- Ryan Seacrest announced the death of his father, Gary, after a years-long battle with cancer in late October 2025.
- The American Idol and Wheel of Fortune host opened up about how his family plans to celebrate Christmas without his dad.
- Ryan also mentioned the traditions Gary loved most and how he plans to recreate them.
Ryan Seacrest is celebrating Christmas a little differently this year.
With the holiday season in full swing, the American Idol and Wheel of Fortune host has experienced plenty of highs and lows throughout the year. While his career continues to evolve (including coming back to emcee Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve on December 31), he’s also experiencing different family dynamics.
Back in October, Ryan emotionally announced the death of his father, Gary, at age 79 after a years-long battle with cancer. When Ryan spoke to People at the iHeartRadio 102.7 KIIS FM Jingle Ball, he acknowledged the holiday would be very different than years past. But his loved ones (including his mom Connie, his sister, Meredith, and her family) are also making sure to keep Gary’s spirit alive.
“I’m not quite sure what it’ll be like yet because we haven’t been there to experience a Christmas without him,” he shared in an interview published on December 8. “But we’ll certainly honor him.”
So, how will Ryan’s family pay tribute to Gary on December 25? According to the radio show host, he plans on doing all the Christmas traditions his dad loved most. In addition to eating and drinking some of Gary’s favorites, Ryan noted they’ll also make a toast in his honor.
“We’ll keep our traditions of making a Caesar salad that he always used to love to do,” Ryan added about what moments will be sentimental to him on Christmas. “[We’ll] pour a little glass of red wine, his favorite, and toast to him.”
What a special way for Ryan to remember his dad, and our hearts are with his family during this time.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.goodhousekeeping.com ’
