Lisa Ann Walter is opening up about her family’s Christmas traditions and why she sticks to them every year. The actress, known for her role in Abbott Elementary, says these traditions are crucial to keeping everyone happy — especially her children.
“My daughter is so connected to our holiday traditions,” Walter explained at the Out100 celebration in Los Angeles on December 11. “If I change even one small detail, I won’t survive it.”
At 61, Walter, an Emmy nominee, has been hosting Christmas at her home every year. She shared, “I always host. I have four kids, and they all come to my house. I cook every year. When people ask, ‘Where are you going for Christmas?’ I tell them, ‘My living room.’”
The festivities begin on Christmas Eve when her children—Jordan, Delia, Spencer, and Simon—gather in her bedroom to wrap gifts. “I’ve carefully put the wrapping paper away, but they always end up wrecking my room with last-minute wrapping,” she said with a laugh. The family then enjoys Chinese food while watching A Christmas Story on a 24-hour loop.
Christmas morning follows a familiar routine. Walter wakes up early to prepare for the day. “I get up, put out the stockings and presents, and make cinnamon rolls,” she said. “We open the stockings, eat cinnamon rolls, and drink coffee before we move on to the presents. After that, we have the real breakfast.”
The “real” breakfast is a classic spread with eggs, sausage, and more. But the tradition doesn’t stop there. “As soon as those dishes are cleared, I start cooking dinner,” Walter added.
Christmas dinner is an elaborate meal with turkey, wild rice stuffing with sausage, mashed potatoes, crescent rolls, and broccoli with cheese sauce. “It has to be the same every year,” she explained. “If I change it, my boys will lose it—they only want meat, potatoes, and rolls.”
Desserts vary from year to year, but this time, Walter baked cookies.
This year’s Christmas was also the first that Walter spent in her new Los Angeles home. “I’ve officially moved in, and I have some furniture,” she joked. “Some of it is still at the upholsterer’s, and I’m waiting anxiously for it to be delivered.”
Walter’s new home marks a significant milestone in her life. “I was finally able to buy myself a house, something I hadn’t been able to do in many years since the divorce,” she said. “Even as a working actress, I couldn’t afford it in Los Angeles.”
The actress was married to Sam Baum from 1986 to 1999. After their divorce, which followed Baum coming out, the two have remained close friends. Walter shared, “Sam comes over every weekend, and the other day, he said, ‘Bye, my sort-of wife!’ My kids would love to see us back together, but we’re not romantic. Still, our relationship fulfills a lot of needs.”
