Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie may have children of their own – but that doesn’t mean that they don’t miss spending time with their own mothers, particularly around the holidays.
The Today hosts have opened up about their heartache at spending Christmas 2020 without their moms, who are avoiding travel in order to avoid the potential spread of COVID-19.
In an exclusive interview with DailyMailTV, Hoda, 56, and Savannah, 48, both admitted that they are devastated about being without their loved ones this festive season – but revealed that they have plenty of special plans in place in order to ensure that their smaller celebrations are just as memorable.
Festive plans: Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie have shared their upset at being without their moms this Christmas, while opening up about their favorite festive traditions
Bittersweet: Hoda, 56, usually celebrates the holidays with her mom Sameha (left) and her sister Hala (center), however it is likely that this year, it will just be her, her kids, and her fiance
Small and special: Similarly, Savannah, 48, revealed that her mom Nancy will not be making the trip to celebrate with her, her husband Mike Feldman, and their kids
‘I know I’m not going to get to see my mom this year for Christmas,’ Savannah explained.
‘We made that decision and that really broke my heart because I don’t know if there’s ever been a Christmas I haven’t been with my mom over all my years.’
Hoda’s mother Sameha has always traditionally traveled to spend the holidays with the Today anchor, her fiance Joel Schiffman, and their daughters Haley Joy and Hope Catherine – however it is likely that she will not feel safe enough to travel this year, Hoda revealed.
Similarly, the TV host’s sister, Hala, who usually flies in from Dubai, is also unable to make the trip – marking the temporary end of a Christmas tradition that the family has cherished for years.
‘We always have the same kind of Christmas at our house,’ the mom-of-two said. ‘It’s always well, since the kids came, Joel, the kids and my mom.
‘And then every year my sister “surprises” us [when] she comes in every Christmas. And my mom each year is as astonished as she was in the previous year. So I go, “I think someone’s at the door!” and my sister is always there with presents and all of her luggage and all that stuff.
‘And this year is kind of a bummer. Well, it is a bummer because I know she can’t fly this year. She lives in Dubai and she’s she can’t fly here. So I know that that’s not going to be happening. And we haven’t made the final decision [about my mom].
Memories: ‘This year is kind of a bummer. Well, it is a bummer,’ Hoda, pictured with her mom, sister, and fiance Joel Schiffman, admitted
Looking ahead: The Today star shared that, despite her upset at not seeing loved ones, she wants them all to stay safe – and she’s planning to re-do Christmas in a few months
Tradition: Savannah, pictured with her mom Nancy and her kids, said that she ‘doesn’t know if there’s ever been a Christmas I haven’t been with my mom over all my years’
Future: The mom-of-two said her mom urged her to look ahead to all the Christmases in the future, saying, ‘She’s the one she’s so strong and courageous’
‘But I don’t know that [she] wants to make the trip either. She wants to wait until the vaccine and all that stuff. So it’s going to be smaller.’
Despite their heartache at not being able to see their own mothers, both anchors were in agreement that they would rather spend this holiday without their loved ones, in order to ensure that they will be here to celebrate many Christmases in the future.
In fact, Hoda and Savannah both have plans to re-do the festive season in mid-2021, when the vaccine has been released to the public, and people are able to travel again more safely.
‘I want [my mom] to be here next Christmas and the Christmas after that and the Christmas after that,’ Savannah said of her mom Nancy – who offered her some very sage advice about how they will get through the holidays.
‘She’s the one she’s so strong and courageous. She just said, “You know, honey, let’s just wait. We’re so close here. We’ve made it this far and I’m fine.”
‘And you know what I mean. You get vaccinated. It’s going to be Christmas. And after, [we’ll have] Christmas in July. We’re going to do a celebration and we’re going to be together. So we have to wait a little while longer. But I think all of us will do our best to connect in the ways that we can.’
Hoda agreed, saying: ‘We’re going to be doing a lot of Zooming and there’s going to be a lot of missing and longing. But I keep saying, let’s just get 2020 over and let’s let’s have our celebrations in the next year.’