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[manager narrating] All around the world, holidays are a time for celebration.
From feasts to festivals,
ceremonies and spectacles,
Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX
parades to parties,
it's always about community and tradition.
In Los Angeles, for a cappella group Pentatonix--
yep, these folks--
their favorite tradition is making Christmas music for their fans,
year, after year, after year.
But, this year, they might have played it a bit too cool.
The holidays were on the way. They were running out of time.
They were gonna need a miracle or at least a little holiday magic.
[Mitch] Right.
[Kirstin clears throat, trills]
Let's try this thing. Check, check, check.
Do y'all just wanna run it once to kind of get the vibe?
-Should we get started? -Should we try it once?
-Yeah. Try it. -Let's do it.
I'm down.
A one, a two, a one, two, three, four…
♪ Candles burnin' low ♪
[beatboxing]
♪ Lots of mistletoe ♪
♪ Lots of snow and ice ♪
-♪ Everywhere we go ♪ -♪ Everywhere you go ♪
-♪ Choirs singin' carols ♪ -♪ Ooh ♪
-♪ Right outside my door ♪ -♪ Right outside my door ♪
[Scott] ♪ All these things and more ♪
♪ All these things and more ♪
♪ That's what Christmas means to me My love ♪
We still got it.
-Yeah. We sound good. -Come on now.
-But we need new music. -Yeah, we do.
It's been almost a whole year since we've put out a Christmas album.
-Yeah. -So this one's gotta be good.
[sighs]
Done it. Done it. Done it.
We might be in trouble.
We've done every Christmas song that exists.
Done it. Done it, done it, done it.
-[groans] -[piano clangs]
Guys, I have an idea.
Don't say "guitar."
What if we use guitars?
-Oh, my God. -Like on Evergreen?
-Yeah, but how about an electric guitar? -[guitar riff plays]
Matt, we've been over this.
-[sighs] But guitars are so cool. -We're voices only, okay?
Yeah, Mom. You really should get that checked out.
Yeah, that's not a natural color.
Okay, I gotta go. I gotta go. I'm at work.
-I'm sorry. Who are you? -I think you have the wrong--
Guys, I'm me-- I'm your manager to the rescue.
[Scott] He's not our manager.
Yeah, well, manager by default because Janet's on vacay posting great pics.
-[Matt] How does he know Janet? -Typical Janet.
You guys look really nervous.
-Is that what I'm sensing here? -Um…
You know what? I don't blame you. Really, I don't blame you.
The label is demanding this global release,
so you need to make sure
that this music appeals to every single person on the planet.
Okay, speaking of which, they're asking where the music is,
so I'm just gonna text them a real quick update.
-Well, I probably wouldn't-- -Don't tell them anything.
They have nothing.
-[Pentatonix grumbles] -Literally nothing.
Okay, you guys, look sad. Look sad. Look sad.
-Wait. -Okay. Send!
-Don't you send that-- -Yay.
-[groans] -Oh, wow. That was fast.
-[phone chiming] -Oh.
[chuckling] They're really freaking out. Oh, my gosh!
-Hold on there, Mr. Manager. Hold on. -[Matt, Kevin groan]
I think we have this under control. We just need a second to think, okay?
Good idea. Good idea.
Let's take a-- take a minute and regroup.
[chuckling] Because I am realizing I never booked an engineer.
[sighs]
And these mikes aren't really connected to anything, so…
Yeah, I was wondering about that.
-[manager] Sorry. Um… -Yeah.
Okay! You know what? Uh… Oh!
Break room. Right.
Uh, why don't we all take five? Take five and get in the break room.
-[Kirstin] Yeah. -I think I like that.
-Let's go to the break room. -Yeah. I'm gonna watch this video
about recording, mastering, and mixing… [imitates record scratch] …an album, okay?
-Okay. All right. -[Matt] What's he talking about?
-He's deejaying. -[Mitch] Good luck.
-[Kirstin] All right. -[manager] Yes, thank you. I got this!
-[Scott] Okay. -Manager's here!
-[Matt] Oh! [gasps] -[Mitch gasps]
[whispering] Oh, my God.
[Mitch gasps]
[Kevin] What? [stammers] Are we all seeing this?
This is insane.
What is this place?
[Scott] Why would a studio have such a huge mail room?
Something about this doesn't feel believable.
You know what's unbelievable?
That Mitch matches this room.
Oh! Well, thank you. [chuckles] I call it "Candy Cane Chic."
[chuckles]
Y'all, the door. It's gone.
[Mitch] Uh-oh. That's not good.
Um. Don't worry! Uh…
Don't worry! I-- I got this.
I got it all memorized. I got the code right here.
