Episode 42: All the Festive Feels

In our final episode of the year, we are throwing ourselves into ALL the festive chat; traditions, memories, movies and songs!

We also just want to say a huge thank you to you all for listening to our wee corner of the podcast world, it means such a lot to us! We can't wait to get back to your ears in 2022. 

>>> Click here to read the computer generated transcript (note that the transcript isn't perfect)

Gabby: Welcome to the making an effort podcast, the podcast for you get to sit on the conversation between two friends, discussing all the things they make an effort with and some of the things they don't. And this week on the podcast, we are talking about traditions, traditions we've inherited or created boundaries around holiday time, things we want to do or not do this year. We're going to maybe throw in a few recipes. We try to do around the holidays as well. Basically just everything festive. Um, just to kick us off, because this is going to be our last podcast episode of the here, not our last podcast ever just until 2022, which is crazy. Yeah, Mel: I know it's wild out. This is like mind blowing to me, like almost a year of every Tuesday, sit and dine with my best girl, Gabby and getting to chat about very unimportant and also important things. Gabby: Well, you don't hate me yet. I don't think. Or you're just doing a very good job of pretending Mel: I love for you has only has only grown. I know it's Gabby: so mutual and. I didn't know, it was me possible to find more channels, to communicate with someone. But I think we have to Marco polo threads this, and then I think we text on WhatsApp and I message got it. All. We have a shared, Mel: we have a shared Pinterest board. I forgot about that. And have a group chat on Instagram, Facebook messenger. Like we are oxalate decades. Okay. Gabby: Wow. I really just laying it all out there and feeling Mel: like that's a lot, isn't it it's a lot, but it's just weird because there's not, I mean, truly there's very rarely a day goes by where we don't hear from each other in some, in some way, you know? Well, we had a, we, so over the Thanksgiving Gabby: holiday for us in the states, my family was in town. It was just, you know, Crazy crazy busy. Um, so I think I like went four days without texting you. And then you texted me is, Hey, how's it going? But for some reason in my head, I'm like, I wonder if everything's okay between us. Oh. And then I was like, wait, no, that's just like, there's nothing wrong. You just haven't Mel: been able to text. It just felt weird and made you overthink it. Oh no. It's it is. It's such a beautiful thing. I think. Yeah. That's from the, yeah. Anyway, I'm not going to get all sappy, but what I do want to say is that. As this is our last episode. We just want to say a huge, thank you to everybody who has listened to us. Talk in this medium, who has contributed their really important stories and their experiences to some of the conversations we've had. Um, who's reached out to us on Instagram, on email and told us about their lives. And we are terrible at getting back to people in so many ways, but we never ever take it for granted and feel so grateful that you would share. Our podcast with your people that you would share your stories with us on. Yeah, it really is. It does feel so special. It really, really does. So thank you so much for listening and for Sharon and contributing to the conversations we have here. Gabby: Yeah. I mean, you said it so well, I don't even have anything to add. You guys are the best. Mel: Totally. Can I just take a little moment to tell you how frickin excited I am to see you in a couple of weeks? I Gabby: know Chris, Danny and I are flying over to Northern Ireland for the first time in over a year. Um, and I'm just so excited, Mel: so excited to be badness. I am T I literally, I'm going to have to speak in a Christmas bind. You're going to have to set some with me so that I don't feel obliged to, or like entitled to all of your time. Cause that's how I feel at the minute. I'm like how much time can I rang out of here? All I want to do is just hang Gabby: on. Wait, I know me too. Me too. We have some fun plans. Don't we? Yes, we do. It's going to be fun. Mel: Should we tell everybody what we're doing? Yeah, go for it. It just feels really self-indulgent it's this really self-indulgent all Gabby: practice with. When we started the podcast, we had our lovely friend, Hannah, do the illustrations for the podcast cover and they're beautiful. But I remember Dave, your husband was like this, this is great. But also I feel like, you know, people need to know what you look like in real life, like with your real faces. And we were like, well, we don't have any photos together. So. This is like, this is what's, this is somebody great. Plus Hannah did an amazing job with our coffee mugs and everything. It was so nailed. It felt so, right. Yeah, it really did. But we're not having said that, Mel: that we're having a, making an effort photo shoot, um, in Belfast, uh, around Christmas, um, out of studio. Um, and we have this amazing, like tame, I'm going to say tame, but that sounds really professional. Gabby: But let's go with it. Let's make it more professional than we are. Mel: It is honestly, it's a vanity project and we are not even behind the door of, I thought it really is about, we were like, do you know the way, I don't know if you had this in the states, but definitely in Canada there was this like, um, real kind of trend in the nineties called glamour shots. Oh yes. Do you remember glamour shots? Um, please do Gabby: not compare this to glamour shots. I will actually die. Mel: Um, but like, you know, you'd go with your friends to the mall and get glamour shots. That's what we're doing. Basically. It's a modern version of glamour shots is what we're doing. No, we are, um, our lovely friend, Rachel McCullough is as doing a photo shoot for us in this really cool studio and this really cool building with these amazing clothes will tell you all about that. Like in super. Men like detail for sure. Whenever it's happening. And we'll definitely be Instagram and the shit out of that. Um, because, but it's just, it's just a really fun thing to get to do with your friends. Isn't it. And we will use the pictures for our podcast and website and I Gabby: might just make them my next year's Christmas cards because we never do family photos. Mel: So just might as well just be money. Gabby: Yeah, exactly. I'm like I have a podcast. I know advertising flight. Mel: So funny. So yeah, we're doing that, which is just going to be, I imagine it's just going to be a really fun day of us getting to hang light and be posers and dress up and have good food together and make a full day extravaganza of it. Um, and then I'm sure when we're in Belfast, it's going to feel really festive as well, which is going to be lovely. Um, so yeah. You're going to be here for Christmas this year. Um, and so let's talk about traditions. Is there something like, are you able to bring traditions that you would normally do in the states with you to Northern Ireland? Or are there any kind of location, specific things that you guys do in Gabby: Northern Ireland? Um, so actually the first CRA no, no, actually it's been a couple of Christmases in Northern Ireland before I met Chris, but the, my first time meeting Chris, his family was when I came over for Christmas. And so I always associate like that time of year in Northern Ireland with like, just really tender. Um, like vulnerable family times. It was just so lovely. I mean, his family is amazing. Um, Mel: were you guys engaged Gabby: at this stage? We were deciding if we wanted to be engaged. Um, whew. That's so Mel: come over for a big, big holiday like that without even. Well, it Gabby: was, yeah, I think it was just like, we were pretty sure. Um, and also. It was just when we have like the times that we had to do a trip like that. Like I was, um, no, I wasn't in school. I wasn't at school. I had graduated. Um, but I still worked. And so it's still like easier to get a couple of weeks off around the holidays than it is in like September, you know, when you work at nine to five and then, um, Chris was touring. And so he like all the only time he had off was in December as well. So it worked out from that perspective. But then also I just was kind of like, I'm pretty sure I want to marry this guy, but I need to meet his family before I make any concrete decisions. And so anyway, uh, but tradition. From our time there. I think I might have to think about that in the Northern Ireland, the Northern Irish traditions that come to mind are mostly food-based. Well, yeah, Mel: like, I mean, literally all of my traditions are food-based. Okay. Gabby: Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. We're on the same page then, because. Like I remember we like Chris and I both polished off an entire MNS cheeseboard that had like eight or nine different cheeses. And that was after Christmas dinner, you know, as you do while we were watching TV and it was a, both for both of us, it was one of those moments where we were like, yeah, I'm going to marry this person because I need to be able to marry someone who I can Polish off a nine cheese, cheese board with after Christmas dinner without feeling like, you know, weird about Mel: anything. Self-conscious about the cheese. Exactly. You don't need that in your life. No. Gabby: No. What about Mel: you? Okay. So I think when we were, when we lived in Canada, obviously like in my family of origin yeah. We had some traditions, so there was, oh, it was always like, um, and this is, this is really specifically in the. Like the days of Christmas, like the Christmas Eve Christmas day boxing day kind of thing. Um, but on Christmas Eve was always at Christmas Eve evening was always a candlelight service at church. So like literal candles. Yeah. Everybody got the little candle with a little, you know, cone thing to stop the wax stripping. Beautiful. Uh, so Carol's, and I'm a pastor's kid. So, um, you know, there was a level of expectation, but also I just really, really, really love Carol service. I love a Christmas Carol service, so festive, um, and since like kind of leaving. Church. That's one thing that I really miss and try to kind of go, go to at Christmas. Cause I just love it. Um, and I would always be my, my dad would always like force us to sing like solos at those services. So he'd like way like my brother and I to sing. And you're so good at it. I mean, weddings, funerals and Christmas is really where it's up. And then after that service, so we, when we lived in Canada, we had, I've probably talked about auntie Moe before on this, on this podcast, my mom's best friend, my parents had this couple that they became best friends with when we moved there and we're kind of just, they just were on our family. You know, they were, they were our Canadian family and they brought us into their family. So there was always a Christmas Eve like buffet. At the grandma and grandpa's house to start with ground McGwynn ground quickly. It, um, and then when they kind of got a little bit older and not really able to kind of host that my mum took it on and we had it at our house. So the whole family, probably like 20 old people, MACOM, everyone would make something. Um, Christmas Eve would just be, um, so rude and like at night and everyone would stay pretty late. And then in our house, and this happens, and this has carried on into, um, To my family. And I, like, we wrap the presence till like stupid o'clock on Christmas Eve. So everybody goes, like, I remember in Canada we would all go to our bedrooms and just like wrap the presents, you know? Um, don't come in, don't come in. Um, and that would be that. And then Christmas day in the morning, my dad would make a fry. Oh. Like, cause we didn't eat dinner until like, I don't know, like four or five, maybe Christmas dinner. It's a little bit earlier here in Northern Ireland traditionally. Well, I don't know if this is true, but I guess in mine and Dave's family here, it's usually around three o'clock we ate. Yeah. Yeah. Like middle of the day. Um, so my dad would make a fry in the morning or we, we could open presents. My dad would make a fry. Um, and which is a cook breakfast for those of you don't know what that is like, you know, you're so also your bacon here, all of the things, pancakes, whatever hash brines. And then we also, we had another family that we would always go to visit mid morning on Christmas day. And we would go there, um, to their house and exchange gifts with them. And then it was like the big, big family gathering, right. Somebody house for dinner. Um, and then there would be like, oh, the kids and all the grandkids and opening presents and all that kind of stuff. That was the kind of Canadian