In an industry often defined by red carpets, long shooting schedules, and carefully curated perfection, Benjamin Hollingsworth has chosen a very different philosophy

when it comes to the most sentimental season of the year. For the Virgin River star, Christmas isn’t about dazzling displays or flawless traditions.

It’s about presence, intention, and grounding his children in moments that matter long after the holiday lights are packed away.

As Hollingsworth continues to win audiences over as the steady, compassionate Dan Brady on Netflix’s hit series, his off-screen life reflects a quieter but equally powerful narrative—one rooted in family, gratitude, and simplicity. And during Christmas, those values take center stage.

Choosing Presence Over Perfection

Hollingsworth is candid about rejecting the pressure many parents feel to make Christmas “picture-perfect.” Instead, he and his wife focus on something far more meaningful: being fully present for their three children.

For the actor, that means slowing down in a world that rarely encourages it. It means turning off distractions, stepping away from the constant noise of work and social expectations, and leaning into the small rituals that create lasting emotional memories.

“Christmas doesn’t need to be flawless to be magical,” Hollingsworth has shared in interviews. “It just needs to be real.”

That philosophy has shaped the way his family celebrates each year, building traditions that feel intentional rather than performative.

Traditions Rooted in Togetherness

Among the Hollingsworth family’s most cherished traditions is one that feels refreshingly old-fashioned: chopping down their own Christmas tree. It’s messy, unpredictable, and often cold—but that’s exactly the point.

The experience becomes an event rather than an errand. The kids bundle up, laughter echoes through the tree lot or forest, and the tree they bring home carries a story before it ever gets decorated.

Baking cookies is another cornerstone of their holiday routine. It’s less about perfectly frosted shapes and more about flour-dusted counters, stolen spoonfuls of dough, and kids learning through participation rather than instruction. Hollingsworth embraces the chaos, understanding that these unpolished moments are the ones his children will remember.

Rather than outsourcing joy, he and his wife create it—together.

Embracing a Fuller House This Christmas

This year, Christmas carries even more energy and emotion for the Hollingsworth household. The family is celebrating alongside his siblings and their growing families, turning the holiday into a lively, multi-generational gathering.

For Hollingsworth, this kind of joyful chaos represents the heart of the season. The noise, the overlapping conversations, the kids running from room to room—it’s not something to manage or minimize. It’s something to embrace.

Coming from a close-knit family himself, the actor understands the importance of children seeing themselves as part of something larger. Cousins, aunts, uncles, shared meals, and shared traditions all help create a sense of belonging that no gift can replace.

In those moments, Christmas becomes less about what’s under the tree and more about who’s gathered around it.

Teaching Gratitude in a Season of Excess

One of Hollingsworth’s most intentional roles during the holidays isn’t as a performer or even a parent—but as a guide. He’s deeply conscious of how easy it is for children to equate Christmas with material rewards, and he works actively to shift that focus.

Rather than framing the season around candy canes and wish lists, Hollingsworth emphasizes gratitude. Conversations about appreciation, generosity, and awareness are woven naturally into the holiday experience.

That doesn’t mean eliminating gifts or fun—it means contextualizing them. He reminds his children that presents are expressions of love, not expectations. That joy comes from connection, not accumulation.

It’s a lesson he believes will serve them far beyond December.

Simple Moments That Last a Lifetime

Some of the most meaningful Christmas memories in the Hollingsworth home don’t involve decorations at all. Singing carols in the car. Laughing through mismatched harmonies. Heading outside for sledding adventures that end with rosy cheeks and tired smiles.

These moments aren’t scheduled or staged. They happen organically when time is protected and priorities are clear.

Hollingsworth often reflects on how fleeting childhood can be, and how quickly seasons change. That awareness fuels his commitment to creating space for shared experiences rather than overplanning.

Long after the wrapping paper is gone and toys have lost their novelty, those moments—full of warmth, laughter, and presence—remain.

A Reflection of His Virgin River Values

Interestingly, Hollingsworth’s approach to Christmas mirrors many of the themes that make Virgin River resonate with audiences. The show thrives on connection, community, second chances, and emotional honesty—all values he carries into his personal life.

Just as Virgin River reminds viewers that healing often happens in quiet moments, Hollingsworth’s holiday traditions reflect the same belief. Love is built slowly. Meaning is found in simplicity. And the most powerful experiences are often the least flashy.

That alignment between his on-screen work and off-screen life adds another layer of authenticity to his public persona, making him relatable not just as an actor, but as a parent navigating the same challenges many families face.

Grounding Children in What Truly Matters

In an age of constant stimulation and instant gratification, Hollingsworth’s commitment to grounded parenting feels both deliberate and quietly radical. He understands that children learn not from lectures, but from lived experience.

By choosing togetherness over excess, gratitude over indulgence, and presence over perfection, he’s modeling values his kids can carry forward.

Christmas, in his home, isn’t a performance. It’s a pause. A reminder that joy doesn’t have to be manufactured—it just has to be noticed.

A Holiday Philosophy That Resonates

As fans continue to celebrate Virgin River and its heartfelt storytelling, many will find something deeply comforting in Hollingsworth’s approach to the holidays. It’s not aspirational in a glossy, unattainable way. It’s aspirational because it feels possible.

Bake the cookies. Sing off-key. Let the house be loud. Let the tree be imperfect. Let the memories be real.

For Benjamin Hollingsworth, that’s what Christmas is all about—and it’s a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful gifts we give our children are the moments we choose to share with them.