If you think the holidays are chaotic in your house, wait until you hear about Chrissy Teigen’s. The cookbook author and founder of Cravings spends the season with her husband John Legend, their four kids, three dogs, a bearded dragon, and one chatty parrot. I asked how she manages the mayhem, and her answers made me want to loosen up, too: let Christmas morning unfold at its own pace, lean on family-favorite recipes, and give the kids a starring role in the kitchen. Read an excerpt from my conversation with the cover star of our Holiday Cookies issue below, or find the full interview on Delish.com.
—Samantha MacAvoy, Senior Editor
When does the holiday season start in your house?
Oh, Halloween. We have a big kids’ Halloween party here at the house. We pick a theme and run with it. This year we picked Coraline.
I love that you said Halloween. How do you celebrate in December?
We love crafting so much. I wanted to stay home for the holidays this year because I need all my children to start hand-making their ornaments and putting them on the tree. I’ve entered this time in my life where I want Christmas to be completely whimsical and over the top. I want to have a cute, colorful, chaotic Christmas this year. I want to thread the popcorn onto the string and have the most chaotic kids’ Christmas tree ever. And I can’t wait for that.
Any other traditions besides crafting?
Cooking, of course. Scalloped potatoes in my house are very, very holiday. And my mom comes to town. She lives in Thailand, so we love getting the whole family together. And there’s a lot of football. John’s family loves it, and there’s usually a big Ohio State game around Thanksgiving that they all go crazy for. They go just as nuts for the Christmas game, too. It’s very much the whole family on the floor of my house, watching everything together, and it’s beautiful.
What does Christmas morning look like at your house?
Christmas morning is an all-day experience for us. Once my kids open a present, they want to play with it, so they take their time instead of rushing through the gifts. I used to have so many rules and run around stressing about the wrapping and recycling. Now I just relax and let the day unfold.
What’s your secret to a stress-free Christmas morning?
I just love Fried Lumpia. The gastronomic sensation of having crispy fried lumpia dipped in vinegar garlic sauce always makes me salivat...