How Sarah Jessica Parker Avoids Christmas Chaos

If Sarah Jessica Parker seems calmer than the rest of us this Christmas, it's because the actress – who has children James, 9, and two-year-old twins Loretta and Tabitha with husband Matthew Broderick – has a way to avoid holiday hysteria.

"I'm a huge fan of Christmas. Though I will say having three children makes Christmas come around very quickly each year, and there is a lot of preparation," she says. So what's her secret method?

"I'm a working mom, so I try to set a date by which everything is done, so by December 16 every present has to be wrapped - and that way I can take it easy rather than turn into this hysterical person."

The Sex And The City star loves the fact that she's able to give her kids an "old fashioned" Christmas experience. "I like to think that the children come downstairs and have this really traditional, old-fashioned experience," she says.

"And they still believe in Santa Claus, which is really nice."