Christmas is starting to look a little different in the Gaine household.
Joanna Gaines, 46, opened up to PEOPLE about how her family’s holiday traditions are starting to change now that her kids are growing up and heading off to college during an exclusive interview about her new MasterClass design course.
The co-founder of Magnolia has five children with her husband Chip Gaines (50): sons Drake (19), Duke (16) and Crew (6), as well as daughters Ella (18) and Emmie (14).
“As they get older, Christmas Day seems slower than it used to,” Joanna tells PEOPLE. “We stay in our pajamas all day and someone usually pulls out a puzzle or a board game that we all gather around,” she adds, noting that there is always a “competitive spirit” in their house.
Joanna Gaines says son Drake’s apartment ‘looks like a club’ thanks to the decor he added after mom left
Joanna says the holiday season is her favorite time of year because it means her whole family is back under the same roof — a rarity now that her oldest is away at college.
“I love the holidays because I know I’ll have all my kids at home, so schedules disappear,” she says. “We hang out, we relax, we’re a little more spontaneous. We make hot cocoa and drive around town to look at the lights with Christmas music playing in the background.”
However, there is one thing that does not change. “Perhaps it’s no surprise that most of the traditions we’ve started as a family revolve around food,” she says. “Kids know that Christmas morning means mom’s cinnamon rolls and slaw.”
Joanna Gaines Says It Can Be ‘Uncomfortable’ to Think About Your Life: ‘It Keeps You Guessing’ (Exclusive)
Joanna Gaines bakes with her children.
joannagaines/Instagram
Looking back on Christmas customs from his own childhood, TheThe stories we tell the author says that she made sure to pass on some of her favorite rituals to her children.
“I continued the tradition of opening one gift on Christmas Eve and saving the rest for the next morning. And we always put It’s a wonderful life at the end of the night before we all fall asleep,” she says.
Joanna also recalls a sweet memory her husband “loved” to make as a child that has now become part of their Christmas routine at their farmhouse in Waco, Texas.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(499x0:501x2)/Joanna-Gaines-Christmas-121624-02-50c5397829cf4c5f83d5434a5100e0d4.jpg)
Joanne Gaines Christmas Tree.
joannagaines/Instagram
“When Chip was little, his parents would line the door frame closest to the Christmas tree with butcher paper,” she explains. “His dad would draw something festive on paper like stockings hanging by the fireplace, and no one was allowed to peek behind the paper until Christmas morning when Chip and his sister had to walk through it.”
She adds, “Chip loved that memory as a kid, so it’s something we’ve done on the farm every Christmas since the kids were little.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(841x0:843x2)/joanna-and-chip-gaines-021524-tout-68dac190174144ac83d0fd203734b9e8.jpg)
Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Joanna has previously been open about the importance of “cherishing” precious moments with her children, especially after her son Drake heads off to college in 2023 and her 18-year-old daughter Ella is about to leave the nest.
To learn more about Joanna’s MasterClass course, visit masterclass.com.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education