He Warned Me He Had AT&T

Hello! This is your Post Christmas Wellness Check. It's totally normal to feel a bit of post-Christmas blues after the holiday season is over. It can be tough to say goodbye to this special time of year and all the joy it brings. But don't worry, there are many things you can do to help lift your spirits! Here are a few ideas: spending quality time with family and friends, taking a break from your regular routine and trying something new, or simply taking some time to relax and focus on what you want to accomplish this coming year.

Also Todd calls a few of his Christmas Podcast friends for a Post Christmas Blues Wellness Check. Links to guests’ podcasts in order of appearance:

Chris Sisley
Christmas Time In The City
The Christmas Countdown

Anthony Caruso
Tis The Podcast

CJ Belanger
Christmas Sessions

Art Kilmer
Cozy Christmas Podcast
Art’s Bookshelf Odyssey

Gerry Davila
Totally Rad Christmas

Scott Newman
Tinsel Tunes
Christmas Morning Podcast
Jingle Jank

Brian Earl
Christmas Past Podcast
Christmas Past Book

Tim Babb
Can’t Wait For Christmas

West 5th Studios

Sweet Christmas Merch

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Transcript

Todd: 0:14

Well, hello everybody and welcome back to Christmas Cloud podcast. I'm Todd. It's been three days away from a month since we've been here on Christmas Clater, and I just wanted to come in and check in with everybody, make sure everybody is doing well on this post Christmas side of things, January, February, or kind of doldrums as we all know. Uh, March gets a little bit better cuz sometimes the weather turns, sometimes it doesn't. But usually by March you're kind of looking forward to Christmas again. And then, what is it? April when Hallmark releases the Dream book. So then it's like game on for rest of the year. So I just wanted to check in, uh, before we get started with the episode, a few things. Um, as far as the regularity of this show, my plan is I will have this life's, uh, this episode this month. I will do one episode in February and one in March. Um, and some of that's to, uh, just kind of get a little time away because when the Christmas season hits with, uh, you know, work gets busy and then the holidays are busy in general and then trying to do this, it, uh, it's a lot. So a nice little break is, uh, very welcome and, uh, gives me a chance to do some other things that I enjoy doing as well. And so that way I can keep, uh, Christmas clater, you know, going more and more without just, uh, burning myself to the ground on it. But, um, so we'll be back in February and March, uh, once. I will do one in April, and from then on it's kind of, I will definitely do one April, may, June, and, uh, then, but that may change because if Hallmark or like just knocks it outta the ballpark with their keepsake ornaments and things, then I'll be back for a couple extras. And then I'll do what I did this past year, uh, Christmas and July 25th, somewhere around there. It probably won't be on the 25th, you know, exclusively, or specifically I should say. Then we'll start every other week and then once we hit, uh, October for sure, if not September, we'll roll every week, uh, till we get to Christmas. So, yeah. Uh, looking at the chat for those on the podcast, Santa Dad says that there's a lot of irons. In the fire. So yeah, you understand completely my friend. We, there's a lot going on. Um, can I give you another update? Um, you know, I talked about creating and doing that kind of thing with Christmas clutter and it's still planning on doing that and that'd be all video content on YouTube. So if you haven't subscribed to the YouTube channel, please do so if you're interested in that. I did get my 3D printer set up and printed one thing off now, um, it turned out pretty cool. Uh, it kind of lost it at the very last, like 10% of, uh, of the print and the very top of printed this little dog figure cuz it was on the SD card. So something was, I think something was wrong with the, I think the bed ended up going unlevel. So that's something I, um, uh, you know, would, uh, That I'm working on, you know, learning something new. And, uh, and it's been a lot of fun. My, my wife Holly, uh, picked up crocheting again and has a scarf knitted already and, uh, and that kind of thing. And I wanna address this, uh, right here from Tech troublemaker Roy here in the chat. He says I should do one on the 25th of every month. Yeah, I, I, I get it. And Holly has told me that, my wife has told me that. Um, however, I like doing Wednesday nights and the 25th isn't on a, we isn't always on a Wednesday night. So if it works out, it will, will make it happen. But, uh, I'm just, I just dig the day of the week, you know, and, and so we'll always be, well, I don't wanna say always, but unless things, you know, change or something comes up, We're gonna be on Wednesday nights. I just can't say which Wednesday night of the week, but I'll give plenty of notice like I did for, uh, uh, for this episode here. And, uh, that way everybody knows to come, come in and, Hey mommy, Lala. Good to have you here. I was just talking about crafting and, and from halfway around, from half, well, literally from halfway around the world, mommy Lala shows up cuz I mentioned crafting and crocheting, which is hilarious to me. And, um, so, uh, , hey, there we go. Mr. Tim Baab. Yeah, some other lame podcast, uh, does a, the 25th of every month that, that is, uh, Tim Babb from Can't Wait For Christmas podcast and, uh, he does release his on the 25th of every month, happily known as Rudolph Day. And, uh, thanks for hopping in here, Tim. I really appreciate it. And, uh, So, so get out there and, uh, start learning something new. Um, I've kind of started doing that with the 3D printing. 3D designing is way above my head. I hope to get there someday. So I, I've been trying to acquire some files to print, but the big thing is, is getting that printer like squared up, leveled up, ready to go. And, uh, and I do plan on grabbing some of them crochet needles sometime soon. So, yeah. And, uh, so it's like, uh, so it's, uh, it's a lot of fun. So more on that and just a little bit, but I want to talk about this post-Christmas season. This is a tough one, you know, cuz once Christmas is over that week, between Christmas and New Year's is a lot of fun. That's probably my favorite week of the year because it's like, uh, Like Santa Dad said in a, in a real, in a TikTok that he did. Um, it's like the week that knows no time. It really is. I'm gonna start, uh, Santa Dad, I'm gonna steal that. The, the, the week, uh, between Christmas and New Year's will be known as the week that knows no time. And, uh, and uh, it's just a, just a wonderful week of we were, we've been doing puzzles. We got a c I think we got, did we put one or two together, but we started this 3000 piece peanuts puzzle, which is still, mm, probably 30% done on the, on our kitchen table. And I've been taking snapshots and stuff as, as we go along. Cause I plan on kind of putting a little reel or something together through the process. And it's been a, that always helps. And of course, through during that week, we listen to Christmas music, but then as, um, new Year's passes, um, we'll listen to some Christmas music. But then, uh, I'll tell, uh, a certain, uh, virtual phone assistant to play, uh, like Michael Bule radio on Pandora or, or YouTube music. And I've always said that when you do that, it's like, uh, Michael Bule radio is, uh, methadone for Christmas music, uh, because you get all those crooner vibes, you know, without the, specifically the Christmas songs. And, uh, it's just such a relaxing time. Uh, Carol, who's in the chat, my mother-in-law, she'll come over and we'll work with that puzzle. And, uh, and then, um, It's just a lot of fun and that, you know, spending time with your family after the holidays is one of the, um, best ways to kind of kick the, that Christmas, uh, blues, that post-Christmas. It's, it's all over what we gonna do now kind of thing. Just finding something just, you know, to do. Uh, that's one reason jigsaw puzzles are, uh, are so great. Another reason is there's just another good excuse to have a bowl of, uh, peanut m and m's close by, you know, because, uh, no one notices how many times you fill that bowl up personally. But, uh, it's always a lot of fun, and that's one thing we do to kind of, you know, our Christmas decorations are still mostly up. We've taken a few. And, uh, but taking 'em down does really kind of make the house feel sad. But I, I have noticed, I think I've said this before, a little more each year, stay up, you know, year round. I'm lucky enough to have this, this studio, uh, up year round. So it's like, if I need a little shot of Christmas, I'll just come down here, you know? And, uh, and that's a lot of fun. So that's the other thing, if, uh, if you need a spot, you know, find a spot and leave a little bit of Christmas up if it's a little tree or, or something, just so you can kind of go and, um, you know, soak it in for a little bit, you know, and, and just have it there at hand. You know, there's no rules or, or, you know, anything on maybe playing a little Vince Aldi, you know? And. Watching a little, you know, in staring at a small miniature lit Christmas tree in the middle of, you know, January, February, March, April, may, or at any, any time. And just soak in just a little Christmas, just leave a little bit up. You know, they have all kinds of Christmas decorations that aren't obviously Christmas and just leave 'em up, you know, if, if you're spouse or whatever, you know, doesn't wanna leave them up, you can get 'em to, you know, leave a few things. And like I said, we leave a few things and that's the stuff that we really, really enjoy year round. But, uh, yeah, so, you know, just give yourself permission to, to, um, have a little spot of Christmas in your, in your house so that way when you kind of miss it, you can soak in a little bit of it. Now, a lot of people would really love just to leave everything up year round, and I get it, and. But my only pushback is if it's up all year, then the special of it fades. And that's one thing I don't want to do. I want, I don't want the special of Christmas to fade. So that's why I think taking it up and or putting it up and taking it down, or both necessities. But if you just leave a little bit out, you know, to soak in, then, then it's cool. But, uh, also, I am well past my time. If, uh, you guys are watching this, you'll understand. The other thing is, is, um, you know, call people and talk to 'em just to see how they're doing. See how their Christmas went, you know, check in with your friends and family. So, uh, everybody in the chat, what do you say? Let's call some people. Let's find someone to call if anybody is, is up for it. Check on, uh, uh, some from friends of ours to see how they're doing. Hello guys. Hey, how are you doing, Chris? A little bit of tape. Hey Todd. How's it going? Doing fine. Everybody remembers Chris? Si He was on the, an episode not long ago. How was your Christmas, my friend? My Christmas was

Chris: 12:53

very good. We adopted about 25 new dinosaur toys for the the house. I'm pretty excited. I've learned all of them. I, I know, I know about so many more dinosaurs than I thought existed. Uhhuh, . But, um, my son had a great, uh, Christmas. We had a, a really fun holiday season. We went and did the polar bear plunge, which I talked about. Yeah, we just had a really fun time. It was really nice to just kinda, uh, enjoy the season for what its, and kinda put the, the overwhelming burden of like content creating like off for little bit season, uh, right. What it kind explore, explore, explore why we, uh, like, why we enjoy Christmas so much. And it was a really fun Christmas. It was one of the first years that my son was able to really like, appreciate like coming out and seeing gifts from Santa.

