Todd and Julie Chrisley are happy to be home for the holidays for the first time in two years since surrendering to prison.
The Chrisleys, who rose to fame with their hit reality show “Chrisley Knows Best,” were convicted in 2022 of federal bank fraud and tax evasion. Todd, 56, and Julie, 52, who have maintained their innocence, were sentenced to 12 and seven years, respectively, and reported to separate federal prisons on Jan. 17, 2023.
The couple served 28 months in prison before being released in May after they received pardons from President Donald Trump.
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During a joint interview with Fox News Digital, Todd and Julie shared what they were most looking forward to celebrating this Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“The thing that matters the most is us being together again,” Todd said. “And Christmas is a big time for Julie, and she does all the decorating and all that stuff, so she’s already started that process. So we’re just happy to be back and to be back doing what we do and with our family.”
“To be able to be together,” Julie agreed. “Christmas is a hard time when you’re not with your family and so it’s just a blessing that we’re together.”
The reality stars, who have been married since 1996, share sons Chase, 29, and Grayson, 19, and daughter Savannah, 28. Todd is also father to daughter Lindsie, 36, and son Kyle, 34, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Teresa Terry.
Ahead of Christmas last year, Savannah, who fought tirelessly to get her parents pardoned, opened up about spending the holiday without them for the second year in a row.
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In a December 2024 episode of her “Unlocked” podcast, Savannah and her grandmother Nanny Faye Chrisley had an emotional conversation about how they were coping with the absence of Todd and Julie during the holiday season.
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“Obviously, mom and dad are not here, shocker,” Savannah said.
“But hopefully they will be next year,” Nanny Faye told her. “Our hearts are heavy, but we’re not going to let the devil win and the people that hate us, we’re going to march right on down that road. I tell you children, nothing’s forever. This shall pass, and we will be better for it because God don’t put stuff on us that he don’t get us out of.”
Savannah, who became the legal guardian for her younger siblings Chloe and Grayson during her parents’ incarceration, revealed that they would be taking an international trip for Christmas in lieu of their traditional celebration.
“I learned last Christmas — I did Christmas for the kids, I cooked a whole meal all of that and friends came over you came over — it was great, we enjoyed the time, food was great, but also, Mom and Dad aren’t here, so trying to pretend everything’s the same really is not what’s in the best interest for everybody,” Savannah said. “So this year, I asked the kids, I said, ‘Do you guys want gifts or do you want to go somewhere?’ They decided they wanted to go somewhere.”
Meanwhile, Nanny Faye explained that she would be celebrating Christmas with her other son Randy. Nanny Faye shared Todd and Randy with her late husband Gene Raymond Chrisley, who died at the age of 77 in 2012.
Savannah led a relentless public and political campaign for her parents’ pardons. During their incarceration, Savannah met with officials in Washington, attended conservative events including CPAC, and worked through formal clemency channels.
She also used her social media platforms and podcast to bring national attention to what she described as injustices in her parents’ case.
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In February, she revealed that she was “going through the proper channels” to seek a presidential pardon for the couple from Trump.
On the day the pardon was announced, she revealed on Instagram that Trump had personally called her to inform her the pardon paperwork was signed.
While speaking with Fox News Digital, Todd shared details about the call that he had with Trump after he and Julie were released from prison.
WATCH: TODD AND JULIE CHRISLEY SHARE WHETHER THEY WILL START NEW HOLIDAY TRADITIONS AFTER PRISON TIME
“He congratulated us on coming home,” Todd said. “He said, ‘Well you look great.’”
“He’s always got those one-liners,” the reality star added. “President Trump has been wonderful to our family, as the world knows now. And he was just very congratulatory. He was very kind and I extended my gratitude to him, and he said, ‘I just want you to have a wonderful life.’”
Following their return from prison, Julie told Fox News Digital that she and Todd would be hosting their family at their home in Nashville for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year.
“I can’t wait,” she said. “Can’t wait.”
Todd teased that Julie will be hosting a new cooking show that he said will “air next year.” Julie previously hosted the webseries “What’s Cooking With Julie Chrisley” in 2019.
“I’m excited for her to have that, because that’s what the fans have asked for years,” Todd said. “So now she’s doing what she loves to do.”
In November 2024, Savannah revealed on Instagram that Julie had helped plan the family’s Thanksgiving dinner from prison, including writing a shopping list for her.
The couple made their return to reality TV in the Lifetime show “The Chrisleys: Back to Reality,” which premiered in September.
While speaking with Fox News Digital, Julie shared some of the dishes that would be on the family’s dinner table this Thanksgiving.
“You’re in the South, so you have to have turkey and dressing, you have to have macaroni and cheese, you have to have sweet potatoes, you know, the whole bit,” she said.
The couple told Fox News Digital that they did not plan on starting any new traditions this year but instead, they would continue with their usual customs. Todd noted that he had already adhered to his practice of making his holiday shopping list in October.
“I think our holidays are gonna stay the way that they always have,” Todd said. “We love Christmas, and I love to give to our children and to Julie and to my mother, because God knows if you give Julie one thing that my mother doesn’t get, it’s a whole other issue.”
“Right,” Julie agreed with a laugh.
“So I don’t know that we’re changing any of that,” Todd said.
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“I truly believe it’s savoring the moments this year, you know, because we missed two, and so I think that’s what it’s gonna be about,” Julie added.
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While speaking with Fox News Digital, Todd and Julie reflected on how their approaches to parenting had “absolutely” changed since their time in prison, noting that their children had to learn to adapt to life without them.
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“I think our children grew up,” Julie said. “They were forced to grow up while we were gone. And I think for that you relinquish some control and realize that you know what, they’re gonna be okay. You know, they survived it. And I think that’s a good thing that’s come of this.”
“I think that wasn’t a bad thing that they had to grow up,” she added.
“I don’t know that I would have ever been able to have let go until I was forced to let go,” Todd admitted. “And now I see my adult children in such a different light.”
“I see where some of them had struggles with certain things and then the others kind of just exploded, and you saw everything that we had poured into that child,” he continued. “I think also we now see each of our children as individuals. They’re not just our children, they’re individuals.”
Todd and Julie previously shared their plans to eventually make Charleston, South Carolina their family’s permanent home. However, the couple, who both hail from South Carolina, told Fox News Digital that they will be making a detour by first relocating to the Lone Star State.
“We are going to probably build our forever compound in Charleston, South Carolina,” Todd said. “But we are going to move to Texas, and that’s where we will pick up our filming of the show and the other shows that we’re gonna be doing.”
Todd said that he envisions their children living in the “forever compound” with them as well as Nanny Faye.
“I want our home there — Chase, Savannah, Grayson,” he said. “My mother’s always wherever we are. And Chloe’s a given, she’s with me wherever I go. But my mother has said she’s living to be 150, so you know she’s already planning what she wants to build.”
