This holiday season,Hoda Kotbis starting a fun new tradition with herdaughtersHaley, 8, and Hope, 6.
The formerTodayhost opened up about how she's creating a stress-free holiday in the Tuesday, December 2, edition of her newsletter. "When it comes to the holidays, I find it's helpful to kick perfection to the snowy curb. It's not happening!" she wrote. "Cookies will burn, ornaments will break, and our Elf on the Shelf will never be an overachiever."
As for her new holiday tradition? "This is the first year we're doing Elf on the Shelf, and my daughters can't wait to see where he ends up each morning after visiting Santa," Kotb revealed. "So far, he's returned to a shelf. I think Haley and Hope imagine more inventive scenarios because they regale me with stories of where their friends' elves have been spotted: He was zip-lining across the kitchen! He was making snow angels! He was at a tea party with marshmallows!"
Kotb, for her part, is taking a more relaxed approach to her kids' Elf on the Shelf. "Our elf is a shelf guy. Maybe a window sill," she quipped. "It's the anticipation, not the location, that's driving the girls' excitement, so we'll stick with keeping things simple. While I marvel at the creativity and commitment of other Elf handlers, I know myself. One day, one shelf at a time."
Hoda Kotb/Instagram
Kotb wrapped up her newsletter by offering some advice on how to manage this time of year's more stressful moments. "As December unfolds, give yourself a quiet moment to breathe and think about what you can gently let go of this season," she wrote. "Here's a little journaling prompt to guide you: What's one simple way I can ease the pressure this holiday so I can feel more joy? Write it down and carry it with you. Let's get ahead of maintaining the merry this season!"
Kotb started her email newsletter with the launch of her wellness company, Joy 101, earlier this year. Joy 101 is one of several projects Kotb has worked on sinceleavingherTodayhosting role earlier this year, including her latest book,Jump and Find Joy.
When KotbannouncedherTodayexit in September 2024, she cited wanting to spend more time with her daughters as a big reason behind her decision. "Obviously, I had my kiddos late in life, and I was thinking that they deserve a bigger piece of my time, that pie that I have," she explainedon the showat the time. "I feel like we only have a finite amount of time." (Kotb shared her daughters with herex-fiancé, Joel Schiffman.)
Kotb kicked off the 2025 holiday season by reuniting withToday'sSavannah GuthrieandAl Rokerto cohost theMacy's Thanksgiving Day Paradeon Thursday, November 27. Her daughters and more family members cheered her on along the parade route. "Uptown girls!" she captioned a Friday, November 28,Instagrampost featuring snaps of Haley and Hope watching the parade.
That same day. Kotb shared more pics of her family'sThanksgiving festivities— which also double as a birthday celebration for her brother, Adel. "Happy thanksgiving xoxoxo," she captioned theInstagramslideshow, the first slide of which featured a group selfie of her family at the dinner table.
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