Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher aren’t going to give their kids presents for Christmas this year. Kunis, who is Jewish, said that Christmas gift-giving had become a tradition in her family, especially for the grandparents. But, she said, it had gotten to be too much.
Kunis was recently interviewed by Entertainment Tonight, where she explained how she and Kutcher would to be more mindful this year. The couple are parents to 3-year-old Wyatt and 10-month-old Dimitri. She said, “Last year when we celebrated Christmas, Wyatt was 2 and it was too much. We didn’t give her anything―it was the grandparents. The kid no longer appreciates the one gift. They don’t even know what they’re expecting; They’re just expecting stuff.”
She did note that she’s fine with the grandparents giving one gift each–but added that she wants to instill a more charitable attitude in her kids, saying, “We’d like to take a charitable donation like to a children’s hospital, whatever you want.”
Kutcher himself is not Jewish, so in many ways, this tradition reflects many households that would loosely consider themselves interfaith. Kunis didn’t mention what they plan on doing for Hanukkah.
In general, it seems parenting has changed the way Kunis and Kutcher think. She noted that they have different priorities now—namely, not partying: “We used to be like, ‘What’s the coolest club?’ And [now] I’m like, ‘Let me tell you about the zoo in Atlanta and the bouncy house.’ There’s not one kid activity that I haven’t done yet with my child!”
Regardless of whether your family decides to give Christmas or Hanukkah gifts, it’s important to make meaningful choices–and to talk to your kids about why. Either way, being more charitable, gifts or no gifts, is never a bad thing to encourage.