version. Okay. Of that on some of which we've, we've carried over for sure. Which parts. Um, we have carried over the like cook breakfast on Christmas morning. Like my dad, like I would usually do that or my dad would, and, um, I've added some, uh, W box Fez to that menu. So I always what oh yeah. Fox and Fox phase, which is you guys call that I'm a Mosa, I think. Yes. Yeah. Or orange juice and Prosecco basically, which Gabby: yeah. Let's just have a Mel: good breakfast on our Christmas day. Um, so, so there's that, um, yeah. That's, I mean, those are the kinds of, like in the event kind of how that would go dying was always the same. Was it like that for you guys? Uh, was like a routine. Gabby: Yeah. Um, I w yeah, Christmas can kind of vary Christmas day. Uh, there's a few things that stand out. So one of our big traditions is we always decorate our tree the day after Thanksgiving, which isn't super uncommon. I think a lot of people do that. Um, but so in my family, I think I mentioned two episodes ago that, you know, we grew up, we were a ministry family, so we, um, didn't have a lot of money. And especially when we came back from the mission fields, we had nothing, we had no Christmas decorations. So our first year back, you know, and it's kind of a lot to buy it all in one go, you know, especially when you're like really like every dollar counts. So I remember we, we like spent all our money on a Christmas tree, a real Christmas tree, and we've been going to the same guy. Um, Bob. Uh, Christmas tree farm, and course since 15 years now we take a picture with him every single year. And it's really special because you can kind of see the progression of like the year that Chris, that Chris was a part of the family. And then, you know, like the other, like in-laws that have kind of started to become part of that tradition. Mel: Anyway, I feel like Bob definitely has a mustache. Yeah. Gabby: He's like real Minnesotan. Yeah, yeah. Picture. Yeah. He has a mustache. He's got a little hut with a heater. Sometimes his wife is there anyway. It's really lovely. Um, but the, his Christmas tree lot was right next to our local Goodwill. So every year. Well, the first year that we had our Christmas in the states, we went to the Goodwill and everyone was allowed to pick up, pick out one Christmas ornament. Um, and it had to be less than $1. And so we are like a dollar was the max. And so we have this array and we did that every single year, even when we didn't have to, from a financial perspective, because it just meant so much to us that like that first Christmas, like we really did just have like six ornaments on the tree and, but we've added and every year we add, you know, more Goodwill. Christmas ornaments, like, and it's kind of fun because like, I don't know what the charity shops are like in the UK around the time of year, but like our Goodwill next to us, every Christmas, they like the whole shop transforms and like rows and rows. Like it was almost like, um, you know, it was like big Juul retreats that you would see at like Claire's where like all the earrings are it's like that, except they're all Christmas ornaments. So like, we would spend our like an over an hour, like trying to find the coolest ornament. And you know, when your kids and your five siblings, it's always a competition. And then the second part of that tradition, which has still carried over to this day and Chris and I have adopted it. And I think some of our friends have adopted it because they think it's so fun is we would all go to trader Joe's, which is basically. Um, for people who don't know what trader Joe's is in the UK, I would say it's like a budget MNS. So you get a lot of like pre-made meals, a lot of specialty snack items that you could only get at trader Joe's. Nowhere else they have a few deserves and things that are specialized, but it's, I would say it's a little bit, uh, not a little bit. It's definitely cheaper than MNS. Um, and it's still one of our favorite places to shop, but we went, we would go there and everyone would get to pick out one snack. To have say Decker. Yeah, no. I'll know on redecorating day. Yes, exactly. So while we were decorating, we would put on, um, Charlie brown Christmas mom would usually like get all the snacks ready. And then the first year it was like, okay, we decorated it, everyone put their one ornament up. yeah. And then it just became like an eating Fest. Uh, but yeah, we still do that to this day, whenever I'm in town for that, we'll, we'll do that. And then Chris and I, um, we don't do the trader Joe's thing on tree decorating day, but we do do it as part of our Christmas nights. So like, if we have a Christmas movie night, we will go to trader Joe's and. Go get all the snacks that we want to get and all the holiday goodies and, you know, like baked Brie and shrimp cocktail and just like random, random crap, like tuxedos. Mel: So Gabby: good. You do feel sick afterwards, but yeah, it's worth it Mel: or set for sure. It's so funny. Like I was ma my dad is Stan with me at the minute. Um, cause he's just moved out of his house and he's, he's in transition. Um, but we were having a big chop the other night, a bite Christmas in Canada in the early years of when we moved there. Um, so my parents, we, when we moved, they moved to work for the salvation army, um, as like the leaders of their like social work kind of era, like yeah, departments, I guess, for the city. Um, so it was called family services, family and community services. Um, and finally in community services was the kind of department of the church organization and the study that looked after the Christmas cattle campaign. So, so for our UK based listeners, um, you will know the Christmas cattle's from TV, basically, right from, from, from France, when Phoebe was aggressive about her cattle patch. Um, and so, you know, my dad, my dad and I were reminiscing about this. So I would have been probably like eight or nine when, like I was eight when we moved there, but yet, or nine and we had to like my dad. So there was, I think, six locations in the city and for like four weeks. Six locations. And each location had two hour slots that needed to be filled by volunteers. Right? So you're like consider the maths and that that's a lot of people, that's a lot of slots to fill. That's a lot of time. And my dad was like in charge and this is, these are the days before like real computer things and organizing. So