Natalie Portman is 'so excited' to buy her very first Christmas tree this winter, having spent her entire life without one. She grew up in a Jewish household, so Christmas celebrations never really factored in her life because she had Hanukkah to enjoy instead.

Natalie Portman and Benjamin MillepiedNatalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied are getting a Christmas tree

The Israeli-born actress has always secretly wanted a Christmas tree and she's now finally got an excuse to have one because her husband Benjamin Millepied's parents are joining them at their home for the holidays. Plus, her own parents have given the idea the thumbs up which makes it all the more special.

'I celebrate Hanukkah, I'm Jewish, but my husband's family celebrates Christmas so we usually do Hanukkah at ours and Christmas at theirs', she explained to Jimmy Fallon on 'The Tonight Show'. 'But this year it's the same time which is really nice. So they're coming to us.'

Indeed, the first evening of Hanukkah takes place on Christmas Eve, which makes for a perfect excuse to buy a tree. 'I was asking my husband, 'Is it okay for your family if we don't have a tree?' and my parents were like 'We can get a tree!'', Natalie continued. 'My whole life, no Christmas tree, and then all of a sudden they have this great excuse because it's kind of every Jew's secret wish to have a Christmas tree.'

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Jimmy Fallon even got her a 'Tonight Show' bauble to hang on her tree, so now she has no excuse but to get decorating. Not that the Christmas tree is a traditional symbol of Christian celebrations anyway; formerly known as the Yule tree, it is probably more closely related to Midwinter celebrations. So with that sentiment in mind one hopes Natalie has a guilt free holiday season.

Whether or not Natalie will continue this new tradition that she's adopted remains to be seen, especially since she has previously insisted that she wants to raise her children - 5-year-old Aleph and her unborn second child - as Jewish.