It's the notes to my favorite song. Just gotta remember which favorite.
-Please tell me we're not stuck in here. -Okay, we're not stuck in here.
But we are.
-♪ I'm a Barbie-- ♪ -[keypad beeps]
Oh, no. Not that one. [chuckles]
And there is no service.
What are we even supposed to do in here?
I guess we could read all these letters?
That's a federal offense.
But they're all addressed to us.
[Kevin] Wow. [stammers]
These letters are from all over the world.
We got Australia. We got France.
This one's from Arendelle.
How has it not melted yet?
Huh!
Iowa. I've never gotten a letter from Iowa before.
There's a ton of fan mail.
And this one's from Scott's mom.
And this one. And this one.
-She's a fan. -[Kevin] Hold on.
I don't wanna panic,
but we still have an album to do, and I'm starting to freak out just a little.
Kevin, that's panicking.
-♪ Mary had a-- ♪ -[keypad beeping]
[screams]
[sighs]
[chuckling] Honestly? Of course the mail in here can fly.
This one's from Japan.
Aw.
"Dear Pentatonix.
I wanna send you a huge Christmas greeting and wish you a happy New Year."
[Masahiro] My name is Masahiro.
And I am from Tokyo.
A few years ago, a teacher of mine played your music for me.
It inspired me to chase my dream to become a singer.
♪ To sing ♪
That's why, next year, I'll be going to music school overseas.
I have to be honest.
I'm nervous to leave Tokyo.
But I know that, wherever I go, I always take memories of my home with me,
and, especially, the memories at Christmastime,
from the Tokyo Skytree to seeing all the decorations around Tokyo Station.
Of course, some of my favorite memories are of my family.
[family speaking Japanese]
[Masahiro, in English] We always make the time for the best Christmas dinner.
-[all speaking Japanese] -[Masahiro, in English] Here in Japan,
we eat lots of different food for Christmas.
[in Japanese]
[in English] Chicken, macaroni salad.
[in Japanese]
[Masahiro's parent]
[Masahiro, in English] My mom is always surprising us.
[in Japanese]
[in English] I don't know about you,
but I think Christmas is the perfect time of year for making memories.
I'm going to make sure I enjoy every moment this year.
Christmas is also Yuya's birthday.
We've been friends since we were born.
[both speaking Japanese]
[Masahiro, in English] This year, we are both heading off
to chase our dreams.
Yuya is studying to become a monk.
[in Japanese]
[Masahiro, in English] They call it "going to the mountain."
So, I won't be seeing him for a few years.
I hope he doesn't forget me.
Thank you, Pentatonix, for inspiring me to chase my dreams.
I know that this is the beginning of an adventure,
and I'm so glad to know my friends and family will be rooting for me.
I take a piece of my home with me wherever I go.
I hope you also have beautiful memories that you carry with you.
Masahiro.
♪ Last Christmas, I gave you my heart ♪
♪ But the very next day You gave it away ♪
-♪ This year, to save me from tears ♪ -[Pentatonix harmonizing]
♪ I'll give it to someone special ♪
-♪ Last Christmas, I gave you my heart ♪ -[harmonizing continues]
♪ But the very next day You gave it away ♪
[Pentatonix] ♪ Oh, you gave it away ♪
-♪ This year, to save me from tears ♪ -[Pentatonix harmonizing]
♪ I'll give it to someone special ♪
-[Matt vocalizing] -[Kevin beatboxing]
[Kirstin, Mitch] ♪ La da da da da da da da ♪
[Kirstin, Mitch] ♪ La da da da da ♪
[vocalizes]
-♪ Once bitten and twice shy ♪ -[Kirstin, Mitch] ♪ Twice shy ♪
♪ I keep my distance But you still catch my eye ♪
♪ Tell me, baby, do you recognize me? ♪
♪ Well, it's been a year That doesn't surprise me, yeah ♪
♪ Merry Christmas I wrapped it up and sent it ♪
♪ With a note saying, "I love you" I meant it ♪
♪ Now I know what a fool I've been ♪
♪ But if you kissed me now I bet you'd fool me again ♪
♪ Last Christmas, I gave you my heart ♪
♪ But the very next day You gave it away ♪
♪ This year, to save me from tears ♪
♪ I'll give it to someone special ♪
♪ Last Christmas, I gave you my heart ♪
♪ But the very next day You gave it away ♪
♪ This year, to save me from tears ♪
♪ I'll give it to someone Give it to someone special ♪
"I hope you also have beautiful memories that you carry with you.
Masahiro."
That really is so beautiful, and he's so right too.
Christmas is all about memories.
And so, I think that if we enjoy every moment of making this album,
then we're gonna make music that brings people joy and lasts forever.
