Kathie Lee Gifford celebrates first Christmas without husband Frank

This year will be Kathie Lee Gifford's first Christmas after her husband Frank's death in August.

Gifford posted a Bible verse about "the brokenhearted" on Twitter on Christmas Eve, writing, "You, LORD, are close to the brokenhearted and save those who are crushed in spirit. Ps 34:18. I'm praying for all of you who need His love."

Frank Gifford had CTE

It seems that Gifford could also be talking about herself; 2015 was undoubtedly a brutal year for the TV personality, whose NFL Hall of Famer husband suffered from the debilitating brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Frank died at 84.

The "Today" host revealed to Daily News readers that this year, she and her family did not buy a Christmas tree for the first time.

"The last couple of years we put up a tree with just white lights," she said. "And then this year, nothing. I have a wreath up on our front door, but only because our producer here sent it to me. I'm not bah-humbugging . I'm just old. And tired!"

Luckily, Gifford has her two children, who she calls her best presents.

"My two perfect gifts were my kids," she said. "And they're aging, but very nicely."

Gifford seems confident that she will make it through life's rough patches. When a fan tweeted at her that she hoped God would be her peace and comfort on Gifford's first Christmas without Frank, she responded, "Thank you. His grace is sufficient."

f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.