The Giudices have never spent Christmas apart...until now.
In January 2015, Bravo's Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice began her 15-month prison sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Conn. Christmas came early, as she was released Dec. 23—two months ahead of her Feb. 16, 2016 release date. It meant Teresa, 44, wouldn't have to miss the holidays with husband Joe Giudice, 44, or their kids: Gia Giudice, 15, Gabriella Giudice, 12, Milania Giudice, 10, and Audriana Giudice, 7.
Joe began serving his 41-month prison sentence at the Federal Correctional Institute in Fort Dix, N.J. on March 23, 2016. Unless he is released early due to good behavior or overcrowding, Joe will miss Christmas through 2018. Rather than dwell on that, Teresa is focused on this year.
"I'm not hosting Christmas Eve this year," Teresa told E! News Wednesday at the Brooklyn Rocks Fashion Show. "I'm going to my brother's again, because it's just us," she said, referring to sibling Joe Gorga. "Being home is just kind of going to be sad, so I didn't want to be home."
Teresa added that she and her daughters will spend Christmas Day with her husband's family.
"It's nice to spend the holidays with family, because we don't get to see them that much," Teresa explained. "The girls like to be with their family. They have a lot of cousins. Joe's sister has four girls; Joe's brother has three girls. So, there's a lot of girls—plus my four girls. There's all girls in Joe's family. Then on my side, there's [Melissa Gorga]'s three kids, and then my four."
Asked whether she'll send Joe a holiday meal, Teresa referred to her own prison stint. "I didn't even care about the food," she admitted. "There's plenty of time to eat when you come home."
And with Joe away, Teresa has been in full-time mommy mode. "I'm so busy—thank God—just running around working and [raising] the kids," she told E! News. "They have all their activities."
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