It's such a beautiful thing,
and I'm so happy for Masahiro that he's chasing his dreams.
Maybe we'll tour together one day.
-Yeah. -Maybe, yeah.
-We have to go back to Japan. -Yes.
[Matt] Oh!
This one's from Italy.
Let's see what it says.
"Dear Pentatonix.
Did you know that in Italy there are bagpipe-playing shepherds?"
Well, did you know, in Ethiopia,
they actually celebrate Christmas on January 7th?
This one's fun. When Santa gets to Australia,
he gives his reindeer a break and uses kangaroos instead.
-[Kirstin] Cute. -[Kevin] That's so funny.
-Apropos. -[Scott] I know.
I love that.
As much as I love fan mail, I've got to get out of this room.
Yes.
[grunting]
Can anyone hear me? Anybody?
Okay, no, no, no. It's fine. It's fine. I got this.
I'm gonna make a few calls.
I'm gonna get you guys out in a jiffy, okay?
All right. All right.
-I just need to calm down. -[Kirstin] Yeah, yeah.
-We're good. -[Kirstin] Just sit down. It's okay.
I mean, hey, it was worth a shot. [chuckles]
Whoa. Wait!
-[chuckling] -[Kevin] What in the world?
Oh, wait. This--
This one is from Grenada.
That's crazy. That's where my mom's from.
[chuckling]
[Kevin] "Happy holidays, Pentatonix.
I hope you're enjoying this wonderful time of the year.
I'm writing to you from the beautiful island of Grenada."
[Sabrina] Grenada.
Grenada is a very small island in the Caribbean, and I love it very, very much.
I know you're working on a new holiday album,
and I'm wondering if you plan to dedicate it to anyone special.
I am Sabrina.
I lost my grandmother a few years ago,
and I always miss her during this time of year
because the holidays are the time that connects us to our family and friends.
-Morning, Emma. -Good morning.
[Emma]
You have coconuts?
-Absolutely. -Nice.
This is for you.
-[Sabrina] Thanks, Emma. -[Emma] All right.
Y'all remember the first cook-off you ever had?
-Of course not. -[laughs]
The first one I remember is with my grandmother.
Yeah.
And I wanna do this cook-off because it's the holidays.
And her spirit is always very present around this time.
So, all y'all coming?
Of course. [chuckles]
[Sabrina] Many Grenadians live all around the world.
Our island is the thing that keeps us connected to each other.
The nature, the people and, of course, the food.
Hey, y'all!
-[guest 1] Yeah. -[guest 2] Merry Christmas.
[Sabrina] Every year at Christmas, my family and I head down to the river,
and we put our big pot down.
-We have fun. -[laughing]
My grandmother was a great cook.
We make Oil Down from one of her old recipes.
-[guest 1] Merry Christmas. -[guest 2] Yeah.
I feel like this is the perfect way to celebrate a Grenadian Christmas.
[Sabrina] It's packed with breadfruit, dumplings, calalu, coconut milk.
The colors represent the Grenadian flag.
No one will ever cook as well as my grandmother did,
-but it's still delicious. -[chattering, cheering]
[Sabrina] ♪ Let's have a drink Let's have a drink ♪
♪ Let's have a drink Let's have a drink ♪
♪ And have fun ♪
♪ Glory hallelujah Glory hallelujah ♪
[Sabrina] I feel so lucky that my grandmother passed on these traditions
and her love for Grenada to me.
[singers] ♪ Let's join together ♪
[cheering]
-[singer 1] All right. -[singer 2] Yes!
[clapping rhythmically]
[people singing Grenadian song]
[Sabrina] There is nothing that brings the community together
more than paranging in the streets.
It's our version of Christmas caroling.
You get on the back of a truck and start making noise.
It's a party.
[singing continues]
[song ends]
[Sabrina] Merry Christmas from Grenada.
Love, Sabrina.
