Savannah Guthrie Heartbreakingly Admits She 'Holds On To Christmas Even Harder Now' Since Losing Her Dad At Age 16

Savannah Guthrie is feeling extra grateful for her family this time of year.

The Today show anchor candidly opened up about what Christmas means to her after losing her dad, Charles, when she was only a teenager during the TODAY All Day streaming special, Holidays in my House.

"The fact that I lost my dad when I was 16 makes Christmas even more special to us," the 50-year-old explained, adding that the family-filled holiday also marked her late dad's birthday. "I think we hold on to Christmas even harder now, because it's a tie to him and a tie to the past and to our memories."

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"So Christmas just absolutely lives in my heart and lives in our family and I will spend every minute I have making sure my kids feel that magic, too," Guthrie maintained.

Recalling the fond memories she had when she was young, Guthrie shared, "My father would always gather us around and we would read the Christmas story in the Bible and we always really loved that, because I think it connected us to the holiday in a really spiritual and significant way."

She continued, "Even as kids, we loved that moment of just being at my father's knee and feeling that there was really something eternally special about this day."

Christmas also included her dad comically telling the children they couldn't open any presents, only then to give in and let them each open one.

"We would open up a present and he'd say, 'Let's open them all!' and then we'd say 'No dad, no, we have to wait until Christmas!'" she recalled. "That was just a really sweet tradition we had with my dad."

As for her own traditions with her kids — Guthrie shares daughter Vale, 9, and son Charley, 7, with husband Mike Feldman — Guthrie said she makes sure the Holy holiday still reflects her close ties with her family and her faith.

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"I am sure to talk to my kids that this is a special night, because this is the night we remember when Christ came to save the world," said the television personality. "In our family that is a living part of what we believe and I always want to tie them back to that. I want them to have fun — they will always have fun at Christmas — but I also want them to feel that magic of what their faith means to them, why the night feels so special; to go out, look up at the stars and imagine that star long, long ago."