20 Questions with Clay & Elsa: Holiday Edition!

Can you remember the aroma of your favorite holiday meal from childhood? Join us on a magical journey as we reminisce about traditional family Christmas meals, holiday customs, and our personal preferences. We exchange anecdotes about our favorite cookies, real versus faux Christmas trees, and the age-old debate about enjoying Christmas in the snow or under the sun. Listen in and you might just smell the gingerbread cookies baking!

Ever wondered whether your Christmas tree choice could lead to a friendly banter? You're in for a treat! We engage in a fun dispute about real versus fake Christmas trees and share our cherished memories of the classic claymation Christmas specials. As we move towards the end, our conversation takes a more serious tone as we reflect on the gradual decline of organized religion, potential presidential candidates, and the implications of Nikki Haley stepping down from the race. Hear our thoughts and share a laugh or two as we navigate through these subjects.

Finally, we wrap up with a heartwarming discussion about our New Year’s Eve traditions, resolutions, and the common pressure of gift-giving. We reiterate the significance of having fun, forming connections, and always maintaining an open mind. So, sit back, relax, and join us for this holiday episode, wrapped up with laughter, nostalgia, and holiday cheer. Don't forget, the magic of the holiday season lies not just in the gifts, but in the warmth of our conversations and shared experiences.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Well, hello everybody. Welcome to another episode of the Elsa Kurt Show with Kalei Novak. I think that's like the first time I gave like a full, actual intro like that so weird.

Speaker 2: 0:12

Yeah, I think you're right I think so.

Speaker 1: 0:15

I just assume everybody knows who we are. Oh, how are you?

Speaker 2: 0:21

You never know, hopefully, hopefully new viewers every time.

Speaker 1: 0:25

Exactly, yeah, even though it says it says who we are somewhere on there maybe people are like what, who are they? What are they Now? They know, Now, they know. Anyhow, we've got a nice fun, lighthearted show for everybody today. We figured you're all inundated and bombarded with, you know, bad news and negative news and holiday stress, right.

Speaker 2: 0:48

So yes, yeah, for sure.

Speaker 1: 0:50

Yeah, so we're going to give you a break from that, right.

Speaker 2: 0:54

Last week, which was fun, you know hey, I'm going to let Kalei figure it out which is it's all good. So you know, I think we had a lot of fun doing, you know, questions back and forth a couple of months ago, so I decided then I dropped it on Elsa yesterday turn about fair play. Now we're going to do the kind of 20 questions, a holiday edition, one rule, one rule. You get one political question, that's it. So we're going to light on the politics.

Speaker 1: 1:18

Yes, very light, but we have to like. It wouldn't be us if we didn't do something, so I like that. I thought that was perfect. So that's what we're going with right after this. Oh, yes, indeed. So we are playing a fun, fabulous game of 20 questions with Klay and Elsa Yay, Holiday edition. Holiday edition, yes, which I love. I've gone through this cycle throughout my entire life of loving the holidays, hating the holidays, loving the holidays, hating the holidays, and it's been this roller coaster and we are in the era of loving the holidays.

Speaker 1: 2:07

So it might have something to do with those grand babies. Whatever the case, it's all good, I love it. So, yeah, who wants to start? I think I might have started last time, so I'm having you start this time.

Speaker 2: 2:18

Okay, all right, since you are in the holiday mood, right, you're a very holiday holiday lover right now. So, traditional, what is your traditional Christmas meal? Do you do traditional or you do something funky? Are you like a turkey or a roast beef kind of a thing, or yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 2:36

So sort of traditional. So so growing up I spent the majority of our time. So, as we all know I've told you a million times I'm German and Cuban and the line is very distinct. My grandparents, you know, from Germany, from Cuba and you know. So each household obviously has their, their cultural dishes and everything. So Christmas Eve we would always go to my, the German grandparents, and we actually literally did have.

Speaker 1: 3:05

I know people joke about this, but we had sourbrought and dumplings and gravy, and so that for us was a very traditional meal. But my grandmother always did everything super extra and she wanted to make sure she had everything. So she actually did have like either. I don't remember if she had turkey, but she definitely had ham. So there was like something for everyone. So, semi traditional, I carried that when I did Christmas at our house for a little while. I carried that on and did the sourbrought and did all of the things that she did, and then at some point, I think they just politely told me that they don't really like sourbrought and if you don't know, it's basically it's a roast in a sour gravy, which sounds horrific when you say it like that. But it was, it was so good, it was just so good and I think I'm tempted to make that again this year. I think that might happen, but we're not hosting so sort of traditional.

Speaker 2: 3:58

Yeah, you know, traditional is in the eye of the beholder, I guess, yeah, yeah, but you are right, though, like ham, turkey those are.

Speaker 1: 4:06

Those are like across the board traditional, I think right yeah.

Speaker 2: 4:10

Yeah, yeah, we used to um very similar to you. So we would go to my dad's side of the family on Christmas Eve and then we would go to my mom, my mom's side of the family, on Christmas day. You know we would do the Santa Claus Christmas morning thing, obviously at our house, so it was, and then when I was really young, my dad's family on Christmas night would also, like his extended family, would have a party. So it was like grandparents on Christmas Eve, our house Christmas morning, other grandparents on Christmas day, and then dad's extended family Christmas evening. So it was like 24 hours of just like you couldn't eat anymore. It was impossible.

Speaker 2: 4:49

No, yeah, oh so true, and so we would do all kinds of things. So, like you said, we would have roast and those all the traditional kind of stuff. My mom's, inside of the family, is half Irish, half Italian, so we would have, you know, bits and pieces of everything, but it was just food, food, food and more food. That was always the thing.

Speaker 1: 5:07

Oh, that's my favorite part, Honestly like if you said it's not a question that I have.

Speaker 1: 5:11

I'll crack up if it's a question that you have, but I just thought of it offhand. Like, but if you had asked, or if somebody were to ask me um Christmas or holiday food or presents, I'd pick the food and hands down all day, any day. Like I figure as an adult, like I'll just buy whatever I want. And I don't mean that in like you know, I don't mean in that it's naughty you know I'm the worst person to shop for for that exact reason.

