Ian Harding's 2-Year-Old Son Doesn't Understand Christmas, Thinks It’s a ‘Day He Gets a Bunch of Gifts' (Exclusive)

Children around the world may be preparing their Christmas lists for Santa, but Ian Harding’s two-year-old son doesn’t understand the concept yet.

“My dad has a white beard too, so [my son] he sees pictures of a bearded man and says, ‘That’s Dad,'” Holiday star, 38, tells PEOPLE. “I say, ‘No, it’s Santa Claus.’ And he’s like, ‘Who’s Santa Claus?’ He doesn’t really know. I think once he hits 3, he’ll really make that connection.”

Harding says that Christmas was always special for him as a child “because both my parents were at work and everyone would come.”

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But for his son, “because both of his parents are freelance artists, we’re busy at times, so we’re always at home,” says Harding, who married photographer Sophie Hart in 2019. “I think the only thing missing is wood. Hopefully he’ll start to bond, but for now he just thinks it’s the day he’s going to get a bunch of presents. It’s still: ‘Putting things on a tree? I don’t understand this.’”

In 2021, Harding returned to the Washington, DC area where he grew up, which now puts him in charge of hosting the holiday. However, since Harding has been away working on a new project in Toronto, he describes the holiday season as a “mad rush” for Christmas.

“It’s just going to be: The living room is empty and then all of a sudden, for two hours, there’s going to be a light show and my electric bill is going to be $1,000,” Harding jokes.

Ian Harding at a Hallmark Media session during the Television Critics Association Summer 2024 press tour at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, California on July 11, 2024.

Phillip Faraone/Getty

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Harding’s favorite holiday traditions include baking sugar cookies to share with neighbors and, in honor of the Swedish side of his family, making Glögg, a Swedish spiced wine punch. But since becoming a dad in 2021, he says, “Even though we have some of our older traditions, we’re trying to create new ones because we’re a family in this way now.”

The Pretty Little Liars alum brings holiday vibes to Hallmark+’s Holidaythe network’s first holiday series which follows six families in the same cul-de-sac as they gather for the holidays. As Josh Hill, Harding returns to his hometown to see his parents before they make a big move. Despite having a girlfriend, Josh reconnects with a cop—and former high school sweetheart (Erin Cahill)—who gives him a ticket when he first returns to town.

Ian Harding (centre), Erin Cahill and Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez in ‘Holidazed’.

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“There’s definitely a history there,” Harding says. “But Josh is with someone when they meet and they’re very set on their game plan for what they want their life to be like. There is a connection, but I think Josh was torn.”

The father of one can relate to his character’s mishaps on the road.

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“Unfortunately, I’ve had a few encounters just because I enjoyed seeing speed limits as a proposition,” he says. “I didn’t meet the very attractive and witty policewoman with whom I then connected. They were mostly very strict people informing me that I was doing twice the speed limit due to a suspended license and enjoying court time. That’s a big difference.”

Harding says viewers will have to tune in to see how things play out between Sheriff Nora (Cahill) and Josh. “There’s a wonderful story that I think people will enjoy,” he says. “It hits all the feels.”

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Holiday currently streaming on Hallmark+.

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Source: HIS Education