Sunrise cast host Carols in the Domain

Kochie admits he even comes back from holiday to host the very merry night.

“I’m on holidays at the time of Carols and they always ask me, and I always say, ‘Of course! I’ve got to come back for Carols!’ I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he explains. “It’s a bit of magic, the Carols in the Domain. It’s a reminder again to get into the Christmas spirit and put the baggage of the year behind you. My entire family comes. The kids love it, they go backstage, they’re mad for the Wiggles.”

What do you love about Christmas?

NAT: I’ve always loved Christmas. As a little kid I loved Christmas. My parents put a time limit on when we woke up – we weren’t allowed to wake up until 7am. As we’ve had our own kids – when they were little, seeing the look on their faces was thrilling and as they’ve gotten older, our boys are 13 and 17 now, it’s different again. For years and years we’ve gone to Carols in the Domain as a family. It’s about the lead up and time together as a family.

KOCHIE: The Christmas spirit – if only we could bottle it for the other 364 days of the year. Christmas is a time where we all stop, take a breath and realise – this is what’s important in life. And it’s having your loved ones around you.

SAM: I’m such a Virgo. I usually start getting organised in October. I love the prospect of gift wrapping. I love making things look beautiful and coming together as a family.

What do you love about Carols in the Domain?

KOCHIE: What I love about Carols in the Domain is the expression on little kids’ faces. On stage we get to look out at everybody and the kids start off all bright-eyed and excited, Santa arrives and they’re going great. Then they start to fade and fall asleep on Mum and Dad’s lap and then the fireworks start at the end and that shocks them awake to go home.

SAM: It’s special to be able to stand up there on that stage. For me, you get that feeling back to your childhood – that feeling in your stomach – it’s Christmas week. You don’t want to lose that childlike feeling. It’s become tradition for us at Sunrise.

NAT: The backstage vibe, with the choirs and the orchestra, all the dancers and the singers preparing, carols being played backstage – it’s a really exciting vibe that I hadn’t experienced before I was part of Carols.

What’s your least favourite Christmas food?

NAT: I don’t like plum pudding. I won’t eat it! Or fruit mince pies.

SAM: I don’t like plum pudding either or brandy butter. My granny, I’m told, made one of the best brandy butters going around and I’ve never had it because I’m not a sweet tooth.

KOCHIE: There’s no Christmas food I hate. There probably should be … when I hit the scales a couple of days after [laughs].