Speaker 1: 5:37

Yeah, yeah, I mean, you know I don't know adulting, it's like I do get. I will say I get very excited Like pajamas. If somebody gives me pajamas and like warm, fuzzy socks, it is sheer joy for me. So I'm so easy to buy, for I'm so Win-win, there you go.

Speaker 1: 5:52

Yeah, and I'm like I'm not going hand to hand to anybody watching or listening. No, I'm not saying that you should send me pajamas. We're good, don't we're good, because that could get really creepy, right? Yeah, all right, let's see what have I got for you. Um, I'm going to keep. I've got like one that's a little complex, like a little deeper, but we're going to start like best Christmas movie and worst Christmas movie in your opinion.

Speaker 2: 6:17

Okay, so you kind of got me. So I have a couple of Christmas movie questions myself. My favorite Christmas movie and it is a bit of a tradition is Christmas story. Love it, I don't be begun. It's on whatever network it is on streaming or cable, they do the 24 hours. I'll watch it three or four times. I can quote the movie almost the entire thing. I love it. It's fantastic. There are enough bad Christmas movies out there. There's so many versions of you know the Scrooge story of every kind that it's just so worn. I particularly am not a fan. I like Bill Murray, but his version of Scrooge that was not a fan of. But yes, for me, christmas story, no, no, I want an officer wearing an air cover and I should do it. You want to get away with my layer?

Speaker 1: 7:08

off, You'll shoot your eye out. Kid Merry Christmas.

Speaker 2: 7:15

Ho, ho ho. Number one by far. I love it. Love every bit. And if you haven't seen it, they actually made a sequel. It was out not that long ago and hilarious.

Speaker 1: 7:28

Absolutely, I want to see that. I actually really want to see that. Yeah, I can't believe I haven't seen that. That's bizarre to me that I haven't seen that, but yeah that's a.

Speaker 2: 7:36

that's a fun one, okay, so staying on the staying on the movie thing. I'm not going to ask you your favorite, but the all time Christmas question is die hard a Christmas movie or a movie.

Speaker 1: 7:49

Yippee-ki-yay mother, I'm going to say yes, even though I believe and I could be wrong even though I believe Bruce Willis himself said no, it is not.

Speaker 2: 7:58

He says no. He says no. You are correct, yeah.

Speaker 1: 8:01

I am going to disagree with the star of that movie and say, yes, it is, and and you know I've heard all the arguments for and against but it is set at Christmas time. It's a Christmas party, right, Isn't it? It's a Christmas corporate.

Speaker 1: 8:18

Christmas party. And yeah, I mean, I get it. It's violent and you know action adventure, blah, blah, blah. I'm sticking with my answer. I say yes and I I won't fight anybody over it, but I'm like that's the hill I'm going to die on. Guys Die hard. Is a Christmas movie? No, I feel like it is.

Speaker 2: 8:38

But and oddly enough lethal weapon, the original lethal weapon, also Christmas time and the original Rambo movie first blood, also Christmas stuff.

Speaker 1: 8:48

Did not know that. I did not either one. I don't think I realized either one.

Speaker 2: 8:51

Interesting, fine they're coming in too.

Speaker 1: 8:52

They're Christmas movies. Starting as of right now. I'm calling them Christmas movies.

Speaker 2: 8:55

They're all Christmas movies.

Speaker 1: 8:57

They are. If you know, if it's wintertime and anything Christmas related happens in it, it's a Christmas movie and just there you go. All right, let's see what have I got for you here. Let's see Eggnog or hot chocolate.

Speaker 2: 9:13

Or neither. So I had. I had the eggnog, yes or no for you, I am an eggnog fan. I am, you know, I don't, it's not a secret, I don't, I don't drink anymore. But a normal eggnog, right out of the fridge, right from the grocery store. Love it, it's so thick, it doesn't matter, I'll eat it. I'll dip cookies in it, like I love eggnog and I actually even used to, like, you know, with Brandy. Or there were even a couple of you know whiskey or bourbon makers who used to make pre-made, like you, I think. What's the one? It looks like Jack. Oh, evan Williams. Evan Williams looks a lot like Jack Daniels. They made pre-made, like it was like a liquor bottle. Fifth of eggnog with the bourbon right in it. Yes, yes, I'm an eggnog guy. I'll take that every single time.

Speaker 1: 10:04

I'm with you on that. My, my grandparents, the Germans, always got this. I think it was German, but it was. I don't know what the kind of liquor was in it. Maybe it was like some kind of bourbon or whiskey or something. It must have been actually.

Speaker 2: 10:18

Brandy maybe.

Speaker 1: 10:19

Maybe Brandy? Yeah, and they had it every year. Now I might be making this part up and confusing it with a different bottle, but I could swear to you it was a blue bottle. So if anybody's watching this or listening to this and you hear me talk about this and you know what this eggnog, what the name of it, the brand, the whatever, if you know, I am begging you to put it in the comments and tell me.

Speaker 1: 10:42

What I remember was that it was in a beautiful blue bottle and it was so good and I was a kid at the time but my grandmother, or actually my grandfather, would pour in this like little they had, like these little eggnog cups that meant especially for eggnog and he would pour a little for us to have in there and it was so good and I've never forgotten it, with the exception of the name and the brand and if that's even accurate. So somebody, somebody has to have that answer in the comments and I hope that you do. Blue glass bottle, blue glass bottle, yeah, so, yes, so well, I don't know, maybe somebody will will give me the Christmas gift. Yeah, somebody's got to know, right?

Speaker 2: 11:20

Somebody out there knows, guarantee there's some liquor connoisseur out there that is going to go. Oh yeah, of course, and they'll they'll get, you'll find out.

Speaker 1: 11:27

Somebody will get you the answer. That'd be amazing. That would be so cool.

Speaker 2: 11:30

Thanks for Elsa. So I had you know, I said my mom's side of the family, half Irish, half Italian. My grandmother is the Italian and she used to do the batches and batches and batches of cookies and not just one kind of cookie. They were all the homemade, you know, traditional Italian, mostly Italian, but just Christmas cookies. As far as the eye could see there were Tupperwares stacked, you know, in the front coat closet full of cookies and I was a fan of. She made the chocolate clove cookies. Love them, that was always my favorite. But Christmas cookie what's your favorite Christmas cookie?

