TREE TIME 2024 (™) with Casey Wilson, Jessica St. Clair and June Diane Raphael

Summary

Podcast Summary: Add to Cart with Kulap Vilaysack & SuChin Pak – "TREE TIME 2024 (™) with Casey Wilson, Jessica St. Clair and June Diane Raphael"

Release Date: December 17, 2024

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Introduction to "Tree Time 2024"

In the December 17, 2024 episode of Add to Cart, hosts Kulap Vilaysack and SuChin Pak delve into the festive season's most cherished tradition: decorating Christmas trees. Titled "TREE TIME 2024 (™)", this episode features special guests comedian Casey Wilson, actress Jessica St. Clair, and actress June Diane Raphael. The trio engages in a lively discussion about their unique approaches to tree decorating, the emotional investment they place in their holiday decorations, and the cultural significance of these traditions.

Poinsettias and Holiday Decorations

The episode kicks off with a humorous exchange about poinsettias, a plant synonymous with the Christmas season. SuChin Pak expresses her apprehension, stating, "This is the scariest episode of the year for me" (02:00), highlighting the intense discussions the hosts often have about holiday flora. Jessica St. Clair humorously notes, "You don't love a red poinsettia" (02:27), underscoring the polarized opinions about these plants. June Diane Raphael adds, "What I want to know is where do they all go after the season? Who's growing them?" (02:38), reflecting on the environmental impact of seasonal decorations.

Introducing the Holiday Heroes

Kulap Vilaysack enthusiastically announces the special guests: "We've assembled our holiday heroes, our Christmas comrades" (03:44), introducing Casey Wilson, Jessica St. Clair, and June Diane Raphael. The conversation swiftly moves to the concept of "tree time," a term coined by Casey Wilson.

Exploring "Tree Time"

Casey Wilson elaborates on "tree time," explaining its origins and significance: "It's both a calendar item and something you spend time doing. And then a state of mind I hope you carry with you when you're not in the relationship" (05:33). This multifaceted approach emphasizes both the physical act of decorating and the mental relaxation associated with the tradition.

June Diane Raphael shares her personal experience with her "hero tree," a Balsam Hill balsam fir: "She is a candlelit white. She does not have the option to go colored... I put her up on election day" (07:55). This decision reflects her personal values and the symbolic meaning she attributes to her tree.

Tree Counts and Personal Collections

The hosts engage in a playful "roundtable" to discuss their respective tree collections. Kulap Vilaysack humorously details her multiple trees: "I have a nine foot bedroom tree... a bathroom mini tree... a countertop tree... and a living room hero tree" (06:03). Jessica St. Clair and June Diane Raphael follow suit, each describing their unique tree setups and the stories behind them.

Decorating Challenges and Triumphs

Jessica St. Clair shares anecdotes about decorating challenges, such as breaking ornaments accidentally and the collaborative efforts with her guests: "Jessica was not paying Heidi Rose Robbins for several years" (13:10). Casey Wilson discusses the intricacies of maintaining multiple trees, including her recent breast augmentation's impact on her ability to handle heavy decorations: "I lifted my tts. I can't lift a big box" (45:49).

Innovations in Tree Design

The conversation shifts to innovations in Christmas tree design, particularly the offerings from Balsam Hill. Casey Wilson praises their adaptability: "I think it's okay. I think ultimately all roads are going to lead to Balsam" (14:13), and Jessica St. Clair marvels at their new "two-dimensional corner tree" optimized for smaller spaces (15:04). SuChin Pak highlights the technological advancements in tree decorations, noting their "sights and sounds" features that enhance the festive atmosphere (50:21).

Balancing Tradition and Modernity

June Diane Raphael reflects on balancing traditional decorations with modern additions: "This year was the year I wanted to truly invite my son because it's been, you know, honestly, a me and my daughter type of thing for, you know, since the inception of this" (50:45). This sentiment underscores the evolving nature of family traditions and the inclusion of new members in holiday festivities.

Community and Shared Spaces

The hosts discuss the logistical challenges of managing extensive holiday decorations, such as storage and shared spaces. Casey Wilson humorously recounts the difficulties of transporting large trees: "And as I said, when you find out, you know who you're going to spend the rest of your life with, you kind of want your life to start right now. Because she's a flock" (44:40), emphasizing the collaborative spirit required in holiday preparations.

Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans

As the episode wraps up, the hosts reflect on the joys and trials of holiday decorating. SuChin Pak shares her upcoming additions to her Christmas village, aiming to create a more inclusive experience for her son: "I just feel like this year was the year I wanted to truly invite my son" (51:03). Kulap Vilaysack and June Diane Raphael express excitement about future decorating projects, hinting at innovative ideas like shared she-sheds and expanded storage solutions.

Notable Quotes

• Kulap Vilaysack (06:03): "I have a nine foot bedroom tree. It's family. It's fun."
• Jessica St. Clair (02:27): "You don't love a red poinsettia."
• Casey Rose Wilson (05:33): "It's both a calendar item and something you spend time doing."
• June Diane Raphael (07:55): "I put her up on election day, and I went before everybody on the Christmases here text chain."
• June Diane Raphael (50:45): "I wanted to truly invite my son because it's been... a me and my daughter type of thing."

