Duggars Reunite for Christmas Traditions and Family Rebuilding

For many of us, the holiday season is a time to create amusing social media videos with loved ones – and the Duggars are no exception.“There’s nothing quite like bringing the family together to film short videos,” Joy-Anna Duggar shared on Instagram Thursday, December 25, posting footage of herself and her sisters attempting to recreate popular online trends alongside their mother, Michelle Duggar.Michelle, 59, and her husband, Jim Bob Duggar, are the parents of 19 children, including Joy-Anna, 28, and her sisters: Jana, Jill, Jessa, Jinger, Johannah, Jennifer, Jordyn and Josie.Thursday’s Christmas celebration was one of the few holidays where all of the Duggar daughters were reunited under one roof.Why Jinger Duggar Hasn't Spent Christmas With Her Family in 9 Years“We haven’t returned to the Duggar home for Christmas Day in nine years, since we got married,” Jinger’s husband, Jeremy Vuolo, mentioned on the Monday, December 22, episode of their podcast. “We are going this year.”Jinger, 32, and Vuolo, 38, have been married since 2016, during which time they’ve welcomed three children together. The couple currently resides in Los Angeles, a considerable distance from the Duggar family’s home in Arkansas.“The reason we haven’t been back for Christmas Day is because that’s the only time of year that Jeremy’s family is all together,” Jinger explained on Monday. “Throughout the years, we’ve decided that would be the time we spend with the Vuolo family over Christmas. My family is frequently together, so it’s easy for us to visit. We recently went back three times in a single year for weddings.”After so many years apart, Jinger began to feel “sentimental” about her family’s traditions.“I want our daughters to experience a Duggar family Christmas, and I miss it,” Jinger said. “We’ve done different things regarding gift-giving. When I lived at the family home, there were times when we’d all wait, then rush down together and it would be a free-for-all as everyone opened presents.”She continued, “Other years, I remember us waiting patiently, with each person opening their gifts one by one. They would either start with the oldest and proceed down the line, or begin with the youngest and work upwards. Considering the number of nieces and nephews involved, it could take quite a while.”This year, the Duggars each selected a gift for another relative.Jill Duggar Reunites With Mom Michelle, Sisters to ‘Cheer’ on Jinger Duggar“Everyone will be receiving a gift from the person they chose to buy for. The older sisters are participating in a drawing, the men are in a drawing – including in-laws, everything,” Jinger hinted, revealing she drew Jana’s name. “All of the little nieces and nephews… have a drawing system. Everyone is purchasing one gift, or a specific amount, for each other.”Jinger had previously stepped away from her parents’ controversial IBLP religious beliefs after moving to California. Her sister Jill, 34, has also distanced herself from their family’s doctrines.“I feel like we are in a rebuilding phase now, with healthy boundaries still in place,” Jill wrote via her Instagram Story in November 2024, outlining her current relationship with her parents. “We try to get together whenever it works well and we have the time and energy to navigate things.”Jill and her husband, Derick Dillard, were previously estranged from Jim Bob, 60, and Michelle after leaving TLC’s Counting On in 2017.