Riley Green brought the holiday spirit to CMA Country Christmas. The 37-year-old performed an original song, “Christmas to Me,” which he wrote with Erik Dylan.

Green released “Christmas to Me” one year ago. The song says in part, “And all them in-laws are showing up late / For a five star meal on a paper plate / Sound of barefoot feet running through the house / The football game’s just about to start / About the time mama has a come-apart / ‘Cause sister’s new tattoo she just found out about / There’s a string of lights all tangled around the tree / That’s Christmas to me.”

Green was part of a star-studded show, which also included performances by  Little Big Town, Lady A, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, BeBe Winans, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Susan Tedeschi, and Derek Trucks. CMA Country Christmas is streaming now on Hulu and Disney+.

How Riley Green Celebrates Christmas With His Family

Green spends much of his time on the road, thanks to his success in country music. But when it comes time for the holidays, the Alabama native returns home to be with his loved ones.

“Well, Christmas has always been a big tradition in our family,” Green says. “They all get together and kinda share stories and memories. My favorite family tradition during Christmas is definitely the food, the home-cooked meals back at home. I kind of miss those being on the road a lot.”

Green will likely have just seen most of his family members, since he recently revealed that they also spend Thanksgiving together.

“Thanksgiving is definitely a big family gathering for us,” Green shares. “It’s something I look forward to. My grandmothers were amazing cooks. My grandmother Nancy was chicken and dumplings and dressing, and my grandmother Jean made the best biscuits and gravy, and everybody kind of came together.”

Riley Green’s Success As A Songwriter

Green is having a lot of success, not just as a singer, but also as a songwriter. He has a Top 5 hit right now, with “Don’t Mind If I Do,” his second collaboration with Ella Langley, and a song Green wrote by himself. Green and Langley won three CMA Awards last month, for their first single together, “You Look Like You Love Me,” a song he and Langley wrote with Aaron Raitiere. Green also had a No. 1 hit earlier this year with “Worst Way,” which he also wrote by himself.

For Green, there isn’t a specific formula he follows to write a hit song. In fact, he rarely expects any of his songs to do well at radio or on streaming platforms.

“I don’t think I’ve ever written a song the same way twice,” Green acknowledges. “Sometimes it’s something that comes to me, and I write it in 20 or 30 minutes. Sometimes it’s an idea that I think, ‘Man, this is a great idea.’ I’ll mull it over for a month and a half, and then it takes a while to write it. Sometimes I write with other people, on a scheduled time and day. I think for me, the songs that are the easiest to write, certainly the ones I like the most, are ones that are about something I’m passionate about, something that’s going on in my life.