it was done on like, like the organizing of it was done on this massive, big, like poster board with like ruled lines. Who's, who's, who's that Zellers, you know, on Tuesday between 10 and 12, like someone's called in sick. And we would always get like recruited to go and stand at the cattle. And you know, there, we didn't have bells or anything. Cause that was just too American for us. Canadian selfish Normani folk. But we had to stand there with like many county kins. Like I still have a little bit of like county can PTSD. Oh my God. Because I it's so many when I was a kid, but I'd have to like stand there in the mall or at the shopping center or at Zellers or Walmart and just like Mon this like plastic bubble. Of money. And then there was, and then at the end of the day, whoever was on the last shift had to bring the cattle back to the family service office. And then everyone would gather around this big table to cut the money and like roll it into these little Brian rules, you know, like he ever rose. And like, I freaking love that so much. So I, I would be there every night, counting the money. Like my job was like to divide all the coins into like, I love it coin piles and, um, and it was recorded and then deposited in the bank. And it was just such a, it was such a busy time for my dad and then obviously peripherally for our family. Um, and those years that we just were talking about how wild that was like you would, you were just running over all around time, every day having to pick up a special gift here or shift third among the girls. Um, but it felt really, it felt really cool. And we did a lot of like the family services was also involved in. Like P like packing the food hampers and like the coat drive. And, and there's just been really Christmas magic, a bite being involved in that, like being on the assembly line to put like, as a kid to put tens and, you know, in boxes and turkeys and get that all ready and helping out with that. It just, yeah, it was really cool as a kid to be exposed to that kind of goodness of PayPal, you know, at that time I think that really, you know, curved a lot of my consumers. Gabby: Oh, totally. I think that kind of stuff, if you can, if you can build that kind of like a giving tradition into the holidays, I think that's always a good thing. Yeah. You know, even if it's something small, you know, even if it's just time. Yeah. What's Mel: important to something that we did. Um, we started to end with Levi when he got to be old enough and like some of his cousins and stuff. And when we haven't been able to do it, obviously if the last couple of years is, um, we would have a day where the cousins would come over and Levi and they'd set up at the kitchen table and make Christmas cards. And then we would go and bring them to the old, like the local old people's home. And they would get nothing. They would deliver these little Christmas cards to the old people. And like the staff were amazing and they were just like, oh, this is so lovely. The residents are gonna love this. And, and it was just so sweet to like, sit and say this generational, um, you know, bay generational gap and like Levi. You know, super proud of himself for his artistic skills. And then, you know, and he always literally walked out of the nursing home with like a bag of sweets, nappy, like a fiver, you know, like fine in his pocket from these sweet old people. So it was good in Santa every year for him to do so precious. Oh my gosh was really sweet. Yeah. So yeah, I think it's, it's really nice to be able to build some of that kind of mindful realistic stuff into, um, totally into your traditions too. Right. Gabby: Definitely today's episode is sponsored by Anna Louisa. If you all been listening for a while, that you've heard us share about our love this brand before in a Louisa is a sustainable jewelry brand that I've personally been wearing for almost three years. Now, today we're partnering with them to offer you 10% off their pieces. We've mentioned before that not only is Ana Luisa, a woman owned brand, but it's also a brand dedicated to sustainability with new jewelry collections released every Friday. And pieces starting at just 39. It's the perfect place to catch up on your holiday shopping or to add some items for your list for Santa we're, partnering with them to offer you 10% off your purchase. If you're in the market for a few new pieces and want to choose a company that is gentle on the earth and your wallet checkout in a Louisa, that's spelled Mel: a N a L U Gabby: I S a and one more time, Mel: a N a Gabby: L U I S a go to Anna luisa.com forward slash making an effort or check out the link in our episode description for 10% off your purchase Mel: today. Gabby: Well, what about boundaries around the holiday times? Do you have anything that comes to mind right away when you're thinking about that? Mel: I'm thinking about this at the minute, because it just so happens that like my dad's getting married next week. So by the time this goes out, it will be days off his wedding. And, and so there's been a lot of, and he's just moved to, there's been a lot of activity and I've, I've, we've booked a couple of things and I'm going to beautiful supper club, um, with a friend we've got our photo shoot thing. Um, I've got like friends birthday and stuff like that. And I'm looking at my diary and it's busier than it's than I've ever been in like years. And it gives me a little bit of anxiety to see lots and lots of things in there. And, oh my goodness. Um, and so, um, I'm really mindful that it's so easy to get. Booked up at this time a year and just be, just be saying yes to every social occasion or whatever. I'm not that we're in high demand for social occasions, but just, you know, it couldn't, it just can kind of, yeah. Oh definitely a slippery slope. So I've, I've definitely been really aware of that this last week. Just like, Nope, I'm blocking this day and blocking, I thought day, nobody can book me for this. No clients can reach me on this day just because I want, there are things that I want to do. Yeah. You know, like I, yeah, there are things I really, really want to do in preparation for Christmas. And I know that if I, you know, mix base to work too much or say yes to other invitations that I, that I won't get to do those things and then I'll feel really disappointed. Gabby: Yeah. Yeah. What about you? Uh, yeah, boundaries, I think, I