Presence Is A Present

Drew Barrymore Doesn't Give Her Kids Christmas Presents

'The Drew Barrymore Show' host opened up about how she tries to give her two kids Frankie, 8, and Olive, 10, experiences instead of gifts for Christmas.

Drew Barrymore explained why she doesn't give her two daughters Christmas presents.
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Drew Barrymore’s daughters won’t find any wrapped presents under the Christmas tree this year. The daytime talk show host opened up about why she doesn’t plan to give her two daughters Frankie, 8, and Olive, 10, who she shares with ex Will Kopelman, toys or any other present for Christmas.

"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 explained to ET’s Nischelle Turner.

"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."

Barrymore went on to explain that she did give the girls presents for one Christmas during the pandemic and unable to travel. And Barrymore totally went for the flow and bucked the holiday tradition (since she, along with the rest of the world, was stuck in place.) She explained how she tries to keep a certain perspective when it comes to keeping and bending holiday traditions.

"[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.'"

Gifting (and receiving) presents can be a stressful situation for anyone, especially during the holidays. And while not everyone can afford to travel with their family for the holidays, Barrymore’s perspective is a good reminder that sometimes simply your presence can be the best present.