Speaker 1: 12:15

Ooh okay, this is actually an easy one, except for the fact that I don't even know what it's actually called. It's one that they roll the dough in like maybe walnuts or something, and then it's like just covered in powdered sugar and they're just like small little round. They almost look like little snowballs. Maybe they're even called that. I don't even know, and all the bakers out there are yelling at the screen. I'm sure I don't bake. I don't bake, I cook. I cook all day, every day. Well, not all day every day. You know what I mean. I cook all the time. That's my thing. I don't bake. I almost never bake, unless it's like underdressed, basically. So I don't know what any of these cookies are called. I just know that I love those. I have no idea why. There's nothing special to them. They're like just they crumble and break apart and they make a mess.

Speaker 2: 13:02

I know the ones you're talking about. I don't know the name. You do. Do you know the name? I don't know the name, but I can promise you, I can promise you, that my mom, who will watch this, will turn around and tell me exactly what those are called.

Speaker 1: 13:14

Oh, thank you, Clay's mom, thank you, it Clay's mom, if you wanna send them over, I mean, I'm not gonna say no, look at me, I'm like a little beggar. I'm like a beggar.

Speaker 2: 13:24

If you wanna send me pajamas if you wanna send me eggnog, a new bottle of eggnog and some cookies.

Speaker 1: 13:31

Yeah, so much for that whole thing where I was like, oh, I don't care about presents, I just bought the food. But it's accurate, that's food. I'm all about the food. Sure, it's food. All right, lissy, what have I got for you? Okay, christmas at home or away? Like, do you prefer to be home for the holidays or do you like to go elsewhere?

Speaker 2: 13:53

I have done so much of both and obviously with the career that I had away has a very different meaning. I spent, let's see, one, two, three, four, four Christmases away. That's a wrap that I can remember, or that off the top of my head, I think the number's four, and those are a challenge. In most cases they are somewhat business as usual. I won't say they're just another day because they're not In fact good.

Speaker 2: 14:31

My opinion good organizations would take every precaution to keep everybody safe on Christmas as best they could, because the last thing you would want and I'm not trying to be a downer, but the last thing you would want is to lose somebody on a holiday like that, because for that individual's family, I mean, you're risking wrecking Christmas.

Speaker 2: 14:54

People are effortless, so we would be very, very careful on those days, to the point of even not conducting operations potentially to protect everybody on that day. But those Christmases were tough, been stationed all over the place and some years not, didn't have the opportunity to be with family or be you know what I mean, didn't get to do the traveling, would just be at home and those kinds of things. I would tell you that I prefer that, a little bit of hustle and bustle at Christmas. I actually do. It's tiring, it's exhausting, but it brings me back to when I was a kid, which was, you know, just that. 36 hours is just a madhouse and I actually don't mind that at Christmas time. I think it's fun. It's exhausting as long as I get older, as long as there's time on the backside to take a nap for a day.

Speaker 1: 15:49

Oh yes, that would probably be busy and running around on Christmas.

Speaker 2: 15:54

I see you as like people, like the whole family, like big, big Christmas. That's how I picture Elsa.

Speaker 1: 16:00

Yes, yes, that's accurate. I love it. If I had, if everyone was here where I am, I definitely would love that. I love hosting, like I love cooking for my family. I love the whole process of getting ready for company. You know just decorating and you know being so extra as if that's a surprise that I would be extra. But you know, just like all the, you know just extra, extra everything and just making everything pretty and having the Christmas music playing while I'm cooking and yeah, oh, I love in the fireplace going, like I love that with all my heart. But since the babies and my other daughter are in Florida, you know, so we go. We've been going there the past several years now. But yeah, so one day, one day hopefully soon I will get to host that holiday again. So, yeah, I do love it. I love it.

Speaker 2: 16:53

So are you? This actually just is not on my list of questions, but you just brought it up. You've been spending, and I've spent a number of warm weather Christmases as well. Would you rather the warm weather Christmas or would you rather the snowy, like you know, white Christmas? You know from TVs and movies you want snow or you want snow what?

Speaker 1: 17:13

do you want it's so funny the asset, because I actually have that on my list to ask you. So we'll call it a mutual question, right? All right, I am a palm tree girl, I am string, you know, throw some Christmas lights around that palm tree, I'm good with that, I am good with that. Put some snow on the big screen TV there and I'll pretend that. Yeah, no, I am more than fine with the. Not white Christmas, you know, I'll take the white of the white beaches of Florida, you know. But yeah, yep, I don't have a problem with it. It's going to take me a very long time to miss snow once I'm truly away from it. I think yeah.

Speaker 2: 17:54

Yeah, I'm cold, not brutal, like nobody, you know what I mean Like not to be too picky, but like the, you know the 29 degree falling snow like that kind of is to me is perfect. Yes, you know, not the negative six.

Speaker 1: 18:13

Everything card or not? Yeah, forget that. I think you know I'm not into that.

Speaker 2: 18:17

But I do like the Christmas feeling, with the cold and the snow and you know and that kind of thing, even with, like I said, even with the hustle and bustle to drive it around and go into places and everything, as long as you're in a place where people know how to drive in the snow, which you know is not anywhere in and around the Mason-Dixon line, because they get snow and still don't know how to drive it.

Speaker 2: 18:41

But yeah, I do like the cold, you know, and I do like the snow for Christmas, so that would be my preference, for sure.

Speaker 1: 18:48

Yeah, I will say, though, that now that I work from home you know, like full time from home when I look out that window and it's cold and it's snowing or it's raining or sleeting or any of the icky things I do, I smile because I'm inside and I don't have to go anywhere. I'm like you know what, I don't care, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. Of course, I had to add the third time, literally, you know. So, yeah, yeah, no, I feel you. Who's supposed to ask now? Me or you? I don't even know.

Speaker 2: 19:18

I asked it was a mutual question, so you can go ahead.

Speaker 1: 19:21

Okay, let's see Gifts. Do you want to be surprised, or do you already, or do you want to already know what the gifts are gonna be?