♪ Joy to the world The Lord is come ♪
♪ Let Earth receive the king ♪
♪ Let every heart Prepare him room ♪
♪ And heaven and nature sing ♪
♪ And heaven And heaven ♪
♪ And nature sing ♪
[Pentatonix] ♪ Joy to the world ♪
♪ Joy to the world ♪
♪ Joy to the world The savior reigns ♪
♪ Let men their songs employ ♪
♪ While fields and floods ♪
♪ Rocks, hills and plains ♪
-♪ Repeat the sounding joy ♪ -♪ Repeat the sounding joy ♪
-♪ Repeat, repeat the sounding joy ♪ -♪ Repeat the sounding joy ♪
♪ Come on ♪
♪ Joy to the world And we sing ♪
♪ Let the Earth receive her king ♪
♪ Joy to the world And we sing ♪
-♪ Let the angel voices ring ♪ -♪ Oh, no, no ♪
♪ Joy to the world And we sing ♪
-♪ Let the men their songs employ ♪ -♪ Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Joy to the world And we sing ♪
-♪ Repeat the sounding joy ♪ -♪ Repeat the sounding joy ♪
[harmonizing]
♪ He rules the world ♪
♪ With truth and grace ♪
-♪ And makes the nations prove ♪ -♪ Oh, yeah, oh, yeah ♪
♪ And makes the nations prove ♪
♪ The glories of his righteousness ♪
♪ And wonders of his love ♪
-♪ And wonders of his love ♪ -♪ Wonders of his love ♪
-♪ And wonders, wonders of his love ♪ -♪ Wonders of his love ♪
♪ And wonders Wonders of his love ♪
♪ Joy to the world And we sing ♪
♪ Let the Earth receive her king ♪
♪ Joy to the world And we sing ♪
♪ Let the angel voices ring ♪
"PS, just in case you're looking for someone to dedicate your album to,
maybe you should dedicate it to my grandmother.
Merry Christmas from Grenada."
[Scott] Aw, we should.
Maybe we should dedicate it to her grandmother.
Gosh, that-- That letter brought back so many memories.
You guys remember when you were at my wedding.
We had sorrel. We had black cake.
My mom wanted to represent that Grenadian culture.
And I remember… [chuckles] …growing up, on Sunday mornings,
my mom would make this huge Grenadian breakfast
with spiced hot chocolate, with salt fish, with johnny bake.
'Cause she really wanted her food to bring us all together.
So did you have a bunch of those cook-outs like Sabrina did on the island
when you were growing up? Or…
No, 'cause you literally need a full week to prepare for those.
-Yeah, and it's just mama in the kitchen. -[Kevin] Yeah, exactly.
And we didn't have any Caribbean people around us in Kentucky.
But my mom still keeps in touch with a lot of people from Grenada.
-Nice. That's awesome. -[Mitch] Oh, cool.
Wow, yeah. Sabrina and her grandparents…
You know, it makes me think of my great-grandmother and my grandmother.
They would come over on Christmas Eve, and they would cook dinner for us.
And so they would make Christmas-Day dinner all through the night,
-and it would literally rock us to sleep. -[Kevin, Scott] Aw.
The smell and the aura of the mac and cheese--
-It was so good. All the things. -[Kirstin] Yum.
I'm coming over. That's crazy.
Yeah, I know. You need to have some for real.
But those traditions are so important, and, you know, for…
[stammers] Mitch?
Mitch.
Mitch! [stammers]
Are you good? What's going on?
Oh, I'm just not getting any signal still at all, no bars.
The walls made of lead in here?
-Oh! [chuckles] -Whoa.
Is that snow?
There's something in there.
[gasps] Guys, this letter is from Iceland.
-Oh! I love Iceland. -[Kirstin gasps]
It's the most beautiful place I've ever been.
[Eva] Dear Pentatonix. My name is Eva. I live in Iceland.
I'm sure it's the same where you are,
but here, Christmas is a very magical time of year.
It's the time of year when anything is possible.
It's only light for a few hours a day here.
Maybe that's why we have so many stories
about the magical creatures that sneak about in the dark.
On the nights leading up to Christmas, the Yule Lads come down from the mountains.
If we put a shoe by the window,
they will secretly appear and leave a gift if we've been good.
But if we have been bad, they'll leave rotten potatoes.
The Yule Lads are often troublemakers.
They lick pots, steal sausages, slam doors, sniff around for food.
Strange things happen all over your house because of the magic of the Yule Lads.
Our parents tell us that if we don't behave,
we could get eaten by the Yule Lads' mother, Grýla.
She's a magical troll who lives in a mountain.
And if you think that's bad, Grýla's cat is even scarier.
He'll eat kids who don't get any new clothes for Christmas.
[Eva's parent singing, in Icelandic]
[all singing]
[Eva, in English] My parents, they're musicians and music teachers.
[both continue singing in Icelandic]
[Eva, in English] I play the violin, the piano.
I sing in a choir.
My brother, he's nine years old. His name is Leo.
And he sings really well.
He wants to be a rapper.
It's really fun having such a musical family.
[Eva's parent] Eva, you're up to something good.
[Eva] All the stories about magical creatures are fun.
But what I love at Christmastime is the magic that brings light and joy.
It's always practically dark at winter.
Almost everybody puts up Christmas lights, and the whole town is so beautiful.
Remember to follow the lights.
[in Icelandic]
[Eva, in English] Everyone is laughing and smiling,
and the world feels like such a happy place.
Singing, it's a really big part of my life.
