Being a Hollywood star might sound like a barrel of fun, but Dallas actor Patrick Duffy can think of one thing he enjoys a little more than playing a role on TV. While chatting with Closer Weekly at the It’s a Wonderful Lifetime holiday party, the beloved star gushed about being a doting grandfather to his beautiful grandkids.

“My greatest pleasures now are grandchildren because I have four,” the 70-year-old adorably exclusively shared with Closer at the event in late October, adding that he gets “the same joy” he and late wife Carlyn Rosser “felt with our children” when they first had kids. “So you get to relive memories.” Aww!

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However, Patrick added that it’s important, in his opinion, to “not try and recreate the memories” in grandchildren. “They got to establish their own, and then you kind of fit into it,” he explained. “But it’s really rewarding to see that that innocence prevails, and then try and find it as an adult.”

Considering he loves spending time with his sweet grandchildren, the Step by Step actor can’t wait to celebrate the upcoming holidays with his family. While reflecting on his prior Christmas festivities with his parents, Patrick explained how he plans on instilling “innocence and appreciation” in his grandkids when it comes to the true meaning of the holidays, which the proud grandpa said is family.

“I realize that there’s probably only two holidays of the year that can instill that. One is Christmas, of course,” he said. “And the other is Thanksgiving because that’s the time when you do gather as a family, and you’re not isolated as units, but everybody gets together at the same time. And without that, you’re just wandering around, wondering when you’re going to get invited to dinner.”

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He even explained why he gets excited for Santa Claus to come around each year. “We’ve always had the tradition that as soon as my [two sons Padraic, 45, and Conor, 39] got married and had children, we no longer go to their house for Christmas, or they don’t come to our house for Christmas,” Patrick said.

“I always felt it was so important to wake up in your own bed as a child and to just have that family unit together all day, in your pajamas, eating crap you shouldn’t eat,” the soap opera star continued. “And then the parents trying to clean up all the mess. But that’s what it’s about. So a few days after, a few days before, that’s when grandparents show up.”

Patrick is such a loving family man!

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