Speaker 2: 19:31

So I told you I'm the worst person to shop for, mostly because I will buy for myself, but also because I will. I am the most obstinate SOV when it comes to presents. I will pester, I will interrogate, I will always want to know beforehand and I am always happy and surprised when somebody successfully surprises me with a good breath, because it's so rare, because I am such a pain in the ass about it and I don't know why, but I've always been that way. I've been that way since I was a kid. I've been that way through my adulthood. So if somebody can pull it off and really surprise me for Christmas, then those are the best ones. But I honestly make it extremely difficult to pull that one off. That's funny.

Speaker 1: 20:17

I'm actually exactly the same way. I am relentless and I won't stop until I wear you down and you tell me what it is. And I'm also excuse me. I'm also awful in the. When I'm the purchaser, the giver of the gifts, I'm the one going. I got your present. Do you wanna know what you got? Do you wanna?

Speaker 2: 20:36

know. Do you wanna know?

Speaker 1: 20:37

And my husband is so chill. My husband's like no, I can wait, I'm good, I can wait. And I'm like no, you wanna know? I know you wanna know, don't you? Yeah, so I'm just all around obnoxious, yeah, oh well.

Speaker 2: 20:53

No comment, I am, I'm gonna put a. All right, I'm gonna throw my political, I'm gonna do my politics question. So we'll get this one in here. And I know you're church going type, you're not Catholic, right? Nope, christian, okay, so that's what I thought. So I grew up Catholic, eight years Catholic school, the whole nine yards. So here's the trifecta question. It's a holiday, politics and religion question. So as a Catholic and I use that term very, very loosely when it comes to the president, he is Catholic. He goes against a number of the stances of the church, and when I say the church, I mean the Vatican, especially when it comes to pro-life, pro-choice. Should he be allowed to attend Christmas Mass?

Speaker 1: 21:54

Ooh, wow. So, oh, my gosh, that's a tough one. So I think I would say I would say yes, with a bit of a disclaimer. I guess that I think it takes a lot of audacity for him to you know, to do, but it's also unsurprising that he would. I mean, they just, you know, everything they do is just for show, and you know so, for me, you know, he's a Catholic in name only. So I think it's kind of disgraceful to in hypocritical it was really what it is to show up and to, you know, make your appearance and all of those things, and you know, I think it only just shows a blatant hypocrisy. So I don't think that he should in that sense, but I also think that he shouldn't be not allowed. You know what I mean. So yeah, that's kind of I think that's kind of my feeling on that.

Speaker 1: 22:54

I just, you know, you see so much these days that you know people try on all of these hats for show. You know, religiousness, they're religious, religious religiosity. I don't know, I can't, we'll go with the first one, you know, and they put them on when it serves a purpose for them and further their agenda, and you see it with celebrities right now I don't know if you saw it or if you even know who these people are, but I just saw her person. There's a rapper and I know I'm kind of going astray slightly here, but there's a rapper that goes by the name of Little Nas and he kind of shot to fame because he did this country rap type song with Billy Ray Cyrus and this thing was huge and I'll pipe it in here after so people can know what I'm talking about. Can't nobody tell me nothing about it. It was huge, huge, huge. Skyrocketed his recognition factor, but primarily to young kids, like he was performing at elementary schools and middle schools all across the country.

Speaker 1: 24:26

And then, once he got this high amount of fame you know the peak of his 15 minutes he just did this complete turnabout and embraced this whole Satan performative Satan worshiping crap is what it is. I mean the videos all highly offensive and so on. So anyhow, all of a sudden now you know he had the gun, he was talking and his team was to have said Listen, nobody cares about chatty party, Nobody's paying any attention, but that Christian stuff. It will seem to be getting into that Christian stuff. Let's jump on that bandwagon, you know, let's jump on that. So now he puts out a statement that he's in his you know something either his religious error, a Christian error, a faith error, I forget exactly how we put it, but we're going to go with Christian he's, I'm in my, I'm entering my Christian era.

Speaker 1: 25:37

Obviously it's a gimmick, obviously it's a game. Is that? If anything that anyone does in the name of embracing faith embracing their religion or faith, whatever you wanna call it and it makes somebody else say, you know, let me look at this, let me check this out and see if it's something I'm interested, then it has served a purpose and I can get past it. And that's where I kind of, you know, will give a little bit of a past to Biden and anyone else that is going to. You know, make the show of going to church and pretending to be a good Catholic boy, you know what. Maybe it'll inspire somebody to do the same, but in a genuine way. So that was an extremely long answer to a nice, perfect, short question.

Speaker 2: 26:20

So your answer is yes.

Speaker 1: 26:22

My answer is yes, and I gave it so many disclaimers and caveats. I get it.

Speaker 2: 26:27

I get it and I think you know your last point of bringing attention to organized religion in any former fashion. In a day and age when truthfully organized religion is a challenge, right, new membership in churches is on the down. I mean it has been for a while. You know our grandparents, the generation of our grandparents, were, you know, hugely into organized. You know going to mass or church or service every Sunday, whatever faith you belong to, or every weekend, you know, I mean you know Jewish faith, saturdays, you know all that.

Speaker 2: 27:00

So, but they were much more into it than our generation and you know you have to assume that unless there's a pendulum swing, our kids will be less apt to attend than we were, and so on and so forth. So, yeah, there is value in that and even truthfully, if it. You know I'm not a practicing Catholic. I don't hide behind that. God and I have a great relationship. There's no atheists and foxholes. I'm a big believer in that. I talk to God all the time, but I'm not a church goer. I don't go to mass. But I will say that you know, the Vatican and the Catholic Church as a whole is in some turmoil right now because there's some progressionist movements within the church that have been challenged. In fact, there's a US Bishop just lost his retirement entitlements yes, I saw that. He lost his apartment in Vatican City that he's entitled to for a lifetime of service, because he's disagreed with the Pope and he disagrees with the Pope about some progressionist views.

Speaker 2: 28:06

All that being said, the discussion and the attention that organized religion is starting to get is at least making people discuss it again when you know it was falling off, nobody was paying attention, nobody really talked about it or thought about it and it was all in the down. So you know, I hate to say any publicity is good publicity, but that really is kind of what it is.

