Before luxury getaways and Disney World adventures, Kelly Clarkson’s idea of a vacation was a school photo glued onto a postcard-worthy background. The singer and talk show host recently shared a hilarious story from her modest upbringing — one that sheds light on how imagination and humor filled the gaps when money was tight.
A childhood without summer trips
During a candid Q&A segment on the June 12 episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, Clarkson responded to an audience member’s question about her favorite summer vacation as a child. Her answer? She didn’t really have one. “Oh, we were poor. We didn’t do vacations,” Clarkson said with her usual candid charm. “We, you know, went and played in the backyard.” That backyard may have been her primary summer destination, but her mother had a clever way of making sure Clarkson had “travel” photos just like other kids — even if the trips never happened.
Clarkson recalled how her mom used to take her school pictures, cut them out, and glue them onto scenic backdrops like the desert, the mountains, or the Swiss Alps. “She would just post me somewhere as if, I guess, we had gone [there],” Clarkson said, laughing. “It was like an artsy thing, I think she did too. But also, yeah, we don’t have vacation pics.”
Humor and humility behind the memories
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What could have been a source of shame turned out to be one of Clarkson’s most cherished and humorous memories. Instead of pretending the family had traveled, her mom fully leaned into the whimsy, crafting a visual scrapbook of imaginary getaways.
“I’m glad you brought that up so I can embarrass my mother and show the world her artistic endeavors,” Clarkson said, beaming with affection. The host’s story drew laughter and nods of recognition from the audience, especially when she jokingly encouraged others to try the same trick: “You should take the advice. You can go anywhere, really. You just post yourself there, you glue yourself there.”
Clarkson also acknowledged a deeper truth behind the laughter. “I don’t think everybody can afford to vacation,” she said, turning to the audience member who asked the question — a mother of two sets of twins — and quipping, “How do you afford a vacation with two sets of twins?”
From glued photos to real memories
Now a mother of two, Clarkson has been able to create authentic vacation memories with her children, River Rose and Remington Alexander. In 2021, she took her kids on a trip to Disney World, where they explored the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride and other themed attractions. “We had so much fun at Disney World! All the rides were amazing but oh my gosh, y’all, Pandora and the Star Wars rides are where it’s at!” she captioned a joyful Instagram post.
This ability to provide her children with the kind of trips she never had growing up seems to be especially meaningful to Clarkson. The contrast between her imaginative childhood vacations and her real-world experiences as a parent highlights how far she’s come — while never forgetting where she started.
In 2022, she took things one step further by surprising her entire studio audience with an all-expenses-paid vacation to Hawaii. “I feel like this is what Oprah felt like — I like this feeling!” she exclaimed during the episode. It was a full-circle moment for someone who once only “traveled” via Elmer’s glue and construction paper.
A reminder that joy doesn’t require a plane ticket
Clarkson’s story resonates not just because it’s funny, but because it captures something universally human: the desire to dream beyond your circumstances. Her mom’s cut-and-paste travel photos weren’t just jokes — they were gestures of love, humor, and creativity in the face of limitations.
Today, Clarkson is one of the most successful entertainers in America, yet her most beloved childhood “vacation” story involves scissors, glue, and make-believe. For fans and families everywhere, her anecdote is a reminder that the memories that matter most often don’t come from the places you go — but from the people and laughter that go with you.
