Pull up a chair, pour the coquito, and get ready for the ultimate cozy chat about how we really do the holidays. In this special archive episode from 2024, we're talking about our personal Christmas (and beyond) traditions, what we grew up with in Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Panama, Italy, and the States, and how they've evolved over time.

From grand markets and real pine trees to nativity set wars and debating Santa Claus’ spending limit, we’re diving into the cultural, religious, and just plain chaotic layers of what makes this time of year meaningful...or stressful.

We cover:

1. When the holiday season actually starts depending on where you’re from
2. Why Three Kings Day might be bigger than Christmas
3. What’s on our holiday table
4. The most iconic holiday movies and music we still replay
5. Elf-on-the-Shelf hacks and gift-giving pressure
6. Hot takes on modern holiday traditions
7. Our personal survival tips for a low-stress season

Plus, we get nostalgic about Sia’s Christmas album, Hallmark movies, and the Bravo girlies... naturally.

🎄 Got your own favorite holiday tradition or hot take? Let us know in the comments!

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Hi everyone!

2

It's a holiday week or if

you don't celebrate either

3

you're just getting together

to eat some food or relaxing.

4

and enjoying uh your time off

if you're fortunate to have time

5

off but if you're here that

means you are looking for a bit

6

of entertainment so we are going

to be talking about christmas

7

traditions with that said do you

all celebrate thanks I mean, that

8

is a very new novelty for me.

9

Um, it's definitely not

something I grew up celebrating.

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So I have zero input on that.

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Speaker 2: Same for me, like

Thanksgiving is a weird concept

12

growing up somewhere where, you know.

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Okay.

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I will say it's not weird concept.

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I used to watch a lot of American

TV shows and there was always

16

the classic Thanksgiving episode.

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So it was very strange.

18

To see it like I didn't understand

it, but I still knew what it was.

19

Um, and then once I moved

to the States, I did

20

celebrate it a little bit.

21

Um, especially when I was living up

in New York because I was closer

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to my husband's family and they're

very big on all the holidays.

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So there was a lot of family

gathering and all of that.

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I'm not very big on that

because like that was not.

25

That was not the thing in my

family, so I am perfectly fine

26

not going in any way, shape,

or form diving into Thanksgiving.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, what

about you, Laura?

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Speaker 4: So Puerto Rico celebrates

every, as you know, Puerto

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Rico is colonized by the U .S.,

30

and so we celebrate Spanish and

Puerto Rican holidays, and when

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we were colonized, we added

the American holidays, so we

32

make every holiday possible, and

it's just an excuse to party.

33

Do we eat the traditionally

turkey and the stuffing

34

and stuff like that.

35

No, it's a little different.

36

It's uh, it's more of a gathering.

37

There's always pernil.

38

There's always, you know,

arroz con gandule and all

39

those different things.

40

Our sides are a

little bit different.

41

Um, so we do celebrate, we

do celebrate Black Friday more.

42

Um, so because we're a big

consumerist, um, environment,

43

so we'd love to go shopping.

44

So it needs to go shopping.

45

We do it.

46

Speaker 3: I love that.

47

I love that.

48

My husband is big into Thanksgiving.

49

Obviously, it's something

he grew up with and his

50

family and they all do that.

51

So for me, it was very

interesting having my first

52

Thanksgiving Day dinner.

53

When was that?

54

Um, 2016.

55

I think I had my first, so

that was the first time I

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had like, you know, full -blown

turkey and all the things.

57

And my mom has been very

fascinated with it because, again,

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you watch television, right?

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So my mom's like, okay, we have to

work this out where I get to visit.

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So we decided to bring a christmas

traditions episode to you as well

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because i've also learned Thanksgiving

day Has the macy's day thanksgiving

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day parade i've watched it and

at the end of the parade santa

63

claus is there and i'm like oh

okay this is interesting so uh on

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thanksgiving day y give thanks eat

stuff your face then we're ringing

65

in santa claus straight after and

then of course we go black friday

66

shopping the next day so we are

going to be talking about all

67

things christmas traditions what we

grew up doing what we do now what

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we see other people doing and all

the things so um the first big

69

question is when does christmas

actually begin now for me growing

70

up christmas always began when advent

began Um, I grew up very christian.

71

So we follow the christian

calendar advent is the

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beginning of the christian year.

73

You know what i'm saying?

74

We kind of kick things off.

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So for me christmas really

started whenever advent falls.

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So technically that's

when christmas begins.

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What about you guys?

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So

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Speaker 2: for me, growing up

was the same as you, because

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also growing up Catholic, it

was usually around December 1st.

81

After moving to the States though,

and also I would say it's probably

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because growing up I didn't really

celebrate a lot Halloween, and once

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I moved here, and you know, I'm

on my own, I really got to explore

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more of the celebrating Halloween.

85

So for me now, it

starts November 1st.

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Right after Halloween, like as soon

as that is done next day, it's on.

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Speaker 4: What about you, Laura?

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So we saw me growing up, it

was December, around December.

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Um, I am not a big, unlike

what you see over here, this

90

is my first Christmas tree.

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I've been living on

my own for 25 years.

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I have not celebrated,

I have not decorated.

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This is just...

94

You know, we're in a new era

and so, and I got this like a

95

couple weeks after the election.

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So it's a, it's a, it's

depends on the mood for me.

97

Um, but what's different in

Puerto Rico is that we don't stop

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celebrating until like late January.

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So we have a really extended

holiday season and we have like

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multiple extended holidays with it.

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So it doesn't matter when you start.

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It's when you stop.

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It's just, you know, February

1st, we just take our trees and

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burn them down because that's

where the Virgin of Fire, um,

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celebrates her, I don't know,

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Speaker 3: her thing, so.

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Oh!

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Okay, this is so interesting.

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I love hearing about

these different things.

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I never did Halloween either, so

I didn't have that growing up.

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So, it's just like,

that's a dead holiday.

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Of course, Thanksgiving

wasn't a thing, so that's

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also a dead holiday.

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So, for me, it's like, when

you go to school in summer, You

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know, summer, you start school,

then it's like, okay, you get

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midterms, and then after that,

it's just, you know, Christmas.

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So, yeah, it's just very, very,

very interesting, but it was always

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dictated by the church calendar.

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Sometimes Advent would begin,

like, late November, it just

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depends when things fall.

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Don't know, it's just, again,

it's, um, it's the calendar.

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So, yeah.

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But what was like something childhood

that you remember that was very

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distinct about, um, Christmas?

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Like what was something you'll

always did in your household,

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Speaker 2: Fran?

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So for me, I guess different

than what maybe some people

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do here in the States.

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Um, we were very big on Nativity,

because again, growing up Catholic,

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so for me, the tree maybe wasn't

as important or decorating the house,

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but it was about the nativity.

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So like, I've always grown

up with a huge nativity set.

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Like we build a whole town and

like that was more of what you

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were really looking forward to.

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And it was such a shock when

I moved to the States and

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I was looking to buy stuff

to build my nativity set.

137

And there was nothing to buy and

I was scrambling and I'm like,

138

what is wrong with you people?

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And then, you know, it's just like

whatever you can find is just, you

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know, the, the little basic thing.

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And I'm like, that, that

is not a nativity set.

142

What are you talking about?

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So I think like that, that was

always a special part for me.

144

And a lot of it, yes, we

used to make things ourselves.

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So where you had to like, you know,

build a little lake or a river

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or something or, you know, stuff

that you would build yourself and

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we used to do that also with the

Christmas ornaments like on the tree.