mean, same. I could echo all of that. I will say, I think like, so in the states, I don't know if it's like this in the UK, but you know, if you put your tree up before Thanksgiving, you are sometimes subject to a bit of, uh, like fun making. And here's my thing. I'm like, I get it. Like some people just don't like all of the Christmas decor up that long. I like to extend the Christmas season for the very reason of trying to be able to fit everything in, you know, like, so, cause there's things that, you know, you want to do as a family, things you want to do with your kids. And then there's, there are all these things that come up that are just once a year and it's hard. It can be hard sometimes to prioritize. For me anyway, what is important? Cause I always want to say yes to everything. Um, so I think for me, that is part of why I tend to get in the swing of things. Like halfway through November, I'm like, all right, we're going to do the tree. We're going to make snowflakes. We're going to whatever, blah, blah, blah. Um, but yeah, I guess, I guess around boundaries, um, I, this has maybe like a slightly different perspective, but we do because we have so many people in my family, we do, um, uh, secret Santa, not so secret Santa it's very out in the open Santa, but we just, you know, Right. Gift-giver and a gift receiver amongst our siblings. So that's, that's not like a time boundary, but it's definitely, it definitely helps like every year, just not stretch the stretch, the budget too much, and also be able to like, instead of giving, getting everyone like a $5 gift card to Starbucks, you're able to like spend on one person in a more intentional way. And, um, I don't know if that falls under that category, but I think that kind of helps make the holidays feel a little less overwhelming for me. Oh, for sure. Mel: I am. I'm also thinking about another tradition that I've carried over actually, just as you're talking. Um, so we, we did this, used to do this thing in Canada. So all of the, like ladies of the family, this is our kind of adopted family in Canada, all the girls. So like the moms and the daughters, um, Would all get together on one night to make chocolate covered licorice. Oh my Gabby: gosh. I've never even heard of chocolate covered. Really? It's Mel: so basic. It's so, so busy. Okay. So it's red Twizzlers. Okay. Which I'm actually really, this reminds me, can you bring me a pocket of those places? Yes, absolutely panicking. Um, so red Twizzlers chopped in half, or maybe even three and then dipped in melted chocolate and then maybe like some drizzle of like white chocolate or maybe some sprinkles. And then those were given out as like stocking gifts or like something that you'd bring to, like, if you're going to see somebody and bring them a bag of this chocolate covered licorice, it is the bomb. It is so good. Um, so we'd make that and then we'd also make, um, Christmas crack, which is like, I actually, I see loads of my friends and I make this because I posted a rest before it, on my blog when I had a little foray into being a lifestyle blogger. So it was probably, if you want to look it up, it could still be on my blog somewhere. Um, but it's just like trail mix coded in melted white chocolate. Oh my gosh. And it's unbelievable. So it's like pretzels, m&ms, um, Shreddies peanuts, my gosh, all like, I think there's something else as well, but all that. You put all that in a big bowl, you melt the chocolate, you mix a bit, and then you melt more New Mexico more, and then you spread it all over a big like line sheet of baking paper or whatever on a table, let it dry. And then you like break it all up and put it in bag it. Gabby: Oh, so good. Mel: That shit is addictive, man. We would go through. So like my mom would always make that with her bass day and we would like, we get we'd each get a big bag of it. I'm talking like into our end to our like late twenties, we would always get a bag of a Gabby: lot. You never graduate from wanting to eat Mel: that. Oh, that's so good. And I, my kids absolutely love it and I make it for our neighbors. That's like, what they get for Christmas from us is like Christmas crack. And, um, it is the best. So I've, so I, I really miss having that night, like to do something like that. So last year, um, we decided to do like a zoom, Becky. Uh, at night with the, with the Canadian farm. So we, we made like what, I can't remember what we made. We made like Nanaimo bars, which are a real Canadian, uh, like Trebek kind of, um, and something else can't remember what else we made. Um, but we, we did that over zoom last year and it was really sweet. It was just so nice. And following the recipe together, we've had a zoom bacon or cooking cooking event. Haven't we? Um, that was so fun, but yeah. So trying to keep that tradition alive by making that and doing those things. Yeah. Yeah. I Gabby: I'm that, so my grandma who, uh, died last month, um, she always did a, uh, I think they're called, oh gosh, we always call it. The per pecan cookies, but they're the, they're like the snowball ones where it's like pecans and powdered sugar and flour is like basically, oh, and butter are basically the three ingredients and they are just so crumbly and like melt in your mouth. And those are the cookie I always associate with Christmas and I do make them pretty much every year. Um, and I will make them this year too. But my, yeah, my grandma actually brought a ton of the Christmas magic to my childhood. Um, we always used to do, uh, sleepovers at her house when we were kids. So Christmas night, Christmas Eve, we would go to do like a Christmas Eve service, but we would pack our bags and overnight bag before we went to Christmas Eve service, go to service and then. Drive straight to my grandma's house. And she would have like all our beds set up. And I always, because there weren't enough beds for everyone. I would always be on the couch by the Christmas tree, in a sleeping bag. And in Minnesota, like it was so lovely because there's always snow. And I mean, Mel: this is like the most Enneagram for child events. I know Gabby: it was like my Enneagram. It was like born Mel: on that sofa. It Gabby: was falling. And like, it was just like, actually, I don't even mind sharing this in my therapy. My therapist. Like, okay. Think of your ultimate safe, happy, happy place. And immediately I was like Christmas at grandma's house. Oh. And like, it is still