Conclusion

"TREE TIME 2024 (™)" offers listeners an insightful and entertaining look into the personal and collective experiences of decorating for the holidays. Through candid conversations, shared stories, and laughter, Kulap Vilaysack, SuChin Pak, and their guests highlight the emotional and cultural significance of Christmas traditions. Whether you're a seasoned decorator or new to the festivities, this episode provides relatable anecdotes and inspiration for creating meaningful holiday traditions.

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Disclaimer: The above summary is based on the provided transcript and podcast information. All timestamps correspond to the points within the transcript where notable quotes and topics are discussed.

Transcript

[Reshma Sajani]

Are you interested in how ordinary people turn their big ideas into a business? Want to learn from real entrepreneurs and get actionable advice on how they succeeded? Then this Is Small Business behind the Buy Is for you. It's the official companion podcast to Prime Video's new show called Buy it now, where entrepreneurs compete to win $20,000. In each episode, you hear directly from the winning entrepreneurs, revealing the backstories, challenges, and the business strategies that turn their dreams into reality. Follow this is Small Business behind the Buy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever.

[Culap Vilaysack]

You get your podcasts.

[Reshma Sajani]

And big thanks to this is Small Business for sponsoring the show. Hi, I'm Reshma Sajani, founder of Girls who Code. Look, I'd consider myself a pretty successful adult woman. I've written books, founded two successful nonprofits, and I'm raising two incredible kids. But here's the thing. I still wake up wondering, is this it? And if the best years are yet to come, when's that going to start? Join me on my so Called Midlife, my new podcast with Lemonada Media, where we're building a playbook for navigating midlife one episode at a time. Each week, I'll chat with extraordinary guests who've transformed their midlife crisis into opportunities for growth and newfound purpose. At some point, we all ask ourselves, is there more to life? I'm here to discover how to thrive in my second act, right alongside you. My so Called Midlife is out now, wherever you get your podcasts.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Lemonade welcome back to ADD to Cart, my little Santa elves. I'm your Auntie Cuckoo V Lysack.

[Sujin Pak]

And I'm your other auntie, Sujinpop Khu. I'm scared. This is the scariest episode of the year for me. And of course, because of that, you know, we believe in manifestation and vortex and energy and all of that. I vortexed a clip of June and Jess talking about poinsettias.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Poinsettias.

[Sujin Pak]

Poinsettias. And it was. It was vicious.

[Jessica St. Clair]

It's interesting that no one said, and no one had the courage maybe, to say they loved a red poinsettia. Because you don't. You don't love a red poinsettia.

[June Diane Raphael]

And honestly, what I want to know is where do they all go after the season? Who's growing them?

[Culap Vilaysack]

I never seen people come after a plant.

[Sujin Pak]

A flower.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Hard.

[Sujin Pak]

No, a flower. Nay, a flower that just peeks her precious head out just once a year. Nay, once a year. Not a dandelion. Not. Not a bougainvillea.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Not a wee.

[Sujin Pak]

Just Once a year, just a. Hello, Merry Christmas.

[June Diane Raphael]

I thought we all stood against Ponsetias. And what I'm now seeing in the comments is we have angered and upset, not just like those people, but also their ancestors, their mothers, their grandmothers. I didn't realize they had grown in Mexico.

[Sujin Pak]

Let's bring him in.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Sue, of course your voice will be a voice of reason that's always needed, but it doesn't keep us from inching any closer towards Mania. But, you know, it's important that you're here, Susu. Why? Because this episode is the moment we pull the lever and light up the neighborhood. It's tree time.

[Jessica St. Clair]

2024, baby.

[Culap Vilaysack]

We've assembled our holiday heroes, our Christmas comrades, our seasonal soldier at Descartes, Casey Rose Wilson, June, Diane Rayfield and Jessica St. Clair.

[June Diane Raphael]

Thanks so much.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

So happy to be having. And if you're watching this, welcome to my neighborhood and my home.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Casey. Casey, to you. You are an author of an amazing book, but also, you invented the term tree time. Could you speak on that? Could you explain what it is?

[Casey Rose Wilson]

And I'm so glad you said it, because I will say, and I don't want to call anyone out here, but the phrase has made its way around TikTok, around Instagram, and what I don't see is my name attached to it. And it's hard, you know, it's like.

[Culap Vilaysack]

It'S hard not to be tagged.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

It's definitely my legacy. So I just like to just remind. And I appreciate that.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I mean, I do think that other people have said, we're gonna go sit by the tree and have some time.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

No, no, they've never said, and have some tree time. They've said, we're gonna sit by the tree.

[June Diane Raphael]

This is like our manager saying she invented the word. Cool beans, guys.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I'm in a log off. No one has called it tree time as a formal.

[June Diane Raphael]

We'll give it to you. We're giving it.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

We love to spend time by the tree. I'm not saying the activity is not. We know the activity.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I see what you're saying. Yeah, yeah.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Tree time. Tm.