When I go to the forest to sing with my friends,
it really makes me feel really happy.
-Hi. -[choir] Hi. Merry Christmas.
I really hope it snows for Christmas.
-Yeah. -Yeah.
[Eva] If I had to choose what I love most about the magic of Christmas,
there's nothing more magical than what happens when people sing,
especially when they sing together, just like you do.
♪ Silent night ♪
Thank you for sharing your music and your magic with the world.
♪ Holy night ♪
♪ All is calm… ♪
It might be dark in Iceland,
but the light comes from all of us being together and singing.
-♪ All is bright ♪ -[choir harmonizes]
♪ Round yon virgin Mother and child ♪
[in Icelandic]
♪ Holy infant ♪
♪ So tender and mild ♪
-♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪ -[choir] ♪ Peace ♪
-[Eva] ♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪ -[choir] ♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪
[Pentatonix] ♪ Silent night ♪
♪ Holy night ♪
♪ All is calm ♪
♪ All is bright ♪
♪ Round yon virgin ♪
♪ Mother and child ♪
♪ Holy infant ♪
♪ So tender and mild ♪
♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪
♪ Sleep ♪
-♪ Sleep ♪ -♪ Sleep ♪
♪ Sleep ♪
-♪ Sleep in heavenly ♪ -♪ Sleep ♪
-♪ Sleep ♪
♪ Sleep ♪
♪ Sleep in heavenly ♪
-♪ Sleep ♪ -♪ Sleep ♪
♪ Sleep in heavenly ♪
♪ Silent night ♪
♪ Holy night ♪
♪ Silent night ♪
♪ Holy night ♪
♪ Silent night ♪
♪ Holy night ♪
I love when Eva was talking about the power of singing together.
I mean, do you guys remember the first time we actually sang together?
-[Scott] Oh, my gosh. Yes. -Yes.
[Scott] That was the craziest feeling in the world.
I remember it like it was yesterday.
We were at my old a cappella group's house.
Right! Yeah.
You were staying with us, and we all had just met,
and we sang for the first time.
Yeah, and I think, like, the magic of that instant connection was so beautiful,
but it's gotten even more magical over the years
as we've all gotten to know each other,
watched each other grow up for the last ten years so much.
Just feels so much more meaningful and special.
-I agree with you. -I love that.
I think Eva's right.
It is magical when we get to sing together.
And we get to do it all the time.
Did you hear what you just said?
It's magical when we sing together.
That's how we get out!
[Pentatonix harmonizes]
♪ Mary had a little-- ♪
Oops. No.
♪ Mary had a li-- ♪
[clears throat]
[Matt sighs] I thought that would work.
It's sad.
And we sounded so good too.
We did.
[beatboxing]
[camera shutter clicks]
[Matt whoops]
[camera shutter clicks]
Hey, look. Airmail.
[Matt grunts, chuckles]
Is it another letter from Scott's mom?
My mom loves PTX, okay?
All right. Go on.
"Dear Pentatonix.
Happy holidays to all of you.
I am writing to you from Ghana in western Africa."
[Kwame] My name is Kwame, and I'm 13 years old.
And, like you, I love music.
It's a way for me to connect with the traditions and culture
that make me who I am.
And I love the holiday season because where I live,
music is everywhere this time of year.
Everything is just really festive around this time.
-Oh, hello. What are you guys making? -Hey.
-Salad. -Help your daddy.
[Kwame] Food is also one of the most important things
about holidays in our country.
[Kwame's mother] Make kelewele. This is very, very Ghanaian.
Hey, hey, hey. Not yet.
Thank you for this food.
Those who don't have food, let them get food and be nourished.
Ghana jollof. Cheers.
Cheers.
Except the fact I don't have jollof.
[Kwame's mother laughs]
I think I want to go to the market today.
Like, walk through and then, eventually, get to the beach.
[Kwame's father] You are going to wear the ahenema with the kente?
Are you sure you have the arms for it?
I probably don't, but it will be a fun experience.
We will see.
[family chuckles]
Okay. You guys go get dressed.
[Kwame's father] Okay, let's go.
[Kwame] The kente, it's really colorful cloth.
It's from our home region.
It's called Ashanti Region.
When you wear it, you feel really regal.
It's the dress of kings and queens.
-[people chattering] -[horns honking]
-Hello, hello, hello. -[patron] Chief.
[speaking Pidgin Twi]
[Kwame] My father is a rapper, and he's my inspiration.
-Thank you. -You're welcome.
Yeah, that's it. [chuckles]
[Kwame] He's taught me the beauty of making modern music
that reflects our history and our modern culture.
[Kwame, father speaking Twi]
[Kwame, in English] And he's taught me, in Ghana,
festivals are a way for people to express themselves.
