Jennie Garth flaunts her fab figure! (Paul A. Hebert/FilmMagic)Actress Jennie Garth, 40, is single for the holiday season for the first time in more than a decade, following her March split from her husband of 11 years, "Twilight" actor Peter Facinelli. It's not always easy, but as Garth tells omg!, she's figuring it out. "I had to put up the Christmas lights myself this year, which was interesting. [Six-year-old daughter] Fiona holding the ladder and handing me the nails," she says with a laugh. "We got it done, though! Girl power, all the way! [It looks] really bad, all wiggly and crooked, but the girls are happy, so that's all I care about!"
Garth has three daughters with Facinelli, including 10-year-old Lola and 15-year-old Luca. On their first Christmas as a divorced family, Garth reveals that the trio will be spending time with both parents. "I will be with my girls on Christmas Day, which I'm really happy about ... and we're going to visit a friend in Virginia," Garth notes. "Then they're going to be going somewhere with their dad, so they get a little bit of both of us, which is nice for them."
[Related: Jennie Garth and Peter Facinelli Make Nice for Their Kids]
Garth appears at the eBay pop-up store in NYC. (Fernando Leon/Getty Images)
The Facinelli girls aren't the only children on Garth's mind this year. She's promoting a partnership with eBay and Toys for Tots aimed at collecting donations for less fortunate children. This week, the former "Beverly Hills, 90210" star promoted the opening of the eBay Toy Box pop-up shop in NYC, where people can buy goodies for the little ones on their list or for the charity. For every toy donated, either at the store or by smartphone from anywhere, eBay will contribute a gift to the cause. "It's an easy way to get my shopping done and feel good about it," Garth shares.
[Related: Jennie Garth Talks Post-Divorce 'Rebirth' and 30-Pound Slim-Down]
Garth hangs out with two of her three daughters. (KVS/PacificCoastNews.com)
Garth often finds herself feeling better these days, and a lot of it has to do with getting in better shape after the breakup. She dropped 30 pounds by eating smaller portions, exercising regularly, and practicing meditation — all of which she's continued to do during this indulgent time of year. "I've actually gained some weight back, just like muscle-tone weight, but I'm probably in better shape now than I was [before the weight loss]. I'm working out three days a week with a trainer doing weight training and jogging and hiking. I feel like I have to do something physical every day, or I just feel like blech." As for her diet, Garth's rules are simple: no overeating (she hates the feeling anyway) and don't deprive yourself (she occasionally gives in to her hankering for anything white chocolate and peppermint).
Garth's weight loss, along with her breakup, has attracted a lot of media attention — some of it fueled by Garth's willingness to talk about her personal life — that she admits has not always been easy for her to handle. "It's different now. It's kind of like I'm on my own out there, so I feel a little more vulnerable just in my everyday life, when paparazzi are following us or whatever," Garth says. "It's not the best feeling as a single lady, but ... what can you do?"
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