‘I feel so grateful she is my daughter’s stepmother’ - Kate Winslet shares rare insight into blended family Christmas traditions

Kate Winslet is an inspiration when it comes to many things, especially her candid and down-to-earth approach to ageing naturally, and symptoms of menopause.

Recently, she's offered rare insights into how she navigates blended family Christmases, and once again she's left us moved by her candour and evident love for her ex-husband's new family.

The actress has three children, Mia, 25, from her first marriage to Jim Threapleton, Joe, 21, from her marriage to Sam Mendes, and 12-year-old Bear, from her current marriage to Edward Smith.

During an appearance on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast, Kate revealed that for the last eight years, she's spent Christmas Day with former husband Jim Threapleton and his new wife and two daughters.

Speaking warmly of Jim's wife, Julie, Kate says, "I'm so grateful to have her in my life," adding that for his other daughters who are aged 12 and 15, "it's now weird if they aren't with us."

"Mia's dad and I cook the Christmas dinner," she explains, continuing, "I haven't ever talked about that, because we just get on with it."

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Talking about public perceptions of marriages that have broken down, Kate continues, "There's a strange fascination in the media when high-profile couples or people in the public eye have split up."

She explains that there's often a "flurry of excitement" when people realise that couples who are no longer married actually get on. "Of course we do!" she says of the fact she maintains a good relationship with Mia's dad.

Speaking again about Julie, Kate refers to her ex-husband's wife as "such a spectacular lady," adding, "I just feel so grateful to have had her as Mia's stepmother."

With beautiful words, Kate continues, "there's just something extraordinary about another mother in the world loving your child the same way you do."

The actress not only talks about her incredible blended Christmases, but also the beauty and chaos of the festive period on the whole.

"It is a very interesting and reflective time, Christmas, because it brings up so much - wonderful times and really challenging times," she says.

Between herself and Fearne, the pair share their thoughts on the idea of Christmas being that everyone must have a "perfect, sparkly day," and if that doesn't materialise, a sense of "failure" can follow.

Kate shares that she can get very caught up in buying, wrapping, preparing, and everything that comes with being ready for the big day, and can find it hard just to sit down and enjoy the build up sometimes.

However, when asked what Christmas Day will actually look like in her house, Kate reveals, "it's a real laugh, and it's one of those days where I find that my kids really do pause and think."

She concludes, "I just love being all together. Lots of people, lots of silly games, it's great fun."