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Probably, I mean, my mom was

very particular, so probably

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not as like kid looking.

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There was...

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They have to look good.

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So there was pressure.

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Speaker 5: Yeah, that's what we were

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Speaker 2: doing.

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But, um, yeah, I think that

just just the spending of

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that, you know, the importance

of the holiday, you know, as

157

opposed to the shopping aspect.

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So like gifts and stuff

was never the main thing,

159

at least in my household.

160

It was more about the real

meaning of the holiday.

161

Speaker 4: What about you, Laura?

162

So we did celebrate, um,

Nochebuena, which is the,

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um, the night before he gets

born and all different things.

164

But the reality is that Puerto

Rico celebrates Three Kings Day.

165

That's the day that we get gifts.

166

That's the day, um, it's

January 6th, by the way.

167

Um, so that day is a holiday.

168

It's considered like a high

holiday in Puerto Rico.

169

Um, the night before we get gifts.

170

The kids get grass for the camels

and they do like, you know, a

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little bit of water and then they

get like, you know, in the morning

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they get guests and stuff like that.

173

We do have Santa Claus, we

do have that place, but the

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reality is that Three Kings

Day is the bigger holiday.

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It's when, you know, all the gifts

are given to, you know, Jesus

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and, um, but we celebrate, at

least in my family and most of

177

the people, most of the culture

that I grew up with, Noche Buena.

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That's the night that we celebrate.

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We have dinner, we go to

midnight mass, we do the things,

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um, and that's the celebration.

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And it's just like the next

morning, it's like, you know,

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it's kind of like an afterthought.

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Right.

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If we were

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Speaker 2: lazy at my house, we

wouldn't go to midnight mass, but we

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would watch midnight mass on Tuesday.

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We

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Speaker 4: would not, we would not

leave the house, like, you know,

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like, Like all the good Catholics

go to the mass, uh, we're just

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kind of like, we're just like

partying it off and stuff like that.

191

And most people like have parties

and they, you know, they, they go

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to other people's houses and they

just start singing and start, you

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know, our Christmas caroling are like

basically like, you know, singing

194

and then going and raiding people's

houses, alcohol and food, you know,

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Speaker 2: actually funny about the

three kings, because in Panama,

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we also celebrate three kings.

197

But what's what I find really

interesting is the fact that

198

in Italy, there is also a

holiday kind of like three

199

kings, it is celebrated,

which is where you get gifts.

200

And it's on January 5.

201

It is also usually like

epiphany kind of thing, which

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is technically like a witch.

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It's like this really ugly

looking witch and that that's

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how you get the, the gifts.

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So it's almost like a scary,

but not scary kind of thing.

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And I find it so interesting

because the Italian culture really.

207

does not mesh well with the concept

of halloween and witches and all

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of that but there is so much

of that in italian folklore that

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it's even in a christmas tradition

so yeah i find that um that is

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Speaker 3: so interesting i like

how like the religious mixes

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with the folklore a bit and just

like local law and um cultural

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bits you know religious religion

aside For me, again, it was just

213

everything was just heavily religious.

214

Everything was heavily religious.

215

So the first thing you're

looking for is advent.

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And I personally loved

advent because, you know,

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advent candles, week after

week, just all the things.

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Um, what was big was not buying

a Christmas tree, none of that.

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You know, it just, it wasn't,

I didn't have Santa Claus, you

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know, which was a whole thing.

221

Um, my husband and I, again, when

you have two different cultures kind

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of coming together, it's like, okay,

how do you feel about Santa Claus?

223

We didn't grow up with that.

224

I just always attributed that

to, no, that's like American.

225

I mean, in the UK, you have

some people do Santa Claus, you

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know, in Jamaica, not so much.

227

And, you know, I grew up

in an immigrant family.

228

However, what was big was

the night before Christmas.

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So it's Christmas Eve, we had like

what is known as a grand market.

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So that's when everyone

goes out, like you want to

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go out with your friends.

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So first, you know, when you're

little, you go out with your family,

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but that's when you'd buy the gifts.

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So there's no, for me,

illusion that, oh, Santa Claus

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brought you all these gifts.

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No, it's your parents

and you know full well.

237

Your parents bought you gifts or

in my case, I have a sister sister

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bought you gifts grandparents bought

you gifts That's what we would do

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The difference is the adults would

purchase like the gifts most of the

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gifts not all but the adults would

purchase gifts in advance But the

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children purchase the gifts the day

before christmas So it's like your

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mom gives you money your dad gives

you money and you go out and you

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buy gifts on grand market for your

family and your friends, but it's

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also like a hangout day as well.

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So you hang out with your friends,

you eat food, it's like a market,

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you know, street market, they close

the streets, you buy from local

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vendors, you go in established

stores, but you know, the older you

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get, you want to hang out later.

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So, no matter how old you get,

and whether you're religious or

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not, as midnight is approaching,

everyone goes to the church.

251

Now, because, you know, old European

cities, and even in Jamaica and

252

the Caribbean, like, it's all

built around the church, so the

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church is usually at the center

of the town, so it's like, you

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could be in the middle of a club,

you could be out on the street,

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you're like, You hear the bells

going, we all funnel into church.

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So whether you're in the hall,

you're outside, it's like you're

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there for like, you know, the

prayer and just all the things.

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Um, I grew up Methodist by the

way, I notice you two are Catholic.

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But, uh, so those were

like the big things.

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Like you, we did all

decorations ourselves.

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You know, it wasn't like

a big thing on a tree.

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It just, it wasn't.

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Um, yeah, it was just, it wasn't.

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And again, you go to church

and my favorite was, of

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course, Christmas dinner.

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We'd always have like ham and beef

and, you know, different things.

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Um, at least three meats.

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We always went all out for that.

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And we baked cakes.

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Baking was a big thing and

all family was known for that.

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So we bake cakes for our neighbors.

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So fruit cakes.

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And no, it's not that disgusting

stuff in Publix and pre -made stuff.

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That I'm like, no, that is, mm.

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No, we make really good black cake

fruit cakes so good and to this

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day my mom still makes them and you

know you give them out to friends

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and family and neighbors and when

someone comes over to your house

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during the christmas month so someone

comes over in december or even early

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january they are expecting a piece

of cake Okay, it's it's like you

280

have to have the cake with the tea

or if they're Caribbean they'll have

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like the sorrel or whatever but yeah

so food is a big thing but there's

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no we're not fooled we know our

parents are buying or gifts okay we

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we do and gifts aren't big either

you know so that's another thing and

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seeing people how they go all out

for decorating it just it wasn't a

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thing so I don't really feel like

that peer pressure because I just

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I didn't grow up with it you know

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Speaker 2: So

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Speaker 3: that's just

very interesting.

289

But what do we do today?

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So that's what we grew up

with, but what do we do today?

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The one thing I do today,

um, I will say is buying

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a real Christmas tree.

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Again, it just goes to the

fact that, you know, Christmas

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wasn't about the tree.

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It wasn't about the gifts.

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It was just about church, church.

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Oh, and like you said,

Fran, the nativity set.

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I love doing the nativity play.

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So we always had like

a play at church.

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It was a whole production.

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Speaker 5: Yeah.

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Speaker 3: Everyone's coming together.

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Everyone's fighting.

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Who's gonna be Mary?

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Who's gonna be Joseph?

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Who's gonna be the three wise men?

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That's all.

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That's our competition.

309

It's who's gonna

put on a good play.

310

Whether it's morning service,

evening service, whatever.

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Anyway.

312

The thing I do now, which

has become a new tradition, is

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purchasing a real Christmas tree.

