How Stars Celebrate The Holiday Season
During the holidays, we are busy with plenty of parties and family get-togethers that keep us busy from Thanksgiving through the end of the year. While it may seem that celebrities have everything done for them, you'll be surprised to learn that they're just like us with their own traditions and rituals that help them prepare for the holidays with their own families. You won't believe what Pamela Anderson does in lieu of eating Turkey during the holidays!
Nothing Says 'Holiday' Like A Road Trip!
Many of us go out of our way to avoid traveling during the busy holiday season. This is not the case for Dax Shepard and Kristin Bell. In an interview with Elite Daily, Shepard shared that the two of them look forward to semi-annual holiday road trips!
"Every other year, we go to Oregon to be at my mom's house," he said. "Every year we road trip — we don’t fly. And we stop at different places along the route as part of our tradition." He actually makes it sound like fun!
Mariah Carey Gets In The Spirit By Decorating The Tree
Singer Mariah Carey likes to get super festive when it comes to decorating the Christmas tree. Latina reports that she said, "Every year, we do what we call the 'Charlie Brown Christmas tree,' where we string up those big red and green bulbs and hang tons of ornaments -- mostly ornaments my fans have sent me over the years... one of my friends gave us the idea of taking Polaroids of each other then decorating them and putting those on the tree...
That was really fun; I think we might do it again this year. It's a wonderful time for us all to bond and really get into the spirit."
Katie Holmes Avoids Food Coma By Running
When it comes to Thanksgiving, Katie Holmes comes from a family that knows how to avoid succumbing to 'food coma.' When Holmes goes back to her native Ohio to visit her family, she expects to remain pretty active throughout her visit.
The actress tells Shape, "Many years ago, my dad started this tradition where we all do this run in the local park. It's a three-mile run called the 'Turkey Trot.' There's even a prize, which I haven't won yet. But it's really fun." That's definitely one way to keep off those holiday pounds while also being able to spend time with the family.
Kristen Bell Gives Store-Bought Food A Personal Touch
Actress Kristen Bell tells TODAY Food that she isn't shy about cutting corners when it comes to serving guests this holiday season. The actress says, "I'm a big person that will give in to convenience. If I'm having people over and I can order a platter instead of cook, I'm all about that."
Despite succumbing to the ease of pre-made meals, Bell says she does like to add her own touch to things: "When I get a store-bought cheese plate, I place the cheese on a butcher block or an oversize platter. Then I spruce it up with some extras like Marcona almonds — so delicious! — fig jam and a variety of olives."
Rachel Ray Says It's OK To Ask For Help
Television chef Rachel Ray suggests that sticking to what you know when making your holiday feast is a surefire way to have a delicious meal and that you shouldn't be shy in asking for help when it comes to things you're not so great with.
Ray tells People, "Don't make stuff that's completely foreign to you... If you need help and you suck at baking like I do, or you don't know how to make cocktails, or you don't have the money to buy cocktails, that's what you tell people to bring. People always say, 'What do you want me to bring?' You say, 'Oh, nothing.' That's stupid; just be honest. Tell them."
The Treat Neil Patrick Harris Has Every Christmas Morning
Actor Neil Partick Harris tells Bon Appétit that while he was growing up, his family would ring in Christmas morning with a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs but the pièce de résistance of every breakfast would be cinnamon rolls.
"They were the ones from... the little guy," Harris said. "That was terribly exciting. We rarely did that except for Christmas morning... The idea of a nice homemade cinnamon roll on Christmas morning sounds divine right now." He went on to tell the foodie mag that he and his husband David Burtka plan on restarting the tradition with their seven-year-old twins, Harper and Gideon.
Blake Lively's Family Sleeps In One Bed For Christmas
Actress Blake Lively has said that her family is all about togetherness on Christmas Day. Lively told Canada's The Kit, "Christmas is really just about being with family so we never leave the house. We're together all day whether we're making gingerbread houses or making cookies or sitting around watching movies, all piled up... I don't know how my family does this but everybody gets in the same bed. Somehow we just spend hours a day just chatting. It's really nice to have that time."
The Gossip Girl actress added, "To me the smell of Christmas is spruce, because growing up in California, when those candles would come out, it was the only way that we got any kind of a winter."
Will Ferrell Makes His Children Watch Elf
Will Ferrell starred in what is probably one of the most favorited Christmas movies of the present day, 2003's Elf. When asked if any of his three boys watch the movie during the holiday season, Ferrell jokingly told E! News, "I force them to watch Elf ten times—ten straight times. It's a marathon... and then you get to open a present after."
The holidays at the Ferrell house is always busy, with the actor adding that his home is "always chaotic. There's lot of screaming and yelling and complaining as to when they get to open their presents."