Todd: 13:51

So that was really fun. Yeah, that, that's always fun. Everybody expects that to happen like their first Christmas and it's second Christmas and it never really does . And so you're like, Hey, you know that first Christmas well the first few, you're kind of like force feeding 'em presents and unwrapping 'em. But then once they, once they get it, it is, it is game on for, for years to come. So that is awesome. That is awesome to to hear. I'm glad you guys had a great Christmas. What's something, um, that you and Chris do like post-Christmas? Just kind of, uh, I don't wanna say recover from the holidays, but you know, it seems like what life kind of changes once Christmas is over. What's something you guys kind of do as a post-Christmas tradition?

Chris: 14:33

Well, we definitely lean into winter and I like to think of Christmas as just kinda the beginning of winter. I know a lot of people try to like, uh, stay positive and the Christmas for the winter blues and everything, but we really lean into it. We, uh, taking trip up to Quebec City in Canada in February, go to Big Winter Carnival, which is. Ice festival and there's all kinds of cool stuff up there, uhhuh, there's, uh, maple syrup, uh, like lollipops and stuff and all kinds of goodies. And so we, we try to find things to do during the winter that kinda keep going and keep excited about the season. That way we're not super bummed out. And then when comes, we're, we're ready to move on from that.

Todd: 15:13

Yeah, that, that's key is to find something that you can look forward to because so much of Christmas is the anticipation and the preparation, and I think that's what people really kind of miss. So having something to look forward to is a kind of replace that is such a big help and such a, such a key, you know, to, you know, to make a plan, something like that. But man, Chris, I appre I appreciate you hopping on here. I hope, uh, your wife and your son are doing well. I hope things are good there in the city and, uh, I just wanted to call and check in and, and see. Make sure you were doing okay.. Thanks man. I really appreciate that. No problem. I'll talk to you soon. Talk to you later, Uhhuh . Bye-bye. Alrighty. Let's say we call some other people, uh, see who we can find here.

Chris: 16:11

Hey

Todd: 16:12

Todd. Hey Anthony. How are you my friend? Good, how are you? Doing fine, doing fine. How was your Christmas? Christmas

Anthony: 16:20

was amazing too fast as always though. How

Todd: 16:23

was yours? Oh, the same. It's like, uh, you know, it's like the bur months hit, things speed up and time just keeps faster and faster and faster till it's gone and it's like what happened?

Anthony: 16:34

So yeah, we need to find a way to, uh, slow time down when we hit September.

Todd: 16:39

Absolutely, absolutely. For those that don't know, this is Anthony Caruso from Tis the podcast, him and, uh, Tom Crow. Julia Coburn Ho uh, hosted, they get together every week. So if you need Christmas every week, they review a different Christmas movie every week. They're well over a hundred. You're probably, what, 300 episodes deep? No, you're,

Anthony: 17:03

I think six. I think we hit 300 300th this past year.

Todd: 17:06

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was gonna say, yeah, so there's plenty of back catalog if you're not familiar with these guys. And they are, uh, hilarious. And, uh, they fight. Well, Julie don't really fight, but Tom and, and Anthony fight like brothers, you know, you think they were going for blood, but they really, really, truly love each other. And, uh, it's just a lot of fun. And, um, and every, and every June is Todd Killian month.. That's right, that's right. June has been deemed my month and I'll take it. I, I love it. But, uh, yeah, we, I just calling some people, you know, just to see how their Christmas was cuz it's so important to keep in touch with everybody, uh, especially after Christmas when, uh, when. Everybody's seen, you know, for lack of a better term, everybody just kind of goes home and and Yeah. And then you don't hear anybody through anybody for a while. What's something that, uh, that you do that maybe like a post Christmas tradition?

Anthony: 18:05

A post Christmas tradition? Yeah. Well, well, you'll know, I don't know if a lot of your listeners will know. I am also a big fan of Halloween and spooky season, so it's like I'm into all three, four. Um, so I've kind of, January I kind of, you know, lift my dark mood by watching some of my favorite horror movies,

Todd: 18:30

actually.. Oh yeah. Well, hey, yeah, that, that, that works. I, I know a lot of people, it's not horror, but I know a lot of people have for some reason, taken to Lord of the Rings. Right after Christmas. I'm not really sure why, I guess cuz they're long and they came out around Christmas time in the theaters. But, uh, yeah, I've,

Anthony: 18:49

I've heard of that. And then New Year's Day. New Year's Day, obviously I, I'm one of the people who switched back and forth between the Twilight Zone and the, uh, honeymooners marathons that are going on. Yeah.

Todd: 19:00

Yeah. See, Holly's, Holly's talked about the Twilight Zone when, when she was a kid growing up in California. That was never a thing where I grew up at all. And I'm sad about that, you know? And, uh, it's never too late to make it a thing, Tom. That is true. That is true. They are, they are available to watch at any time. I could do a twilight marathon any time I wanted, I suppose, but, but yeah. Yeah. Such a good show. So anything super exciting happen over c. Let's

Anthony: 19:29

see. Super exciting over Christmas. Well, me and Sarah, my wife, saw a bunch of different Christmas shows. Uh, this holiday season we saw a Christmas story, the musical, uh, down at the Jersey Shore, which was amazing. We saw a Christmas, Caroline Broadway, which was a actually a one man show, and it might be my favorite out of Christmas care I've ever seen. It was like spectacular. I dunno how they did it, but it was incredible.

Todd: 19:54

That is, that sounds fantastic. Those landman, those one man shows are always wonderfully good. I don't know why that is, but they seem to be.

Anthony: 20:02

Yeah, I have no clue. But I mean, that one, uh, you know, if it comes back next year, I'd recommend anybody in the area go see it if they can. Um, and we also saw Charlie Brown Christmas, some musical put on at a local college here. Uh, and that was cute, so,

Todd: 20:19

oh yeah, I seen, uh, it wasn't Christmas. I did see a Charlie Brown. Uh, uh, play put on by a local theater here. And, and it, it was pretty good. It was really good, but it was

Anthony: 20:31

it, you're a good man, Charlie

Todd: 20:32

Brown. Yes. That's what it was. Yep.

Anthony: 20:34

Yep. It's a classic. Yeah. Uh, but no, the Christmas one, the every year, the, uh, brown musical and musical. And, uh, for anyone listening, I would recommend seeing it if it comes to your area. Cause uh, you know, they do a really good job of spending the classic peanut special into a full production. And it's always traditional Christmas songs. It's not like they make up songs like musicals tend to do. And, uh, you actually get to see, uh, the play that Charlie Brown and the gang. Uh, are producing in this special they Oh, cap up. Yeah. So that's fun.

Todd: 21:14

Well, I'll, I'm, I'll have to write that down because I'll definitely wanna check that out. It probably stuff like that. I, we need to head to St. Louis to see, but, uh, there's the Fox Theater up there and they usually have all that kind of stuff come through, so we'll definitely check it out, Anthony. Man, we gotta get together and talk for a longer time. Uh, we really do. It's been far too long, Todd. It has been. It has been far too long. But man, I really appreciate you hopping on the phone here with me for a few minutes and, uh, I, I'm so glad that you guys had to Merry Christmas and happy New Year and looking forward to see what'd you guys do here in 2023. I appreciate it. Yeah, right back at you, my friend. Thanks for giving me a call. All right. We'll talk at you later. Yep. Bye-bye. Bye. Alrighty. I hope you guys don't mind, but I have a few other people I'd like to call and talk to and, uh, I'd, I'd, I told some people and I'd be calling and I'd keep it brief, but. I don't tend to keep things brief. So, uh, let's, uh, let, let's head north of the border here.