314

So I purchased this tree,

this is my first fake

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tree, um, uh, on my own.

316

Kinda like Laura said,

she never did the things.

317

I never did Christmas

when I was single, and by

318

myself, I just go home.

319

Um, this is my first fake

tree for the office, for

320

content, for you folk!

321

But we would go out and purchase a

real tree and even being in Florida

322

where it's super hot, you know,

the trees actually last down here.

323

I love the pine smell and

that's something we do together.

324

My husband travels for work, so what

we do is always up in the air.

325

Family doesn't live here, so what we

do is up in the air, but what I

326

do do is buy a real Christmas tree.

327

What do you do from now?

328

Speaker 2: So I have gotten

way more into decorating.

329

I know it doesn't look

like it because I'm really

330

not feeling it this year.

331

But I do tend to go all out with

decorating and I probably got really

332

into that when I moved to New York.

333

Um, I think it probably was

like the peer pressure of having

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like in New York, everybody

really decorates like the windows

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and the outside and whatever.

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And I felt like I had to do that.

337

And in wanting to do that

and like getting into that, it

338

just translated more and more

into the inside of the house.

339

Um, but I was, I guess a little

bit always like I really liked.

340

I don't do real trees.

341

I did that for a couple of years,

but I just don't like the mess.

342

So I am all about the fake trees.

343

I have multiple trees

usually in the house.

344

So there's the fake ones.

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Green regular big one.

346

There's usually a white one.

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I like to do themed decorating.

348

So the trees will

usually have a theme.

349

So maybe all the ornaments

are particular kind of color.

350

So I do have multiple sets

of ornaments and base of

351

what mood I'm feeling in.

352

Um, so yeah, that that is

something that I do now

353

that I never did before.

354

My family never did like you're

You know, you're not finding that

355

anywhere, but um, I do enjoy doing

that now and obviously, yes, my

356

nativity said that is I guard it

now like my prized possession You

357

can't buy this stuff so I i've sort

of taken it a little bit like a

358

collector's kind of thing So I buy

stuff throughout the year I collect

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it and then I put stuff together.

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So I do enjoy doing that.

361

But I

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Speaker 3: get that.

363

What about you, Laura?

364

What is something you do now?

365

So I don't

366

Speaker 4: celebrate, like, it's very

interesting, but after I moved to

367

the States, I did not celebrate.

368

It's every so often.

369

My family stopped celebrating, like,

The big celebrations is my grandma

370

passed away about 15 years ago.

371

So it was you used to have an

obligation where we just have dinner

372

and have all the community and

family but the reality is that we

373

just sit in like decorations the

whole thing it was just it was

374

hard and it's hard because when

I was growing up my dad had a

375

store so my mom was working on the

store and the biggest money maker

376

is So we were just kinda like,

it was just this weird, like, it's

377

just a busy time of the year.

378

We're just like, we're just going,

you know, making the most amount

379

of money for the rest of the year.

380

Um, so it was never like

this sense of like, we gotta

381

celebrate, we gotta decorate.

382

Like, we're just on the go.

383

Um, so it has translated.

384

My grandma actually, um,

collected Nativity sets

385

through Kings and stuff.

386

So when she passed away, we

had so many that we had to...

387

You know what I mean?

388

And like, there's all kinds,

from the cheap to the most

389

expensive ones, like, very,

like, price -possession.

390

So we have, so my parents' house

has, like, a bunch of nativity sets.

391

I am inheriting her golden ornaments,

or, like, beautiful ornaments.

392

I, my mom's like, well, you

put a tree, so I'm gonna

393

send you the ornaments.

394

So I'm inheriting those from

her, but, She's the one

395

who celebrated Christmas.

396

My family, my direct, like

my mom, my parents and my

397

brother, we don't celebrate, you

know, big thing as a family.

398

No,

399

Speaker 3: I get that.

400

It's just, Christmas

is very interesting.

401

The one thing I will say

is everyone just has to

402

do what works for them.

403

Because, now let's get into what

we see nowadays people doing.

404

Because, when I see what

nowadays people are doing,

405

I'm like, Man, you're putting

lots of pressure on yourself.

406

You know, just like, going all out.

407

And especially when you

have children, like, I get

408

wanting it to be magical.

409

But again, it just kind of

goes back to, I guess that's

410

what you had experienced

or maybe you hadn't wanted.

411

Um, you know, so you're kind

of creating this thing for me.

412

It just, it's too much work.

413

Um, I am teen.

414

Please remember the

reason for the season.

415

Speaker 5: Okay.

416

Speaker 3: Jesus is the actual gift.

417

I hate to be corny, but it's true.

418

Um, you can purchase gifts, but

I just, if you're going to stress

419

yourself out, if you're happy doing

it and you don't feel stressed

420

out, God bless me watching people

decorate outside inside this that

421

it's like you put it up you have

to take it down and then you

422

have to store it and then I think

about all these things I also think

423

about just finances because it's

a lot okay it's a lot of money

424

for a lot of these things even if

you buy them on sale in January

425

and save them for next year it's

just it's a lot um so I find

426

that very interesting elf on the

shelf is a nowadays people thing.

427

Um, I also notice, you know, I

never did that with mine, but

428

I like we have, you know, we

have little ones in our family,

429

um, and we kind of carry when

they come over here as well.

430

And I'm just like, uh, it's a

lot if you have to do something

431

different every day for 24 days.

432

So that's why I have a lazy guide.

433

So if you forget to move

the shelf, you know, go

434

over to the blog there.

435

So I think that can

be stressful and.

436

purchasing gifts and the gifts

getting bigger and bigger because

437

as the kids get older i just i

don't know i see a lot of stress

438

so i often say don't try to do

everything during christmas so if

439

we're doing elf on the shelf which

we are doing with the littles

440

when they come over is that's it

but when you come over in january

441

and again the winter months are

long again we're in florida so we

442

have good weather but if you're

somewhere where it gets super cold

443

and all save like the cookie stuff

like you know cookie decorating

444

you don't have to do christmas

you You can do winter themed

445

decorated cookies or just anything.

446

It's like you don't have to

cram everything all in December

447

because it's just exhausting to me.

448

So that's the biggest thing

I see with nowadays people

449

is Christmas is not relaxing.

450

Um, or family or it, you know,

like focusing on quality time.

451

It's actually stressful.

452

That's my biggest nowadays

people thing I notice.

453

What do you notice Fran?

454

Speaker 2: Yeah, I actually agree

with you on especially with the

455

decorating again from my experience

of like wanting to keep up

456

with everybody else doing it.

457

I did it for a couple of

years and then I was like,

458

Why am I doing all this work?

459

And then I have to take all

this stuff down and I don't

460

even get to enjoy it because

I'm inside the damn house.

461

So I just focus about what

I can see because it's pretty

462

because I can see it and

the rest is like there is

463

not one single light outside.

464

I don't get to see it.

465

I totally get that.

466

I think people do put a lot

of pressure on themselves.

467

And the biggest thing that I

see, especially that has gotten

468

worse over the years because

capitalism and consumerism, but

469

the gifts, the gifts, there's

so much pressure on gift giving.

470

And it's never just like,

Oh, it's the thought it's.

471

Forget the fact that the gifts

are getting bigger because

472

kids get bigger because, I

mean, I don't have kids.

473

But it's just the pressure

of the expectation because

474

everybody just expects a lot.

475

Like, you can't just go to

somebody with like a $20 gift as a

476

thought, like, I thought about you.

477

That doesn't work.

478

And for me, that is...

