![Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos Beg Their Kids to Be Home for the Holidays](/https/www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Kelly-Ripa-and-Mark-Consuelos-Beg-Their-Kids-to-Be-Home-for-the-Holidays-01-edit.jpg?w=1000&quality=40&strip=all)
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but there’s one thing that makes Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos’ holiday season even more special: their kids.
With son Michael, 22, and daughter Lola, 18, in college — and 16-year-old son Joaquin nearing the end of high school — Ripa, 49, and Consuelos, 48, are trying to savor every little moment with their children. The television couple told Us Weekly exclusively on Friday, December 13, that having a full house for Christmas is still “really special.”
“As the kids are getting older … we know that these holidays are going to be almost coming up on the last we can all kind of dictate where they spend their holidays and [will] have to share that with their new families,” the Riverdale star told Us.
The Live! With Kelly and Ryan host agreed, adding that the two of them miss the days where they could stay at home with their little ones to watch Christmas movies and bake cookies all day. “In the blink of an eye, your kids grow up and suddenly you are begging them to spend time with you,” Ripa teased.
The almost empty nesters have tried to impart big life lessons to their kids as they’ve grown up, especially during the holidays. As the former soap opera actors partnered with Amazon in Delivering Smiles to help give families in need the holiday season they hoped for, they reflected on how giving back to their surrounding community has become part of their family’s lifestyle.
“The older [our kids] get, I think the more they realize how fortunate they’ve been all of their lives,” Ripa told Us. “I think the more involved in community service they are, the more the realization sort of hits home.”
![Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos Beg Their Kids to Be Home for the Holidays](/https/www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Kelly-Ripa-and-Mark-Consuelos-Beg-Their-Kids-to-Be-Home-for-the-Holidays-02.jpg?w=1000&quality=70&strip=all)
Through AmazonSmile Charity Lists, Ripa and Consuelos are encouraging people to “take the guesswork” out of being charitable this holiday season. “You can just fill certain products on charities’ fulfillment lists, or you can donate part of what you’re spending while you’re shopping on Amazon,” Consuelos explained as the duo prepared to visit a local homeless shelter in New York City.
While Ripa and Consuelos’ commitment to community service has been a steady holiday tradition, the family is integrating some new treats to their Christmas morning menu, courtesy of Ryan Seacrest‘s mom, Connie.
“Connie makes these sausage balls on Christmas morning — it’s Bisquick and sausage and cheddar cheese and you bake it in the oven,” Ripa explained. “Now it is the number one most requested thing in our house. It surpassed the cookies, it surpassed everything else!”