The legendary television personality Kathie Lee Gifford is opening up about why Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday of the year. 

‘My Favorite Holiday’

Gifford, 69, welcomed Fox News into her home to show off her holiday preparations, telling the network that she is “truly grateful” to live in Nashville, Tennessee, where she moved four years ago. She explained that this city is “the right place for this season of my life.”

“And I think that brings me to Thanksgiving, which is my favorite holiday of the whole year,” she continued. “I enjoy them all. But this one has always been my favorite. I think that’s because it’s about gratitude.”

Thanksgiving holds a special place in Gifford’s heart because she always makes all of the dishes that her late mother Joan Epstein taught her to cook when she was growing up.

“I do all the cooking, and it’s the only day of the year that I actually cook,” the former “TODAY” show host said.

“I have never been a great cook,” Gifford explained. “But you know who was a great cook?  My mom. My mom was an unbelievable cook. She couldn’t boil water when she was 19 and got married, but she learned to be an amazing cook. So she taught me and my sister and my brother all of her amazing recipes.”

Gifford went on to say that she still follows her mother’s rules when it comes to cooking to this day, but she made it clear that following rules is not something that comes naturally to her. 

“I’m not usually a rule keeper,” she said. “I don’t like to follow rules.” 

“I got kicked out of Sunday school, I got kicked out of the [Girl Scouts] Brownies and I got kicked out of the America’s Junior Miss Pageant,” Gifford admitted. “So, you know, I don’t like rules, but I would be a fool not to make what my mother made every Thanksgiving flawlessly.”

Related: Kathie Lee Gifford Reveals Why She’s Keeping Her Love Life Private

‘What I Love The Most About Thanksgiving…’

Gifford then talked about what else she loves about Thanksgiving.

“What I love the most about Thanksgiving is that it’s small and intimate,” she explained. “I don’t ever have big bash Thanksgivings. I never invite people that I don’t absolutely love, and I never try to miss an opportunity to invite somebody who doesn’t have a place to go.”

Gifford even has a friend joining her for Thanksgiving this year after she found out that the woman didn’t have plans for the holiday. 

“I test the temperature with some of my friends and go, ‘Have you been invited anywhere right now?’ I have a friend whose marriage is breaking up,” Gifford stated. “And I just asked her the other day, and she said, ‘I don’t have a place to go yet.’ And I said, ‘Oh yeah, you do.'”

Gifford Incorporates Faith Into Thanksgiving

Gifford’s strong Christian faith also plays a huge role in her Thanksgiving, as she always begins the meal with a prayer. 

“And then we always go around the table and ask, ‘What are you most grateful for this year and what are you looking forward to in the next year?’” she said. “I’ve found in my life…if you start every day with prayer and end it with prayer and say prayers all day long, the Bible says pray without ceasing. And how do we do that? You make your life a prayer.”

“And then the Bible also says, what is it that the Lord wants of you?” she added. “And I think we should all think about this every single day. He wants us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. Imagine a world like that if we did just that and that alone, what a completely different world we’ve been living in.”

Related: Kathie Lee Gifford’s New Christian Movie Is Her ‘Dream Job’ – ‘Nobody’s Ever Seen The Bible This Way’

Gifford’s Thanksgiving Message

Gifford concluded by offering a special Thanksgiving message to all.

“Happy Thanksgiving, everybody,” she said. “I want to wish you all a blessed holiday. I pray that you’re safe, you’re happy, you’re healthy. I pray that you’ll be well-fed and that you might open up your table to somebody who maybe hasn’t had a meal in a while or certainly hasn’t been invited to a beautiful feast.”

God bless Gifford for continuing to show us all what a good Christian woman looks like. We hope she’s enjoying her favorite holiday with her family and friends today! 

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