479

It's so crazy because again, I

never grew up very big on gifts

480

and if somebody gives you something,

it's just it's the fact that

481

they thought about you, right?

482

So it's not so much about

what I got, but it is about

483

what I got with people.

484

Speaker: So I

485

Speaker 2: don't know.

486

And I think that there's also,

you know, It puts pressure, even

487

if you're the one receiving it,

it puts pressure on you if other

488

people are giving you all the stuff

and these big gifts or like, you

489

know, somebody spending X amount

of dollars on a gift for me.

490

Now I feel like I have to do.

491

And to me that just,

I know people enjoy it.

492

That's great.

493

But it does add so much extra

pressure, especially in a financial

494

way where, you know, it just

adds to the stress of the season.

495

Speaker 3: Can I add, that's

part of my problem where in

496

a way I, I used to wonder if

I was missing out on something

497

with the Santa Claus experience.

498

You know what I mean?

499

I used to really wonder.

500

But then it's like now, and when it

came to my husband and I deciding

501

how do you approach Santa Claus,

I just came to the conclusion, and

502

again, to each his own, but this

is what I'm thinking about, kind of

503

playing off what you're saying, Fran.

504

So when you're little, right, you

don't really have certain awareness,

505

you come back to school, and like,

oh my god, you know, I got this

506

for Christmas, and da da da da da.

507

My biggest thing is, I

don't want like another

508

child, not, not just mine.

509

Because again, that's the thing,

you have to think about all the

510

children, I hate to say it, people,

you can't just focus on your own.

511

Um, that's why, you know, help

us be a better society, you

512

have to think about everyone.

513

My thing is, I don't

want a child to feel like

514

they weren't good enough.

515

Because remember, the premise

is, if you are good, Santa's

516

gonna bring gifts for you.

517

I don't want a child to feel

like they were not good enough,

518

and that's why Santa didn't

bring them a gift to begin with,

519

and if they did get a gift...

520

It's not as big or as elaborate as

someone else because remember when

521

children are little they don't have

the wherewithal and the understanding

522

to understand that one people have

different things because when you're

523

little you just kind of feel like

we're all on the same playing field

524

that's how i did anyway so with

that said it's like i'm very mindful

525

of the approach of you know if we

have other family members who do

526

santa claus with their children god

bless by our i often say We, the

527

parents give Santa Claus a budget.

528

You know what I'm saying?

529

So every family has

a different budget.

530

So I'm not going to rain on their

parade and you know, their choice to

531

do, to do Santa Claus, but that's,

that, that's just my, I guess,

532

maybe tip to people out there, you

know, let your kids know that Santa

533

gets a budget from you to parents,

because then sometimes other kids,

534

you know, they might see things

and they feel like they are less

535

than, and I'm not saying it's your

concern about what other kids think.

536

But it's kind of like setting

them up in a way so that when

537

they do interact with others,

like they don't cause harm.

538

Does that make sense?

539

Cause I just, I, I, that

Santa Claus thing, man,

540

it bothers me to hell.

541

That's why I often say.

542

In a way, I wondered if I

missed out on something, but then

543

at the same time, it was super

beneficial to me knowing grandma

544

and grandpa bought this, mom and

dad bought this, sister bought this.

545

There's no illusion that some

mysterious person did this.

546

It's weird.

547

But anyway, what do you think

about nowadays people, Laura?

548

Speaker 4: I think it's just hard.

549

Like, it's competing

with the Joneses.

550

Like, the compete, the competition,

the more, more, more, more.

551

Getting in debt and then putting

yourself depressed because I think

552

in some ways we're just kind of

in this place where just like I'm

553

just buying things for the sake

of buying things and then I'm

554

just decorating for the sake of

decorating because I don't want to

555

feel depressed and then you have

the after holiday blues and it's

556

just this long like I hate January,

February because it just feels

557

this winter long months of like

I was like nothing going on, you

558

know, like you have the high highs

and then you have the low lows

559

Speaker 3: Yeah, that's

what i'm saying.

560

Save some of the activities y

save some of the activities for

561

the winter months That's why I

select a handful of things that

562

i'm doing with my family, Yeah,

so I am very mindful of that.

563

I, I try not to do too much.

564

One, I'm not driving myself crazy.

565

I ain't keeping up with anybody,

uh, but also I've gotten to the

566

age where I feel more confident

and comfortable in myself because

567

once upon a time I wasn't.

568

All right, let's

talk Christmas movies.

569

Um, the one Christmas movie

that stands out to me, sister

570

and I are big Home Alone fans.

571

One day, I keep telling

her that one day I'm going

572

to do the New York trip.

573

We are going to do the New York

trip to the Home Alone hotel.

574

I forgot the name of the

hotel, but just know we're

575

going to the Home Alone hotel.

576

We're getting the Home Alone sweets.

577

We're ordering pizza.

578

We're getting ice cream and

we're doing the all things.

579

I told her, even if we're 80,

we are going to do this one day.

580

So it hasn't happened yet.

581

But it will happen,

speaking it into being.

582

But Home Alone was a big

thing for my sister and I.

583

I can't think of any other movie...

584

That really stuck with her.

585

It was just so funny,

all the Home Alone movies.

586

And then my husband

and I watched together.

587

He watched it many a times

before, but I watched it

588

for the first time with him.

589

It's a beautiful life,

and I absolutely loved it.

590

So now we watch it every year.

591

Cause we watched it

that first year we met.

592

And the last movie I'm gonna

say is, what do you call

593

that Christmas adventure?

594

National Lampoon.

595

I actually like that.

596

It is so silly.

597

It kind of feeds into the

trying to do all these things

598

for Christmas and trying

to make this thing happen.

599

And it's just like dumb stuff.

600

Yeah, I don't know.

601

There's just something

about it I appreciate.

602

Um, but yeah, those are the movies.

603

Again, we were just so busy at

church doing Christmassy things.

604

I really didn't watch a

lot of TV growing up.

605

Speaker 2: Yeah, I think also

for me, like, TV was not, like,

606

there wasn't any set thing that

I had to watch every single year.

607

Um, also, I didn't really watch

a lot of Christmas movies.

608

It was not really a thing for us.

609

So, like, people didn't really

have, like, a tradition of,

610

like, oh, we have to watch.

611

And maybe that is just

because, like, you would just

612

watch whatever was there.

613

The new movies that are out, if

anything, you know, or you would

614

just watch whatever is the movie

on tv and going back again to

615

the reason for christmas the one

thing that we would watch on tv

616

every christmas like you would

watch something religious usually so

617

whatever the tv would play which

you know that's what was we didn't

618

have streaming we didn't have a lot

of choices so it was whatever the

619

tv would choose to watch to play

that was religious so yes there

620

was there were many not just jesus

but there was always a lot of

621

religious things to watch during the

holidays so that's what i grew up

622

doing now in terms of now um i've

i have watched all the home alones

623

and the whatever's and i never

felt I felt a need to replicate

624

that and like say like I have

to watch that every single year.

625

I do like to watch Christmas

movies like the whatever is the

626

new for either some Hallmarks

or now Netflix, which Netflix

627

does have much better ones.

628

So that I do like to do, um,

only because it, they're very like

629

soothing and calming and cheesy

and it's like just perfect for

630

in the middle of all the chaos.

631

Just to like calm yourself down

and just, okay, I don't have to

632

think too hard and all of that.

633

And I do have to say, the

outlandish hot frosty was just fun.

