Kate Gosselin's Candid Christmas Confession
Former reality television star Kate Gosselin has opened up with striking honesty about how she budgets for Christmas presents for her eight children, just months after revealing the extent of her ongoing financial difficulties. The 50-year-old, who recently made her relationship with a new boyfriend Instagram-official, shared her meticulous festive planning process in a new TikTok video, discussing how she adapts her approach during both 'good' and 'not-so-good' financial years.
The Meticulous Gift-Giving System
Kate explained that her Christmas budgeting process begins in November, when she asks her now-adult children to provide detailed wish lists. This early start allows her to 'take advantage of the holiday sales.' For the children she does buy for—she is currently estranged from two of her children, Collin and Hannah, and did not specify if they receive gifts—she demands specific details. Their lists must include 'a link, size, colour, and price' for each desired item, which she then inputs into a combined note on her phone.
The former Dancing With The Stars contestant then reviews these initial lists to establish an appropriate budget for each child, ensuring it fits within the overall parameters for all the siblings. However, she has a unique rule for maintaining fairness: if she goes over the set budget for any one child, she adds more money to the budget for everyone else. She light-heartedly noted that this happens 'often' with her daughter Leah.
Financial Realities and a Return to Nursing
This candid discussion about festive finances comes on the heels of Kate's August revelations about her return to long nursing shifts. In a previous TikTok, the Jon & Kate Plus 8 alum was seen doing dishes after a 12-hour shift, prompting questions from fans who assumed her reality TV career would have left her 'set for life.'
Kate's response was blunt. 'I wish. I spent sooooooo much money on attorneys. That killed us! :( so sad!' she wrote, appearing to reference her protracted and costly divorce from Jon Gosselin, which was finalised in December 2009. She elaborated further, explaining that the income from the show was consumed by 'providing for 8 kids, college funds... and LAWYERS.' She described the legal costs as 'sickening,' adding that she was 'drug into court constantly.'
Despite the financial setback, Kate has returned to her original profession, working in pediatric home health care for the past 28 years. She expressed pride in her work, stating, 'I am helping other families and I feel needed and I enjoy helping!'
A Mother's Drive for Fairness
Back to her Christmas strategy, Kate's ultimate goal is equity. She goes to great lengths to ensure the gift-giving is 'fair to the penny' on Christmas Day. Her signature method involves presenting each child with a decorated box of cash, an idea she borrowed from her mother, Charlene Kreider.
'I know that might sound silly, but to me, fair is really important,' Kate said. The system seems to work well with her children. 'Some will get $150 in their box if they don’t ask for much,' she revealed. 'It tends to work out really well and the kids are really happy.' She added that a non-square box signifies that she completed their entire list but unavoidably went over budget by a dollar or two—a rare occurrence.
This festive planning unfolds against a backdrop of family estrangement. Kate shares eight children with ex-husband Jon Gosselin: 24-year-old twins Cara and Madelyn, and 21-year-old sextuplets Aaden, Joel, Alexis, Leah, Hannah, and Collin. Jon was granted sole custody of Collin and Hannah in 2018, and both remain estranged from their mother.
Recently, Collin joined TikTok and made heartbreaking claims, alleging he and his siblings were 'forced apart' and 'pitted against each other.' He responded to a comment by claiming he suffered 'physical and emotional abuse' from Kate, including being 'locked up, isolated, zip tied' and 'sent away.' These allegations contrast sharply with the image of a mother meticulously planning for a fair and happy Christmas for her large family.