that place. And I think, I don't know, it really like into adulthood as I'm, it's one thing to experience that as a kid, but then as an adult, trying to pass on the Christmas magic to your kids, like for me, and I don't know that this is how it is for every kid, so whatever, but like, there were certain decorations that would come out every year, like to this day, if I go to my grandpa's house and he's decorating this week, There will be the same, like, you know, the, we, um, clean, X-Box cozy, that's Christmas themed and like the Christmas bathmat, um, like this, the fake plastic fruit Garland over the crib, like the fireplace, like, so I have these really strong attachments to these items, these Christmas items. And I feel like that is one of the things I'm trying to do with Danny, where it's like, the same stuff comes out. And so, and like, I don't know how you feel, but I feel definitely in our generation, especially with new stuff coming out at target every year and like all these, I dunno, I feel like there's just so much stuff around Christmas time. I'm like trying to resist the urge to. Just buy it all and have consistency. Because as a kid, you're not like looking for the pottery barn decorated home. You're you're like, you remember like the little Santa, the kitschy Santa that your mom or your grandma, or whoever would like put next to her, like salt and pepper shaker on the table, or, you know, it's that stuff. And it doesn't have to be trendy or cool. It's just that stuff that brings magic. And so, anyway, that's the end of Mel: my sermon. I have to say that this isn't Dave ligands, this is not a green light for your time for your tacky decorations. This is not a green light. I'm like, do you remember how much we fought about the Christmas decorations last year? I probably, I think in the early podcast episodes, I might have mentioned this, but this guy is intent on making us the bloody Griswolds and. I Gabby: think that Christmas does do that to some people like people who would normally wouldn't be into all the kitschy, like nonsense the rest of the year, like Christmas unlocks this little secret post where it's like, and for me, I mean, I'm not saying this is how it needs to be for Dave, but for me, it's I can kind of ignore all the kitsch the rest of the year, knowing that I can just funnel it all into Christmas and it's okay. Mel: I don't think you do not ignore all the kitsch Gabby: kitsch. Mel: Do. I mean, what I mean is you're, you're a maximalist. Gabby: You're a man. That's true. I do love a thing I do. I Mel: do. Um, but I D yeah, there's something in his head and it might just be like, because he wants to annoy me that he's just like, Like God forbid, colored lights outside gateway. I cannot just cannot. I'm like, I'm all up for decorate in the front of the house, but let's do a warm white glow. Gabby: Am I am, am I remembering this wrong? But did he get like led green, blue purple light, hang them in the hallway in your house? He did. Did that, was it the hallway? Yeah. And the staircase, the Mel: hallway, and also like hung these like really shitty cheap colored stars and things and snowflakes from the kids' bedroom windows and our bedroom window. And. I don't want people to think that this, these are the people that we are, this isn't who we are. This is way too classy for this shit. Um, and I mean, I'm just, I just count through it. I have, I like to get the most beautiful Christmas race it's so like scandy and gorgeous and big velvet ribbon on it. And he's coming up with these flourish. Purple lights and it's not fair. And he's doing it just to piss me off. I know. He's like, you can have the inside of the house. I can I'll have the outside. I'm like, oh my, Gabby: yes, it needs to be cohesive. It can't just be like a break in logic. Yeah. Mel: But I do understand because at the same time, like, I don't want it for my home. And, but I do love all those things. Like when you're sad about the, like the tissue holder, Christmas tissue holder, like my mom always like Christmas mugs came out and the Christmas, um, like Tay tiles and whatever. Like, it was just all, all of that. And you know, we've been packing up my mom and dad's house this last couple of weeks and, you know, bring in so much of that stuff to the charity shop because it's, you know, it's like we don't have space for it. And it's just, yeah. Closing that memory is, you know, it was just really. It's so nostalgic and so like loaded with emotion because it, it brought that feeling of like CFD and coziness and all that stuff. Um, and I wish that it transferred to me, but I don't feel like Gabby: that's okay. But here's the thing like, and this is the beauty of Christmas is like, you don't actually have to like, there's no right way to do it. Like even my family with our no, no Christmas stuff. Like that was part of the Christmas magic for us. And you can create it in so many different ways. And it is just about the intention and like taking a moment. And I'm sorry, this is going to sound so Hallmarky, but I'm just going to say it, go on. Like, it is just about like taking the time to make a moment out of something and. And then whatever that thing is like, and that first year that we came back from like being overseas, we, we also, I think did a pregame to trader Joe's by going to taco bell. There's nothing for us to say about taco bell. I think we all had stomach aches afterwards. Still love to talk about, but like, it's just that kind of stuff. Like taking the time to just make the moment. And, and yeah. Yeah. It's just remember what they remember Mel: and yeah, they do. And we like, you know, we have wait, we're going to do our Christmas tree this weekend. And I do love like, we've we have collected some gorgeous, like ornaments and decorations over the years, Dave and I like, as we've, since we've been married and we have some from like my parents' house and things like that, and I, I really, really look forward to it. Like I love doing it. It mostly always ends in tears in some way. Yeah. Or somebody will fight because the lights weren't put away properly. So they're all stuck together and there's one bulb missing in bowl, but, um, But it is so, so lovely to just get, get all that stuff. I, every year I'm always surprised when I opened my Christmas boxes and I'm like, oh, I forgot we had this. And, oh, these are so cute. And, oh, there's that candle that we put away and we can