a trip to Broadway? Alicia makes her Broadway debut by producing African-American playwright Lydia R. Diamond’s ”Stick Fly,” which opens December 8th.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
12
“The Help” Comes to DVD

Love it or not, “The Help” had everyone talking this summer. The DVD is out December 6th. To top it off there’s lot of Oscar buzz about Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer’s performances.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
13
Celebs Give Back

From The Obamas to Ludacris and Ciara; this Thanksgiving celebrities gave back time and food. We bet they’ll keep it up for the rest of the season.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
14
‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’

Guilty pleasure alert! We’ll be looking forward more laughs and drama from the ladies of “Real Housewives of Atlanta” as the season gets cooking.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
15
Digable Planets Reunites

Can you say blast from the past? One of our favorite hip hop groups from the 90s is reuniting for two special shows in NYC (Dec. 20th) and Los Angeles (Feb. 3rd, 2011).

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
16
‘Pariah’ Opens in Theaters

This indie coming-of-age film about a lesbian has been garnering lots of buzz, thanks to the stellar debut of director Dee Rees. It finally gets its big-screen debut on December 28th.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
17
Common Releases ‘The Dreamer’

We haven’t been this excited about a hip hop album in a long time. Common’s ‘The Dreamer’ (out Dec. 20th) is the perfect stocking stuffer for the music lover in your life.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
18
Tree Lighting at Rockefeller

This year Cee-Lo Green joins Justin Bieber and Carole King for the annual “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” special airing November 30th.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
19
Robin Thicke Returns with ‘Love After War.’

Our favorite blue-eyed soul male singer returns with “Love After War,” out December 6th.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
20
Aisha Dee Stars in ‘I Hate My Teenaged Daughter’

We’re excited about newcomer Aisha Dee’s debut on Fox’s “I Hate My Teenage Daughter,” premiering November 30th at 9:30pm.

20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
21
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20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
22
Jennifer Hudson Performs in DC
20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
23
Mariah Carey Sings on ‘The Biebs’ Christmas Albums
20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
24
Gift-Giving
20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
25
Mistletoe!
20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
26
Good Finds
20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season
27
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20 Reasons to Love This Holiday Season