Kristin Cavallari Has Gifted Her Children Coal For Christmas When They’ve Been ‘Bad’
Kristin Cavallari’s kids better look out. Santa is not the only one making a naughty list this time of year. The Hills star and her ex-husband, retired NFL quarterback Jay Cutler, share three children they are currently co-parenting. And it seems Cavallari isn’t afraid to be the disciplinarian in the family.
The Laguna Beach alum says if her kids are “bad,” they get coal in their stockings at mom’s house.
Kristin Cavallari’s kids are reliving a tradition from Cavallari’s childhood
Born in Colorado, Cavallari grew up in the Centennial State until her parents’ divorce. From there, Cavallari moved with her mother to Barrington Hills, Illinois, while her brother and father moved to Laguna Beach, California.
When Cavallari was a teenager, she too moved to Laguna Beach where she would soon find fame on the reality show Laguna Beach. It is unclear from what part of her childhood the tradition originated. However, Cavallari has said when she misbehaved as a child, she got coal in her stocking.
“Growing up, the elves would come every day before Christmas,” Cavallari told Us Weekly. “And if you were good, they’d leave a little something in your stocking, and if you were bad, you got coal.”
Kristin Cavallari gives kids coal to “keep them in line”
Keeping the traditions of her childhood alive, Cavallari says that now, when Christmas approaches, she brings on the coal. However, speaking to E! News in 2019, before Cavallari and Cutler’s divorce, Cavallari says she and Cutler gave the tradition an update regarding their three children, 10-year-old Jack, 8-year-old Jaxon Wyatt, and 7-year-old Saylor James.
With the popularity of Elf on the Shelf growing throughout the early 2000s, Cavallari and Cutler incorporated the toy’s concept into their coal tradition. Now the Elf on the Shelf delivers gifts or coal to the three kids’ stockings each night for the week before Christmas.
Kristin Cavallari’s kids come first following her divorce
Following Cavallari and Cutler’s divorce in 2020, Cavallari says being a mother is her number one priority. Speaking to Mr. Warburton Magazine in 2021 (via People), Cavallari shared the challenges of co-parenting. She explained how her priorities have changed now that she shares joint custody with Cutler.
The custody agreement between Cavallari and Cutler is a traditional 50-50 split. Cavallari’s kids with her every other week and some holidays. While some have tried to point fingers at Cavallari’s parenting since her divorce, Cavallari easily shuts down criticism saying she’s “confident” in her parenting. Speaking to People, the jewelry designer says, “I have just decided that the week I have my kids, I’m mom… I’m not doing anything else.”
Cavallari has said as a child of divorce herself, she has a unique understanding of the challenges her kids face. Her advice? “Never put the kids in the middle of it, no matter how mad you are at your ex-spouse.”
Speaking from her own experience, Cavallari says one of the things that impacted her most during her childhood was that her mother never talked negatively about her father. She’s worked to keep this rule too. “I always want my kids to see Jay and me as a united front. He’s their father. That’s important and they need to see that from me.”
It is unknown whether Cavallari’s kids will be spending the holidays with Cavallari or Cutler this year. But it seems likely that no matter the house, the Elf on the Shelf will be watching!
