Hoda Kotb Shares the Hilarious Story Behind Daughter Haley's Early Christmas Gift for Jenna Bush Hager

Mar. 15, 2025

Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager.Photo:Today with Hoda And Jenna/NBC/Youtube

Today with Hoda And Jenna/NBC/Youtube

Hoda Kotb’s daughter Haley may have just revealed who her favoriteTodayco-host is.On the Monday, Oct. 21 episode ofToday with Hoda & Jenna,co-hostJenna Bush Hager, 42, revealed that she shared an early Christmas present from Kotb’s older daughter Haley, 7: a penguin ornament with Bush Hager’s name on it. Little did Bush Hager know that there was a hilarious story behind the sweet gift.Bush Hager begins, “This morning when I walked into my dressing room and it was still kind of dark out, there was a little Christmas present wrapped for me,” adding that she was extra surprised since it’s only October.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I’m gonna tell you a little bit about this present,” Kotb chimes in. “So we were in Value Drugs, and they have all of the ornaments with the names on them. And Haley found one that spells her name properly, the way she does.“Kotb then recalls Haley’s excitement as she found three more ornaments: Little Sister (for her younger sister Hope, 5), World’s Best Mom and Jenna.“I go, ‘Okay, guys. You can get three,’ " Kotb continues. “So we check out, and I’m assuming it’s World’s Best Mom and Little Sister. I unpack to Value Drugs bag and what comes out? Haley, Little Sister and Jenna!” she exclaims while Bush Hager holds up her little penguin in shock.The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Jenna Bush Hager.Today with Hoda And Jenna/NBC/Youtube"She left ‘World’s Best Mom’ on the rack, so she could buy a Jenna,” the mom of two laughs. Bush Hager then jokes, “She’s saving it for Mother’s Day, man!“Kotb adds that Haley even wrapped the gift herself, “and she did it all for you,” she said referring to Bush Hager.“I don’t think she realizes what this means to me,” Bush Hager shares, because “as a little kid, and you can understand this, the name Jenna was not popular,” so she was never able to find items that had her name on them.“But Haley knew!” she adds excitedly.

Hoda Kotb’s daughter Haley may have just revealed who her favoriteTodayco-host is.

On the Monday, Oct. 21 episode ofToday with Hoda & Jenna,co-hostJenna Bush Hager, 42, revealed that she shared an early Christmas present from Kotb’s older daughter Haley, 7: a penguin ornament with Bush Hager’s name on it. Little did Bush Hager know that there was a hilarious story behind the sweet gift.

Bush Hager begins, “This morning when I walked into my dressing room and it was still kind of dark out, there was a little Christmas present wrapped for me,” adding that she was extra surprised since it’s only October.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“I’m gonna tell you a little bit about this present,” Kotb chimes in. “So we were in Value Drugs, and they have all of the ornaments with the names on them. And Haley found one that spells her name properly, the way she does.”

Kotb then recalls Haley’s excitement as she found three more ornaments: Little Sister (for her younger sister Hope, 5), World’s Best Mom and Jenna.

“I go, ‘Okay, guys. You can get three,’ " Kotb continues. “So we check out, and I’m assuming it’s World’s Best Mom and Little Sister. I unpack to Value Drugs bag and what comes out? Haley, Little Sister and Jenna!” she exclaims while Bush Hager holds up her little penguin in shock.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Jenna Bush Hager.Today with Hoda And Jenna/NBC/Youtube

“She left ‘World’s Best Mom’ on the rack, so she could buy a Jenna,” the mom of two laughs. Bush Hager then jokes, “She’s saving it for Mother’s Day, man!”

Kotb adds that Haley even wrapped the gift herself, “and she did it all for you,” she said referring to Bush Hager.

“I don’t think she realizes what this means to me,” Bush Hager shares, because “as a little kid, and you can understand this, the name Jenna was not popular,” so she was never able to find items that had her name on them.

“But Haley knew!” she adds excitedly.

source: people.com