LOS ANGELES - Natalie Portman is getting a Christmas tree for the first time this year.
The Jackie actress was born in Jerusalem to an Israeli father and American mother and was brought up in the practice of Judaism. But during an appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon the other day, Natalie revealed that she will be embracing at least one Christian tradition during the holiday season.
“I celebrate Hanukkah, I’m Jewish, but my husband’s family celebrates Christmas,” she explained.
“So we usually do Hanukkah at ours and Christmas at theirs. But this year it’s the same time, which is really nice!”
Hanukkah kicks off on Christmas Eve this year, unlike the last few years when the eight-night celebration began much earlier in December.
For the celebration, Natalie’s husband Benjamin Millepied’s parents are coming over to her parents’ house, and the 35-year-old actress couldn’t be more excited that her family finally had a reason to put up a Christmas tree.
“My whole life, no Christmas tree, and then all of the sudden they have this great excuse,” she joked. “It’s like every Jew’s secret wish to have a Christmas tree... It took 35 years to get here!”
To commemorate the occasion, host Jimmy gave Natalie the perfect present - a Tonight Show ornament to adorn her first Christmas tree.
Natalie and ballet choreographer Benjamin, 39, will also be celebrating this holiday season as expectant parents once again.
The star is currently expecting the couple’s second child, a sibling for five-year-old Aleph, which the couple are preparing to welcome sometime in the spring.