Stanley Tucci Details Celebrating the Holidays with His Young Kids: 'Santa Claus Is Still Very Much Alive' (Exclusive)

For Stanley Tucci, seeing the magic of Christmas through the eyes of his young children is a feeling like no other.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the actor, 63, talks about celebrating the holidays with his family, including his two young children — son Matteo Oliver, 9, and daughter Emilia Giovanna, 6, who he shares with wife Felicity Blunt.

“The whole idea of ​​Santa is still very much alive and I love that. It makes him 10 times better, more than 10 times better,” says Tucci, who is working with S. Pellegrino to launch his own eponymous cheesecake.

“I love Christmas, especially with little kids,” she continues The devil wears Prada star. “I like to decorate the house, decorate the tree with the children.”

“My other children are older and it’s nice to see them now with younger children,” adds Tucci, who is also the father of twins Isabel and Nicola, 24, and daughter Camille, 21, with his late wife Kate Tucci, who died of breast cancer in 2009. “It just makes me very, very happy.”

Never miss a story — subscribe to PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Nicolo Tucci, Camilla Tucci, Stanley Tucci and Isabel Tucci in May 2015.

David M. Bennett/Getty

Stanley Tucci’s Five Children: All About His Sons and Daughters

According to Tucci, celebrating the holiday looks a little different today, given that he and his wife are not in the United States.

“I live in England, so we don’t have Thanksgiving, but we celebrate it anyway,” he explains. “At Christmas we’re usually with my family and my wife’s family, and then the British do Boxing Day here, which we don’t do in America. But it’s just another day of eating and gathering.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler has arrived! How fast can you solve it? Play now!

Although Tucci says being across the pond changes the way he celebrates the holidays, he said he and his family always mark the time together with traditions that go back to his roots.

“They don’t celebrate Christmas Eve as much as we do in America, or at least in Italian families,” he says. “Christmas Eve is a big deal. Then you’ll eat mostly fish or pasta or something – but definitely fish – and the next day you’ll have some sort of roast or something.”

Stanley Tucci in October 2022.

David Levenson/Getty Images

Robert Downey Jr. enjoys a meal cooked by Stanley Tucci: ‘Truly a gem for a man’

This holiday season, Tucci hopes families like his can celebrate with delicious meals and mouth-watering desserts — including his limited-edition multi-layered cheesecake “cake.”

S.Pellegrino & Stanley Tucci’s Holiday Cheese “Cake” features four levels of premium cheeses produced by Tucci and sourced by the expert team at Murray’s Cheese, including La Tur, Mini Brie, Cave Aged Reserve Cornelia and Buonatavola Provolone.

S.Pellegrino & Stanley Tucci cheese holiday ‘cake’.

Evan Kalman

“It’s really fun, and it’s also really nice to look at,” Tucci tells PEOPLE of the treat, which can be topped off with S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water.

He adds: “It’s really nice to have on the table as a garnish that you can eat when you’re done with your meal.”

Starting Thursday, October 10th, fans can register for a sale reminder on the Murray’s Cheese website, before the cheese “cake” officially goes on sale for $85 on Monday, November 11th.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education