burn it in the shear or, you know, all that kind of stuff. Um, and I know that my kids in a veil, like there's all these little handmade things that they've made and stuff they get to remember. And yeah, yeah. It's really sweet at what am I, um, I want to actually, before we, we kind of wrap up, I'm interested in any kind of tradition of, of Christmas movies, um, or Christmas music that you're like, those are the ones those have to be, those have to feature Gabby: for you. Before I answer this. I just want to say I'll put my grandmas almond pecan or pecan snowball cookie recipe in the show notes. And you put your Christmas crack. Sure. Show notes. That will be a little recipe pass on for all of you. Um, but for movies, I mean, Charlie brown Christmas, while you were sleeping with Sandra Bullock and bill Pullman. Um, Mel: oh gosh. I mean family stone, obviously Gabby: family stone. I mean that one, I really it's. If you need a good holiday cry, that is just the Mel: one. Isn't it? Emotional laxative. Yep. Um, also stepmom, like we know that Gabby: I still haven't seen step-mom and I will watch it. I will watch it. I know I would love it. Oh, it's just, it's just on the list. Um, and then music, I must Celine Dion special. All right. What are these other special times? It's hard to bear. I love Amy Grant AME. She's got a couple, a couple of Christmas albums. I think the one that I'm thinking of is the first one Mel: and the full counselor. Gabby: Yes. That one. That one. it's so good. So good. Um, what about you? Oh Mel: yeah. I mean our favorite movie growing up was Sante close to my fee. I think that was, that was the like eighties classic. And I, I tried to put on for my kids last year and they are two years ago and they were like, nah, not, you know, cause it is so old, it just looks old and then they've got into it. They got into it a bit more last year. So I'm hoping this is a year where they're just wanting to like ask and to watch us. So Sonic closed the movie always for some reason, the sign of music is always on at Christmas time and not really reminds me of my mom, which is so nice. Um, yeah. Um, What else I'm trying to think of like must, oh man. There's always a, when Harry met Sally. Gabby: Yeah. I will all this Mel: there. Yeah. Um, um, and more modern, like if you watched any good model, I love the holiday. It's really hard to bait sexy Jude law. Um, and in a Cotswold cottage isn't um, um, I do love it. Oh, do you know what I watched recently? I watched Christmas with the Coopers. Have you watched that? Uh, Gabby: I don't think so. So such Mel: a good cast. Let's go. Um, Diane Keaton. Oh, and John Goodman. What? Yeah, I need to say Frey. CyFrame decipher. Okay. Um, Marissa, like, it's a really, really good one. Um, Oh, well, there are good ones. Oh, I do you know why I have a, I have a whole, like, I have a whole list, but those are some of the ones that stand out. Um, but that's definitely, always sound to close the movie. Um, my kids are really into the Christmas Chronicles and ADA has been watching nativity since October. She loves nativity. Oh, Gabby: this girl. Oh, love. Actually, no, actually, Mel: well, I mean, that's kind of more mighty NY is not, is Gabby: it, is it? Cause you know, we're, we're all too evolved for it now. Mel: So woke. Um, Gabby: I still, I still love it. I feel like it gives me all the fields. Here's the thing I'll say. So a UK Christmas is so special. Like, I, it took me a minute to get it because it was just so different to my Christmas. But once I just like entered into the space of a UK Christmas, there is nothing like it, like the foods you guys have, the, just like the, I mean, even like a fairytale in New York Mel: is that New York Gabby: of New York by the Pogues. Like that was a culture shock for me. Like I had never heard of that song before I know in the states and I mean, you know, um, yeah, like, so there's that, um, I'm trying to think daily, absolute Mel: favorite Gabby: Christmas. I mean, it's such a good song. There's also good. Make them Mel: quietly think of, Gabby: uh, who's that comedian who always does the CRA the family Christmas special. Um, oh my gosh. And there's always like a celebrity. He's like really kind of clean humor. He always does a big Christmas special in London, MacIntyre, Michael McIntyre. Um, I was watch his Christmas special when I'm over in the UK and that always feels really festive. Like you guys do good job of like Christmas. Tell it like program TV programming is off the charts. There's always like a special Christmas episode of your favorite show. Um, I don't know. I just, I love a UK Christmas so much. Vicar of Mel: Dibley like Gavin and Stacey. Ah, Gabby: it's so good. It's so good. Mel: Yeah. The other I'm like looking up Christmas movies. Cause I have this real fear that I'm not going to say one that I absolutely love. Well, do you know what? Last year, last year I just got really deep into the hallmark Christmas movies. Gabby: So really hard to make that jump yet. I'm sure it's coming. Mel: It was one of those ones where I was like putting it on while I was working from home and the tree was lit and the candles and I just needed things to be really. Delightful and, and every storyline is more or less the same, you know, like big city girl goes home for the holidays, bumps into the old boyfriend from blah, blah. And then there's some sort of like renovation project. I don't know. It's all, it's all like that to basically Gabby: save Christmas. I haven't saved Christmas or CSS. They save their hearts or they have Mel: to see if like the local tine landmark that is going to be, you know, like bold dine by big rich, evil, corporate America, corporate America. And somehow she's been part of it and he doesn't know. And oh yeah, all of that, but I did love those. Um, but there's also, I watched last Christmas. Have you seen that? I think Gabby: that Kristen Stewart, no. No, that's not the, no, she does Mel: like a little bit like her, but no, it's not. And I think it's British. It is British. Um, and it is really lovely. It's one of those kind of fails in the fails. All right. So I loved, I loved the arts, obviously. Like our kids just are obsessed with, um, home alone. Yeah. One empty, like Neil always going to be miracle on 34th street, you know, like you can't, you kind of skip these ones and it's, uh, that must be, it must feature. Um, what was the other thing? I was just going