[Kwame, merchant speaking Twi]
[Kwame, in English] This is the time of year that I love the most.
It's when I feel everything that's important coming together.
Where I come from, but also who I am now.
I love how music changes over time.
But I love how our music here in Ghana draws from our traditions.
[Ghanaian singers singing, in Ewe]
[Kwame's father, in English] This is the festive season,
and let me show you our heritage.
Dad, let's go.
[singing in Ewe continues]
[Kwame, in English] Wherever you go, people from many generations
come together to celebrate, and they all love music.
My dad says it was the same when he was young.
It's something he passed down to me, and I will carry this on in my life.
[singing in Ewe continues]
[Kwame, in English] This is the time of who I am.
I hope one day I can share all of this with the next generation.
[Ghanaian singers cheering]
♪ And it's the most wonderful time Of the year ♪
♪ With the kids jingle belling ♪
♪ And everyone telling you "Be of good cheer" ♪
♪ It's the most wonderful time Of the year ♪
[Kirstin, Mitch, Scott harmonizing]
♪ It's the hap-happiest season of all ♪
[beatboxing]
♪ With those holiday greetings ♪
♪ And gay happy meetings ♪
♪ When friends come to call ♪
♪ It's the hap-happiest season of all ♪
♪ Season of all ♪
♪ There'll be parties for hosting ♪
♪ Marshmallows for toasting ♪
♪ And caroling out in the snow ♪
♪ There'll be scary ghost stories ♪
♪ And tales of the glories ♪
♪ Of Christmases long, long ago ♪
♪ It's the most wonderful time Of the year ♪
♪ There'll be much mistletoeing ♪
♪ And hearts will be glowing ♪
♪ When loved ones are near ♪
♪ Yeah, it's the most wonderful time ♪
-♪ Of the year ♪ -♪ Whoa oh ♪
The most wonderful time of the year ♪
-♪ Whoa oh ♪ -♪ Yeah ♪
♪ The most wonderful time of the year ♪
♪ Whoa oh The most wonderful time of the year ♪
♪ Listen ♪
♪ It's the most wonderful time Of the year ♪
♪ The kids jingle belling ♪
♪ And everyone telling you "Be of good cheer" ♪
♪ It's the most wonderful time ♪
♪ Yes, the most wonderful time ♪
♪ Oh, the most wonderful time ♪
-♪ Of the year ♪ -♪ Whoa oh ♪
♪ The most wonderful time of the year ♪
You know, he's right.
That's exactly what I love about Christmas songs.
You know, you can pass 'em down from generation to generation,
but you can, like, update them and make them your own.
I know we all grew up with music,
but where did you all first fall in love with it?
I was always watching TV and listening to songs with my mom
and being like, "I wanna do that."
So finally, when I was eight years old, she signed me up for voice lessons.
And that was also when I was in my first musical theater production.
And that's where I feel like I really, really fell in love with music.
And I feel like that's something that I'm able to then now pass down as well.
I love that so much.
I remember I was about eight years old, too, and I really wanted to sing.
I was singing all the time, so my mom signed me up for a country music revue.
-Oh, cool. -Cute.
And so, I dressed the part.
-I put on a big belt buckle, a cowboy hat… -Oh, wow. Wow.
…and I sang a George Strait classic called "Ace in The Hole."
[laughs]
It was so cool to sing and put smiles on people's faces.
And so, I just fell in love with it and wanted to do it my whole life.
Yeah, same.
I think I was, like, four or five,
and, you guys know, but my dad's a music pastor,
and he plays piano and sings.
So I remember, one day, we were at church,
and he was like, "Let's sing like we do at home."
And then I got a microphone, and I started singing,
and everybody just started going crazy.
-Wow. -[laughs]
I'm picturing four-year-old Matt being like…
-[vocalizes] -[others laughing]
It's so cool to hear those stories
'cause what it makes you realize is that we're not just making an album.
We're passing on our stories and our traditions through music.
-It's so beautiful. -Yeah.
It's really cool knowing how our music has touched
so many different people around the world.
[Scott] Yeah. It is really, really cool.
I'm almost happy we got locked in here.
Hey, girl. What's up?
Yeah, I totes got time. It's just some work thing.
Oh! We should start planning our next holiday party.
Yeah, I'm thinking of going as, like, flirty reindeer.
Mm-hmm.
Okay. Mmm, what about flirty ornaments?
-[chuckles] -Whoa.
-Kirstin, this one's addressed to you. -[Scott] What--
Oh, my gosh. Wow. [chuckles]
-Check this out. -[gasps] Thank you.
[gasps] It's a piñata.
