Savannah Chrisley Says It’s Okay to Not Feel ‘Joyous’ or ‘Happy’ on First Christmas Since Parents’ Incarceration

Christmas looks a lot different this year for the Chrisley family.

In a video shared to her Instagram Story on Dec. 24, Savannah Chrisley addressed her fans and admitted she wasn’t feeling the holiday spirit amid her parents Todd and Julie Chrisley’s imprisonment.

Todd, 54, and Julie, 50, reported to prison on Jan. 17. They have since received reduced sentences, with Todd now serving 10 years while Julie will serve five.

“Merry Christmas Eve guys,” she began. “I just want to jump on here and say that just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean you have to be all joyous and happy if you’re not feeling it. I feel you.”

She continued, adding that it was “okay if they suck” and “it’s okay if you’re not excited about them” or “grieving during this time.”

“Do what makes you feel okay. What makes you feel best because I’m with you. I feel you it’s not the happiest time for me,” she confessed, sharing that she had “just left” the grocery store to grab ingredients to recreate “my mom’s Christmas lunch.”

In a subsequent Instagram Story, Savannah invited those who didn’t have “anywhere to go” to join her for Christmas.

“We’re just gonna eat and make fun drinks about a fire,” she said. “I want my house to be the place that everyone can come that doesn’t have anywhere to go.”

Monday marks the first time the famous bunch celebrates the winter holidays without Todd and Julie. The longtime couple are currently serving prison sentences for bank and wire fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy charges following their conviction in June 2022.

Earlier this month on her Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley podcast, Savannah revealed that she and her siblings Grayson, 17, and Chloe, 11 spent their first Thanksgiving since their parents’ incarceration with Brittany and Jason Aldean.

When Savannah’s plans with her boyfriend Robert Shiver “fell through,” Brittany invited the Chrisleys to spend the holiday with them in Turks and Caicos after running into each other at an event. After she insisted they join their tropical Thanksgiving, Savannah accepted the offer.

Further detailing her experience on her Unlocked podcast, Savannah continued, “So, she and her husband graciously opened up their home to us and it just reminded me what awesome people I have in my life and people that just love on us, and they see, like, tough times.”

“It makes me emotional just talking about it because it has been tough not having Mom and Dad home, and to see the people around me that have loved us and cared about us, it made me realize that family isn’t just blood,” she added. “You can have a family that you weren’t born into and, for me, those are friends. Those are friends who show up like family should, and for that I’m so grateful.”

The Chrisley Knows Best alum — who was granted custody of Grayson and Chloe when her parents reported to prison — also shared how the Aldeans have had a positive impact on her younger siblings. She called Brittany “one of the greatest people on Earth” who has been “absolutely amazing to me and my family.” Jason, on the other hand, has been “a good, solid force” for her brother Grayson and has “checked in on him” amid their family struggles.