Speaker 1: 28:28

Yeah, absolutely. I think you're exactly right. It sparks conversations and, you know, a lot of times those conversations are contentious and you know, now's unfortunate and I 100% get the whole distaste for Catholicism, specifically because of what goes on in the church and the mixed messages and, of course, the history of really bad things that have, you know, come to light over the many, many years. And I completely understand why people have turned away from the church and I can tell you honestly I had no interest in it. And again, anybody watching or listening, not trying to convert you, not trying just. This is my story, this is just. This is for me and you know everybody does what they want and no judgment on my part, but for me I knew that. You know I had no interest in the Catholic church, I had no interest in religion. I kept saying, you know what Same thing you said I'm like, you know what I talk to God all the time, I have a relationship with God and to me that is what faith is a relationship with God. And that was just my thought over the many, many years. And then somebody said well, you know, you sound like a Christian. You realize that? Right, I'm like no, I have no idea what you're talking about. Like the religion and all of that stuff was out of my wheelhouse, didn't not like you, I didn't grow up in church and all of those things, none of it.

Speaker 1: 29:49

So, and that encouraged me to explore that. I'm like, well, am I a Christian? I don't even. I don't even know what I think of that.

Speaker 1: 29:57

And, lo and behold, it was like, yeah, well, christianity is all about being a follower of Christ, not about a church. Of course there is church and we go to church and but it's about the Bible. You learn from the Bible and you learn what scripture says and how it relates to you and your life. And I'm like, well, this is what I've been looking for, this is what I. I just want a direct line. I want a direct line.

Speaker 1: 30:18

I don't want to go through, you know, this fallible, fallible human who makes just as much mistakes and errors that I do, and telling me how I should feel and what I should. You know and I think that's a general feeling people have right Like you know, this guy can't even get married and he's going to tell me, you know, about marriage, what marriage is like. Come on, you know, but not to get on the whole religious thing. But that is. That was it in a nutshell for me, and I think, like you said, a lot of people are exploring now. You know what means, what it means to them and if it resonates, you know. But at least, at least, like you said, at least people are talking about it and hopefully people can have nicer conversations about it instead of the contentious ones. But you know, we are who we are as people.

Speaker 2: 31:05

All right, let's see.

Speaker 1: 31:07

I'm up. I'm so bad at this, I'm always like what? Oh? So you know, my political question kind of sucks after years because you're stayed in the theme and I wasn't really thinking when I came up with mine. I'm like I didn't even think about being in the theme of Christmas. Okay, so forgive me for that, but I was just curious and I don't foresee this happening anytime soon or at all. But if Nikki Haley were to drop out and I know I'm making a big assumption that that's, you know, 100% your pick, but I know you like her If she were to drop out, who would be your next in line pick?

Speaker 2: 31:48

Assuming no Trump domination.

Speaker 1: 31:50

Yeah, let's assume that. I mean, we know that's the given, but, or probably the given.

Speaker 2: 31:55

I shouldn't say definitely the given, but yeah, I mean it's got, it's gotta be DeSantis. Yeah, it has to be. It's not. It's not Vivic. I'm personally, I'm impressed with the guy that's me. It is not a chance, not a snowball's chance, and hell is it, chris Christie? Nope.

Speaker 1: 32:12

I knew exactly where you're going with that.

Speaker 2: 32:14

Yeah, what's his name? Bert Bergman Bergman. Whatever his name was, he just bailed.

Speaker 1: 32:19

Yeah, I was like yesterday, right.

Speaker 2: 32:21

Yeah, or maybe early this morning, I don't know, I don't know yeah. I'm still in to be honest with you.

Speaker 1: 32:26

I thought he was going to I read it, I just read it a little, I like I thought he was already out.

Speaker 2: 32:30

I thought he bailed already. So, yeah, I thought we were down to like a legitimate you know three or four, but no, I it would. For me it would have to be DeSantis Out of the remaining viable, viable candidates, because Chris Christie's an absolute no, I'm not, not a chance, no, but again, that is assuming. You know the no Trump nomination, you know outcome, depending on how that plays, but yeah for sure and it'll get down. You know we. You know Christie says he's in until the end. You know we'll see who loses, who loses their nerve next.

Speaker 2: 33:06

Right, I, I don't know, I can't see the four of them running all the way down to, you know the GOP nomination. They might, but I just I can't see it. You know, never believe what politicians say. So as much as Christie said I'm in it till the end. That, you know, probably holds not a lot of water, agreed. So I, you know it's either Viably as a viable candidate. It's either him or Christie is hurt Christie or Vivek, or then one of the next two of them is on their way out next. Yeah, like it's, it's one of them, because it's not DeSantis and it's not Nikki Haley. They're both doing too well, they're both contending. She's kind of on the up, he's kind of holding steady, she's catching him or you know, or they're getting to be equal. So I, it's got to be Vivek, and a smart businessman as he reports himself to be, he's, he should be the next one out, because right now it's just he's just burning capital.

Speaker 1: 34:02

Yeah, yeah, absolutely yeah. He's probably just looking for a soft landing, probably for a deal, you know, some kind of a who knows correspondent job or dignified, dignified way to walk away. Exactly. It's probably my guess, honestly, is that he's hoping that Trump will will wave a biscuit in front of him and say you know, come on over here.

Speaker 2: 34:23

I think that's what you're probably hoping for you're right and I again, out of the out of who's left, he is the only one who is. If that's the only pool we're pulling from, he's the only one that's left To be picked as a vice presidential candidate without a lot of, like you know, people staying there going whoop because he's not picking. This we've already discussed. He's not picking.

Speaker 1: 34:44

Oh yeah, you know, in a million years.

Speaker 2: 34:46

He's certainly not picking Chris Christie. No, he's, you know, probably not picking Nikki Haley.

Speaker 1: 34:51

Right, he would be wisest to pick Nikki Haley. She would be, yes, most absolute, perfect. In my opinion. Absolute, most perfect pick. I think that is a In my mind that is such a no-brainer that that should be the ticket. Oh, what happens? You know, I, I can't imagine Any thinking person who is in this you know thought process here, of all the choices would say anyone but her. But you know who knows?