These are really, really special during Christmastime in Mexico.
I wonder what's in here.
[Natalia] Dear Kirstin. My name is Natalia, and I live in Mexico.
If you're wondering why I sent you a piñata,
it's because I heard that you also have family from Mexico.
And I was wondering whether you share my love
for our Mexican heritage and traditions.
[Natalia's parent] Natalia.
[in Spanish]
-[in English] What are we doing? -Some tamales.
-Mmm. -You like it?
Yeah.
And a little bit of salsa.
Always good.
Here in Mexico, the holidays are a special time.
Not just because they are so colorful and vibrant,
but because they're at a time of the year
that reminds me of what a wonderful family I have.
Who else is coming?
My brother.
All right. Eugenia.
And your grandpa too.
Oh, Tito!
Yes. Just Juan Carlos is not coming.
[Natalia] I miss him so much.
Although our whole family gathers on Christmas,
for three years now, my brother has missed our celebration,
because he is studying abroad.
Christmas is the time I miss him the most.
This present needs to be perfect because this one's for my brother.
I wish I could see his face when he opens.
[people chattering]
[in Spanish]
-[merchant] -[Natalia]
[merchant speaking Spanish]
[Natalia, in English] Every year, during the holidays,
we take part in Posadas,
which we celebrate leading up to Christmas Eve.
-Hey! Merry Christmas. -[Natalia] Hi! Welcome!
[Natalia's parent] Hi! Welcome!
-[speaks Spanish] -[in English] It's so good to see you.
-[Natalia's parent, in Spanish] -[Gustavo]
[in English] Wow!
[chuckling]
[Natalia] I have some buñuelos.
We sing our favorite song, "Las Posadas."
Do you know what Posadas is?
No.
Well, Posadas is the representation of Maria and José
when they came to Nazareth to give birth to baby Jesus.
[singing in Spanish]
[Natalia, in English] It's a celebration of love, shelter and family.
Juan Carlos and I love piñatas.
We laugh so much when they blindfolded me and spun me around.
He always let me go first,
which meant he usually didn't even get a chance to try it himself.
Piñatas represent the star of Bethlehem, the guiding light that brings us all home.
[family singing in Spanish]
-[speaking Spanish] -[gasps]
[speaking Spanish, cries]
[Natalia, in English] The piñata guiding my brother home is the best Christmas gift
I could ever hope for.
If your family comes from Mexico,
then I hope the piñata I have sent to you guides you home
to celebrate the holiday with us.
And if you can't get to Mexico,
I hope you will get to spend the holidays with your family and loved ones.
Because being together with family is the true gift of Christmas for me.
[speaking Spanish]
[Natalia singing "Feliz Navidad"]
[in English] ♪ I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas ♪
♪ From the bottom of my heart ♪
-[Kirstin singing in Spanish] -[others harmonizing, beatboxing]
-[continues singing in Spanish] -[others continue harmonizing, beatboxing]
[in English] ♪ I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas ♪
♪ Merry Christmas ♪
-♪ I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas ♪ -♪ I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas ♪
♪ I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas ♪
♪ From the bottom of my heart ♪
-[imitating saxophone solo] -[others harmonizing]
[saxophone imitation ends with flourish]
[singing in Spanish]
[in English] ♪ I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas ♪
♪ From the bottom of my heart ♪
♪ I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas ♪
♪ From the bottom of my heart ♪
♪ Break it down now ♪
[singing in Spanish]
[in English] ♪ Merry Christmas ♪
[singing in Spanish]
-[vocalizes] -[song ends]
[chuckles]
That was so beautiful.
I'm gonna keep this.
I think sometimes we need a little help finding our way home.
You know, spending time with family and traditions are
so important during Christmastime.
And I feel like a huge way
that my family does that is cooking and baking together.
We, unfortunately, lost my pa,
who was a really crucial member to our family.
We were just talking about what we could-- how we could keep his spirit alive,
and I think a lot of that is through the stories that we tell…
-Yeah. -…and the traditions that we continue.
And so whether that's now making tamales in the kitchen with buñuelos
-and having that true family time. -[Scott] Yeah.
And so I think it's really special on Christmas to stick with family.
Especially now that our families are evolving, right?
-So, as you guys know, I got married. -[chuckles]
And so, spending Christmas with Sarah, my wife's family, was just so special
because I got to see how she grew up and how she'd celebrated Christmas.
[Kevin] It is so beautiful hearing that.
I have a daughter, Kaia,
and I'm excited to do the same thing with her,
where she now gets to have her own memories about Christmas.
And my wife, Leigh, and I,
we get to usher her into what is gonna be new family traditions.
We may not be with our actual families right now,
but you are all family to me.
