Gerry Turner Shared This 'Sweet' Holiday Tradition from His Late Wife with Theresa Nist's Family (Exclusive)

The Golden Bachelor fiancee tells PEOPLE that she and Gerry “had a wonderful time together” in December

Between the engagement announcement during The Golden Bachelor finale and wedding celebration on Thursday, Gerry Turner and his fiancee Theresa Nist spent their first holidays together.

“For me, being able to buy Christmas presents for the grandchildren for the first time was fantastic,” Gerry, 72, tells PEOPLE of gifting Theresa’s six grandchildren. “I love my daughters and granddaughters and it’s been great doing all the gifts for the girls, but I have to do cucumbers and play football. We did manly things!”

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Theresa, 70, also received cucumber-related gifts: one paddle from Gerry and a pair from two of her daughter’s friends that read “Mr. and Mrs. Turner«. Now you just have to start playing.

“I just do it at home and pretend I’m playing,” says the financial services expert.

The retired restaurateur adds: “Part of the equipment is covered. Now we just have to get the basic skills.”

Gerry Turner and late wife Toni.

ABC/ Instagram Golden Bachelor

Gerry also shared a special tradition with Theresa and her family: making the cinnamon balls that his late wife, Toni, loved to make for Christmas.

“We had a wonderful time together and his daughters taught us all how to make these cinnamon balls. They were so delicious,” Theresa said carefully. “We had it at my daughter’s house and her house was festive and we had such a wonderful time having a meal together. We learned a lot more about each other.”

Gerry Turner with his daughters Jenny and Angie and granddaughters Payton and Charlee.

ABC/Brian Bowen Smith

Cinnamon always makes Gerry think of Toni, who died suddenly in 2017 after being diagnosed with a bacterial infection.

“It’s one of those things that touched me,” says the father of two. “And it was one of those weird circumstances where I was walking down the street one day and I smelled cinnamon, and it made me think of Christmas and Toni making those cinnamon balls. So when my daughters took that tradition and now bring it to Theresa’s family, it’s a really sweet connection, in more ways than one.”

Theresa Nist with her grandchildren.

Theresa Nist/Instagram

Gerry and Theresa ended the holiday season by welcoming 2024 in New York’s Times Square with Ryan Seacrest.

“I’ve lived in this area my whole life and I’ve never experienced this,” said Theresa, a New Jersey resident. “This is great. I can’t believe we were a part of this.”

The Golden Bachelor thinks it’s the perfect start to the year. “I’m not sure what could be more fun and exciting [than] New Year’s Eve in Times Square with Ryan Seacrest and watching the ball drop,” says Gerry.

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Still, his live, televised wedding to Theresa might top the New Year’s Eve party in Times Square.

“We are very excited about this day and we want everyone to be a part of it, we wish everyone could be there,” says Theresa. “We send our love to everyone who supports us and wants to watch it. We want this to be a day full of love.”

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Golden wedding airs Thursdays at 8:00 PM ET on ABC.

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Source: HIS Education