Reese Witherspoon issued the advice to Abbie via Ryan Phillippe, after the 25-year-old starlet was spotted shopping for Christmas decorations with Reese's daughter Ava, 8, while Ryan waited in the car park with son Deacon, 4.

"Reese really let Ryan have it for being so insensitive," says a friend. "Seeing pictures of Abbie Christmas shopping with her daughter like she is family was just too much to bear.

"She told Ryan what she thought in no uncertain terms. She already blames Abbie for helping to destroy her marriage, and she'll be damned if she's about to let that woman steal her kids as well."