CJ: 22:21

Hey,

Todd: 22:21

Todd. Hey, cj. How are you my friend? Pretty good, man. I've been watching so far. It's been a great episode. Oh, well thank you. Thank you. Anthony did, Anthony did better than we thought he would. So, so that, that was a . Yeah, that was a, he, he's a hit or Ms. Guy. Yeah. Yeah. For those that don't know, this is cj, uh, from Christmas Sessions podcast. He's all over the podcast, uh, groups and stuff, and he's, uh, well, I should have mentioned this with Anthony, but, uh, Anthony and CJ and myself because of, uh, totally right Christmas podcast have now been deemed the, uh, home hallmark dream. So, because we hop on. Yeah. And, uh,

CJ: 23:03

we're only about two and a half months away from the, uh, dream book release, so

Todd: 23:08

I'm excited for that. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And uh, and for those that don't know, CJ is a big hallmark, uh, ornament collector and, and knows way more about 'em than I do. In fact, he is the one that bailed me out with the retro reindeer this year and found it there in Canada and, uh, and, uh, sent it to me. Um, of course I paid him for it. He didn't send it to me for free. I didn't expect that, but just list the fact he went way out of his way to help. Sure. I got that retro reindeer. So, hey,

CJ: 23:41

if somebody has a hobby and you can help them and it's not a problem, why not? Because the, the prices that they were charging

Todd: 23:47

aftermarket for that was just insane. So yeah, if, if someone truly enjoys Christmas

CJ: 23:52

and the ornaments, why not send it to them? It's was no

Todd: 23:55

problem, man. Yeah. Well, I appreciate it. So how was your Christmas? It actually was

CJ: 24:01

amazing. Um, due to the pandemic, like a lot of people, I didn't get to see my family for a couple years. Uhhuh . I mean, we did see each other periodically, but we weren't together in with the spirit of Christmas in mind. You know what I

Todd: 24:12

mean? So, right. We ended

CJ: 24:14

up going to my uncle's place and, um,

Todd: 24:17

it was, it was almost surreal to be back. It just didn't feel real and

CJ: 24:21

I just loved it being around everybody again, celebrating, laughing, doing our traditional, you know, gift exchange. Um, I came home with a full heart that night and, uh,

Todd: 24:31

it was a beautiful Christmas. It really was. Oh man, I, I can imagine, um, you know, where, where I live, we were able to still keep our, um, gatherings, you know, close-knit. They weren't near as big as they were, but it was, you know, it's usually just. Me and my wife, my kids, you know, my parents and my sister and her two girls. So we were still able to do that. Yeah. But for those that rarely missed out, I bet that was just, just as sweet as can be to get back to those, uh, traditions and, and, uh, that is so great. Oh, absolutely. Because

CJ: 25:06

honestly, um, the last couple Christmas is just waking up at home. It's wonderful cuz we have the kids and we wake up with them and do the gifts, but there's always that anticipation of seeing family after mm-hmm. and not having it, it, it, it was a little empty. The feeling was a little empty, but, you know, it, it came back full force this year and, um, I couldn't have been happier. I was just, I was ecstatic with the result. And, um, I got some good gifts, you know, the kids love this stuff and yeah, I'm thankful. I really am thankful.

Todd: 25:34

Oh yeah, I bet. So, uh, before I let you go, CJ, do you have any like post c. Uh, traditions or habits that you, that you like to do that? You know, I didn't really think about this till I started thinking about the post-Christmas blues, but we do have things that we just naturally do post-Christmas. Is there anything like that that you guys try to do after the holiday?

CJ: 25:57

Well, one thing for sure is,

Todd: 25:59

um, well obviously I live in Canada,

CJ: 26:00

so we do have an abundance of snow,

Todd: 26:02

although there hasn't been

CJ: 26:03

as much snow this year. It's been a little warmer. Mm-hmm., we do try to get out to a place called Blue Mountain, uh, near our area and

Todd: 26:11

it's like a ski resort

CJ: 26:12

and they still have the lights up so you can walk around, they have trails and you can go skiing, you know, things like that. And it really still gives you the winter. The winter feel. That's pretty much it. Maybe sometimes we do the Niagara Falls, cause we're about two hours away from there, but that's more of a spring, summer thing.

Todd: 26:27

Yeah. But after Christmas we'll do that and try to keep in the

CJ: 26:30

winter spirit. But then I'm full-fledged, ready for spring and Easter, and every month just to get over the Christmas

Todd: 26:36

blues. I'll maybe order a new ornaments or

CJ: 26:38

make a different plan for, you know, Christmas or, you know, plan something out, which hopefully I already have one, one person on board. I, I fully intend

Todd: 26:47

to make it to the cookie party this year, my friend. Oh. Yeah, come on down to Cookie Day. Fly into St. Louis. I'll pick you up. Yeah, I'll pick you up and We'll, for sure, because I think, uh, I think Ken, uh, Ken from North Pole Dispatch. News dispatch. I think he may be planning on coming back, so We'll, we'll just make it a Oh, I saw him there, man. His, yeah, he's got the best beard too, man. Yeah. And I know he is probably listening. That beard is killer. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. He, he actually, we actually had an award this year called Best Beard at Cookie Day. And just sp No, I'm just joking. But yeah, he's got a great beard, . Yeah, he does. Well, if you do, he'll win it every year. No doubt. He will. He will. He's a good guy. You'll, you'll, you'll enjoy spending time with Ken. You'll, you'll like him for sure. So, well, CJ thanks so much man, for taking time to hop on here with me and, uh, so glad your, your Christmas was a little extra sweeter this year. Uh, that makes, I appreciate you, makes me happy to hear, I appreciate you having me on, Todd. It's always good to talk to you, buddy. All righty. We'll talk soon, man.

CJ: 27:43

Okay. Bye bye. Bye-bye.

Todd: 27:47

All right guys. I appreciate you guys entertaining me. I have a few other people I'd like to call and talk to and, uh, just to see how they're doing. And this next one is one that you'll be familiar with and, uh, he's always, he's always in the chat helping out and he's probably getting snowed in right now. Let me find his name. Sorry to be there. He is.

Art: 28:15

So,

Todd: 28:21

Hey Todd. Hey Art, how are you doing? I'm doing well, doing well. Is the snow falling yet?

Art: 28:28

It sure is. Um, it's, um, I don't know like inch wise what we're getting here, but unfortunately there's a bunch of ice that came right behind it, so,

Todd: 28:40

Oof. That's what we always get is the ice, you know? Yeah. And it's just, that is, there's just nothing you can do about that.

Art: 28:48

So yeah, we're, we're, uh, kinda waiting to see if they're gonna cancel school again tomorrow or not. So we're kids are crossing fingers. They're hoping we get outta

Todd: 28:59

school, so, uh, well, with, with ice it's probably a good, it's a good bet. And, yep, we got a, we got some snow right before Christmas and it was the fluffy kind, you can like blow with the leaf blower and clear off the sidewalk. Uhhuh , it's it. That was so much fun because we never get that kind ever. You know, it's always the, just the caked on icy stuff. You can't do nothing with a snowblower doesn't work or anything. It's just, you just gotta wait for it to go away and, uh, sure. And stuff. But How was your Christmas?

Art: 29:33

Um, you know, it was, it was pretty busy, pretty crazy. Um, right up to Christmas Day itself. And then I always like to try to take that week between Christmas and New Year's, um, like you were just talking about and relax and read and work on a puzzle, whatever. And I was able to do that, um mm-hmm.. So that was really needed. And, um, yeah, then we get into January and, uh, I had to take the Christmas decorations down, but, uh, you know, , I, I'm surviving

Todd: 30:08

Yeah, yeah. I understand it. That decorations down. We used to get 'em down like, , even though we love Christmas so much, we used to get 'em down like January 1st because it was a day we had off and to get it done. And then Sure. Then each year it's like slowly getting later and later, I think it was almost February or it wasn't the February of last year before they all come, came down because we just weren't ready. Cuz last Christmas was, was tough because everybody getting sick, so sick. But this year they's, they're slow, they're slowly coming down and when I mean they're slowly coming down, it's my wife's slowly taking 'em down. I haven't take, I haven't touched any of them yet as though issue. Although there's a, there's a nice little area of stuff I need to carry down to the basement ready for me. So. Art: Yep. See, I, I got out of doing the carrying stuff this year. Um, I, I had big plans right around the first of the year to. Do record some podcasts and things and just get a lot of stuff done. And then I went and threw out my back. So, right. I had to have my, my kids do all the carrying and I just gotta sit and recover. So yeah., Todd: yeah, that back stuff is not fun. I can, I can identify with, uh, with that for sure. But, uh, yeah. Uh, other than your back being hurt, you guys had a good Christmas?

Art: 31:30

Yeah, we did. We did. It was, it was really nice. I had, um, all my, my son was home from college, so we were all here and then my wife's folks came up to, uh, visit the week between Christmas and New Year, and that was really nice. Uh, just having family here. We, we didn't even go anywhere or do anything. We just kinda hung around the house and, and just enjoyed company. So it was, it was really lovely. Well,

Todd: 31:56

cool. Um, I'm gonna ask you the same thing I asked the other guys. is there's anything post-Christmas that you do as a tradition? Uh,

Art: 32:06

um, not, not officially. Um, we, like I I've mentioned, we try to, uh, take, well, let me back up. A couple years ago, we, you know, kinda in the mindset that Christmas doesn't end on Christmas Day. Mm-hmm.. So if there are movies that we didn't get a chance to see during the Christmas season, you know, before Christmas, we'll, we'll sometimes watch 'em, uh, after Christmas Day. Um mm-hmm., you know, we'll, we'll, we'll try to catch up on some of those we didn't get to see. Um, my wife and I both try to take some time off work and, and read and, and recover. Uh, we we're both big, uh, bookworms, so we, we like to , we to read, and then sometime in January we try to take a, even just a couple days away just to. Her and I can get away and go somewhere and, and just rest and recover and it's always a lot of fun. Yeah. But, uh, usually it's just, it's pretty casual. Yeah. Um, nothing, nothing too, too planned or anything like that.