to say, what were we talking about? I feel like I had something else to say movies. We were talking to music, carpenters. Christmas. Yep. Merry Christmas darlin. Oh yeah. Very much. That is a sidetrack. Um, oh, that's what I was going to say. Did I ever tell you the story about when we went to see the pokes? No. Why? Oh my days, honestly, so this was like the year, maybe the year we got my right. Um, and they were playing in Belfast at the King's hall, um, around Christmas time. And so Dave was like, we're going. So we went with our friends with Rick and grace and grace was pregnant at the time. And so the posts are this kind of like real, quite traditional Irish bond. Um, Fronted by she and Mugen who legit is like a drunk, right? Like it's just Gabby: a scene from a really authentic Mel: place, honestly, like he is, I don't know why he's alive. So basically no, truly. So he, honestly, it was, it was the wildest night I have ever seen. I mean, he, he had like a, a helper that had to bring him on to S onto the stage. Right. Cause he was so he's just so hard of a word. So he had to be like all shared on the stage by, by some sort of like helper. And then he had a music stand with laminated shape words on it, like yeah. On it, on the music stuff, bond or in credible, you know, you just, you just imagined like the traditional Irish bond. Play and all the rails, you know, all of that. And then, so he would, he would come out and like sing two songs and then he would have to come off again and then they'd play rails. But when I say it was the wildest crowd I've ever been in, I'm not even joking. Like if you looked at like, I got drenched and bare because oh, they were just, everyone was just throwing like full bottles with fear, like plastic balls of beer across the whole of the venue. Oh my God. Um, at one stage, I got hit in the head by a bow with a ball of bear. And I was just like, could you please just play a fairy tale of New York so I can go home? Cause this was insane. And then, then they started playing first hill of New York. And obviously, because what's her name who sang it? Christie of course her name. Gabby: I don't know her name. They've got bars. Chris steamer Mel: think no. Is that right? Uh, Kirstie McCall. Okay. So Kirsty McCall is the original singer of fairytale of New York with and Mugu and the folks. But because she died, I could wildly go guests who saying the girls part. Sinead O'Connor stop it swear so good. She came, I, and like a sexy Santa outfit, fake snow come and die. Or maybe it was just Gabby: so festive. It was Mel: really like, people were just smoking inside the venue. Like it was wild as in like me and they were just Gabby: like the most Irish time Mel: ever. It was literally like a lock-in at a pub, but on like a massive scale. Gabby: Oh my gosh. I would also just like to correct. I said, they've got bars, biggest cars in the know I was like, that's wrong? It's they've got cars, biggest bars. They've got rivers of gold. I'm not going to keep saying this. I'm terrible at singing. Go listen to this song. It's so good. Mel: Yeah, there there's a little bit of a derogatory word. Gabby: Which everyone is just like, Mel: oh, it's such a big, it's like, is it canceled? I don't know. Um, but Gabby: yeah, it's, don't hold us to it. Just enjoy the rest of the song and yeah. Mel: Yeah. And then, um, the other thing that I wanted to actually ask people was one, something that I really, really want to make and make really well this year is Florentines. Do you, have you ever like had mad? Gabby: I've never made, but I have hot them. They're Mel: delicious. I cannot keep buying the four pine pocket of quarantines from Mars. I am going to be skinned. Oh my, they are so good. And I need, I need to learn how to make them. So anyone has an APIC Florentine recipe, Sandra to your girl because I really, I want to be able to make it. Oh, you Gabby: should just look up the great British bake-off one. They've got a cause they've got the recipes from Mel: that show. Like I met that standard though gal, but yeah, Gabby: you are. I did make like Walnut short bread chocolate. It was like one of the technical challenges I made that one year. And I w I usually try to choose one recipe from the great British bake-off every year to try and do and just be like, it's okay if it doesn't turn out. Uh, but I think Florentines, you could probably do. Mel: Okay. I'll have a look, but in the meantime, if anybody else has like a foolproof family recipe, whatever, like, or one that you use regularly fired over. Send it over here for it. All right. I feel really fast of night. Gabby: No, me too. I know we've gone longer than we normally go, but I'm like, what the heck? It's the last day of the year. I know I can listen to it in two parts if you need to. Yeah. Mel: Okay. Festive. I feel fast to my best to just go get a Christmas tree today and the Calvin in the heist and like for the kids coming home from school, ready Gabby: to go. Mel: Actually, I don't know if I have a capacity today because we're getting our bedroom pin to tomorrow and my house is a tip because all of our stuff from our bedroom is in everyone else's rooms. And, or maybe that's just, we just need that Christmas tree to make it all better. Gabby: Yeah. You just need to do the, you know, what you need to do is you just need to like, put that all aside and just clear out the living room and put the tree up and then forget about the rest and just know it will deal with itself in the, in the morning. Okay. Mel: We'll just be. Watch this space anyway, happy Christmas to all of you. Happy Gabby: Christmas and happy new year. And we made it. Mel: We did one year of podcasts and on the bike. I'm also thank you again to everybody. We just wind up doing this and next year we have some great ideas up our sleeve. We want to bring some more guests and to kind of have conversations with, if you have any, um, ideas of who you'd love to hear us talk to you on this podcast, you can feel free to send them our way. Or if you have any ideas of things that you'd like us to talk about here, I'm always happy to hear from you, but in the meantime, happy Christmas, happy holidays. And that's it. I was thinking about it. I was like, what is it? What is the end of this? Is it a wonderful life? Is that it's a Gabby: wonderful life. It's the Christmas poem, the Santa Claus one, right? Merry Mel: Christmas to all and to all a good night.