Sarah Michelle Gellar insists Freddie Prinze Jr. is "recovering" well.

Asked how he was at Bill Horn's Annual Santa's Secret Workshop event in Los Angeles at the weekend, she said:"Oh my god, you mean Freddie that's like learning how to walk again?! My poor husband couldn't make it.

"By the way, he was coming, he was in tears. He was like 'I promised Bill and Scout they're so good to me, I have to be there.' But he's just so tired. I mean he did have spine surgery... But he's not learning now to walk. He's recovering."

The 38-year-old actor must be on the mend as his 37-year-old wife admitted he will be taking charge over the festive season.

She told E! News: "He'll be cooking. I handle Thanksgiving, Christmas will be all him."

The former 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' actress is trying to teach her children about the importance of "giving back" over Christmas.

Sarah explained: "It's also about introducing the act of giving back. So the holidays are not just about getting, it's about giving. And they're at the age now, Rocky not as much, but Charlotte where she understands...and so to me that's the other big tradition of the holiday."

The couple are excited to be celebrating New Year as a family for the first time.

She said: "We do have New Years plans! It's our first year that we're actually going to be celebrating New Years and we're going out with the kids.

"And we're doing a 9 o'clock New Years and our children have never stayed up until 9 o'clock. Charlotte has never seen 9 o'clock."