Mindy Kaling is trying to keep the Christmas magic alive for her kids, even if one of them might be a little wary of BJ Novak’s annual cheery dress-up.

While promoting the third season of her show The sex lives of college girls To Good morning America On Wednesday, December 4, Kaling reflected on how her longtime boyfriend and former The office Co-star dresses up as Santa Claus every year for her three children: daughter Katherine “Kit” Swati, who turns 7 this month, son Spencer Avu, 4, and daughter Anne, 9 months.

“We create this whole thing where we make hot chocolate in the house and the doorbell rings and he’s dressed as Santa Claus,” Kaling, 45, said of Novak, 45. “And he’s like, ‘Oh, the sleigh is gone broken.’ “I need to come in and rest while we refuel!”

“Then the children meet Santa and he asks them if they were good or bad,” she continued. “Then he leaves and they are so excited. But things will be interesting for the 7 year old this year because I have a feeling she might not buy it. For the 4 year old, we’re not sure.”

“You know him particularly well. And he’s a good actor, but…” Kaling added.

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Related: BJ Novak on Meeting Mindy Kaling’s Baby Daughter Anne: ‘She’s Adorable and the Best’ (Exclusive)

And “so far” that Mindy Project Alum said she and Novak “made it for the siblings” – but now: “This will be the year we hope the eldest will be relaxed for the younger two.”

Of Novak’s technique, Kaling said, “He wears the pillow under the suit and (says) ‘Ho, ho, ho, hello little kids.'” It’s a very funny character.

According to the actress, Novak “takes a lot of inspiration from Michael Scott in Santa Claus costume,” referring to her hit series The office. “We always seemed to put Steve Carrell in that outfit—which seemed so weird to us writers that we did it several times later,” Kaling recalls.

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Related: Mindy Kaling’s 3 Kids: All About Katherine, Spencer and Anne

Kaling’s tradition of having Novak play Santa Claus for her children dates back to 2020, when she couldn’t take Kit and Spencer to see Santa at her local mall during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The I’ve never done that before The co-creator said at the time that she and Novak planned for him to “sleep on the sofa” with a bag of toys as if he “needed to rest.”

“It’s so complicated why Santa was there and why he was taking a nap,” Kaling continued. “But we will do that. We’re wondering, ‘Will she know it’s (BJ) in some way?’ We don’t know.

“Just so you know, it’s like we’re Hindus and BJ is Jewish, so that’s really… kind of cultural appropriation on our part,” she jokingly added.

Good morning America airs weekdays (beginning at 7 p.m. ET) on ABC.

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