Atlanta's holiday season is filled with familiar faces, from friends, to family — to Monica Pearson, who hosts the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

If you've lived in Atlanta for at least a year, you probably know that the parade is as big as sliced bread. Priscilla the Pink Pig at Lenox Square and "The Nutcracker," performed by the Atlanta Ballet, are also headliners around Christmastime.

(ENLARGE)

Monica Pearson

(ENLARGE)

Marty Mercer

Jean Shifrin/AJC (ENLARGE)

John McFall

Andy Sharp/AJC (ENLARGE)

Rhubarb Jones.

David Zeiger/Alliance Theatre (ENLARGE)

Chris Kayser as Scrooge.

HOLIDAY GUIDE [an error occurred while processing this directive]

We asked five folks who play a role in some of these Atlanta traditions to share their favorite personal holiday traditions. Beyond the crowds and busy events, it seems church visits, cooking and family time are their favorite part of the season.

Monica Pearson

WSB-TV anchor and host of the Lighting of Macy's Great Tree.

"We have a couple of traditions in our family that started when my 27-year-old daughter was a toddler. In keeping with the season, Claire only gets three gifts from her parents, to remember the Three Wise Men and their gifts to the Baby Jesus. Also, Santa does bring her one gift, even at 27, and leaves it under the tree — and he always signs the card!

We go to services Christmas Eve at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and open one gift as soon as we get home from church. And every year, I take a picture of Claire in front of the tree Christmas morning, when we open gifts with my now, 84-year-old mother.

[Another of our] traditions is the menu: Turkey, giblet gravy, oyster dressing, collard greens, four cheese macaroni and cheese, candied yams and sweet tea, followed by pumpkin pie and yes, I make everything except the pie."

Marty Mercer

Motivational speaker and leader of the Briefcase Brigade, a popular group that marches in the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Christmas Parade.

"For probably the last 10 years, my family has attended Christmas Eve Mass at Christ the King Cathedral in the late afternoon or early evening. Then we head over to my sister-in-law's condo and she serves us up a gourmet meal and we say grace by each person reading a small snippet of the birth of Christ. Then the two local aunts come spend the night at my family's house. The next morning we wake up and we always cook the same egg casserole dish and french toast dish, and we open presents, eat some more, open more presents, eat some more ... and end the day by watching "White Christmas" with Bing and Rosemary Clooney."

John McFall

Artistic director of the Atlanta Ballet and choreographer of "The Nutcracker." McFall danced in "The Nutcracker" for 27 years as every role but the mouse and has choreographed and built several versions.

"My favorite tradition is silence. No television, no music, no DVDs, no distractions — it's a quiet, personal family day, going back to what Christmas might have been intended to be. I serve breakfast in bed to wife, Paige, and two little girls, Stella Blu and Tallulah, and it gets interesting because everyone wants something different. It's just a wonderful day and the last thing I might want to listen to is 'The Nutcracker' music."

Rhubarb Jones

Morning show host on Eagle 106.7 and annual host of the ribbon-cutting of Priscilla the Pink Pig at Lenox Square.

"On Christmas Eve, my wife, Donna, and I read 'The Christmas Story' to the girls and tell them that Christmas is more than Santa Claus and getting presents. It's all about the greatest gift any of [us] has ever received, the birth of Jesus, when God gave his only son to be our guardian. Then on Christmas morning, we open presents with the girls and it is such a thrill. We gather at our house late in the afternoon and Donna's family comes over to eat, visit and share Christmas as a family."

Chris Kayser

Popular Atlanta actor known for portraying Scrooge in the Alliance Theatre's production of "A Christmas Carol." He has performed the play on Atlanta stages for 22 years (15 as Scrooge).

"First off, both of my kids Jacob and Noelle were born on Dec. 23, so we have a lot to celebrate. Every Christmas and Thanksgiving, the entire family works at Turner Field with Hosea Feed the Hungry. We serve food in the morning and later go to my wife's father's house for a great family meal."