634

Like, it's just a snowman that

comes to life, falls in love with

635

the woman that, brought him back to

life accidentally and it was just

636

like so much fun it is just wild

and out there and ridiculous and

637

super cheesy and corny and perfect

638

Speaker 5: so

639

Speaker 2: i think that would be

like my tradition is to find

640

whatever is playing at the time

and as long as it's something

641

that is heartwarming and comforting

So I think that that's important.

642

And at the same time, try

to like, think of the reason

643

for the season, you know?

644

Speaker 4: Yeah.

645

So I grew up watching a lot,

like a lot of more TV growing up.

646

I don't remember what we watched,

but there was a lot of like,

647

just basically stream, like, um,

dubbed in Spanish, um, because

648

that was at grandma's house for

like most of the holiday season.

649

And so, you know, sometimes grandma

was like, we just watch the TV.

650

And so we just, Home

Alone was a big one.

651

My brother and I, we used to play.

652

We, my parents used to

take us to New York.

653

They actually had to buy

merchandise in New York.

654

So we would go, like, New

York trips during the fall.

655

Um, and so we would do, like,

the different things in Home Alone

656

that he did and, and, and stuff.

657

My brother and I, we loved that.

658

Um, I now watch, like, I would

say, like, I watched for the

659

first time The Holiday last

year on a, on a trip back.

660

And I was like, oh, this.

661

This is cute.

662

You know, I read a lot of

books based on the holiday.

663

Um, I do have to say I,

it's really problematic and I'm

664

very aware how problematic it

is, but I love Love Actually.

665

Like it's just this problematic,

you know, movie that just tugs

666

the heart, the heart strings.

667

And I don't watch Hallmark, but I

do read, now read a lot of like

668

spicy Hallmark books, Christmas books.

669

So.

670

You know, I take it

when I can, so my

671

Speaker 2: mother -in -law

got me into the Hallmark

672

movies because she religious.

673

I mean, she reads a lot of

like the Harlequin romances.

674

Yeah.

675

And she watches a lot

of Hallmark movies.

676

Speaker 5: Yeah.

677

All year

678

Speaker 2: round, not

just for the holidays.

679

So I got into the habit with

spending the holidays with them.

680

So that's now it's a tradition.

681

Speaker 4: My mom watched Lifetime,

so he If you know, you know.

682

She just watched all these

like, Killer, The Husband Did

683

It, The Murder, The Family.

684

That's all she watched.

685

Like, the house is either Lifetime,

Food Network, or, or, um, the

686

Shopping Network, the one with

like, all the, like, Home Shopping

687

Network, those are the channels,

but Lifetime is like, all year

688

round, is like, we're, we're

more of the Thriller family, so.

689

Speaker 3: That is so funny.

690

I think what I love hearing

is that it depends where we

691

were spending the holidays.

692

It dictated or it

dictated our experiences.

693

I just, movies weren't a big thing.

694

It just wasn't.

695

Um, but now I really do enjoy it.

696

I'm kind of getting into Hallmark.

697

I'm not really a Hallmark girly.

698

I am a Bravo girlie, and

Danny Pellegrino, okay?

699

I love Danny Pellegrino.

700

What's the name of his

podcast again, Laura?

701

He has, it's uh, I forgot.

702

I forgot.

703

We're blanking on it now that

we want to actually mention it.

704

I do listen everything

iconic with Danny Pellegrino.

705

He talks pop culture, but mostly

Bravo long story short is he

706

has a movie coming to Hallmark.

707

So I will be for sure watching it.

708

I'm supporting Danny.

709

It's called deck the walls.

710

He actually wrote this movie and

he is starring in this movie.

711

I've been following him for a while.

712

You know, he's funny.

713

He's a comedian, but

he's also a writer.

714

Um, I know his story.

715

He's been writing forever.

716

You know, you get rejected a

million times, but I love that.

717

Now, uh, he has a movie, not

just that he's written, but it's,

718

um, he's also starring in it.

719

So I will be for sure

watching for Danny Pellegrino.

720

So that's going to be the

one hallmark, uh, thing.

721

I think he says it's going to

be on a hallmark, but then it's

722

also going to be on Peacock for a

little, and anyway, such deck the

723

walls, Danny Pellegrino, but that's

definitely, um, on my movies list.

724

Okay, food and drink.

725

Actually, you know

726

Speaker 2: what, you

know what's weird?

727

I wasn't really into

movies, but music.

728

Oh, interesting.

729

Artists releasing like their

Christmas albums or like

730

compilations of like all big

artists releasing a Christmas album.

731

Like, there was always a Christmas

album, a new Christmas album

732

being purchased in my house.

733

And I have continued

on the tradition.

734

So like that, that was,

735

Speaker 3: what's on,

what's on replay?

736

What, what do y revisit

more often than not?

737

Not always, but more often.

738

Speaker 2: So actually

for me, okay, hold on.

739

I got to open up my, my

app because now everything is

740

digital, but it is, God, why

do I always forget her name?

741

Speaker 3: When you want to

remember something, it's like

742

me blanking on Daniel's podcast.

743

Yes.

744

Speaker 2: Sia.

745

So Sia had an album called

Every Day is Christmas,

746

and I keep replaying that.

747

Like, that, that starts off, even

if I get something new, like,

748

that has to kick off, and Kelly

Clarkson also has a pretty good one.

749

It's pretty, quite old, but

it's a pretty decent, um, album.

750

Christmas album.

751

I think it's a wrapped in red.

752

Yes.

753

Wrapped in red.

754

So, I mean, now I've added like

pentatonix and um, I'm not super

755

big on like the Michael Bublé.

756

I know he's big during the holidays,

but it's not really, you know,

757

that's not Where I lean, but

you know, obviously, uh, Italian

758

household, we did have all of the,

the, you know, the Andrea Bocelli's

759

and the Pavarotti and like all of

those, the three tenors always used

760

to have some kind of Christmas

special, so that was playing.

761

So music was playing, like

Christmas music, anything.

762

was a thing then and now i

763

Speaker 3: think i was so saturated

in the car you know anywhere

764

just outdoors if i took a bus or

something i was just like no i'm

765

good when i when i'm home i'm good

but this seems sounds interesting

766

see i caught my attention so i

pulled it up i might be adding

767

it to my queue as well but what

i want us to talk about before

768

we dip is food and drink what is

like a big food or drink item so

769

for me it was always ham Ham has

to be on the table for Christmas.

770

Don't ask me why.

771

We don't eat ham any

other time, really.

772

You know, my granddad would

probably get like a little piece

773

or something, but we go all

out with our ham at Christmas.

774

Always have to have ham.

775

The fruitcake I was telling

you all about when people come

776

around, they're expecting a

piece, we gift it, we eat it.

777

So, um, black cake is a must.

778

Um, Christmas dinner, always three

meats, always a bunch of sides

779

and that we go all out for it.

780

See, Thanksgiving didn't exist.

781

For me growing up.

782

So we go all out.

783

So Christmas for us is

the Superbowl of meals.

784

Um, Easter is the opposite.

785

It's very, very

reflective of the season.

786

Okay.

787

But, um, yeah, we go

all out at Christmas.

788

Uh, I said ham, I said cake.

789

Um caribbean people love

specifically I can only

790

speak for jamaican people.

791

We love sorrel.

792

It's this um Thing I don't

even know how to describe it.

793

It's like this red thing

I remember picking it when

794

I would go to jamaica.

795

It's very it makes you very itchy,

but it's such a great drink My mom

796

actually because she was in atlanta

before she came here at my sister.

797

She got some dried ones

So we're going to go test

798

that out for Thanksgiving.