The Duff Sisters Do It For Their Kids
When it comes to celebrating Christmas, Hilary Duff and her older sister Haylie, who each now have a child of their own, told Us Weekly that they are excited to give their kids the best Christmas ever. "I love the holidays. I'm already halfway done with my shopping. We have [an] over-the-top Christmas every single year," Haylie said of their family Christmases.
Hilary went on to say, "The floor is covered in wrapping paper and literally you can't walk in the room. And by the way, that's the best for kids, on Christmas, to see their faces."
Khloé Has A Way To Keep You From Stuffing Your Face
Everyone knows that a huge component of the holidays is the food, which may be a bit troublesome for those who are worried about maintaining their bodies. Luckily, Khloé Kardashian shared some helpful tips on her website to keep off holiday weight. Kardashian writes, "Don't show up to a party completely starving and be tempted to immediately stuff your face with unhealthy hors d'oeuvres. You'll also have more time to socialize when you arrive without your stomach growling."
Of course, what is to happen when you're faced with all the delicious food at a party? Read on to see how Kardashian handles it.
Khloé Doesn't Restrict Herself During The Holidays
When it comes to actually eating at a holiday party, Khloé Kardashian suggests putting healthy food first and savoring the not-so-healthy treats in moderation. On her website, she writes, "When you hit the buffet table at a holiday party, first fill up your plate with healthy options. Round two can be for naughty food, but by that point, you won't be as likely to overindulge."
But Kardashian does make a point to allow herself to indulge adding, "I eat what I want–in moderation. It's all about small portions. That way I feel good, I eat what I want and I enjoy the holiday."
Jimmy Kimmel Has A Holiday Tradition With His Famous Neighbors
TV host Jimmy Kimmel has a special tradition with actors Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, who happen to be his neighbors. For years the neighbors have been pranking each other as their holiday tradition. Most recently, Kimmel tried to end the war by gift wrapping Blunt and Krasinski's house and having them greeted at the door with carolers.
But the actors got back at the host by filling up his car with ornaments then gift-wrapping the entire vehicle. Blunt appeared on Kimmel's show and said, "we went through a couple of options and decided to do all of them."
Tim McGraw And Faith Hill Have A Pasta-Filled Holiday
Tim McGraw may be a country singer from Louisiana, but he is still in touch with his Italian roots. He and wife Faith Hill have a very particular holiday tradition with their three children. McGraw reportedly told Oprah Winfrey, "I grew up on pasta on Christmas Eve. So it's passed on to me now. I make pasta every Christmas Eve. We have spaghetti and meatballs."
McGraw also tells Us Weekly, "Our family tradition is decorating the tree on Audrey's birthday." Audrey, who was born in December, is the youngest of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's three daughters.
What Happens When Someone's Birthday Falls Around Christmas?
When it comes to having a birthday around the holidays, sometimes one or the other can go overlooked. But not for the twin daughters of actors Jerry O'Connell and Rebecca Romijn. Romijn, whose twins were born December 28th, tells Us Weekly, "I go out of my way to make sure their birthday is completely different from Christmas...
I fill their bedroom with balloons. I stay up all night blowing up hundreds of balloons. We always have family over and they get to blow out the candles. It's not like they don't have a birthday but this is the first year they're like, 'we want a party!'"
Gwyneth Paltrow Does Personalized Gifts
Most people would agree that you should get your present shopping done sooner rather than later. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow tells InStyle, "I generally start my Christmas shopping at least 2 months before. I like to get things personalized and my gifts usually require some advance time. I'm definitely a planner. I think it's really nice that when someone opens a present it has something personal...
It takes it from being a normal present to being something that's actually really special and requires a lot of thought and planning." Personalized gifts would make the recipient feel like you actually put thought into what they might like.
How Paltrow Keeps Her Kids' Excitement Down
When Christmas Day finally rolls around, Paltrow tells InStyle that they usually stick to a routine when the big moment of opening presents finally rolls around. "Our Christmas rituals are pretty much the same every year," Paltrow says.
"It's basically trying to keep the children in bed until at least 7 am! Father Christmas always leaves a stocking at the end of their bed, which is great because then they wake up and they have lots of little bits to unwrap. Then they wake us up and they just go to town on the present opening."
Find Her In The Kitchen On Christmas Day
Nothing tops off Christmas like a delicious holiday feast. Paltrow tells InStyle, "I do a lot of the cooking before Christmas but then I usually spend a lot of Christmas cooking too. All the smells, all of the mulled wine, all of the trimmings for the turkey – we like to have all the family around. [It's] a very traditional Christmas...
My kids are very involved in the kitchen with me, especially my son. He loves to cook and he's very engaged when we do it – he has a lot of patience for it, it's very cute."