Todd: 33:13

Yeah. Yeah. Just get kind of, just get that rest and mm-hmm. get geared up for what, what's ahead through risk this year. So Art, I, uh, man, I really appreciate you, uh, hopping on. I, I hope you will be on Christmas clutter a few more times in the upcoming year. I'd love to have you and, uh, um, maybe do some more book stuff cuz I know you enjoy a good book.

Art: 33:34

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Um, absolutely. Um, I'd, I'd love to.

Todd: 33:39

Yeah. Well man, I appreciate it. Thank you so much. You bet. You take care Todd. Thanks for calling Uhhuh. We'll talk soon. Yep. Bye-bye. All righty guys. I have just a few more people to call. Hey Steven, I know, uh, in the chat and anybody else that's interested, um, In the show notes, in the description, if, if, if you're watching the livestream live right now, um, give me a few minutes. Once we're done streaming, I will drop everybody that's been on tonight their linked to their podcast, um, in there. And if you're listening on the podcast, uh, you know, the recorded podcast version of this, it already be in the description, uh, for you. That is something that is something I didn't really wanna do live because I wanted some of these phone calls to be a surprise. So, um, but yeah, just gimme a few minutes, uh, after we're, we're done here and I'll have those in there and, uh, and, and in, and we'll do it. Um, so let's, let's talk to a few other people here real quick. And. And, and see what they, they are up to. I, I won't keep you too, too very long, uh, tonight, but I just wanted to kind of run my way around the country a little bit here and, uh, talk with, with people we haven't heard from in a while and, and see what, what they're doing. Hello. Hey Jerry. How are

Gerry: 35:14

you? Hey Todd. How's it

Todd: 35:17

going? Doing just fine. This is Jerry from the Totally Rad Christmas podcast. How was your Christmas, my friend?

Gerry: 35:25

It was good. Uh, the lead up was, was a little troublesome. We had some and injuries going around. Oh. Um, but, but Christmas day and, and Christmas season was, was pretty awesome.

Todd: 35:37

Well, that is, that is fantastic. And, and then I am, uh, also obligated to let everybody know that, uh, here on this episode is two thirds of the fabled. Saturday Morning Mafia. So, Gerry: it was fled. Yes.. Yeah, . So thanks, thanks to, uh, Chris Sicily for the, uh, the title there. Fabled, you know. That's right.

Gerry: 36:01

Yeah.. All right. Preserved. Todd: Yeah. So, but, uh, yeah, in fact that we had, uh, all three members of the, uh, hallmark Dream Bros on already, so. Oh, nice. Right on. Yeah, so they'll be making an appearance on Totally rad. Hopefully a couple times this upcoming year. Uh, yeah. Yeah. I've already planted it out. We gotta do, uh, 86 and 87 this upcoming year. So we'll see how it goes. Yeah.

Todd: 36:28

Yeah, absolutely. How, what, I've been asking this to everybody I've called. Is there a something in particular a a tradition you guys have? I know you keep all your Christmas stuff up till candle miss on the 2nd of February.

Gerry: 36:42

That's Yeah. Yeah, February 2nd. So, uh, uh, there's a, one of the perks of being a traditional Catholic is that, uh, well the Christmas season technically is over, the Christmas cycle doesn't end until 40 days after Christmas. So all my stuff is still up. And actually it's been a real blessing this year because with all the, the sickness and, and everything that I was talking about before, uh, I really didn't get to enjoy the lead up to the holiday as much as I like. So this year we've been able to kinda bask and just take my time and watch some Christmas movies and mm-hmm. play some Christmas games and stuff like that. And so, um, it'll be all the way up until, uh, So like, yeah, like you said, . And so what we've been doing over here really is just, uh, about twice a week we'll pick a Christmas special Uhhuh and we'll just sit down with it and, and put it on. And that way we can kind of stay in that mentality of, you know, hey, it's still, it's still the Christmas cycle, so, you know. Yeah.. Todd: Oh, that's fantastic. That is fantastic. I, um, I was just talking to Art and I told him the same thing. We, we were real sick last Christmas, so all our stuff stayed up till after candle mess because we were like, we are not done enjoying it yet, you know? Yeah, exactly. For the same thing. So, so once, once, uh, once it's middle February, like Valentine's Day and that kind of thing, is there anything you guys do to kinda, you know, post Christmas or you, you just, I know you work for a Christmas, you store so well, yeah. You get a little bit of a break, you know. Yeah, I'm, I'm a little. Spoiled in that, uh, as soon as we put up all our Christmas decorations here, I'm still going to work and seeing Christmas every day. Uhhuh . So, so for me, uh, I, I kinda get that, but as far as the kids go, um, usually by that time, lent is starting uhhuh and so then it's kinda, we, we switch modes to get prepared for Easter. And so we really don't have a lot of time to just focus on Christmas or, or like the Christmas blues because it's now, you know, we're, we're trying. Prepare ourselves for, you know, uh, for, for Easter. But, well, one thing that, uh, I, I have noticed that, uh, can stave off the blues, at least for me personally, is just, uh, picking, picking a day once a week. Usually it's, uh, Mondays for me, and I'll just put on like all day long, all I'll listen to while I'm driving, you know, picking up the kids or heading to work or whatever is, is, um, some Christmas music. Mm-hmm.. And so usually what I like to do is I listen to more of the secular songs like before Christmas, and then once Christmas I listen to more like the religious songs. Right. But, um, after Candle, after we take all our stuff down on those Mondays, I'll just put on anything. Mm-hmm., you know, so it'll be, I might one Monday do an all eighties Christmas, another Monday I might just do like Mariah Carey's album and another one I'll just do, um, you know, a mix of like today's Christmas hottest Christmas songs. And that tends to actually really keep. A lot of the Christmas blues away. Yeah. Um, although the last two years, I gotta say, and this is kinda switching gears, but the last two years we've had some pretty bad, uh, ice storms here in Texas. Uhhuh. Right. And so the hot chocolate has actually really kept up my Christmas spirit. Oh yeah. That's kept us warm, kept us Christmas spirit, you know, nothing,

Todd: 40:02

nothing like that. Good hot chocolate. Well, oh yeah. Yeah. Being in Texas, I bet the hot chocolate isn't as enjoyable when it's already. Outside, you know,. Gerry: Exactly, yeah. You know, you don't usually, uh, we don't like to, I love chill. I love soup and, and making all that when it's cold, but it's hardly ever really cold. Uhhuh. So when it's really cold, that's when you get to enjoy. Then course last, we've had those crazy, uh, winter storms down here, which I'm sure nothing for, you know, up northerners, but, uh, for us down here, they're, man, they're, they were brutal . So calling me. So the hot definitely help. You need to watch your mouth. Call me a Northerner.. Gerry: No, not, not you, but you Like, whatever you guys in Texas, you dunno. Anything . I gotta, I gotta ask you this, Jerry. Uh, being from a Hispanic family, have you guys adopted the, uh, making the tamales on New Year's?

Gerry: 41:03

We don't do it on New Year's Day. Usually we do it on the lead up to Christmas. Ok. Um, so yeah, so in, in, in, I dunno if it's just a South Texas thing or if it's just our family thing mm-hmm., but we typically will make them like, um, before Thanksgiving so we can have some on Thanksgiving mm-hmm. and then we'll make some more so that we can have for Christmas and, uh, and the rest of the Christmas cycle. Yeah. Go ahead.

Todd: 41:26

Well, mm-hmm., that's usually when we do it. Yeah. Well, my, my family has cookie day, so I'm looking, I'm looking at the Ds to start Tamale day so everybody could go to Texas. Hey, some tamales.

Gerry: 41:41

I'm down me at the store too. Yeah, there

Todd: 41:44

we go. Well, Jerry, thanks so much, man. I appreciate it. And then we'll talk soon. All right. Sounds good, Todd. All right, you, you take care. Take easy, Uhhuh. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. All right. I've, I've noticed a, a theme here, everybody. It's always, uh, you know, looking. For something, you know, looking forward to something else other than Christmas or finding a little bit of Christmas to, to hold onto, you know, kind of like the couple things I said, you know, uh, at the beginning it's, it's, they're always, you know, everybody I've talked to so far is like, you know, they're planned something, there's something else to look forward to. Like Jerry, you know, his family, you know, starts uhlin well through their, through their church and, and, you know, move on. And then he also says he, you know, takes like a, a day, you know, like one day in, in a week and listens to Christmas music just to, just to hold it, to hold it in here and, uh, and, and things. So it's, it's really, really cool. I, um, I, I really liken this theme here. Let's see who else we can get on the phone.

