Julie & Todd Chrisley Set the Table for the Family’s 2 Holiday Specials

Todd and Julie Chrisley and the rest of the gang are spreading their unique brand of holiday cheer across two specials and multiple networks this season. Chrisley Knows Thanksgiving (streaming November 18 on Peacock and airing November 25 on USA) sees Julie pass down tasty turkey day recipes to her children and viewers at home.

Then December 15, A Very Chrisley Christmas premieres on NBC: Todd goes into a decorative yuletide battle with Nanny Faye.  Savannah helps Chloe write a letter to Santa, but Todd forgets to send it off to the North Pole. Can a Christmas miracle save the day? 

Before the festivities get underway, Todd and Julie sit down for a holiday Q&A. 

You’ve had holiday episodes before, but these specials will have a wider audience than ever before.

Todd Chrisley: We’re on USA, E!, Bravo, Peacock. Now with NBC, it goes to further the appreciation that we have as a family for our partners. Without USA and the folks that drove this train, we wouldn’t be having this interview with you. 

With the older kids out of the house, do you feel the holidays have renewed importance?

Todd: We would love to tell you our kids have moved out of the house. Our children do own their own homes, but they are here all day long because they film with us every day. They have dinner with us every night. They have guest suites in our home. They will stay here half the time and when they get pissed off at me they’ll go, “I’m going home.” I tell them, “If I knew all I had to do was piss you off for you to go home, I’d be doing that on a regular basis.” They are still with us. We wouldn’t have it any other way. We’re working on having a family compound where all of us have houses side-by-side. That’s how I want my life to be. I want to grow old with my children around me and my grandchildren around us. It would be nice if someone just invited me to dinner though.  

Julie Chrisley: I love having my children here every day, but there are times where I do get tired of cooking. Especially when you start cooking for all these people.

Todd: We have, literally, every night at our table 10 to 12 people. 

So every day is Thanksgiving for you guys.

Todd: It sure is. Every day should be Thanksgiving because we have been blessed. 

USA Network

Julie, you are so known for your incredible baking and cooking. Is it hard to introduce a new dish during the holidays?

It is funny you ask that question. My husband is a creature of habit. I guess that’s a good thing for me because I’m still around after 26 years. He is a creature of habit when it comes to food. He loves what I make, and he doesn’t want me to change it. I’m not going to take the chance at Thanksgiving, so I make everything I know everyone will love. I may sprinkle new things throughout the year if I have a good recipe. 

With these specials, by the sound of it, there is some healthy competition.

Todd: We’ve raised our kids to be competitive. Savannah is an amazing cook. She is following in her mom’s footsteps. She is great in the kitchen. Chase surprisingly turned out to be a good cook. I just don’t eat at other people’s homes. I don’t eat other people’s food. I eat what Julie feeds me because I know it’s clean. My kids too. I’m probably going to spend more time at Savannah’s table than I do Chase’s though because he is a guy, and I don’t want his hands on the food I’m going to be eating that much. 

Julie: I do think with the Thanksgiving special you’re going to see that competitiveness. You’re also going to see some of my real cooking. You’re going to be able to follow along and play it back and get some great ideas. People like the recipes they see me cook on TV. I’m excited about that because I was able to incorporate more of what I love. I think you’re going to see that in that Thanksgiving episode. I also think it has a lot of heart as does the Christmas episode. You’re going to see the Chrisley family step out of our comfort zone. We’ve always done Christmas, and I’ve been the overseer of Christmas between the food and decorations. I’m letting Nanny take on a lot more of that in this episode. I think it’s going to be a heartfelt, sweet episode. 

Does wanting to make Christmas special for Chloe help keep the holiday spirit alive?

Julie: Absolutely. To me, nothing says Christmas like children. When I think back to our greatest Christmas memories it was when our kids were little. I love that we still have that with Chloe. We still have that excitement and anticipation. We still make our cookies for Santa. The kids keep us young and help us remember what it’s all about. 

There is such a strong message of family felt on your shows.

Todd: We’re a real family. We have good days and bad days and some okay days, but what we always have is a genuine love for each other. There are times when as a parent to your child and you don’t see eye to eye. You have to stay true to what is the truth and the best way to handle the situation based on your years on this earth. There are times I had to be firm and committed. As I got halfway through the process, I think maybe I can change that approach a little bit. Being a family all together in learning and accepting that we are all just human. The lesson we want people to take away from our show and family is we are filled with grace by God. We need to extend that grace to those we love the most.

Do you two have any New Year’s resolutions?

Todd: For me, it’s to continue to increase my faith in my lord and savior and be a better parent, husband, and son. A better friend, a better business partner. Overall just be a better human being so those around me feel better being around me. Not because of what I can give them. 

Julie: We’re not huge on resolutions. For us, it’s something we strive to do every day. To be better. For me, it’s to be grateful for what we’ve been given because we’ve been given so many blessings. Also, to be able to give back. That’s a big one for me and something I want to work on more. 

Chrisley Knows Thanksgiving, November 18, Peacock and November 25, 8:30/7:30c, USA

A Very Chrisley Christmas, December 15, 9:30/8:30c, NBC

Chrisley Knows Best, Thursdays, 8:30/7:30c, USA