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Co-parenting with an ex can be difficult no matter the time of year, but the holiday season often presents a unique set of challenges.
During a December episode of his “Whine Down” podcast, Jana Kramer admitted she was “struggling” to make Christmas Eve plans because her two eldest children – daughter Jolie, 8, and son Jace, 6 – were spending the holidays with her ex-husband Mike Caussin.
“I’m already starting to be, like, depressed about it. Because, you know, baking the cookies before Santa comes – I don’t get to do any of that,” Kramer said. “I don’t get to make cookies with them, I don’t get to leave the note out (for Santa Corn) the night before. I don’t get to leave the carrots out for the reindeer or put out the reindeer food. This would probably be the last year Jolie writes to Santa.”
Keep scrolling to see how Kramer and more stars plan to get through the holidays while sharing family time with their exes:
Teddy Mellencamp and Edwin Arroyave
Two months after filing for divorce, Mellencamp reflected on her new normal over the holidays.
“In my Bridget Jones era. If I wasn’t laughing at myself, I’d be crying,” Mellencamp, 43, who shares children Slate, 12, Cruz, 10 and Dove, 4, with Arroyave, 47, opened up in an Instagram post in December for spending Christmas solo. “First Christmas without my kids, and I know they’re in great hands with an amazing dad, but that doesn’t mean I can’t feel some kind of way.”
He concluded: “Ordered $74 of Thai food, ate cookie dough (which has time to bake) and watched 9 episodes of Lioness. To all my parents out there going through this, I love you. What are all the tips for powering through?”
Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler
Cavallari and Cutler, who finalized their divorce in 2022, share sons Camden, 12, and Jaxon, 10, and daughter Saylor, 9. During the December episode of her podcast “Let’s Be Honest”, she revealed Cavallari schedules the exes’ vacation co-parenting.
Perfect priorities! Despite splitting in April 2020, Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler put on a united front for their three children. The former couple married in June 2013 in Tennessee, a year after the former Hills student gave birth to son Camden. Very Cavallari alumni went on to welcome Jaxon and Saylor in 2014 (…)
“Any divorced parent can relate to this and understand this: I didn’t have (my kids) for Thanksgiving this year, so I have them leading up to Christmas, Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, which I prefer.” to tell the truth,” he said. explained. “That will be nice, but then I don’t have them for a week. (On) Christmas Day at noon they go to Jay’s, and then I don’t get them until the 2nd (of January).”
Cavallari noted that she usually spends time away from her children by going on tour, but this year she plans to relax at home and prepare for her upcoming podcast tour.
“I’m doing microneedling one day and I’m going to do a facial one day. I’m going to have coffee with a girlfriend I haven’t seen in a while. I’m in this mode of rest and taking care of myself,” he said. “I’m just trying to relax.”
Tarek El Moussa and Christina Hall
The HGTV stars are beating the co-parenting holiday blues by spend Christmas Eve together this year. Tarek’s wife, Heather Rae El Moussais reported only Us Weekly about the blended family plans.
“Usually we (children Tarek and Christina on) have Christmas day. She has (on) Christmas Eve, but (this year) I think we’re going to spend Christmas Eve together,” said Heather. “(For) one of the first times.”
Tarek and Christina share a daughter, Taylor, 14, and son Brayden, 9, while Tarek and Heather, who tied the knot in 2021, share a son Tristan, 22 months. Hall is also mother to son Hudson, 5, who she shares with an ex-husband Ant Anstead.
Jesse Lally and Michelle Lally
The Cwm costars are still getting access to co-parenting leave after splitting in October 2023.
Make it work! Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner and more famous former couples have different ideas about how to raise children – but that hasn’t stopped them from prioritizing co-parenting for the sake of their children. “You have to be on the same page,” the actress told Today.com in November 2017 about raising Violet, Seraphina and (…)
“We’re working on our schedule,” said Jesse, who shares daughter Isabella, 4, with Michelle, only Us in December. “This particular year, unfortunately, Michelle’s mother passed away right before Thanksgiving. So, I spent Thanksgiving eve with Isabella and then drove her down so she could spend Thanksgiving and the weekend with Michelle’s family. And she’s going to do Christmas with them too this year so they can talk about her grandmother and keep that memory alive for her.”
