Hoda Kotb’s Fiance Joel Schiffman Builds Playhouse for Daughters on Christmas

Hoda Kotb spent the holidays with her fiancé Joel Schiffman and their two daughters, Haley and Hope. According to PEOPLE, Schiffman worked hard to make sure that the day was special for the two little ones. On Instagram, Kotb posted a photo of her significant other working on a playhouse for the girls to enjoy on Christmas. 

Kotb and Schiffman certainly did their best as they attempted to put the playhouse together. The Today Show anchor first posted a photo of her husband-to-be as he tried to put some finishing touches on the playhouse. In a subsequent shot, Kotb tried to lend a helping hand. However, the pair seemed to break out into a fit of giggles amid their struggles to put it together. Based on her caption for the post, what was meant to be a “simple” setup turned out to be anything but.

In addition to posting about their playhouse setup chronicles, Kotb also wished her followers a “Merry Christmas” by posting a photo of her family. All of the family members donned matching pajamas for the shot, which included Kotb, Schiffman, their two daughters, Kotb’s sister Hala Kotb, and her mother Sameha Kotb. Her post even included some snaps of Haley and Hope opening up some of their Christmas presents. Kotb’s youngest, Hope, cleared loved getting a baby doll, as she shared a bright smile for the camera as she showed off her gift. 

Kotb and Schiffman have been spending the holidays together for years now, as they’ve been an item for quite some time. The pair got engaged in November 2019. They originally planned to wed in November 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their plans have been on hold. In July 2021, Kotb did offer an update about her wedding planning when asked by her co-anchor, Jenna Bush Hager. 

“We’re just trying to make sure that everyone can travel. That’s really what we want to do,” Kotb said, per PEOPLE. “We want to do it in a place that we love deep in our soul that means a lot to us, and we want our closest to come.” She added, “But Joel kept saying, ‘Why are we waiting? Let’s just go already.’” In the past, the Today personality has explained that she envisioned a destination wedding. However, since the pandemic continues to pose a problem, it’s unclear whether she’ll still be able to make that happen.