Garner and Affleck share children Violet, 19, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12
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Jennifer Garner will spend this Christmas with Ben Affleck and their three kids.
A source tells PEOPLE that the actress, 52, has plans to celebrate the holidays with her ex-husband and their kids — Violet, 19, Seraphina, 15, and Samuel, 12 — after they asked to spend the special day together.
“Jen truly just wants her kids to be happy. She will continue to make sure that they spend time together as a family and include Ben,” the source says.
“They have Christmas plans with the kids too,” adds the insider. “The kids enjoy when they all spend time together.”
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In an exclusive conversation with PEOPLE earlier this week, Garner opened up about how she and her three kids plan to celebrate during the holiday season.
First speaking about Thanksgiving specifically, Garner said her kids are now at an age where they can each prepare their own dishes as part of the family’s larger meal.
“I have one kid who specializes in mashed potatoes, that’s their specialty, I have one kid who is all about making an apple pie, that’s their specialty, and then I have one who goodness only knows what she will make,” the proud mom said with a laugh.
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Although Thanksgiving is a major holiday in her family, the star said that one of her kids was eager beforehand to skip ahead a month to celebrate Christmas.
“The other night I got home from work, and my son had Christmas music playing full blast through the whole house, and he was wearing an apron and he was making ginger snaps,” she said of her preteen.
“And it was just like, ‘That’s what I’m looking for. That is the energy that I want to see brought to our house right now,’ ” continued Garner.
As for other Christmas traditions she and her three kids plan to take part in this year, the Deadpool & Wolverine star said, “We’ll definitely go see The Nutcracker, because that is a huge part of Christmas for me and for my kids — thank goodness I’ve drilled it into them — and just being together with family.”
