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When it comes to Christmas, everyone in Oliver Hudson’s famous family plays a special role in bringing the holiday cheer.
“Mom of course gets the house incredible, garlands everywhere and smells amazing,” he tells PEOPLE of his mom, Goldie Hawn, while discussing his latest holiday rom-com, A Merry Little Ex-Mas. “And then we do ornaments. We bake cookies. We decorate the tree on Christmas Eve, and that’s usually myself and Wyatt [Russell] on a ladder, putting up the lights.”
For her part, Kate Hudson has earned the nickname “Miss Holiday Spirit” for her consistent efforts in getting the family to band together as one.
“She always has onesies or PJs that are made with those names on them or hats or this so she’s the cohesive one,” Oliver, 49, explains of his sister. “She brings all of us together through these gifts that are all unique, but yet all alike so we’re one unit. So everyone definitely has their part.”
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As for who has the most important role of all? Kurt Russell, whom Oliver calls “Pa,” is to thank for introducing Oliver’s famous family — including his and Erinn Hudson’s kids Wilder Brooks, Bodhi Hawn, and Rio Laura — to many of their Christmas traditions.
“It is a tradition that was created by Kurt when he came into our lives. Because with his family — who now of course is my family as well, but on his side of things — it was a huge tradition and he brought that to us,” Oliver explains of their annual celebrations. “Our first Christmas I ever had with him was in Colorado, and he had this little cabin that he lived in, and we were there, this is before we got the ranch, and it backed up into this hill. And we woke up in the morning and he goes, ‘Look, you guys.’ ”
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So, they went outside to find sled tracks trailing through the snow on the roof, Blitzen’s bell that had fallen off his collar, a present that got stuck in the chimney and a tableau that was “just so magical.” And since then, Oliver emphasizes that the magic has been “passed down from generation to generation.”
“Every year, it’s big,” Oliver continues. “Santa shows up, someone’s dressed as Santa, and the night before Christmas is red. Bells are ringing, everyone’s running to the window and looking out into the snow, and the silhouette of him runs by and the kids are crying like, ‘Oh my God, Santa’s here. We’re not asleep. He’s going to leave.’ And we go upstairs. And this was me a hundred years ago, and then generationally it’s being passed down.”