Scott: 42:53

Hey Todd, you there? Hey Scott. How you doing? Oh, I'm doing great. How about you? Doing just fine. For those that don't know, this is Scott Newman from Tinsel Toes podcast, the Christmas Morning podcast and Jingle Jank. He's been on Christmas Clater, uh, a few times. I've been able to be on, uh, co couple of his podcasts and he's just a, a great guy, great podcaster, loves Christmas music like nobody's business.

Todd: 43:19

And, uh, it's good to, it's good to talk to you, man. It's been a little bit since we actually talked and I know we, we message here and there, you know, throughout the year and, and stuff, but, uh, it's good to hear your voice again. You too. Thank

Scott: 43:31

you for the kind words. I really appreciate it. How are you doing in this, uh, post Christmas

Todd: 43:37

period? I'm, I'm doing pretty well. I'm doing pretty well. I, you

Scott: 43:41

probably covered it already. I'm sorry if I'm, uh, repeating what you've

Todd: 43:44

already done. No, no, no. I, it's. Uh, a little insider podcast. It's actually working out exactly like I, I, I thought it would be in my head because just, you know, talking with, uh, other people, uh, before you, it's like all their, all their things. Cuz I ask personally what they do, you know, to kind of combat it and there's a, uh, a couple of themes of, you know, finding something else to look forward to or just holding onto a little bit of Christmas, you know? Or both. Yeah, or both. I just talked to Jerry Dvia and, and he was like, uh, you know, he does a little bit of both and, uh, you know, and, and that's kind of what I do. And, and you know, cuz I got, I got my little Christmas cave down here that I, that I retreat too. Um, you know, I start planning like I to, I told people earlier, I, I, I had bought a 3D printer like almost a year ago and it set in the box and I'm like, I never had time to do anything with it. And then I told my wife, I said, after Christmas, I'm gonna get that thing set up and learn to how to. It become, you know, a pretty decent, you know, 3D print. And did you, I have printed one thing so far. All right. Was it, was it Christmas related? No, it wasn't, it was just a little dog figure that was already kind of built in, into the SD card it came with Sure, sure. It, it turned out pretty good. It kind of, the last 10%, uh, on top of the head kind of went wonky, but I think, I think my bed came unlevel at some point, which caused that happen. But it's all a learning process, you know? Yeah, yeah.

Scott: 45:14

Yeah. That's exactly why I don't do anything with it, because I don't need another learning hobby., if it was at the point where I could push a button and be guaranteed a perfect print, then I'd be interested. Right. Otherwise, I've got enough things that frustrate me day in and day

Todd: 45:29

out. I, I hear you. I hear you. Did you guys have a good c.

Scott: 45:34

No, um, oh, I don't wanna, I don't wanna directly say no, but that is the honest answer. Right. Um, on the 23rd, which is my daughter's 10th birthday, Uhhuh was my daughter's 10th birthday, uh, she got sick, she got norovirus and then got dehydrated and we had to take her to the pediatric er. Oh, I, so she was fine. Yeah. She just needed some fluids. Uhhuh came home, she was fine. The next morning, that was the fourth, that was Christmas Eve. My wife said, I don't feel good. And I said, oh boy. Oh no. And, uh, so by midday she was in bed. And then everything was on my shoulders. Oh. To pull off. Oh man. And about eight o'clock at night, I was trying to wrap presents with cold sweat running down my forehead in the back of my neck. And I had my record player over in the corner playing the Vince Godi album. And I was like, please just, just get through this. And I got through about maybe half the gifts and I just had to give up. And, uh, I got, I got very, very sick. Uh, so, so Christmas Eve was, uh, was kinda a blur after that Christmas morning was, Hey, you gotta get out of, you gotta drag yourself out bed. You, you know, Emma wants to open up presents. And so my wife and I were both sick as can be. Um, so in on one hand it was an absolutely memorable Christmas. Yeah. Not gonna forget that one anytime soon. No, in the moment it was really rough. Yeah. But. You know, it's, it's, it's just life. Uh, it's, it's, uh, I, I said it on Christmas morning. You can't have, uh, the, the light without the darkness. Right? Yeah. So this is going to remind me next year of just some of the things that I wanted to do and, and didn't, you know, the, the, the things that you do as a father, you know, you watch your kids and you watch 'em run downstairs and their eyes light up. There was none of that this year. Yeah. So, um, and she understood, but she was disappointed. We were all disappointed, right. And we, we still kind of celebrated the next day and, and did what we could. We were all back on our feet within 24, 48 hours. That's good. So we really, really lucky there. Mm-hmm.. Um, so it wasn't, it wasn't the best Christmas we've ever had. Um, I don't wanna say whether it was the worst or notate. Then week after Christmas, I decided, Completely redo my recording studio at home. So I tore down the old one, Uhhuh, and, uh, the neighbor kid, uh, helped me. He, he builds houses for Habitat for Humanity. So we built a right proper recording studio in my basement, you know, framed walls, triple layer sheet thing. I'll have to send you pic. So for I would say two weeks, I had nothing to think about except that. And I was dog tired trying to keep up with an 18 year old doing construction. This kid, this kid knew what he was doing. He's really good. I could barely keep up. Every night was Advil, uh, you know, and, and early to bed. So I didn't really think about all of those normal thoughts about, oh, Christmas is over and, you know, boohoo. So I guess that goes in with what some of your previous guests were saying that have something to keep you busy, have something to think about. I was very, very busy. Um, the neighborhood turned off their lights last week. Uh, I unplugged mine, but I haven't taken 'em off the house yet. But I did notice, I don't know if you have, uh, uh, Comcast, but they have these music choice channels on there, and there's sounds of the season Christmas music from, I don't know, probably about November through January. They're still playing Christmas music. I, I've never seen it go this late. Usually they, they turn it off around January 10th, but today is what, the 18th that is still going strong. So I have that on and I just kind of have it muted. I don't even really hear the music much. It's just. Walk through the room and you see some Christmas imagery on tv. So I think a little tiny bit of it is staying with me. To be honest with you, I'm not listening to much Christmas music right now. I, I got my fill. Yeah. And, um, during, uh, the, the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, Brandon and I did daily episodes of Christmas morning. Oh wow. That was another thing. Yeah. That kept me absolutely busy. Uhhuh. So we would record five episodes a week, and then the day before each episode would go live, I had to, uh, go in and record all the TV listings for the next day, Uhhuh. So, I mean, Two or three days didn't go by where I wasn't editing, uh, podcasts and doing all this stuff. And Dwayne and I did a, uh, episode of Tinel Tunes. Uhhuh that had the best downloads we've ever seen. So by the time Christmas was over, I felt like, wow, I really got my fill. Yeah, I pushed myself to the max. We got, uh, Christmas is a a if, if, uh, if any of your listeners are looking for just a little light morning show kind of thing. We do daily, uh, we do weekly episodes this time of year on, on Wednesdays. And we have so much fun. We have the best listeners in the world and everybody was writing in talking about what they were doing, sending pictures, and people have even been sending in just thoughts and stories about taking down Christmas and how they do it. And, uh, that's been a lot of fun too. So there's been a little bit of a shared experience. I haven't had the Christmas blues this year. Yeah, that's good. So, you know, it was really, it was a nice Christmas, even though, you know, I got touched by the dark angel of projectile vomiting, but . Um, but beyond that, uh, you know, it's been fun and now I'm looking forward to next Christmas coming. Yeah. But at a nice, slow, leisurely pace. You know, it's, it's January. It's hard to be a Christmas podcaster in January, but, um, you know, such as the lot that we've chosen for ourselves. Yeah. But, you know, it, it's nice. I feel much more relaxed now.

Todd: 51:41

Do you feel relaxed? Oh yeah. I, I feel really good. Uh, you know, post Christmas, Beth, I think, you know, a lot of it's what you. you've touched on it. It's like, I had so much Christmas this year. Mm-hmm. that it was like, yeah, I, I got, I got what I needed, you know? And, uh, yeah. I wasn't starved

Scott: 51:58

for any kinda Christmas content. And,

Todd: 52:00

and soon, as soon as Christmas was over on the 26th, I, I, I've gotten in the habit. Of course, it's hard of posting that the best time to start planning for Christmas, uh, 2023 is today. So we've already started, like, yeah, we already started looking forward and started planning and doing some, uh, things to get ready for Christmas, you know, 2023. It's like, all right, we, you know, 2022 was, uh, is over. And so let's, let's move on to the next one. But, uh, you know, one, one thing about this Christmas for you, when everybody being sick, it won't be long, probably. This time next year, you'll be cracking jokes about Oh yeah. The Christmas, you're sick, you know, if you haven't done it all already . Right. Cause uh, a few years, a couple years, not this past Christmas one before when we were sick, we weren't sick over Christmas, but just during the season. And, uh, we make fun of that, that 10 days we were in the house and how miserable and Yeah. And silly we were because we were , we were so, so down and

Scott: 53:02

out. It was definitely miserable, but it was also memorable. Yeah. And that will stay with us, uh, long after the, the memories of the, of it. One of the, one of my listeners wrote in and, and shared a Christmas tradition he has. And, uh, it, it was like a four or five, uh, part thing. But one of the things that he pointed out was he writes himself a note or a letter. About, you know, what he really enjoyed. Yeah. During the season, what he didn't get to do that he really wished he had gotten to do Uhhuh and he sticks that in the top of his Christmas decorations as he puts everything away. So he said the first thing he does in November when he, uh, starts pulling everything out is he has a letter to himself. And he said he also buys something at, at super, super cheap, uh, amounts, you know, when they're all on sale in the store. Yeah. Something trivial. Mm-hmm. and, uh, wraps it for himself and puts it in there. So the first thing he gets when he goes to open up Christmas is some thoughts about last year, a letter to himself and a gift for himself to unwrap. And I thought that sounded like so much fun. Yeah. So I'm gonna try to do that, even if it's just something silly. Yeah. Uh, this year. And I'm gonna try to adopt that one. Cause that sounded like a really great time.