Speaker 2: 35:21

Hey, let's, let's put a pin in that one for Maybe in a few months or a few, yeah, let's do a few months and we'll figure out. Maybe after New Year's We'll talk about who the viable VP candidates are. We might have to do some digging on that one, because you know, I think so. It's always kind of come out of nowhere often. Yeah, but unknowns. But you know that's an interesting discussion too. As much as everybody likes to talk about president Biden's age and I know that president Trump is healthier in general right, he is still not a young man, yeah.

Speaker 2: 35:52

I mean a very true vice presidential candidate Matters as much for him as it does for president bite.

Speaker 1: 35:58

So that's a. That's a discussion.

Speaker 2: 36:00

Probably, we probably need to have absolutely.

Speaker 1: 36:02

And and last thing I'll say on that for this night is that you know, I wonder and we'll pin this too as part of the conversation I wonder if Biden's health decline will impact Trump in the sense that that's the conversation. Like we just had this 80 you know, nearly 90 year old guy who's clearly in cognitive decline. Do we go through that again? Do we really want to put our country through this? And you know so I mean that really could. It could technically impact Trump you know, yeah, so we'll see that'll be.

Speaker 1: 36:35

That'll be a conversation for another show.

Speaker 2: 36:38

No, it's good. All right, it's back to me. One big present or lots of little presents.

Speaker 1: 36:47

I know your food.

Speaker 2: 36:48

I know you picked food, but would you rather have, like? I think back to when I was a kid, right, was it like? Did you want to come downstairs and like that, that the shine, whatever it was, you know the red rider be begun. The new bike, the, whatever it was. Would you rather have the big one, or would you rather have a bunch of little ones to sort through?

Speaker 1: 37:08

I am actually I'm still that little kid I want a bunch of little ones to open, like the big one is so cool, it's like the big, but I, I like the prolonged.

Speaker 1: 37:17

You know, like those are favorite thing At my grandmother's house because it was always there that Christmas tree was.

Speaker 1: 37:25

So like the presents went for from one end, like there wasn't enough room Under the tree, they literally went from one end of the corner of the living room all the way to the other and the mound was so high and it was for everybody, you know, not just obviously for me, but that was so exciting to like go through. Like the kids were tasked with the job of like finding their presence Under the tree and because there were so many, my grandmother would like strategically place them like all in different places. So you really had to like search and you know, and it was like it took a long time and we were on, we were opening presents for you know it wasn't the traditional like two seconds, you know, when everything's like torn apart because you have to like look for it and look and you know, and when every time you picked up something that wasn't for you, you had to bring it over to with a person that it belonged to, like you couldn't just toss it aside and you know, worry about just yourself. But yeah, I like, I like, I like lots of, lots of little things to open would be cool.

Speaker 2: 38:22

Yeah, I was, you know, Mark, we kind of got to the, you know I. I guess, probably in my early teens maybe, it was like, okay, you're getting like, if you want something, because obviously as you get older your taste get a little more sure, the things that you want, yes, so you would get, you know we would you ask for one big thing. You would generally get one big thing. But I do remember, very similar to what you're talking about, my dad's side of the family on Christmas Eve, right Be my grandparents and in our family, and you know, my great-grandmother was alive for a number of years when I was a kid, and then my dad's sister or sisters, whoever was there, you know, and their families and, and you know, for opening presents out. It was torturous for kids because, yeah, you get there and then You'd have to wait and then they're, yeah, dinner, and then after dinner and oh yeah, furniture around and but you would have piles.

Speaker 2: 39:15

Right, everybody got a pie, I love it. We would go from youngest to oldest, one at a time, so you would open one present and then it would go to the next person, and then the next person, then the next person, and then the piles would dwindle. And then when you got down to one, you waited, because then everybody would get one in the final round. But you ran out early. You were sitting there for like round after round after round, right, waiting for everybody to open their presents to get down to one.

Speaker 2: 39:43

So, you can get down to. You know, yeah, to the last one. And a lot of times you know, was presents from my, my grandparents, and they, you know, my grandmother would be like no, no, no, like you'd be in the middle. So one of the kids would be playing Santa Claus and dish out everybody, and you know you'd bring it over somebody. My grandmother go no, no, no, put that one back, say that one to the end, make that one the last one and bring them something else. You know.

Speaker 1: 40:05

Oh yeah, yes, that's right.

Speaker 2: 40:07

Yes, but yeah but you'd sit there for like if you were the first one to get down to one. You were like Okay, you know, and it's like a you know preteen, seven, eight, nine year old. It was like oh yeah, that's what everybody else opening presents. It was terrible.

Speaker 1: 40:21

That's so funny.

Speaker 2: 40:22

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 40:23

I'm like so obsessive about having lots of things to open that I even for my kids stockings, like I think I think most people are. I was told. At least I don't, I've always done the same way, but I was told that, like, when people put the stocking stuffers in like they're not wrapped, it's just like in there I wrap every single little thing, a little thing of lifesavers. It's wrapped, you know. You got open it. You know a little new toothbrush? It's wrapped, like every single thing is you know. So they have more things to open and open. They always loved it too. So, all right, is it my turn? Yeah, it's my turn. I think, yeah, yeah, now you know my brain is like a sieve everything. Did I already ask you this real tree or fake? I didn't ask you that. Right, ask me that Okay.

Speaker 1: 41:08

Okay, so real tree or fake?

Speaker 2: 41:10

I you know again, over all the years of moving around, the fake tree became most practical. Yeah, but so I In a perfect world, it's real tree In a perfect world. But the close second, close second, is the fake tree that is pre-lit.

Speaker 1: 41:31

Yes, that is the greatest that's upstairs right now. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 41:35

Oh, you, just you know, you put it together, you fold it out, you plug it in. The lights are already built into the tree, right?

Speaker 1: 41:41

And all you gotta do is put the ornaments on it. That is the greatest thing.

