How Hallmark Queen Lacey Chabert Makes the Most of the Holiday Season

The Hallmark Christmas movie mainstay dishes on how she celebrates Christmas with her family.

It’s no coincidence that Lacey Chabert has starred in more than 25 holiday movies. Chabert, who is also known for playing Gretchen in Mean Girls, loves everything about Christmas—it’s her favorite holiday and time of year. “I get so excited when I can finally decorate my house and start baking Christmas cookies,” Chabert tells Better Homes & Gardens.

One reason she’s so fond of the holiday season is all the time she gets to spend with family. In fact, being able to spend the holidays with her entire family is all that’s on her Christmas list this year. “I just want to be together with everyone and create some new memories," Chabert says. “There's nothing more precious than the time we have with our loved ones, so I want to soak it all up.”

On Christmas Eve, Chabert will host a big dinner for her family with some of their favorite dishes. The menu includes recipes from her great grandmother, like sweet potato casserole, cornbread dressing, and mac and cheese, she says. Her and her family also participate in a white elephant exchange: “We end up fighting over some very silly gifts,” Chabert says.

Related: The Best Christmas Dinner Menus to Share This Holiday Season

Chabert’s Christmas Eve dinner may be one of her favorite traditions, but she celebrates throughout the season. For starters, her kids have an elf on the shelf that visits them. "It's really fun because our elves get into so much mischief,” Chabert says. One year, the elves got their hands on an instant camera and did a photoshoot in the middle of the night. When her kids woke up in the morning, they found all the Polaroid photos strung up on the mantle with some ribbon, she says.

Then, when it’s finally Christmas Day, Chabert sprinkles traditions throughout their celebration. Chabert sports matching pajamas with her husband and daughter, which they keep on all day as they watch Christmas movies snuggled up on the couch. Oftentimes her dad will also cook a Cajun feast with Gumbo and potato salad for Christmas dinner. Above all, Chabert and family make sure to keep things chill and lowkey, but still lots of fun.

Read on to learn four of Chabert’s best tips for enjoying the holiday season, whether it’s December 1 or 25.

Decorations Are Key

Chabert looks forward to the holiday season year round, so as soon as November 1 hits, she’s decking the halls and trimming her Christmas trees. Her tip for decorating is to start with garlands, then work your way up to the tree, so you don’t get burnt out or too overwhelmed.

Related: The 13 Best Christmas Garlands of 2023

Engage All the Senses

While nothing puts Chabert into the Christmas spirit quite like holiday decor, Chabert's favorite thing to do to kickstart that wintry feeling is light a seasonal candle. Her favorite? The Glade Starlight and Snowflakes candle. It smells and looks luxe, but at just $6 it’s only a fraction of the price as a luxury candle, she says. “I love creating the ambiance of the holidays in my home,” Chabert says. "When there's Christmas music playing, and a candle is burning, it just creates this holiday experience."

Editor’s note: Chabert has partnered with Glade for the holiday season.

Keep Some Hosting Tricks Up Your Sleeve (And Don’t Forget The Kids!)

Chabert is definitely no stranger to hosting. She hosts parties throughout the season and has some simple tips to help her spend more time enjoying the party. She always tries to prepare whatever she can ahead of time, including food and drinks, but more importantly, she also plans an activity for the kids in attendance. She may set up a holiday themed game or craft for children to do, which not only is a fun way to keep them entertained, but also lets them get even more into the holiday spirit. Hot chocolate bars with marshmallows and candy toppings are also a big hit with the kids, Chabert says.

Related: Tan France’s House Rules—Stay Out of His Closet and Leave Your Video Games at Home

Be a Courteous Guest

When it’s her turn to be the guest, Chabert never arrives empty handed. A bottle of wine or flowers will do, but Chabert likes to go one step further and give the host a self-care basket so they can relax after the party is over. “I love to give hosts a candle and pajamas or a pair of slippers, it’s like a little self care package,” Chabert says. 

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