Todd: 54:15

That that is cool. I'm, I'm gonna make myth know that I love that idea. I had a similar thought that I shared with people., uh, you know, about, you know, you gotta write down your Christmas, what it coulda should have, you know, from the Christmas that just went past. So that way you can, that way you can plan for 'em. So it's kind of a similar vein, but I like that writing the, the stuff you really enjoyed down and then, you know, making a plan to revisit all of it, you know, as you start getting ready this season.

Scott: 54:42

Yeah. It's so easy to forget all of the things that you really liked, and unless you go back and look at the actual videos and photos you took, the memories become fleeting, especially the older we get. So I'm gonna try to do that. That'll be my takeaway for, for this, uh, Christmas. Hey, I know you got other people that you wanna talk to, and I've already a bunch.

Todd: 55:01

You're, you're fine. Well, thank you. I, I started, yeah, I started 10 minutes late, but somehow I'm right on the. I don't know what happened. I, I must have shortchanged somebody somewhere, , but it, it didn't,

Scott: 55:13

it didn't No shortchange anybody on my account. No, no. It was really great to hear from you. I appreciate you calling. Thank you. Allers out there. Uh, I hope, uh, everybody had a great season and yeah, there'll be, there'll be a couple dips in the road to Christmas 23. Yeah. You know, it's still a little bit fresh cause I, my tree is still up, to be honest with you, Todd. We're gonna take it down this weekend. It's artificial. Yeah. Um, you know, so come February or March, it's gonna be a real lack of, of, of Christmas. Yeah. So, uh, I might have to lean on, on people for a little, uh, glee or a little joy here and there, but overall doing

Todd: 55:49

great. Oh, great. That's great to hear Scott. Uh, hopefully we can get together soon and, uh, maybe talk a little music. I'd love that, man. All right. Well thanks for the call. All right. Thank you. Take care. Bye-Bye. Bye. All right. That is Scott Newman. If you guys don't know Scott, he's a super great guy, uh, a very talented podcaster. He also does like a, a baseball podcast for the Rockies. Uh, he lives in in, in the Denver area and, and things. So I got a couple more people here. I was, I was wanting to talk to make sure their, their Christmas was just fine and, uh, and, and, uh, make sure they're doing well. I know this next guy, you guys will know him very well and he had a extra busy Christmas.

Brian: 56:34

So, Hey, this is Brian. Hey Brian. How are you? Hey Todd, how are you? Doing well. How was your Christmas, my friend? It was wonderful. Uh, also a bit wonderfully stressful cause we were traveling, uh, for the first time ever with our two year old. So we went to the East coast. To see family. Mm-hmm., uh, and that was nice, but it was also , a little,

Todd: 56:56

a little bit of an adventure. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I remember we traveled, we flew out to California when my youngest was less than a year. She was born in November. We went in July. So however many months that is, seven, seven ish months. Seven, eight months. And it, that's a trip. I couldn't imagine having like, one toddler is even a little bit more because they can move on their own , you know? So.

Brian: 57:19

Yeah. Yeah. It's also a six hour flight used to West, so it was pretty long. Um, and we tried every trip in the book, so, you know, there's articles about this on the parenting Make it easy, but it, it is what it is. Traveling with a two year old, so it's never gonna be

Todd: 57:34

easy. Yeah. That's your first time heading back home since the kind of things went sideways, isn't it? First time

Brian: 57:41

getting on an airplane since 20, um,

Todd: 57:44

2020 I suppose. Oh, wow. How, how was that, how was that getting back to the Northeast and, and seeing that part of the world again? It was

Brian: 57:52

nice. Um, I'm trying to think. I, I, I'm from a family of five and almost everybody was there except one brother, uh, who's, um, his wife and, and two children. They, they all went to Mexico. Mm-hmm., that's where the wife is from, to see her side of the family. They don't see her that that often. So it was almost a full family reunion. Uhhuh . Um, so it was nice. It's nice to kinda, you know, see our old community just reconnect with people we haven't seen in quite a while. Uh, it was, um, G's first time ever seen. Not in Massachusetts, but we spent a bit of time up in the Catskills. Mm-hmm., I see some friends who have a house up there. Uh, so Dash went sledding and, and then, you know, the beautiful thing about living in California is that, uh, then you get to leave all that behind and say, okay, it was nice to experience it, but we don't have to put up with it for six months.

Todd: 58:36

Yeah. And then it started raining in California.. Brian: It was crazy here. I mean, this is the rainy season, right? It's not uncommon for it to rain air actually expected, but this was, um, really, really unusual, the amount that we were getting. Mm-hmm.. And the problem is a lot of the roads out there just don't have proper drainage. Like entire street will flood flooded for days because. You know, there just doesn't, there's not enough drainage to get things outta the way quick enough. Oh, wow. Oh, well. But hopefully everybody is, is staying safe where you are. Um, I know you had an extra busy holiday season because of the book, uh, Christmas Pass that came out available on Amazon. Mm-hmm. and wherever books are sold. So check, be sure to check that out. So was, was it kind of like a, uh, uh, uh, just a big exhale once, uh, once Christmas passed because you were just Yeah. I know you were making a lot of TV spots and, and things, so was just kind of like a big,

Brian: 59:38

um, it was for like a second and then it's a couple of things. Like with me, I'm the kind of person where I always have to be doing a million things at once. Uhhuh, . And it's almost fortunate for me during the busy part of the Christmas season, cause you know, I have all this podcast stuff to do and this year I had all this book stuff to do and then, There's a bit of a rug being pulled up from under my feet, kinda feeling where it's like, okay, yes, I'm not super busy with that. And there's a lot of negative stuff that comes to something like that. I always had to juggle schedules with my wife and say, oh, can you keep the baby quiet or go out the house cause I'm gonna be on mm-hmm. and a lot of that stuff I, I can do. But then once it's gone, I, I really understand like, I dunno what to do with myself, feel kinda antsy. Um, and you know, like it's a little easy get carried away with, you know, all the people who kinda want a piece of you. It makes you feel kinda important to have all these people wanna have you on their shows and tv. Uh, and then comes along and now I'm just, you know. Absolutely. No, it's nice, nice to have a lot more time, but it's also, um, just, yeah, like it's just such. What's the word? Just a drastic shift. Yeah. From what I've been doing for two

Todd: 1:00:46

months straight. Yeah. It's, it's go, go, go, go. Then stop. No, no slowdown. Exactly. Well, but is, is there something that, uh, that you, you or, and you and your wife do like a post Christmas tradition?

Brian: 1:01:02

Well, that's interesting. Um, in different words. N cause this is the first year he's, he's two, this is his third Christmas's a November baby. And it's the first time where he really kinda understands what Christmas is. Not fully, but he kinda does, he still singing Rudolph red Reindeer connected with Christmas. So feels like we formed a lot of new traditions, season use in oxymoron, uh, during the Christmas season, but we don't really have a, a post-Christmas clean, if you like. Yeah. Other than putting away all the decorations and redecorating

Todd: 1:01:38

the room. Yeah. Yeah. I, I was, um, I imagine with, with your schedule, it's kind of, you, you maybe just kind of look forward to, you know, taking everything down. And then I know you're, you're, you're a guy that likes to plan ahead and learn, you know, do something new. So, you know, uh, you have any plans on the horizon of, of something new that you're wanting to do this year?