While Jesse understands that Michelle’s circumstances are unique this year, he acknowledged that it will be a “tough Christmas” for him because he has never “done a Christmas without” Isabella.
Lindsey Chrisley and Will Campbell
Chrisley’s 11-year-old son, Jackson, will spend Christmas with her ex-husband, Campbell, who has dampened her holiday spirit.
“I’ve got no tree up, no putting one up,” she said during an episode of her in December and Kailyn Lowry“Coffee Convos” podcast. “I don’t have a Jackson for Christmas, so it’s just something I don’t do.”
The Chrisley Knows Best alum admitted it was “bittersweet” not having her son for the holidays.
“You don’t have to worry about doing all these things, but it’s also sad. And, like, no matter how many years it is then, it’s still sad. It’s lonely,” he said. “And then you hope it’s over soon.”
Lindsie added that when she got Jackson for Christmas in 2023, she allowed him to go see Campbell and his grandparents on Christmas Eve. Her ex probably won’t return the favor this year.
“This year, it’s Will’s full Christmas day, and he’s not going to offer me the same thing I offered him last year. Why? I don’t know,” he said. “I have had to learn through therapy that I have to respect the choices he makes at the time he is allocated. And the fact that I choose to do something for the benefit of my child does not mean that he has to choose the same.”
Jana Kramer and Mike Caussin
Kramer and Caussin’s two children will be with Caussin this Christmas Eve, since Kramer got them for the holidays last year. The last time Kramer was away from her children on Christmas Eve, the family celebrated Christmas on December 26, which caused some friction with Caussin.
Jana Kramer has been documenting her and Mike Caussin’s co-parenting progress since their split in April 2021. The actress announced in an Instagram post that she and the former pro football player are calling it quits after six years of marriage. A week later, Kramer filed for divorce – which she said she never wanted (…)
“I fought my ex about it because he was like, ‘You can’t change Christmas.’ And I’m like, ‘You can’t tell me what to do,’” she recalled during the December episode of her “Whine Down” podcast.
Kramer, who also shares son Roman, 13 months, with husband Allan Russelleven if going over to Caussin’s house on Christmas Eve was an option, she wouldn’t want to do it.
“That doesn’t feel good to me,” he said. “Anytime I’m still going to pick up the kids from his house, I don’t like it. … I don’t like being (there). … He makes himself welcome and cozy here, I don’t step into his place.”
In addition to her own discomfort, Kramer said she wouldn’t want to intrude on Caussin’s time with Jolie and Jace.
“Those are his memories. I wouldn’t invite him to do that here with us,” he admitted. “As much as I’ve tried to make it a great situation for everyone and invite him to parties … I don’t want him here on our family nights decorating cookies.”
However, Kramer texted Caussin about going to Christmas Eve church services with him and their children, but said he “hasn’t responded” to her yet.
Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman
Joel Schiffman and Hoda Kotb.
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagicOn the December 24 episode of Today With Hoda and JennaKotb revealed that her ex-fiancée would be included in her family’s 2024 Christmas plans. “For us, our Christmas is not huge ’cause it’s me, my children, my mother, my sister, Joel. We’re getting together,” she said. (The exes split in January 2022 and co-parent daughters Haley, 7, and Hope, 5.)
He continued: “That’s the group, and it’s just a cozy kind of Christmas. So, we will be giving out cookies tonight for Santa and the carrots. He always seems to like the cookies more.”
Kotb teased Schiffman’s inclusion in her holiday celebrations via Instagram earlier that month. In a picture of her family’s Christmas stockings, one with the name “Dad” could be seen hanging over the fireplace in Kotb’s living room.
