Hoda Kotb Shares Heartwarming Moment: Fiancé Joel Schiffman’s Thoughtful Handwritten Card Surprises Her at 4:15 AM Before Work – ‘It Made Me Feel So Good!’

Hoda Kotb has opened up about how her fiancé, Joel Schiffman, surprised her with a card with a handwritten note on Tuesday morning, explaining that the sweet gesture made her ‘feel so good.’

The newly-engaged Today anchor was chatting with her co-host Jenna Bush Hager during the show’s fourth hour when she revealed she walked downstairs at 4:15 a.m. and saw a card propped up on the table with her name on it.

‘Joel was still sleeping and I opened it, and he had taken the time just to write a beautiful card,’ the 55-year-old recalled. ‘I sat at the kitchen table at 4 o’clock reading it, and I thought, oh my God.’

Hoda said Joel, 61, eventually came downstairs in his Sesame Street dad shirt to say goodbye to her before she headed to work.

‘I go, “You wrote me a card. He’s like, “Yeah, I just wanted you to get it before you went,”‘ she shared. ‘First of all, it made me feel so good, and number two, anybody can do that and make someone feel that good.’

The journalist said she could picture her partner of more than six years sitting down with a pen in his hand, ‘trying to think of cool things and pretty things and sweet things to write.’

Joel proposed to Hoda last month during a romantic trip to Mexico. Just a few days before Thanksgiving, she shared their joyous news while showing off her engagement ring on the Today show.

‘He said some beautiful things and then he got down on one knee and he said, “Will you be my wife?” And I said, “Yes!”‘ she said.

The couple adopted their daughter Haley Joy, two, in February 2017. Two years later, they welcomed their baby girl, Hope Catherine, who is now eight months old.

The journalist admitted that she isn’t sure how to tell their daughters the joyous news because she doesn’t think they’ll understand.

‘We haven’t told them yet. I don’t know how you do it,’ she told People earlier this month. ‘We are just going to say we’re having a party to show how much we love each other.’

When they wed, Hoda will also become a stepmother to Joel’s 25-year-old daughter, Kyle Schiffman.

Hoda recently opened up about her upcoming wedding, telling the publication that they would rather get married ‘sooner rather than later.’

‘We may go back to the place we were engaged in Mexico,’ she said. ‘Lots of margaritas and Mexican food. Keep the tequila on tap! But we haven’t thought about it too much. Nothing we do is about bells and whistles in that way.’

However, for now, it seems as though the couple is focusing on making baby Hope’s first Christmas as magical as possible.

Last week, Hoda revealed on Instagram that they had two impromptu Christmas tree lighting ceremonies in their New York City apartment, ensuring that both Hope and Haley got to participate.

‘What’s better than one tree lighting? Two tree lightings!’ she captioned the heartwarming videos she posted last Wednesday.

In the first clip, their small tree is sitting on a window ledge, and Joel is on his knee, ready to plug in the lights.

Hoda is sitting next to him with baby Hope on her lap as they start counting down from five with little Haley helping out in the background.

When the tree is lit, the proud parents yell, ‘Yay!’ as Hoda bounces Hope on her leg and gives her a kiss on the cheek.

They go through the same routine in the second video, only this time it’s Haley who is sitting on Hoda’s lap.

The mini tree lighting ceremony seems to be a tradition that Hoda and Joel are passing down to their daughters after doing the same thing last year for Haley’s second Christmas ⁠— her last as an only child.

This year’s event came four days after the family picked out their tree at a holiday pop-up in Manhattan.

Hoda took to Instagram over the weekend to share sweet photos of Joel carrying Haley Joy on his shoulders while holding their Christmas tree in his free hand.

‘Got ours!’ she captioned the images.

In the heartwarming holiday tradition, Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman, along with their two daughters, Haley Joy and Hope Catherine, have created lasting memories that continue to highlight the beauty of family. This year’s mini tree lighting ceremony, which took place just days after the family selected their tree at a cozy holiday pop-up in Manhattan, symbolizes more than just a festive decoration. It’s a ritual, a moment of joy that speaks volumes about love, togetherness, and the passage of time.

The significance of this event is amplified when you consider the history behind it. Last year, Haley Joy experienced her second Christmas as the family’s only child. This year, however, she shares the moment with her younger sister, Hope, marking a pivotal shift in the family dynamics. For Hoda and Joel, it’s not just about the tree or the presents, but about passing down the cherished traditions to their daughters, ensuring that the bonds they’ve formed in these intimate holiday moments will remain with them for years to come.

Hoda’s recent Instagram post paints a picture of pure joy, with Joel carrying Haley Joy on his shoulders while effortlessly balancing the Christmas tree in one hand. “Got ours!” she captioned the images, capturing the essence of family warmth and love. These images, as well as the ones from last year, show a deep sense of gratitude for these fleeting moments — moments that are more than just holidays but milestones in the lives of their growing family.

For Hoda, these traditions serve as both a reflection of the present and a connection to the past. They provide her a sense of continuity, a reminder of the love that surrounds her and the memories being built with her children. In the end, it’s these small, yet profound rituals that continue to shape the spirit of Christmas in their home — a holiday season brimming with warmth, love, and the joy of family.