Katie Opens Up

Katie Holmes has a new movie to promote, Mad Money, so she’s doing the publicity rounds and opening up about life with Tom and that adorable robobaby Suri.
Here’s a preview of her new interview with Parade magazine!
PARADE: Happy holidays. Do you look forward to this season?
KATIE HOLMES: I have always been a huge fan of the holidays. My birthday is December 18th, so it’s my favorite time of the year. I’m from a big family, and we always did a grand Christmas Eve with all of the relatives. We’d sing Christmas carols and open gifts. Really joyous. Last year was Suri’s first Christmas. It was so spectacular to share the holidays with her. It really meant the world to me. To be able to create a tradition for your children is one of the best gifts you can have.
How will you and Tom celebrate?
KH: My whole family and Tom’s whole family will go up to Telluride [Colo.] again. We ski. We have big dinners and laugh. We love cooking. My mom’s stuffing is my favorite. I’m a huge fan of pie, especially pecan. I will probably cook some garlic mashed potatoes and maybe a cheesecake. We always make a lot of sugar cookies with decorating and sprinkles. Suri will be in the dough everywhere. Tom has shown me the greatness of extra chocolate chips. Tom’s really good in the kitchen. He makes great pasta carbonara and lemon pasta.
With all that, how do you both keep fit?
KH: We ski a lot. And we’ll get back to normal eating in January, like everyone else.
Did you have fun shooting “Mad Money”?
KH: It was a blast. We got our morning female talk in the trailer every day.
Does Tom get the way women talk together?
KH: My husband has three sisters. He was raised by a single mother and has two daughters—and he’s a great father and husband. His first two children are incredible, really smart and kind. They call me “Mom.” So Tom understands the female bond, and he loves it. He was so excited for me to do this movie. He loved hearing all the stories.
Onscreen, you speed around on a motorcycle. Was that your first time?
KH: Actually, the first time I went on a motorcycle was when I met Tom. I had never gone on one before because my father is a lawyer, and he had seen a lot of accidents. With four daughters and one son, he said: “No motorcycles.” So finally, at age 26, Tom took me for a motorcycle ride.
Tom is a daredevil. Has he brought out that side of you?
KH: Definitely. Oh, we have so much fun. Tom has introduced me to so many new experiences. I have done things I never thought I would do, like climbing mountains and flying in the P-51 [a World War II fighter].That’s what is so inspiring about being with him—constant thrills and joy.
Is your daughter, Suri, a great traveler too?
KH: We don’t like to be away from her. She’s very aware. We take her to the park in each city and walk around. This summer, when Tom was working in Germany, she’d wake up and say, “Hello, Berlin.”
Everyone asks, “What’s Katie really like now?” How would you answer that?
KH: With everything that’s happened, I still feel the same. I’m really happy being a mom, being a wife. I understand the curiosity. It’s a reality for me, another dimension of awareness. I appreciate the man that I’m with and my family and my work. I feel very lucky to be able to say that. I mean, what we do in a week is extraordinary.
Did you expect such a busy and public life?
KH: I am up for it. I love adventure. We do a lot of things that I couldn’t imagine doing when I was younger. And yet, at the same time, I always wanted to see the world. It is a big life, and it’s exciting. I learn from my husband, and I learn things about myself. I learn about things from my daughter. She teaches me a lot. Every day I do count my blessings.