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Catching up with Dolly Parton: We talk about Christmas, faith, and plans for 2022

We caught up with the one and only, Dolly Parton!

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — We caught up with the one and only, Dolly Parton! And oh boy, we talked about everything including Christmas, faith, and plans for 2022.

Dollywood's plans for the holidays

Dollywood will continue to offer displays full of lights, food, and music during the holidays. Because who doesn't love to have an amazing time at Dollywood?

"It's just like a magic land," Dolly said. It's just like a winter wonderland. It truly is. And that's how we kind of describe it. So I think the families look so forward to having a place to go where they feel safe."

It's all about Christmas, its memories and traditions

When it comes to Christmas, Dolly has a lot of memories with her family in the Smoky Mountains. 

"I just always love all the memories I often talk about," she said. The Christmas when we all gave all of what we were going to get for Christmas so we could buy my wedding band. Mom and dad got married so young, that they didn't have any money to buy a wedding band."

They were able to get her a wedding ring for their sweet mama and even made a movie about it.

"That was a real special time for us," Dolly said.

Dolly loves to continue the tradition of decorating the Christmas tree. It has a special meaning to her.

"We always like to try to have that one little tree that kind of is old-timey and kind of makes us think of mom and daddy," she said.

Dolly doesn't slow down! She keeps rockin'!

At the end of 2020, Dolly said that she was going to slow down. But, that didn't happen. She released a perfume, a novel, and even an ice cream. She was named to 2021 TIME100 most influential people list, won Emmys and a Grammy.

"I can't slow down," Dolly said. That's why I would never retire because I always make the statement that is so true 'that I've dreamed myself into a corner' and all my dreams have come true. Now I have to be responsible for all those things. So it requires a lot of work." 

Dolly said she loves to work and loves to see all the new things that come from the dreams that had come true. 

But y'all she told us that she has no intention of slowing down! 

'Faith is the best'

Dolly Parton recently lost her brother, Randy Parton, after battling cancer and her uncle, Billy Earl Owens. She told us that faith brings her comfort during tough times.

"I just think well, you just have to hang on to the most wonderful things you remember about them and not let them die away. Just kind of know that they are never really gone from your heart and from your memories," she added.

Plans for 2022? Yes, there is more and we love it!

Dolly has a new book coming out with James Patterson. They wrote a novel together. She also wrote 12 songs that have to do with the characters and the situations portrayed in the book, and they're going to come out at the same time. 

What can Dollywood guests expect in 2022?

Dolly said they are focusing on the new resort, the HeartSong Lodge & Resort. But they have a few little surprises that will be announced later on. 

We love Dolly!

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