Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos revealed that they will no longer be exchanging gifts with each other this Christmas. During the December 4 episode of LIVE, the co-hosts discussed the countdown to Christmas – something Kelly admitted she feels unprepared for.
"Guys, it is upon us. The season is here. And I am way behind," shared Kelly. "We’ve already talked about it."
Yeah, you’re usually done by now," Mark added as Ripa replied: "I'm usually done by now. I have not begun." Sensing his wife’s panic, Mark reached over and touched Kelly’s leg, assuring her that he doesn’t want any presents from her this year.
"Well, I'll take one gift off your Christmas list," he said. "Mine. No gifts." Kelly appeared surprised before she accepted her husband's offer. "One less worry," Mark added. "Take it off. It's OK. Take this year off."
Kelly then shared that embracing this change might benefit her in more ways than one. "This year we will give each other the gift of freedom of not buying each other something. That’s actually two less gifts. Because I don’t have to get your gift and I don’t have to get the gift you give me," she said. "That's right!" replied Mark.
"So it’s like real freedom," Kelly joked. "Alright, that’s two down." Mark teased his wife further, adding, "Real freedom. And I mean it."
It seems the conversation was to be taken seriously as Kelly replied, "Yeah, no, I know you mean it." However, Mark insisted that his wife stick to the new rule. "Don’t sneak anything in there," he said. "I'm not gonna sneak anything in there," Kelly responded. “Nothing. You’re gonna have an empty stocking. Very empty."
Family tradition
There will likely be some empty space under the couple’s Christmas tree this year, as Mark previously revealed that he won’t be giving their children presents either. On the November 20 iteration of the ABC show, the couple joked that this year for Christmas, they should just give people the "gift of us".
"Kids are old now, I'm not getting them anything," said Mark. "You're not getting them anything?" Kelly asked. The former All My Children stars share sons Michael, 28, and Joaquin, 22, and daughter Lola, 22.
"They get money," the Riverdale star continued, adding: "Give them a check or something and say, 'Merry Christmas'," to which Kelly simply nodded while slowly going "Yeah," then ending with an unenthused: "Yeah, maybe!"