Jenna Bush Hager wants her children to understand they won't always get everything they ask for on Christmas.
During a conversation with her Today with Hoda & Jenna cohost Hoda Kotb about helping children manage their expectations for the holidays on Thursday, Bush Hager, 41, explained that she didn't want her kids writing a list of presents they want for Santa Claus.
"We got to go see and see Santa and sit on his lap and see Mrs. Claus, and [husband Henry Hager] said 'Well, should the kids write a list?' " she told Kotb, 58.
"And I said no, because I don't want them to think that Santa is definitely going to bring all ten presents," Bush Hager continued. "Once you start getting into the lists and it's multiple things… we've lowered [expectations] a little bit."
Despite the desire from Bush Hager to help her children understand they can't have everything they want, it's not as if her children — she shares daughters Mila, 9, Poppy Louise, 7 and son Henry "Hal" Harold, 3 with Henry — aren't receiving any exciting Christmas presents this year.
Later in the episode, the morning talk show host revealed to Kotb that her family will adopt a kitten as a special present for her oldest daughter, Mila.
"I'm more into experiences," Bush Hager explained of the types of Christmas presents she likes best. "I like the fun trip or a concert or whatever it is, we're into the experiences. And I think we're going to be adopting a little kitten… don't tell, don't tell."
"[Mila] wants to name her Hollywood Hager and call her Holly," she added, explaining that her daughter "kind of knows, because she's been praying and writing and hoping and I said, 'Well, I hope Santa...' and she said, 'oh no Mom, this is a gift from you.' "
"There's only so long you can push," Hager said of making the decision to adopt a cat, adding that Maya has been asking to adopt a cat for "years."
"I think she's just so ready. She wants that responsibility, she's like, 'Mom, when I have a kitten, I'm gonna really put it here,' she just can't wait," Bush Hager added.
She recalled that her and her twin sister Barbara Pierce Bush both picked out their first pet cats, named Cowboy and Willard, for Christmas when they were in the first grade.
"We each got one," Bush Hager said, adding that her family is "gonna start with one [for now]."
