The idea for this year's show was to do a throwback of the great Christmas specials of the 1960s and 1970s. Andy Williams, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra all had classic Christmas specials where the viewer was invited into the homes of the host to celebrate the holiday like a best friend coming to visit. That was what we wanted to create for this year's show. Instead of a big flashy production, we took a page from those iconic specials to say, 'Come relax, and let's celebrate the holiday together.'" Filmed for the first time without a live audience this past September, "CMA Country Christmas" is a production of the Country Music Association.