799

So that's going to be

very, um, interesting testing

800

out the dried version.

801

Um, but yeah, I would say

those are mostly the highlights.

802

So,

803

Speaker 2: we were never big on food

or like a specific menu, let's say.

804

Um, the biggest thing in terms

of food is the different courses.

805

So, like there was always, The

different things, so you're,

806

you're making, there is a lot

of stuff to eat, but it's, it

807

could be anything, you know, so

there wasn't a set, like, oh,

808

this has to be on the table,

except when it comes to sweets.

809

So panettone had to always be there,

which is basically like a fruitcake.

810

Love it.

811

Just I have to eat it

haven't bought my first one.

812

I go through several

panettone per year.

813

So I mean like that is just uh,

so that has to always be there.

814

And then, uh, Toronto.

815

It's also very big,

which is not a cookie or

816

whatever, but it is a sweet.

817

So that always has

to be on the table.

818

Um, and there is some like

homemade Toronto that you can make.

819

So like there.

820

could be either or but yeah

everything with sweets has to be

821

there uh more so than a set menu

or said drinks but and then um

822

growing up in vanama there used

to always be a type of eggnog we

823

call it romponche so that always

had to be there so a little

824

class even even as a child like

There was no thing like, oh, you

825

know, you're a child, you can't

have this or that or whatever.

826

And then, like, you know, for,

for New Year's Eve, I always

827

have my little champagne, like,

oh, let's toast, you know.

828

So, like, that wasn't

a big taboo thing.

829

So, those kind of things,

that's probably, you know, The

830

only thing like, yeah, for me,

food was not food was never

831

a big thing in my family.

832

Let's just say like, we're

not like big now when it

833

comes to my husband's family

when I got introduced to that

834

world food is like, so yeah,

which to me is so weird.

835

I'm like, Okay, I just I

mean, I, I enjoy eating.

836

But I don't live for that, but

for them, all the menu is always

837

Greek food, no matter the holiday.

838

So there's always going to be

like the pastitsio and like

839

everything is always the same.

840

It doesn't matter what's the

holiday, you're still eating pastitsio

841

and whatever on Thanksgiving or

Easter or Christmas or whatever.

842

So.

843

Speaker 3: Laura, I have to

squeeze in a Brombo reference,

844

because I know they're

Greek, you know, and GK.

845

Yeah.

846

You see with and GK's, this

is Greek, that is Greek.

847

I love Greek, I

848

Speaker 2: love.

849

That is a reality,

I vouch for that.

850

It's like that comes, like my

father was the worst with that.

851

Everything is like, oh,

you know, the, the word.

852

It comes from Greek.

853

It's so Greek!

854

If I have to hear this one more

time, I'm gonna get in trouble.

855

Speaker 3: Listen, I love Angie Kaye.

856

I'm an Angie Kaye apologist.

857

She makes me laugh every time.

858

The latest episode, she was

saying that Abraham Lincoln Ooh!

859

It's so Greek.

860

What?

861

Speaker 4: It's true!

862

We saw the video.

863

It's true.

864

The plays are true.

865

It's like Greek.

866

It's a Versace Greek.

867

It's so Greek.

868

Speaker 3: Yes, it's true.

869

Okay, let me tell you.

870

Angie Kaye said Abraham

Lincoln had Versace plates.

871

And it's like Greek inspired.

872

So we're like, these are true.

873

Versace did not exist.

874

But I knew, I knew she was

referencing like the pattern.

875

You know what I mean?

876

Right.

877

Because I'm telling you,

everything with Angie Kaye,

878

it came, something is Greek.

879

Did you know this is Greek?

880

That is Greek.

881

And I'm here for it.

882

That is the story of my life.

883

Yeah.

884

I hear it every day.

885

She's big on food and um,

Listen, N2K throws really great

886

parties on Salt Lake City.

887

So I, I kind of seeing her

just kind of celebrate her

888

Greek culture and everything.

889

Like I live.

890

So kind of hearing you mention it.

891

Speaker 4: What about

you, Laura, with food?

892

Speaker 5: Food?

893

Speaker 4: So we're big on food.

894

So we got arroz con gandulas,

which is rice with pigeon peas.

895

We got pasteles, which I do not

like, but everyone loves them.

896

It's kind of like our tamales,

kind of like mixed around.

897

Um, we have coquito, which

is better than eggnog, and

898

people like, you know, have

their own little undergrounds.

899

selling thing, but coquito means

is a coconut um, based on rum

900

thing because everything is wrong

because we're a big rum importer

901

like exporter so um coquito we

have for me we got like tone

902

the lechonera which means we got

the whole roast pig and we just

903

roast it all in the ground um

we have more cda which i do not

904

like which is kind of like it's

like a salt it's like a black

905

sausage කිරින් Um, stuff like that.

906

We have like, you know,

different like yucca and batata,

907

which means sweet potatoes.

908

Um, and yeah, we, we eat

all the things, no greens,

909

by the way, there's no greens

other than the pigeon peas.

910

There's no greens.

911

Everything else is like

meat and starch and starch.

912

Speaker 3: I get that.

913

It's very starch

heavy and meat heavy.

914

Cause I'm telling you, like there

are three different, like for my

915

granddad, you have to have beef.

916

Like, he's just big on beef.

917

For me when I was little, like,

I loved beef, but I preferred ham.

918

So it's just like, you had to

have a lot of a lot, and I always

919

laughed because like, Christmas

is obviously a big holiday, big

920

Christian holiday, so then the

second big Christian holiday, in

921

my opinion anyway, was Easter.

922

So I was like, big ol' feast,

and then Easter's like, almost, not

923

famine, but you know, you're fasting.

924

A lot of people fast, so I

was just like, man, too excited.

925

But, you know, it is what it is.

926

So, I found some

rapid fire questions.

927

online it's a bunch of just

like thrift myth questions some

928

of them i'll skip because we

kind of you know went over some

929

of it as we were talking but

um they were saying okay do

930

you have a holiday hack that

helps you get through the season

931

My holiday hack is locate your

closet and make it your sanctuary.

932

Have like some water in there

if you need like little mini

933

bottles of booze if you drink,

god bless, snacks, whatever,

934

just have it behind your door.

935

Behind your door is safe.

936

So normally if they open, you know,

have something that stops the door

937

and that, you know, they do a quick

scan, they don't see you and ditch.

938

I use a footstool because I

have like a footstool to climb.

939

Listen, make the closet

your friend, in my opinion.

940

Sometimes I feel like bathrooms

aren't safe, because they're going

941

to come into bathrooms anyway.

942

So I think that's a big one.

943

But what about you, um, Laura?

944

What is a easy, safe way,

um, what is your hack for

945

Christmas to help you get

946

Speaker 4: through?

947

So your breath is your best

friend, so if you're feeling

948

anxious, if you're feeling place,

you do the closet and breathe.

949

Breathe a couple times, because it's

just gonna regulate your nervous

950

system, and it's just like, and

just remember, this too shall pass.

951

So, you're gonna be able to

leave this, and you don't have to

952

remember this, and you don't have

to deal with this anymore, you know?

953

Just spread your breath.

954

It's kind of like your

quick, you know, anti

955

-anxiety or Senex, you know.

956

Unless you can have Senex and

Klonopin, then just shake a little

957

bit of that and just like, just

be loopy loopy with that stuff, so.

958

Speaker 2: How do you survive, Fran?

959

I actually think the big, the

most important thing is boundaries.

960

Like just because the holidays are

there and just because you have to

961

get together with family and xyz.

