‘Real Housewives’ star Teresa Giudice is freed from prison

The family also spent Thanksgiving without their mother, but Teresa Guidice is home in time for Christmas this year and the family is surely enjoying their time together.

TERESA Giudice is a free woman.

The Real Housewives star had her first taste of freedom in almost 11 months as she was driven from prison by her lawyer on Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, Teresa said she plans to spend the holiday with her family at the home of her brother and sister-in-law Joe and Melissa Gorga in Montville, New Jersey.

Radar Online had previously reported that Teresa was so determined to avoid photographers and the inevitable media frenzy sparked by her release that she planned to hire decoy cars to confuse the waiting press in a bid to slip out unseen. Radar Online posted and then deleted a story stating that Giudice’s lawyer James Leonard Jr. bought her the vehicle, with the intent to be “paid back later” (via Jezebel). She and her husband, Joe Giudice, pleaded guilty a year ago to bankruptcy fraud. She has served her time and surely learned something from the experience over the past year.

Giudice has been in prison since January.

“She is thrilled that she is finally going home”, a source told magazine. Co-star Dina Manzo also tweeted, “Happy day”.

The source added that the TV hothead suffered through the harsh realities of prison life. The Danbury facility is best known as the prison home for other famous female felons, including Leona Helmsley and Piper Kerman of “Orange is the New Black”.

The coming months will bring more transition for Teresa. The “RHONJ” star has only seen her children a handful of times throughout her sentence, so we can only imagine how thrilled she must be.