Speaker 2: 41:44

I love that. That makes Christmas so easy and, truthfully, in the days of many houses no longer having a fireplace like we had a fireplace when I was growing it like a legitimate fireplace that we used, and after Christmas a number of years, my dad would, you know, take the Christmas tree, because we had a real Christmas tree for a long time. You know he would take it and chop it into sections or whatever and we would burn the pine in the fireplace which smells amazing, you know.

Speaker 2: 42:13

So even into January and that kind of thing. You'd get that good pine smell, but, yes, real tree for sure. And then the very close second is the pre-lit the pre-lit fake tree.

Speaker 1: 42:25

Absolutely. Yeah, it took me several years to get on board with the artificial tree. I was a die-hard, always real tree, no matter what. And it was because when I was a kid, when I was little, we grew up in an apartment complex and we weren't allowed to have real trees because fire hazard. And so I always I kind of like well, my mother, technically, I think, started when they bought their first house. My mother was adamant that we would never have a fake tree, ever again. You know real trees or nothing.

Speaker 1: 42:59

And so I kind of grew up with that mentality and a few years back, probably like four years back, my husband had to kind of have run a little intervention with me and he said, okay, so listen, he's like listen, sit down, hun, we need to talk about the tree situation. He says I know you love the real tree, I love the smell of the real tree, but you kind of don't remember to water the tree. I never watered the tree. I water it the first two days and then I'm over it. And Ami talk about the ultimate fire hazard, right, like it's no joke. I mean it's no joke. And he finally like scared some sense into me. I think he probably like, sent me a couple of tree fire videos of, like just how quickly they started, you know cause it was awesome notorious for getting to unplug the lights or you know whatever. Now they have timers.

Speaker 1: 43:53

But so I finally gave in grudgingly. I was very, you know, crotchety about the first artificial tree that we got, but now I love it because, same thing, it's got all the lights attached. I just I wasn't going to put one up this year because we were going to be in, we'll be in Florida, and at the last minute I was like you know what we got to do it? You got to have the tree up. You just, you need it and we'll put it up. And it was so easy, it was done in five minutes, you know. So, yes, I'm finally team fake tree. There you go, yes.

Speaker 2: 44:27

All right. So do you watch the old claymation Christmas specials and if you do, which one is your favorite? And there's really only one right answer.

Speaker 1: 44:41

I mean, hopefully we're always on the same page, it seems like, so we're going to find out now. It's like the drum roll, please, rudolph. You got Cornelius the bongo yes, you got Cornelius. Yes, yes, gold.

Speaker 2: 44:54

I would have missed it twice. Who are you? Who am I?

Speaker 1: 44:58

The names Yukon Cornelius, the greatest prospector in the North. This is my land and you know it's rich with gold Yay. All of that Abominable. Everything about it is everything. Hermie the dentist, I want to be a dentist, Do you?

Speaker 2: 45:17

mind telling me what you do want to do. Well, someday.

Speaker 1: 45:22

I'd like to be a dentist. A dentist, it just brings me joy.

Speaker 2: 45:31

Pearl. Ives as the you know that's Frosty and Snowman. Yeah, he was the narrator. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 45:37

So, so great. And you know what I was thinking? I wasn't gonna watch it this year because, well, no reason actually. And now I'm like no, of course I'm gonna watch it. What kind of monster doesn't watch that?

Speaker 2: 45:48

I think it's actually already been on, I think it's I mean you've been streaming?

Speaker 1: 45:51

I bet it has. I think they do it in November, don't?

Speaker 2: 45:53

they. Yeah, I think you would stream anything now, so you can still find it, but I think it was actually Thanksgiving weekend.

Speaker 1: 45:59

I think it might have been that.

Speaker 2: 46:00

Saturday, or maybe that Sunday. We're surely after Thanksgiving. I think they still keep that tradition.

Speaker 1: 46:04

I love that. Do you remember? I don't know if you're a Wizard of Oz kid or not, but I remember every yes my sister's always my sister's birthday.

Speaker 2: 46:14

We would have people like it seemed like every year was always in and around, or actually most times it was the Saturday night that we'd people over to the house to celebrate my sister's birthday. We had Wizard of Oz all the time, yeah.

Speaker 1: 46:27

That's so awesome. Yeah, for some reason we always watched it like, and it was like that was like the post Thanksgiving, it was like it started with Wizard of Oz and then I don't know why, to tell you the truth, but it always. Then it rolled into all the Christmas ones and you'd watch Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman, and it's a wonderful, you know. Then you go into all the grown up ones, and so those are the ones that I have to watch. It Every year. I absolutely have to watch.

Speaker 1: 46:54

It's a wonderful life, of course, and one that not everybody apparently knows. It's called the Bishop's wife and it's with Kerry Grant, who is my all time favorite, favorite, favorite. So that's another Christmas For those of the ones I have to watch, along with Rudolph, the traditional ones. But, yeah, I love all that stuff. Oh, it's so fun. I don't even know where we are in questions. Let's see, I have, oh, okay, this one a little convoluted because I really couldn't word it right, but we'll see if you understand what I'm saying here. Okay, do you have a Christmas memory? That at the time it was not a good memory, but looking back on it now it is a funny or nice memory.

Speaker 2: 47:36

We. So my mom for years when I was growing up was a seamstress. She had her own business. For years it ran out of our house and then she actually opened a shop like in our town and she ran a great business for a number of years. And my dad was a blue collar guy.

Speaker 2: 47:55

We always had a pickup truck with a cap on the back right. So sometimes we would drive around because it was the 80s we would drive around with kids in the back of the pickup truck with a cap on it, even in the wintertime. That was kind of how we got around. But my mom had a metal yardstick right and I did. I had my Christmas story moment in the back of the pickup truck. The metal yardstick was back there, my mom's metal yardstick from her seamstress work Back of the pickup truck, wintertime. I'm 100% sure we were driving home from my grandparents on Christmas Eve and stuck it to my tongue and I panicked. I panicked and I ripped it off. No, yeah, I ripped it off. I didn't say anything to anybody as far as I know it didn't bleed it may have.

