When the Ripa-Consuelos family's holiday card comes around this Christmas, guess who won't be on there — their three children, Michael, Lola and Joaquin.
Kelly Ripa, 55, and Mark Consuelos, 54, spoke with People behind the scenes of their daytime talk show, LIVE with Kelly and Mark, about some of their holiday traditions and how they're taking shape this year.
The first pivotal decision? Cutting their kids Michael, 28, Lola, 24, and Joaquin, 22, out of the yearly Christmas card. "It's a good one!" Kelly excitedly remarked, to which Mark also added: "This year's gonna be great."
"We're tired of getting all the photos approved by our kids every year…," the Riverdale actor began, and Kelly just cut to the chase (pun intended): "We've cut them out," with Mark concurring: "They're out."
Of course, that decision didn't go down so well with the three, who "complained" that they're not in the card this year, saying they feel "slighted" and reacting: "How could you?" But the mom-of-three simply told them that she was "tired" of waiting around for their approvals on family photos.
Their solution, instead, was to have the pair pose with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders when they were on the LIVE set as guests, and use that instead as the base for their card. The couple even wore matching tracksuits for the shot, plus silver pom-poms. "And Mark just has a look on his face, that is just…he's so excited and happy. It's the happiest I've ever seen him in a Christmas card."
Mark recalled another year where a similar situation happened when their kids were apparently being "not so cooperative," so they resorted to a photo of the actor with his Riverdale family instead for the card, with his character Hiram Lodge flanked on one side by his daughter Veronica (played by Camila Mendes) and the other by his wife Hermione (Marisol Nichols).
"That was another good Christmas card," the Hope & Faith star quipped, confirming that it's "a great one." Fans had a range of opinions on social media, although several agreed with Kelly and Mark's stance, especially given their kids were, at this point, in their 20s and all living away from home. They've been empty nesters ever since Joaquin moved out in 2021.
"My opinion: If your kids are out of your house they don't have to be in the Christmas card anymore," one commented, with another similarly adding: "As someone with 6 kids, I support you," and a third concurring: "As an empty nester it's hard getting everyone home for a Christmas card pic. So we include our pups…"
Previously, during an episode of LIVE, Mark also joked about not giving their kids a Christmas present this year. "Kids are old now, I'm not getting them anything," he said, to which Kelly, briefly confused, remarked: "You're not getting them anything?"
"They get money," he maintained, 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!"