Joe Giudice Reveals His Holiday Plans With Teresa

The Giudice family has just a few more weeks left until they will be reunited with Teresa Giudice, and the timing couldn't be more perfect. Joe Giudice is already making holiday plans that prove he has his wife's best interests at heart. The 43-year-old Real Housewives of New Jersey star, who is preparing to begin his own 41-month prison sentence, told E! News that he and Teresa are going to take advantage of every minute of the holidays, which is the last chance they'll have to spend together as a family before he begins serving time himself.

"We got the holidays," Joe said about Christmas. "We're probably going to take a trip or two with the family. I'd stay in the states, [maybe] some island close by." The father of four then revealed the plan is probably to hang out in St. John in the Virgin Islands for a bit — and, if you're wondering why they're allowed to leave the state of New Jersey before Joe serves his prison sentence, you're not alone, but I'm going to guess he has already ironed out the details of his trip with his attorneys.

Since Teresa is scheduled to be released from prison a few days before Christmas, Joe says he isn't going to put any pressure on her to start whipping up eight-course meals and inviting 100 people to their home. He said a "big family dinner" is likely in the cards, but kept reiterating that they'll keep it small and that "whatever she wants to do" when she comes home is OK by him.

It's too early to say whether this experience has changed Joe and Teresa completely — and hopefully it will for the better — but it certainly seems like we're dealing with a more humble man these days. He seems to realize that this time has been extremely tough on his daughters and wife and he even took full responsibility for Teresa's jail sentence, revealing last week on the Today show that he is fully to blame and that he and his wife believed they had struck a plea deal in which he would take the fall for their actions. Both were shocked when they heard the court's verdict and, without warning, Joe became a single parent overnight and had no choice but to deal with the consequences of their crime.

The good news here is that this difficult experience might prove to be the best thing that ever happened to the couple. Perhaps this will make Joe appreciate Teresa even more, as he watches her keep her head up and serve her sentence, while also gaining a deeper appreciation for how challenging it is to raise four children. If his holiday plans are any indication of his newfound attitude, I think we can expect a kinder, gentler Joe Giudice — and time will tell whether the same can be said for Teresa.

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