The clamouring starts early in October. “Dad,” Leo, Betty & Billy, will plead. “Can we play Mariah?”
“No”, comes the stern answer, “Not until December 1”.
“Dad,” the trio try once more, “can we watch a Christmas movie?”.
“No,” David Campbell responds to his hopeful brood, “No Home Alone until December 1.”
As it turns out, the only people more excited about Christmas than the man who released his own Yuletide album back in 2018 are his offspring.
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“They are all really into it [Christmas] and now we’re coming around to Carols again!”
(Image: Alana Lansberry / Are Media)“It’s an indelible part of my household,” he laughs. “They are all really into it and now we’re coming around to Carols again!”
Having been a part of Carols by Candlelight for close to a decade, David was delighted when he was chosen to co-host the annual Christmas Eve special for Nine.
And while Today’s Ally Langdon may be joining him on stage, he’ll have a little extra help on the night as well.
“Leo likes to work backstage,” David says of what has become a holiday tradition.
“The last few years he’s been backstage with me working on the desk, producing. He walks around with a clipboard, bringing people to their rehearsal, he’s very proud of himself.”
This year Billy and Betty, both 6, will join their 11-year-old brother.
“Keeping Betty off the microphone will be difficult and she’ll probably want to walk onstage,” David smiles.
“Billy won’t want to do that but none of them want to miss out on a second of the Carols.”
But while the night of singing and dancing may be exciting it’s the following morning which will hold the most resonance for David and his wife Lisa.
“That moment where the kids come in and can see Santa’s been is still really exciting,” he says.
“We love the big family get togethers but the kids sitting on our bed with their presents is what I’m looking forward to most.
“You know, it’s a short time we have doing this with them. It’s precious.”
Also precious is the chance to reconnect with the extended family on the day after a lengthy time apart.
“We’re all trying to get together because last year not everyone was around – so this year we’ll try,” David says of getting together with his dad Jimmy Barnes, wife Jane and his brothers, sisters and their own offspring.
“Emotionally, it’s really going to help to see each other. Like everyone around the country we’ve not done anything except for FaceTime so it’s going to be great to be together celebrating.
Vision Australia Carols by Candlelight airs December 24 at 8pm on Nine.
You can read this story and many others in our Christmas Issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly – on sale now.
