Jennifer Hudson is beaming following double dose of joy ahead of the holidays

Jennifer Hudson has had a whirlwind year, and it’s not going to be slowing down anytime soon! 

The Jennifer Hudson Show star has received several pieces of exciting news this week, most recently being announced as one of the stars to take part in the upcoming Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. 

JHud will be joining Kylie Minogue and Billy Porter at the annual event, which takes place on November 28. 

The trio will be in front of Macy’s, located in Herald Square, midtown Manhattan, along with Wicked star Cynthia Erivo and Cole Escola, the star and writer of Oh, Mary! 

Not only is Jennifer going to be taking part in the Thanksgiving parade, but this week, she announced that she was “very excited” by some news involving her holiday album, The Gift of Love. 

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She shared a picture of her album cover, and wrote alongside it: “I am sooo excited to announce my new song “Let There Be Joy” will be added to my album #TheGiftofLove this Friday! Pre-save the bonus track at the link in my bio, and let’s get in the holiday spirit!” 

The star released her album in October and it’s received rave reviews from fans. She’s got a busy few weeks ahead too, as on November 24, she will be embarking on a mini tour in support of the album. 

The shows kick off on November 24 in Brooklyn, New York, and will then hit up her native Chicago on December 13 and Los Angeles on December 18, followed by a two-date stint in Las Vegas on December 21 and 22. 

She took to social media with the announcement, writing: “I am SO excited to announce my limited engagement holiday tour, ‘The Gift of Love: An Intimate Live Experience’,” adding: “I cannot wait to spend the holidays with you!!!” 

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While she is working right up until Christmas, Jennifer will no doubt have some fun plans during her downtime. 

The EGOT winner is dating boyfriend Common, and their relationship has gone from strength to strength this year. 

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They have even spoken about the possibility of marriage. Jennifer is also a doting mom to teenage son David. The mother-son duo live just outside of Chicago with two cats, two dogs, and a pond with ducks, and growing up with animals has had a positive impact on David. 

Jennifer told Today: “That’s just who we are and what we do. And I love that impact that it’s had on my child. “Having pets and being around animals helps shape them, helps shape their character, show them compassion and love and all of those things that help build their character. 

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Especially when you only have one child, it shows them responsibility too.” David is enjoying his life as a teenager out of the spotlight but occasionally features in photos on Jennifer’s Instagram page. 

She previously revealed that he has control over the photos she posts. The singer last shared a photo of the teenager on September 21, showing the pair posing in her dressing room together. In the caption, she wrote: “Me and my baby, DOJ! They say he stole my whole face. What do u think??” 

Fans were quick to agree, with one writing: “This is a special picture. Twinning,” while another wrote: “He definitely has your smile.” A third added: “OMG! He looks exactly like you. With the beautiful smile and everything.”