Singer/actress Bette Midler is skipping America's Thanksgiving festivities this year (13) to focus on the Jewish holiday Chanukah.

The Beaches star and her husband, Martin von Haselberg, will be alone for the holiday because their daughter, Sophie, will be celebrating with friends elsewhere, and that means she gets to pick her holiday plans.

She tells U.S. late night host Jay Leno, "Thanksgiving, I'm not going to eat. I think I'm going to pass on Thanksgiving because my daughter, she's making her first Thanksgiving this year in New York. We're lonely (in Los Angeles)... So no, I'm not going to eat... I'll do it the next Friday (for Chanukah)."

The annual eight-day Jewish holiday began on Wednesday (27Nov13).