Savannah Guthrie shares Why Christmas Has a Special Meaning after Losing Dad at 16.
Savannah Guthrie Instagram (2) Savannah Guthrie was a child when she lived with her father Charles. She then moved in with her husband and their children today.
Savannah Guthrie She is sharing her reasons for Christmas with her children.
The Today show anchor, 50, says the holiday holds poignant meaning — and memories — for her.
“The fact I lost my dad at 16 makes Christmas extra special for us. It was his holiday, and that was how we felt, and that was how he felt.” the TV personality says. “I believe we hold on Christmas even more now, because it’s tied to him and a tie with the past and our memories.”
She continues, “Christmas just absolutely lives within my heart and lives with our family, and I will spend every moment I can making sure that my children feel the magic, too.”
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Guthrie, who has a daughter Vale, 9 years old, and a son Charley, 7 years old, with husband Mike Feldman; her feelings about the holiday reflect her close relationships with her family as well as her faith.
She shares that her father used to gather them around to read the Christmas story in the Bible. “We always loved that because it connected us with the holiday in a spiritual and significant way,” she says. in the TODAY All Day streaming special, Holidays in My House.
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Guthrie received a dose of her father’s humor along with the Bible lesson.
Each year on the holiday — which was also his birthday — her dad Charles would at first tell Savannah and her siblings that they couldn’t open a Christmas Eve present, only then to give in and let them each open one.
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“He would open one present and say, “Let’s open them all!” After that, he would open up a present, and he would say, “Let’s open them all!” She says. “That was just an extremely sweet tradition we shared with my dad.”
In a touching tribute When she turned 50 last year, the star honored her father, but he did not live long enough to celebrate this milestone.
She said, “And not far away from mind or heart ever ever, ever: My dear daddy Christmas baby like me,” He never turned 50. But I did tonight! I am grateful for this gift of life, and will remember you forever. Thank God for half a century of his goodness, grace, and blessings.