962

That doesn't mean that your personal

boundaries go to the wayside.

963

And if there are situations or

people that are toxic to you, you

964

have to, your, your, Perfectly okay.

965

Setting those boundaries in

whatever way works for you.

966

Um, and you decide how much

you want to compromise or not

967

or whatever, but always know

that you have every right.

968

There is no right or wrong, and

you don't have to force yourself

969

to put yourself in a position that

is bad for your mental health.

970

So I think that boundaries is the

biggest and most important thing.

971

So know what works for you and

what doesn't and what's detrimental

972

to you because just because you

have to see family for a couple of

973

days doesn't mean that now you're

going to have a huge bad mental

974

situation for like months after it.

975

So it's okay to be a little mean.

976

Yeah, totally fine.

977

Just be a bitch.

978

Speaker 3: I agree.

979

So in addition to the closet,

just say no, because there's

980

lots of invites going out around

this time of year, kind of

981

piggybacking off of Francesca.

982

So if you have decided to put

up with the family, you don't

983

have to put up with the work

people, you don't have to go to

984

everything with the friends, so

definitely balance and boundaries.

985

Okay, rapid fire.

986

Do you wrap your presents

or put them in gift bags?

987

I do both.

988

What do you do, Laura?

989

Gift bags.

990

Gift bags.

991

I do both.

992

Yeah.

993

I mean,

994

Speaker 2: lately I prefer

the bags, but I do both.

995

Speaker 3: Okay.

996

Do you open presents Christmas

Eve night or Christmas morning?

997

I will say my husband told me he

would open one on Christmas Eve.

998

Like he got like one on

Christmas Eve and then the

999

rest on Christmas morning.

00:48:57,625 --> 00:48:59,485

So we kind of indulge that now.

00:48:59,645 --> 00:49:02,065

But me growing up, it was

always Christmas morning.

00:49:02,625 --> 00:49:03,325

What about you, Laura?

00:49:04,025 --> 00:49:06,345

Growing up Christmas morning,

now it's Christmas Eve.

00:49:06,345 --> 00:49:06,405

Okay.

00:49:06,475 --> 00:49:07,875

Okay, Fran.

00:49:08,215 --> 00:49:09,195

Christmas morning.

00:49:09,915 --> 00:49:10,115

Yeah.

00:49:10,895 --> 00:49:12,895

Is the Die Hard a Christmas movie?

00:49:13,315 --> 00:49:15,055

Um, I know people

debate this online.

00:49:15,415 --> 00:49:16,235

It happens every year.

00:49:16,315 --> 00:49:18,275

I'm like, live your best life.

00:49:18,335 --> 00:49:19,755

If it works for you, yes.

00:49:20,035 --> 00:49:21,315

It's a Christmas movie.

00:49:21,495 --> 00:49:22,175

What do you say, Laura?

00:49:22,555 --> 00:49:22,975

Agree.

00:49:23,215 --> 00:49:23,755

Live your best

00:49:23,755 --> 00:49:24,055

Speaker 4: life.

00:49:24,235 --> 00:49:24,955

You do you.

00:49:25,315 --> 00:49:26,195

No judgement.

00:49:27,175 --> 00:49:27,655

Speaker 3: Fran?

00:49:28,065 --> 00:49:29,025

Speaker 2: Same for me.

00:49:29,205 --> 00:49:32,645

Like, again, I didn't grow up

watching Christmas movies, so

00:49:32,645 --> 00:49:35,485

nothing is a Christmas movie, and

anything is a Christmas movie.

00:49:35,685 --> 00:49:36,245

It's fine.

00:49:37,585 --> 00:49:40,645

Speaker 3: What's your favorite

Winter Olympics sport?

00:49:40,945 --> 00:49:43,345

I am gonna say snowboarding.

00:49:43,645 --> 00:49:43,905

Laura?

00:49:44,465 --> 00:49:47,105

Speaker 4: I like the curling,

the one that you do, like

00:49:47,105 --> 00:49:48,445

the little brooming thing.

00:49:48,705 --> 00:49:48,865

Yes!

00:49:49,485 --> 00:49:51,525

I love that friend.

00:49:51,985 --> 00:49:55,405

Speaker 2: Are we saying

about doing or just watching?

00:49:55,685 --> 00:50:00,885

Because doing none of them,

um, but I do like figure

00:50:00,885 --> 00:50:05,065

skating and like snowboarding or

skiing if it's about watching.

00:50:05,925 --> 00:50:06,385

Yeah, yeah,

00:50:06,405 --> 00:50:06,925

Speaker 3: yeah, yeah.

00:50:07,895 --> 00:50:11,095

If you were an elf, what

would your elf name be?

00:50:11,255 --> 00:50:13,855

Ooh, I did like some elf

-on -the -shelf names.

00:50:13,995 --> 00:50:15,795

I don't know, um, Grinchy.

00:50:16,035 --> 00:50:16,475

Grinchy.

00:50:18,495 --> 00:50:20,235

I am going to pass here.

00:50:20,875 --> 00:50:22,095

Just, I'm going to be a Grinch.

00:50:22,335 --> 00:50:22,935

No idea.

00:50:24,695 --> 00:50:26,575

I'm like, I would

be the Grinchy one.

00:50:26,675 --> 00:50:27,495

I'd be the grumpy one.

00:50:28,875 --> 00:50:29,315

Um...

00:50:29,335 --> 00:50:32,255

Let me see what else they say.

00:50:32,415 --> 00:50:36,395

No, I don't support these,

uh, present, uh, questions.

00:50:37,115 --> 00:50:38,035

I asked about the holiday.

00:50:38,175 --> 00:50:41,515

Okay, where is, this is the

last one, where is the best

00:50:41,515 --> 00:50:44,275

place to see Christmas lights?

00:50:44,695 --> 00:50:48,075

So, I think, I leave

early in the morning.

00:50:48,370 --> 00:50:52,410

So there's this drag in, um,

not far from my community,

00:50:52,790 --> 00:50:56,850

where every single community has

like this big display outside,

00:50:57,050 --> 00:50:58,430

so I'll take folks there.

00:50:58,770 --> 00:51:01,810

But I also love the downtown,

the downtown area, they're gonna

00:51:01,810 --> 00:51:04,910

be putting up a tree, not

this weekend, I think next.

00:51:05,510 --> 00:51:07,150

So I'm very excited.

00:51:07,330 --> 00:51:10,590

So needless to say, go

to any downtown, you will

00:51:10,590 --> 00:51:12,330

see some sort of lights.

00:51:13,070 --> 00:51:16,150

Um, Laura, any recommendations

on places for lights?

00:51:16,210 --> 00:51:17,750

Or maybe places you've seen?

00:51:18,050 --> 00:51:20,975

Speaker 4: Yeah, so I would

say, I'm not a like, like, But

00:51:20,975 --> 00:51:22,035

there are a couple of things.

00:51:22,235 --> 00:51:26,435

One, New York and Saks Fifth Avenue,

which they are not doing this year

00:51:26,435 --> 00:51:27,495

because they didn't lose money.

00:51:28,135 --> 00:51:30,895

Um, they had a beautiful light

show outside of Rockefeller Center.

00:51:31,175 --> 00:51:31,835

It was beautiful.

00:51:31,995 --> 00:51:33,355

They did like a

whole life situation.

00:51:33,875 --> 00:51:36,195

Um, so that's New York, but

New York is a great place for

00:51:36,195 --> 00:51:39,475

window shopping and like window

and like stuff like that.

00:51:39,485 --> 00:51:41,525

I've seen the tree and getting

all the Christmas space.