-My chosen family. -[others] Aw.
I feel the same way. I love you guys so much.
I mean, I'm obsessed with reading every single letter.
And I'm realizing all of them have been gifts to us.
They show us what the holidays are actually about.
Oh, yeah. And I like that this one is sparkly.
-Oh, Mitch. You should read it. -[Mitch] Yeah, I guess you're right.
[Matt chuckles]
Oh, it's from DCappella,
an a cappella group that loves the holidays as much as we do.
"Happy holidays, Pentatonix.
We've always felt like music has the power to bring people together,
especially during the holidays.
And that's why we love your holiday albums.
Can't wait to hear more. Love, DCappella."
-Cute. -[Scott] Aw.
They're right.
I mean, look at all these letters from all over the world.
You know, we really get the chance to bring people together.
Yeah, it just shows that we all have so much in common,
no matter where we are in the world.
I mean, look at us. [chuckles]
We all come from different backgrounds and different holiday traditions,
but we can come together and make perfect harmony.
And that's the real magic.
I have a feeling that we're all thinking the same thing.
-It's a small world. -We've got to get out of this room.
I mean, it's a small world.
[all laughing]
-Oh, don't let it happen again. -Silly.
[Mitch] ♪ It's a world of laughter ♪
♪ A world of tears ♪
♪ It's a world of hope And a world of fears ♪
♪ There's so much that we share That it's time we're aware ♪
♪ It's a small world after all ♪
-♪ It's a small world after all ♪ -♪ After all ♪
♪ It's a small world after all ♪
-♪ It's a small, small world ♪ -♪ Small, small world ♪
♪ There is just one moon And one golden sun ♪
♪ And a smile means Friendship to everyone ♪
♪ Though the mountains divide And the oceans are wide ♪
♪ It's a small world after all ♪
♪ It's a small, small world ♪
♪ It's a small world after all ♪
♪ It's a small, small world ♪
♪ It's a small world after all ♪
♪ It's a small, small world ♪
♪ There's so much that we share ♪
♪ That it's time we're aware ♪
♪ It's a small world after all ♪
[splutters] It's a small world! Doy! [chuckles]
I can't believe I missed that. I've ridden that ride a million times.
All right.
♪ It's a small world ♪
[laughs]
-Oh, my gosh! Yay! -[Matt] No way! We are free!
-Let's go. Let's go, guys! -[Kirstin] Yay, let's go!
Ah! [laughs]
Oh. [groans]
-Oh, my God. We're free. -Yay!
We're free.
-Oh, my God. Yes! -We're free.
[all cheering]
Wow.
-Yes! -You're welcome.
I never thought I'd be so happy to see you again.
-I get that a lot. -Oh, yeah.
-Yay, guys. We did it. -Yay.
I'm gonna need you to sign a waiver saying I didn't endanger you.
Cool? Okay! Yay!
-Okay. -Sure. I don't care at this point.
-[Kirstin] Thank you. -[Mitch] Bye.
-No, no, no, it's cool. I'll… -[Mitch] Thanks.
[stammering] I'm just gonna close up shop here. Close it up.
And, uh, yeah, I'll be there in two secs.
Sure, maybe I locked them in.
But I also created the perfect scenario
for one of the best bands in the world to find their holiday magic.
All it took was locking them in a room
with millions of fan letters and minimal oxygen.
And having a great engineer helps too.
And that is how you make the greatest holiday album of all time.
Excuse me. What are you still doing here?
And are you doing an interview with yourself?
[scoffs] No, I'm not. [clears throat]
You're trying to take credit for all of this, aren't you? Unbelievable.
-It's-- -You know what?
Let's just give him this.
If we didn't get locked in that room, we wouldn't have been able to make the album.
So, thanks.
And…
♪ Happy holidays ♪
It's a little pitchy, but it's good.
-[Kevin] Ooh! -[others chuckling]
Is it bad to say I've been eating Oil Down this whole time?
I wanna try some.
[stammers]
Ooh, do you think Olivia Rodrigo has a magic mail room?
Mmm.
'Cause I've written her a lot of letters.
Did anyone get, like, a bunch of paper cuts?
Matt said he wanted a guitar, but I got a cello.
Do those trips count for my frequent flyer miles?
Okay, does no one understand the meaning of the word "a cappella"?
[sighs] This outfit was totally wasted in that mail room.
#CandyCaneChic. It's already trending.
Wow.
[chuckles] My mom texted. "Did you get all my letters?"
[chuckles]
Yeah, all 42 of them.
The letters were cool, but next time just email us.
I'll be right there! I just gotta get something out of the thing.
It's just…
No! [groans]
-[door handle rattles] -Hello? Is anyone out there?