Brian: 1:02:02

Well, there are a couple of things, um, podcast wise, uh, number one, it might be a little too early to talk about this, but, um, there, there might be another. Of some kind coming. And I might be in some talks about that now. But that's all I, I want to say at the moment. Um, and then I always try to push the boundaries every year with the podcast, try to do something I've never done before. Uh, this past season, what I did, it wasn't a drastic change, but uh, every week all of the episodes that came out adhere to a certain theme. So there was Christmas Tree Week and there was Food Week or whatever. Uhhuh , I've been thinking for a long, long time about doing some kinda fiction on the podcast. I've done this before mm-hmm. Where I'll narrate, um, uh, classic Christmas stories, like ones that you've probably never heard before that are from the 19th century. But I've been thinking of, you know, writing my own short stories or producing an audio drama, uh, possibly as Epic as a Christmas, possibly as thing al. I've actually been tinkering around with dad. I've been reading some, some books about writing screenplays and audio dramas and, um, we'll see how it goes. Right. I definitely right now have the time to experiment with things like that. Uh, if not for this year, maybe next year. Again, it depends. Several irons in the fire and, you know, this, a couple years ago I decide I was gonna put out, um, uh, course on podcasting and create a, to help podcasters, and you were actually involved in some of this. You're helping me, uh, you know, review some of the articles I put out and, um, which is the kinda thing that happens oftentimes in January or February. I'll start a bunch of projects, basically, see which one mm-hmm. and then all the other ones get abandoned. Right. I'm doing a lot of things with full knowledge that a lot of them are just gonna

Todd: 1:03:43

peter out. Right. Yeah. You know, I, I, I find, I find myself, you know, wanting to do different things too, and I think that's part of how I get past Christmas is just to have. You know, something new to look forward to. And, uh, and you know, imagine the same way you're always trying to think of a new way to challenge yourself. It, it's, it's, it's a lot of, uh, it's a lot of fun to see what you, what you can come up with. Yeah,

Brian: 1:04:09

yeah. Yeah. I mean, ultimately all of this in Christmas cast is, is about having a creative outlet for my Christmas spirit. And at a point the podcast goes on autopilot. Um, not that I don't put my all into every episode that I do, and that, you know, I, I've kinda come to every new season with renewed interest and fresh energy and, and all of that uhhuh, but at the same time, it's, it's also true that I've been doing it for seven years now. Right. It's like, well, where else can I take it? Right. That's, that's kinda what, you know, the impetus for the book and for some of these other more experimental things I'm trying to do. Um, I, I don't wanna grow stagnant. I don't wanna grow bored, and I wanna find new ways of

Todd: 1:04:45

reaching people. Right. Yeah, I understand that. Well, Brian, I appreciate your time. So much for hopping on here and uh, I just wanted to call, check in, make sure your Christmas was well, and make sure you are doing okay because I know sometime sometimes after Christmas can be tough for, for, for people.

Brian: 1:05:04

Yeah, I really can. It's an adjustment, so I appreciate your time to check in on me. All merry post Christmas to you and all your listeners.

Todd: 1:05:12

Yep. I look, I look forward to see what you have in store for 2023, my friend. Oh, thank you. All right, thank you all. Take

Brian: 1:05:18

care now, uh, byebye

Todd: 1:05:21

all, everybody. I have one more call to make. I appreciate you everybody. Hey. Hey Tim. How are you doing?

Tim: 1:05:35

I'm good. Oh, hang on. I have apparently put you in the wrong ear and you're just coming outta my phone. There we go. How about this? Alright,

Todd: 1:05:42

now I hear you. Oh, you doing well, Tim?

Tim: 1:05:46

I'm doing pretty well.

Todd: 1:05:47

How are you doing? Doing good. I saw that you got back on the stage to do a little standup comedy for a first time in a while. How was that?

Tim: 1:05:55

Uh, it was great. Uh, it was actually my home, the very first club performed in and I got to open them up in December. I was the first comic back on the stage December 1st, and I gotta be there on the,

Todd: 1:06:16

he did warn me that he had at and.

Tim: 1:06:21

Oh, , can you not hear

Todd: 1:06:23

me? I can hear you now. You cut out there, you said something about New Year's and then we lost you for a second.

Tim: 1:06:29

Oh, I trying, doing it this way. I had, uh, my headphones then maybe that was the problem. Okay. Uh, so yeah, I got, I got be like the club was, was closed, uh, for Covid and they just reopened in December of this, of last year. And so I gotta be the first one to open them up on December 1st and I gotta be the, the last comic to shut down. Not shut down, but I mean, you know, close there. New Year Eve as

Todd: 1:06:54

well. Oh, that's fantastic. That is fantastic. So did you guys have a good Christmas?

Tim: 1:07:00

We did. We had a pretty good Christmas and uh, it's one of those things where it always just seems to fly by all of a sudden. Like, you're like, oh, we got a couple weeks till Christmas. Uh, it's tomorrow. Wait, what? Yep.. Todd: Yep. I understand completely. For those that No, no. This is Tim Babb from Can't Wait For Christmas podcast. He is one. Of the original Christmas podcast. He's been, you're, what, seven or eight years running now? Uh, this, I believe this will be my eighth year. Yeah. When we hit July again.

Todd: 1:07:29

Yeah. And, uh, he, he has a, a, a he once a month, he has a hilarious podcast that you gotta check out. I remember, Tim, I don't know if I ever told you this, but, uh, oh dear. You were, i I, for the life of me, I cannot remember if it was Brian and Christmas past, or if it was Can't wait for Christmas, the first one. I just binged all the way through. But, uh, I remember, I don't even remember the joke, but I remember I was carrying mail. It was, it was summertime. And, uh, I had your podcast on listening to mail and you had, you told, uh, there something happened, A joke. I literally had to stop and I was bent over with my hands on my knees laughing so hard, in the, in the middle of some people's yard from it that, uh, Oh, it was just, it was just a, it, I, like I said, I couldn't even remember the joke , but now, but I just remember I'm like, dang, I need to repeat that joke. Yeah. Yeah. I just, I just remember that moment of listening to, uh, can't Wait for Christmas and just laughing like, like crazy and just, I just had a, I've, I don't know if I've ever just stopped and had to put my hands on my knees to laugh, but it was, it, it was great. And, and, uh, and really enjoy e everything you do and, and. You make us laugh every month and I appreciate it. So,

Tim: 1:08:48

oh, thank you. That is such a wonderful thing to say. Cause I have done that to other podcasts and, uh, so that, that means a lot to that someone that you laughed at my podcast. Yeah. So thank you.

Todd: 1:08:58

Yep. And, uh, for those that remember the Mary Malay, I, I would like to, uh, remind everybody that Tim is the, uh, first, uh, Mary Malay champion and, uh, still undisputed, so no one has come to take his crown yet. And, uh, and we'll see about getting those fired up before long. But yeah.

Tim: 1:09:18

Good luck. Yeah. Come at, come after the king. Yep. See what happened. Yep. Actually, I, I, I believe I won by luck every single time, but I

Todd: 1:09:27

the win is a win. The, the, the one you became a judge and you actually almost won that one as a judge and you weren't even

Tim: 1:09:34

participating. I don't think CJ has let that go. Probably not. Good thing he's already good thing he's already been on and off the, the

Todd: 1:09:42

phone today. Yeah, absolutely. A absolutely. Hey, uh, is there anything post Christmas, like a post Christmas tradition or something that you guys do to kind of, um, ease the, uh, post Christmas blues?

Tim: 1:09:57

Not specifically. Like there's things we've done in thes and stops and starts. Uh, we've definitely gone to Disneyland a couple times in, you know, in the while the kids are still on break from school and after Christmas because everything stays Christmas there until. Uh, and depends, usually, uh, January 6th or sometimes after that mm-hmm., uh, so it's always good to go there and like it's a small world. It's still Christmas and still the Christmas fireworks and then Christmas music is still playing. Mm-hmm., uh, last, not this most recent Christmas was the Christmas before that we actually went to Alani Disney's Resort in Hawaii. And so, you know, they were still all done up for Christmas plus we were in Hawaii, so both good things. Um, yes. This year we didn't really do any specific traditions, but, um, we didn't end up eating our Christmas dinner. On Christmas dinner. I mean, on Christmas night, Uhhuh, we, uh, we, we were at a friend's house for brunch and we just gorged ourselves and came home like pretty late.

Scott: 1:10:48

We're like, nobody's hungry. We're not gonna make this thing. We got it from Boston Market. They don't pay me to say that. It was just, you know, that's where we got it. Yeah. Uh, . But then the next day we were like, Hey, let's invite those same friends over who's house we were at for brunch. And we just made up the Christmas dinner the day after Christmas. So we kept it going that way.

Todd: 1:11:04

Yeah. Oh man, that sounds like fun. Now, they didn't pay you to say that, but they could pay you to say it. So, Tim: I mean, yeah, Boston I mean, you're on the wrong. I mean, I guess you could sponsor Christmas clatter cause that's where I'm now, . Yeah. Yeah. I, I, uh, for those that don't know, uh, Tim, he is a big Disney fan and, uh, uh, oh yeah, Tim in the chat is a, a, a group of, uh, guys, pepper Tree Villa. They are also Monster Disney fans and big Christmas fans. And the, I know you, we get along splendidly with, uh, Arne and Doug and Ben and, and Sherry as well. In fact, the, the profile picture for those that see it, uh, is a picture. Tim. Tim. And he's, um, No wait, I changed it. I was gonna grab the one where you were standing next to the big Nutcracker Mickey Mouse, but, uh, I was like,

Tim: 1:11:53

uh, I'm shilling my own merch. That's what's going on. This

Todd: 1:11:56

picture. Yeah.. But I kinda got a little nervous cuz sometimes when you put pictures up of, uh, uh, ips, they even that can get it, uh, you know, things Oh, oh, to go way. So I got a little nervous, so I, I, I went, I Skyped this one, uh, off, uh, Instagram, uh, to put up. But, uh, yeah, I almost just chose a picture of Kermit the Frog, because I know I know he's a, he's one of your favorites. And, and, uh, um, but I wasn't sure, you know, I, I'm sure there will be people, uh, listening and, and watching that would understand, but I figured there might be people that wouldn't. So, and plus two youngest. Yeah. The vast

Tim: 1:12:33

majority of people would be very disappointed that in fact, Right,

Todd: 1:12:37

right.