00:51:41,705 --> 00:51:43,525

So it's a really great place

to do for the holidays.

00:51:44,205 --> 00:51:48,945

Chicago, um, the zoo, the Lincoln

Park Zoo, basically for free every

00:51:48,945 --> 00:51:50,385

night they have a light show.

00:51:50,585 --> 00:51:53,305

So you get to see the

animals with like lights and

00:51:53,305 --> 00:51:54,385

all those different things.

00:51:54,385 --> 00:51:56,325

And it's just kind of

like a fun experience.

00:51:56,845 --> 00:51:59,045

So I got to go, um.

00:51:59,210 --> 00:52:02,670

One year after the, like, while the

pandemic was happening, so it was

00:52:02,670 --> 00:52:05,630

like social distance, but I feel

like that's a good place to go.

00:52:05,750 --> 00:52:08,950

So if you're going to a big

city to go to holidays, I know

00:52:08,950 --> 00:52:11,390

London has like beautiful light

shows and stuff like that.

00:52:11,910 --> 00:52:16,530

So look for a big city to do like

a little trip to go Christmas stuff.

00:52:17,190 --> 00:52:18,970

Um, those are two

of my recommendations.

00:52:19,170 --> 00:52:22,010

Chicago is, they do have some

light shows, and then New

00:52:22,010 --> 00:52:23,070

York is great for Christmas.

00:52:23,475 --> 00:52:27,055

Speaker 3: Yeah, I, I have to say,

I can't even believe I blanked on

00:52:27,055 --> 00:52:31,295

that, London is amazing during the

holidays, I feel like nobody does

00:52:31,295 --> 00:52:35,995

the holidays like them, I love the

shows, I just, I love, I just love

00:52:35,995 --> 00:52:39,615

everything about Christmas there, I

will also, and I've never done this,

00:52:39,695 --> 00:52:44,035

but I've seen it on television,

the Disney, um, Disney does a

00:52:44,035 --> 00:52:45,415

great, like, Christmas Christmas.

00:52:45,665 --> 00:52:46,705

They do have

00:52:46,705 --> 00:52:49,265

Speaker 4: Christmas parties, they do

have like shows and stuff like that.

00:52:49,265 --> 00:52:51,545

We used to go for the

holidays for Christmas for

00:52:51,545 --> 00:52:53,105

Disney and it's a great place.

00:52:53,345 --> 00:52:56,645

It's, it's, Prada, if you want

to go to Disney, go the second

00:52:56,645 --> 00:53:02,065

day, January 2nd, because it's

less Prada than, um, the 25th.

00:53:02,285 --> 00:53:03,585

Like, but that would make sense.

00:53:03,845 --> 00:53:07,885

After the 25th that week, there's

actually less crowded and you get

00:53:07,885 --> 00:53:11,245

to, I've done New Year's there

and it's great to do it, so.

00:53:11,885 --> 00:53:12,065

Speaker 3: Yeah,

00:53:12,205 --> 00:53:12,905

Speaker 4: that makes sense.

00:53:13,085 --> 00:53:13,785

What about you Fran?

00:53:14,425 --> 00:53:18,465

Speaker 2: So I'm gonna piggyback on

Laura because I think, having lived

00:53:18,465 --> 00:53:24,280

in many places, I think New York is

always best and it's funny because

00:53:24,280 --> 00:53:27,300

you don't have to just stick to

the traditional obviously yes there

00:53:27,300 --> 00:53:30,760

is the the tree at Rockefeller

Center and like all of these

00:53:30,760 --> 00:53:34,860

things but there is so so much to

do in New York for the holidays

00:53:34,860 --> 00:53:38,220

like you could go from as simple

as just walking around and window

00:53:38,220 --> 00:53:41,720

shopping because usually the stores

will have really beautiful displays

00:53:41,720 --> 00:53:46,085

even just outside of the shops but

like there's Por ejemplo, como en

00:53:46,085 --> 00:53:50,105

Bryant Park, tienen el mercado de

fiestas más adorado allí, como es

00:53:50,105 --> 00:53:54,605

solo la cosa más adorada, con cosas

muy bonitas como comida y bebidas,

00:53:54,785 --> 00:53:58,865

y los mejores cocos calientes,

como incluso solo los olores de

00:53:58,865 --> 00:54:02,025

la ciudad, tienes como las natas

y los pequeños cartons con, sabes,

00:54:02,165 --> 00:54:04,265

puedes conseguir todo esto, así que

estás realmente obteniendo una vibra.

00:54:04,945 --> 00:54:06,625

Um, en cuanto a luces, aunque...

00:54:06,715 --> 00:54:10,335

If you're still in New York, you

could venture out to Brooklyn.

00:54:11,095 --> 00:54:13,955

There is a neighborhood

that does a really...

00:54:14,635 --> 00:54:17,035

Obviously they all have

money, so they spend a

00:54:17,035 --> 00:54:18,715

lot on their decorations.

00:54:19,035 --> 00:54:21,655

And I'm pretty sure that they're

all professionally decorated.

00:54:22,155 --> 00:54:25,550

But if you go to Diker Heights,

You could just walk around like

00:54:25,550 --> 00:54:29,510

literally there's like masses of

people just walking around the

00:54:29,510 --> 00:54:31,170

neighborhood looking at the houses.

00:54:31,530 --> 00:54:32,890

So that's fun.

00:54:33,010 --> 00:54:36,370

That's interesting and always

something like fun to see.

00:54:36,530 --> 00:54:39,350

But yeah, I feel like where

I am now, there's a lot

00:54:39,350 --> 00:54:40,850

less opportunity for that.

00:54:41,210 --> 00:54:45,850

So I don't get to have that

experience, but I guess I was

00:54:45,850 --> 00:54:48,870

never big on lights, so it's fine.

00:54:49,050 --> 00:54:52,110

But yeah, I think New York

always takes the cake for me.

00:54:52,110 --> 00:54:52,730

There's just...

00:54:52,760 --> 00:54:55,240

so much nice things to see

00:54:55,240 --> 00:54:58,880

Speaker 3: yeah yeah i agree but

again if you can't make it to a

00:54:58,880 --> 00:55:02,580

big city i'm telling you just find

a small town nearby you that has

00:55:02,580 --> 00:55:08,320

a tree lighting always a little

neighborhood or a little nook that

00:55:08,320 --> 00:55:12,200

has like some really nicest place

i'm not really a light person either

00:55:12,200 --> 00:55:14,360

but you know it's something to do

00:55:14,360 --> 00:55:18,960

Speaker 2: like find your little

cutesy small town holiday

00:55:18,960 --> 00:55:22,895

market because you're gonna

find It's a good time and

00:55:22,895 --> 00:55:26,335

it's a cozy time and always

some good food or good drinks.

00:55:26,915 --> 00:55:27,095

Yep

00:55:27,095 --> 00:55:28,355

Speaker 3: Yep, I agree.

00:55:28,405 --> 00:55:30,425

Thanks for hanging with us

for christmas traditions.

00:55:30,685 --> 00:55:32,685

Let us know in the comments

what you think, but also let us

00:55:32,685 --> 00:55:35,485

know in the comments what you

think about this video as well.

00:55:35,795 --> 00:55:38,855

But uh, yeah, I think that's it

for Holiday Traditions episode.

00:55:39,195 --> 00:55:40,475

I don't think I'm missing anything.

00:55:40,835 --> 00:55:42,295

So we'll see you all next week.

00:55:42,380 --> 00:55:43,640

Bye everyone!