Former President George H.W. Bush spent Christmas in a Houston hospital, where his spokesman reported his condition as stable. 

"They're taking it one day at a time right now," his spokesman, Jim McGrath, said Tuesday. "The doctors are cautiously optimistic that they have his current issues in hand. But they need to see more improvement before they start thinking about discharge."

The 88-year-old senior Bush was first admitted to The Methodist Hospital to treat bronchitis Nov. 7. He was released on Nov. 19 but readmitted less than a week later.

Doctors hoped he would spend Christmas at home, but decided otherwise when he developed a fever, The Houston Chronicle reported.

McGrath said Bush and his wife, Barbara, and their son, Neil and his wife, Maria and his grandson, Pierce, enjoyed Chinese food together on Christmas Day.

Two other sons, former President George W. Bush and former Fla. Gov. Jeb Bush have both visited their father during his hospital stay but weren't there for Christmas.

"Today was just really the Houston contingent," his spokesman said.