Dear Santa, you may not receive a list from Jenna Bush Hager's kids this year.
Before celebrating Christmas with her husband Henry Hager and their three children Mila, 9, Poppy, 7, and Hal, 3, the Today show co-host hopes to keep the fun under the tree to a manageable level.
"I'm more into experiences," Jenna told Hoda Kotb on the Dec. 22 episode of Today. "I like the fun trip or concert or whatever it is."
One experience this family can't say no to is visiting Santa. But when discussing the topic of disappointment around the holidays, Jenna developed a rule that may be beneficial to other parents.
"It's all about expectation," she said. "We got to go see Santa and sit on his lap and see Mrs. Clause and Henry said, ‘Should the kids write a list?' and I'm like, ‘No, because I don't want them to think that Santa is definitely going to bring all 10 presents.'"
Jenna continued, "Once you get into the lists, then it's multiple things. We've lowered it a little bit."
Hoda agreed when she shared the wise advice a parent once told her. "She said, ‘Part of our job as parents is preparing our children for disappointment,'" Hoda recalled. "I feel like we're all fixes."
Christmas lists or not, there is one present Jenna has in mind for her oldest child.
"I think we're going to be adopting a little kitten," she teased. "Don't tell. Mila wants to name her Hollywood Hager and call her Holly."
"She's ready," Jenna added. "She wants that responsibility. She just can't wait."
Today With Hoda and Jenna airs weekdays at 10 a.m. on NBC.
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