How the Radio City Rockettes Spend the Holidays When Their Full-Time Job Revolves Around It (Exclusive)

Between the Secret Santa exchange in the dressing room and the 'Friendsgiving' party at Radio City, here's how the Rockettes enjoy the holidays between shows

There’s no place like home (and Radio City Music Hall) for the holidays!

For a season that’s often celebrated by spending time with loved ones at home, you may be wondering how the Radio City Christmas Spectacular’s Rockettes balance their personal and professional lives as their jobs revolve around the most festive time of the year.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, three Rockettes — Britain Feeny, Alexis Payton and Jordan Betscher — broke down their holiday schedule and explained how they make time for their friends and family, while also dazzling the audiences who fill the iconic music hall to watch them perform from November through January — including performances on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

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For Feeny, her “sense of home” comes from loved ones who travel to join her in New York City from her native Toledo, Ohio. “I am very fortunate to have my family come visit me during the holidays,” she says, though she notes they won't be able to make it for Thanksgiving this year.

The void, though, will be filled by the familial "environment" the Christmas Specular evokes. "We do create a family here," says Feeny — and although I can't see my family on Thanksgiving this year, they actually hold a dinner upstairs in our large rehearsal hall for the entire cast and crew."

"We come and celebrate Thanksgiving together," Feeny shares, though she says it can be "hard to get all 84" of the Rockettes together due to the morning and evening casts. Still, Payton says Friendsgiving at Radio City Music Hall is a "special" tradition that they do "every year" to enjoy the holidays.

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"There is a Friendsgiving, a potluck, something that everyone in the cast and crew can come up to what we call our large rehearsal hall and eat together and celebrate," she explains. "It really does become our home away from home, for sure."

They even make the most of having shows on Christmas Day, as it is the most wonderful time of the year! "A lot of people in their dressing rooms will do Secret Santa and hang out with their people here," says Payton. "This does truly become your family," adds Feeny.

Betscher, who considers the Rockettes her "real sisters," notes they'll also venture outside Radio City Music Hall to celebrate. "We might pick a different apartment every single week to go have a little Friendsgiving or just a little get-together... it truly is so special," she says.

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On the actual holidays, Payton's family will join her in Manhattan. "Growing up, Thanksgiving and Christmas were the two big holidays that I spent with my family — but [they've] been amazing. They come up and see the show."

Turkey Day will be a bit different for Payton's family because she'll be making her Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade debut this year when she performs on the city streets outside the famed flagship store on 34th Street in New York City.

"They're actually going to see me perform," Payton says excitedly. "So being able to have those new memories and create those new memories with them also just keeps it special and amazing for me as well," she explains, noting that she'll have three more shows to perform after the parade.

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As for Betscher, coming to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular is a family affair in more ways than one because her sibling, too, is also a Rockette! She says they've "come in every single year" since her sister joined the cast.

"I am really grateful that I have my sister with me during the holiday season," Betcher says. "We actually live together, so I can get a little slice of home with my sister. I always have my family right there with me."

Betcher, who's in her eighth season as a Rockette, says she was actually "inspired" by her sister to pursue the dream. "She's been a Rockette for 12 years. I saw her for the first time when I was 16 years old and I just remember being in awe of the women on stage," she recalls.

"They had so much power, so much grace and I knew I had to be up there one day," says Betcher, explaining how she auditioned "a few years later" at 18 years old. "[My sister] is actually here, still a Rockette — and last season, we kicked next to each other in the line. It was really amazing."

She concludes, "We literally had each other's backs, and it was truly incredible."