Tim: 1:12:38

You talking about me? No one's talking about you. Todd: Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Well, I, I really, I really like that, that, uh, you went to the brunch and then you had your, your, your friends over that seems like that could be one of those things that start happening every year. Do you think it will, or you just think it was one of them spontaneous kind of things? I mean, I, I mean, it could, I could easily do that. Yeah. Uh, I wouldn't mind if it did, that's for sure. Um, yeah, I mean, we'll just see.

Todd: 1:13:07

Yeah. Uh, so what do you have planned for Can't Wait for Christmas. This, this upcoming year?

Tim: 1:13:13

Uh, well, I actually got a listener suggestion that I'm going to tweak a little bit into a year long thing.

Scott: 1:13:18

Um, basically he was asking who would be on the Christmas. Singer Mount Rushmore, like who would be the four Uhhuh artists that were on there. And then I thought, well, why not do a March Madness style thing where we try and figure out who is the, you know, Christmas singer, uh mm-hmm. of, you know, who is the top Christmas singer? And, uh, I assume I like, I assume who's gonna win, but I just, I wanna see what the, the listeners have to say. So we're gonna do voting. I haven't quite figured the mechanics of it out. Cause I'm certainly not gonna do 32 separate episodes Right. Uh, of just that. But, uh, yeah, I'm gonna do some March Madness style brackets and keep it going all year until we get to the final four.

Todd: 1:13:59

Oh, that sounds like fun. I'll, I'll be, I'll be in the mix on that. Uh, for those that don't know him, uh, you know, he comes out every month, but a lot of times you do a whole year theme because the one year you wrote a Hallmark movie. And, uh, yes. And, and did that. And what

Tim: 1:14:14

that is something we did after Christmas. The kids wanted to listen to it. Uhhuh. Cause you know, their mom is the lead actor. Cause the rest of them, the rest of the people were listeners or other podcasters that I knew and reached out to. But, uh, the lead actress in the Hallmark slash it, it diehard was written by a Hallmark movie writer, Uhhuh.

Scott: 1:14:32

That's the, the way I went into it. And it was called The Bomb for Christmas. And we were listening to it. And, uh, I had just done an episode on diehard two for the podcast. I'm like, Hmm, I kinda wanna write a sequel to this, but I don't know if the listeners or me will be down for it. Like, it was not to say easy, but in 2020 we were all locked at home. So it was like, Hey, does anybody wanna do this? If you're like, I wanna do anything. So, yes. Well,. Todd: Yeah, yeah. Well you, you, that was a lot of work for you to write it and then all that editing and man, that was a, that was, uh, a daunting task, but you pulled it off beautifully. Oh, thank you.

Tim: 1:15:07

Thank you,. Todd: Appreciate it. Well, if you ever, if you ever need, uh, any, uh, low Southern voices, I know a guy, so, Tim: excellent but,

Todd: 1:15:19

uh, that, that's, that's good. You, you talked about that Mount Rushmore of Christmas, uh, artist. I, I had told, uh, Christmas clatter, uh, listeners that I would put together for Christmas next year a like a Spotify playlist of the hundred and one essential Christmas songs.

Tim: 1:15:38

Is it even hard to whittle down to hundred one?

Todd: 1:15:40

I I am at, I'm at an impasse because is it 101 songs on the playlist or is it just 101 different songs, but could have a couple versions of the same song? and Oh, right, right, right. And my, my, my example that I use is White Christmas Bean Crosby. Absolutely. An essential Christmas song for sure. White Christmas by the Drifters.

Tim: 1:16:14

Yes. Is is a another

Todd: 1:16:16

essential I say Yeah. Because it's completely different version. Mm-hmm., you know, I can't choose between one or the other or do I just go with 101 and you know, if there's, you know, three versions of, you know, white Christmas or two, two versions of White Christmas, that means another song doesn't get put on there.

Tim: 1:16:41

I mean, I think that probably makes sense. Cause you're gonna hear, like, there people are, wed to specific versions of, I mean, I dunno, I'm not, not gonna tell you which lip. Mm-hmm.. But Yeah. But people are, wed to their specific versions of songs. So just saying like, jingle Bell doesn't cover it. There's like, There's Brian's Jingle Bells, which is radically different from Barbara's Jingle Bells, which is radically different from, uh, Sinatra's jingle Bells. Right? Like, like one of those is, you know, essential to somebody, and then others of those are like, nah, that's fine if I hear it, if I don't, I like it, but, you know.

Todd: 1:17:14

Yeah, yeah. And, and see in, and then I get myself, you know, tied up on the word essential, you know? Mm-hmm., I, I wanted to use essential because I didn't want to be like, favorite. Best all time. I want it to be like something that if someone knew zero things about Christmas, that these would be kind of almost like, uh, captain America winner soldier, the list that Captain America made of stuff that he was . Yes. You know, so the, you know, this is the, the, the songs that you would need to listen to, to really understand Christmas. And if

Tim: 1:17:47

Captain America was unfrozen and didn't know any Christmas music, what would you put in that book?

Todd: 1:17:51

Right. Which is a real possibility actually. You know, I mean, he would know some real traditional stuff, but , you know, so , so, you know, doing the Mount Rushmore thing, I, I, I get what you're, you're getting at with the, uh, the logistics of it all of how to, to put it together because, you know, um, when I did the, um, uh, list of the, um, uh, top Christmas songs based just on the numbers, you know, downloads mm-hmm. and listens and sales and. You know, it's like just coming up with the, the format to put everything together that was completely unbiased because I, you know, I don't want my influences to, you know, skew the outcome that was harder. Mm-hmm. than that was harder than actually, you know, doing the math and, uh, and, uh, and so, uh, I, I get it. But, uh, but well, yeah.

Tim: 1:18:44

Cause there's some Christmas artists who, like, they only really have one Christmas song. Right. But it is like, you know, wham last Christmas mm-hmm., like, I don't know any other Christmas songs from Wham. Yeah. Like, I could not, I couldn't tell you if they've even made any other ones, but that one is huge. Like, it is one of the Christmas bits, the biggest, most play Christmas songs of all time. So yeah. Wham is gonna be on the list, but are they gonna take out say, a Mariah Carey or a Bing Crosby or, you know, something like, like, ah, yeah, I guess, we'll, I leave it up to the listeners. Yeah. That way it's their problem.

Todd: 1:19:16

Yeah. And, and then, and then I thought, well, maybe the list would get too, like artist heavy, like one artist would, you know, really. But I haven't found that to be the case. And it seems like that there's not an artist with like more than three or four like essential Christmas songs. I mean, they have a lot of good ones, but you know, it, it seems to be about three or four would be about the most they would get, you know? So I'm not too worried about that anymore. But, uh, I'm not sure what I'm gonna do. I'm, I'm gonna probably have to enlist some help

Tim: 1:19:44

with it. go with your gut as they say. Yeah. Yeah. Your Christmas gut.

Todd: 1:19:50

Well, Tim, man, thanks for hopping on. I just wanted to call and check in on you hadn't talked to you for a while, and it was great. We'll have to get together soon and do something where you're on, uh, where you're on video with me and, uh, and, uh, and we're talking about something, you know, a little bit more specific.

Tim: 1:20:08

I would love that. And, uh, thank you for doing this. I've enjoyed, I've been in the chat the whole time watching this thing and I really appreciate you, uh, you doing it and, uh, organizing all this.

Todd: 1:20:16

Well, it was good. It was good kind of to work. Work my way from the east to the west and, um, and uh, and chat with everybody. There's a few people like you and, and, and Scott that I just haven't got to talk to a whole lot lately. And, uh, and Anthony, I haven't talked to him too much lately and not as much as I, I had, uh, a few months ago. But, uh, it was good to hear your voice and, uh, get to talk to you. I hope you guys stay safe with all that, uh, rain you're getting out there in Northern California.

Tim: 1:20:46

Yes. I went, we, we said we need rain. And then, uh, mother Nature said, oh really?, is this what you want?? And that's when some tiles decided to fall off my roof. So. Oh, less than ideal situation.

Todd: 1:21:01

Yes. Oh man. I hate to hear that. I hate to hear that one.. All righty. Well, I appreciate it, Tim, and we'll talk to you very, very soon.

Tim: 1:21:09

Merry after Christmas Yes. Or before Christmas, depending on how you look at the, at the bottle. Absolut, or half

Todd: 1:21:16

Empty of Christmas. Yep. Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, thanks so much. All right. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. All righty, everybody. I, I really appreciate everybody taking time to, uh, listen to me go through the, uh, uh, phone list there and talk to those guys. I just wanted to reach out and, uh, make the point that it, it doesn't take much. I didn't ask, you know, um, uh, you know, really driving questions, but just to hear people's voice. Sometimes when you hear people's voice, you just kind of know what mood they're in and, uh, and just kind of let 'em talk a little bit and, and see, and you know, if we, uh, all take just a little bit of time, take five minutes on the phone. A few text messages, uh, I think it would help. And, uh, if you're struggling a little bit, uh, with, uh, the post holiday season, I just wanna encourage you to pick up the phone and call somebody If you think someone may be, give them a call. You know, don't be too busy and also find something to look forward to and find a little corner where you can keep a little Christmas year round. And until we see you guys again. Remember, keep Christmas Hope alive every day.