American actress, film producer, and talk show host Drew Barrymore says she doesn’t buy any Christmas presents.
The 47-year-old Charlie’s Angels star recently spoke to Entertainment Tonight for an interview and opened up about her family’s tradition of celebrating Christmas.
Barrymore revealed that she does not like buying presents for her girls on Christmas. But that does not mean they don’t celebrate the occasion. She said she takes her girls, Olive, 10, and Frankie, 8, on yearly trips every year in December.
“I always take them on a trip every Christmas. I don’t get them presents, which I think at their ages they don’t love, but I say, ‘I think we’ll remember the place and the photos and the experience, and that’s what I want to give you,’” she told ET.
“They get plenty of things throughout the year, so I’m not like some weird, strict, cold mom who’s like, ‘You don’t get any gifts!’ I just feel like a better gift would be a life memory. I’d rather invest [in that than in] a doll house or something. It all evens out, and it’s fine.”
The talk show host added that by arranging family trips for her daughters, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Will Kopelman, she doesn’t have to worry about her daughters not liking the gifts.
“They don’t complain about not liking what they get,” she said, adding, “I’m glad I do what I do.”
But that does not mean she is totally against giving presents. The Wedding Singer alum said she buys plenty of things for her girls throughout the year and often gives them gifts, like on birthdays and when they do something nice or achieve something, but she doesn’t like the tradition of giving gifts on Christmas.
“They get plenty of things throughout the year, so I’m not like some weird, strict, cold mom who’s like, ‘You don’t get any gifts!'” she said. “I just feel like a better gift would be a life memory. I’d rather invest [in that than in] a doll house or something. It all evens out and it’s fine.”
Barrymore also recalled when the pandemic hit the world and everything was shut down, and nobody was traveling anywhere; she decided to give Christmas presents to her girls, but she just didn’t like that tradition. “This sucks,” she realized.
The Never Been Kissed star said that going on holiday trips with her girls is literally something she looks forward to the whole year, and whenever they go on a vacation, they make so many memories that each of them will never forget.
“[I try] to remember that one holiday won’t be probably the same as one 10 years from now, that your life can dramatically change, and new people and new traditions can come into it,” she said. “I like looking at the holidays through a comedic, realistic lens of, we’re gonna have a lot of different holiday stories. What one do you want to keep going and build as a tradition? Rather than, ‘This is my tradition, and I’m stuck in it.'”
She also told ET that she has started dating again after staying single for quite a long time, and it finally feels good to be in a relationship.
Back in October, Drew revealed on her talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show, that she had not been in an intimate relationship with any man since her split with ex-husband Will Kopelman. The former couple announced their divorce in August 2016 after four years of marriage.
“I have had the honor and a pleasure to actually work on myself and learn what parenting is, again something I was not exactly clear on growing up, and I’ve had many learning curves thrown my way,” she wrote in her latest blog post.
“I’ve been intimidated. I’ve been triumphant. I’ve been asked to be educated in every way I can be.”
The 47-year-old actress added that before becoming a mother to two kids, she used to look for fun, excitement, pleasure, and adventures in a relationship. However, motherhood completely transformed her, and now she has become more cautious in relationships.
What are your views on Drew Barrymore’s Christmas tradition? Let us know in the comment section.
Sources: Entertainment Tonight – Drew Barrymore’s Blog Post