Speaker 2: 48:54

I honestly don't know, but I panicked, I ripped it off and then as soon as we got home so my little sister's younger than me and I think I was probably in and around the age where maybe Santa's not as relevant, but she definitely was still on board so we got home and it was late and it was like everybody's gotta go to bed because Santa's gonna be here and I was happily like I'm going to bed Because my tongue. So the next morning I didn't eat breakfast. It was still all torn up. But now I look back and I'm like it is funny. It is funny, but just the typical absolute kid panic for no reason. It's not like my parents are gonna get mad at me, you know when they're yelling Christmas.

Speaker 2: 49:38

Eve, but I, literally I stuck it. It was like ugh and I ripped it right off.

Speaker 1: 49:44

My stomach did like a somersault when you said it. I was like oh my God, no.

Speaker 2: 49:49

Yeah, really, yeah, funny now.

Speaker 1: 49:51

Oh yeah, it's hilarious now.

Speaker 2: 49:53

Very serious business for a kid in and around. You know, nine or 10 years old that you know.

Speaker 1: 49:58

Oh, my gosh, that's rough. All right, was that all of them? Do you have one last one for me?

Speaker 2: 50:03

I don't even know I do have one more, and it's a great kind of ender, because it's not Christmas, it's New Year's. Ooh okay, Do you and I Do not at this point in my life Do you still stay up until midnight on New Years?

Speaker 1: 50:22

Well, yes and yes and no, like if I'm up, great, but it's not like a great effort to be up. It all depends on what's going on, like if we're home, I have no problem going bed before you know, before the ball drops or the? Yeah, it is a ball or a bell, I don't know what it is, excuse me. Yeah, yeah, it all depends if we're out, which I don't really care to go out for New Years, I like being home, like well, our favorite New Years that we've had over the years have been when we get like lobster and like we do Like this whole seafood thing and it's usually it's just us and you know we drink and talk and you know play music and have a good old time and it's nice and quiet and and I love that.

Speaker 1: 51:03

Yeah, I'm like a, I'm like a little home, I'm like it's not obvious, I'm a total homebody. So I'm like totally good with that. But now, with my husband being in a band, there's been a couple of years where his band is actually played and I've been forced to be out and you know, infestive and all that. But you know, when we get to our age range, it's like, oh, that's all fine and good, except when you got to drive home with all the drunken idiots and that's exactly right and that's yeah, I hate to say it, but that's the turnoff now.

Speaker 2: 51:27

That is we all know. We're all older now, we're all little. Yes, you know, bedded in reality, and it's like the risk of being out on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day after midnight, you know, the one o'clock in the morning thing, right is, is high and it's higher than it should be and it's Really not worth it, not at all, I know. By the way, I mean, like I said, I don't, I don't drink anymore. So, you know, back in the old days, you know I, you know I'll step as long as you want me to, but you know now it's, I hate to say, without that, it's just, it's a little bit less.

Speaker 2: 51:58

You know, yeah, especially if you're out, like you know people, you know it was always big in Chicago, you would go. You know where I grew up and I would come home. If I was home on leave or even when I was still college, you'd go to a bar and you would pay the big cover, right, you know, whatever you want to classify as a big cover, even back in the 90s, you know $50, right, right, but it was $50 and there was hors d'oeuvres and all you could drink. And you know you know, all the beer you could drink maybe and maybe not, you know liquor was, you know you still to pay for whatever it was. It was always a deal right and you know, sure, I'll go do that. Yeah, I feel like pick us out of the bar, but yeah, those days are long long gone. Zero desire to go play those games.

Speaker 1: 52:39

Nope, same, same, same. Yeah, now I can't be bothered. No, it's got to be a really big reason for us to go out and brave Peopeling and you know and all that stuff. But yeah and, and I do love like the whole, I Love the whole new year fresh start thing. You know I'm actually a big resolution, you know making resolutions and stuff like that, but I love the newness of it, like it, I get I do get like wrapped up in that excitement of like it's just a, it's a new beginning, it's like a whole new chapter starting and I think that's kind of like exciting and and Inspiring. It's like, oh, my god, you know we've got another year of, you know, hopefully, great things happening and trying to make great things happening and the anticipation of what might, might come and and so yeah. So I do like all that. I just don't like the New Year's Eve.

Speaker 2: 53:28

Stuff. Yeah, I'm a big fan of the new year and the new start, right up until the first time that I write the wrong date on something and Strays me nuts.

Speaker 1: 53:38

I do it never you. Yeah, yeah, months before I get it right.

Speaker 2: 53:42

Thank God, we're not writing checks as much. Oh, you are kidding.

Speaker 1: 53:46

That was always the culprit, that was always the one right yeah always the one. Yeah, oh man, all right, we did. I mean, look at us, that was so much fun, we did it, we did a hole just under an hour of like super fun, fun holiday questions and quizzes.

Speaker 2: 54:03

You know we're obviously it's not like we're taking a break for the rest of the year, but you know we need this. It's a long haul to the election. It's that's something that's not going away and I think you know we're both of the mindset that we're gonna have to take some breaks along the way. Yes, it's a long run.

Speaker 1: 54:20

I think I think you're right, clay. I think we'll probably do like a our little winter break We'll give you, we'll put it the dates on there and everything, so everybody knows when we're taking a little pause, and we'll Playbacks and maybe best of episodes or something. But yeah, definitely we're gonna. We got a lot of stuff to do, just like you guys.

Speaker 2: 54:35

So, yeah, yeah, absolutely, and it's and it's a long road to next November. So I mean, we're, you know, we're not gonna, we're not gonna beat you guys, you know, or ourselves, to death with election stuff every week for the next, you know, 45 weeks or whatever it ends up being. Actually it's, it's really almost 52 weeks. We're right, right now, right. So yeah, we'll take, you know, occasional breaks and do something a little bit light-hearted now and again. Stuff like this. It's needed, it's good for all of us.

Speaker 1: 55:00

Oh, Boy, do we ever need it? You are so right. All right, my friends, we loved doing this episode for you and for each other is a lot of fun, and we will see you in the next one. Clay, you want to close them out?

Speaker 2: 55:12

You know me, keep moving, keep shooting.

Speaker 1: 55:15

I love it. We'll see you guys in the next one, take care.

Speaker 2: 55:42

You.