[Reshma Sajani]

Yes.

[Culap Vilaysack]

This isn't like Kim Kardashian trying to trademark kimonos.

[Sujin Pak]

Kimonos.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Kimonos.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

But this is a shorthand and a snappy way to say something that then is created into a movement. So remember, it was in my calendar.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Yes. You scheduled it.

[June Diane Raphael]

That's where you took things to the next level, which is you schedule it.

[Sujin Pak]

Thank you, Jess.

[June Diane Raphael]

You schedule it.

[Sujin Pak]

That's right. So I will give you you defined it in a way that has never, never been defined.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

It's both a calendar item and something you spend time doing. And then a state of mind I hope you carry with you when you're not in the relationship.

[June Diane Raphael]

It's like when Jesus is not carrying you, he's still with you. You know, there's one step exactly like the footprints. Yeah, the footprints. That's when he was at.

[Sujin Pak]

Oh, it still gets me.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Let's. Let's begin our conversation in this roundtable. But just going around the horn, I want to hear how many trees do you have? What's your. What's your tree count? People talk about body count on tech talk that we're talking about tree bodies.

[Sujin Pak]

In theory and in planning or up now.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Up now, sir. And you're going last, so get comfortable.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

We know you're at zero. Up now.

[Culap Vilaysack]

No, but we need to. We need to get ours out before.

[Sujin Pak]

We yell at you.

[Culap Vilaysack]

That's what I mean. That's what's happening.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

We've built.

[Culap Vilaysack]

We're billboarding it right like this. So real quick. I have a nine foot bedroom tree. It's family. It's fun. It's tending together with red bows. In my bathroom, I have a flocked mini tree. It's just 1.5ft.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I miss that tree.

[June Diane Raphael]

You might be the first person ever to have a bathroom tree. I'm really.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Oh, no, no. Kim's been doing.

[Sujin Pak]

I know, but in this. In this circle.

[June Diane Raphael]

God bless her.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Yeah.

[June Diane Raphael]

Okay. And God bless you.

[Culap Vilaysack]

She's up to stuff. Thank you.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

You trickled it down to the masses.

[Culap Vilaysack]

I have a countertop tree that is under three feet that's on the kitchen island. It's this year. It's shiny bright ornaments only. Shiny bright.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

You know how I feel about a shiny bright coup.

[Culap Vilaysack]

I mean, I got it from you, Casey. I learned it from watching you.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Christopher Radko, who I would like to make a documentary about if anyone's interested.

[Culap Vilaysack]

I'm. I am. And finally, in my living room, I coined the phrase hero tree. I get to have that.

[Jessica St. Clair]

That's me.

[June Diane Raphael]

We're giving that to you.

[Sujin Pak]

Absolutely.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Thank you.

[Sujin Pak]

Also, gilded woodland.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Gilded woodland needed our phrases, so.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

So, June, you have phrases out there as well. And we wouldn't dare take credit, you.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Know, but I don't. Yeah.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Great.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah, Wonderful. So cool. I'm just. Got a hero trait.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Got it.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Now I move to. To Jessica St. Clair.

[June Diane Raphael]

Well, I'm gonna disappoint you guys in that I only have one hero tree right now, but she is My first Balsam hill. She is a 7.5 ER. She is a balsam fir. She is a candlelit.

[Sujin Pak]

I didn't get the birth announcement.

[June Diane Raphael]

She is a candlelit white. She does not have the option to go colored. And I've been going back and forth and back and forth about that, but I'm still sticking with her because Coolop and I have to say, like, we are on a text chain called Christmas is here and Cool. And I had to go separate. We had to go separate off to our own special text chain because I did something radical this year, which is I put her up on election day, and I went before everybody on the Christmases here text chain. And that was a surprise to everybody. It was an emotional decision. I've never looked back.

[Sujin Pak]

Good one.

[June Diane Raphael]

And then I also. And this is just. I'm putting pin holders here for us to recircle back to these themes. But I did something that was something very new for me, which is I did a base layer on the hero tree of coastal Christmas ornaments. And that is my base layer, much like a capsule wardrobe. That's my bodysuit. If we're going to. If we're gonna go back to Kim Kardashian, that's my bodysuit. And now this weekend, we're going to layer in the family ornaments. But Coolop and I had to go onto a separate thread because for a while, I would say for almost two weeks, we were the only ones with any trees up.

[Reshma Sajani]

That's right.

[Sujin Pak]

An election tree. This could be a new phrase.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

That's right. And such in. Sorry, just wanted to stop suchin. Do you want credit for that one, or is that Jess?

[Sujin Pak]

No, that's. That's all Jessica. That's all. Look at her.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

How could I take Baby, Just get on him.

[Culap Vilaysack]

You know, timestamp it right now, send it to the lawyer.

[June Diane Raphael]

But what I want to say just briefly about Coolop, because on our Christmas spectacular, she's mentioned quite a bit because I give her deference as kind of an elder, even though she is not the oldest among us necessarily. But she has the most deference I give to culap. And what she does for me is she says to me all the time, trust your instincts. You've always been going here. So when I said, like, I can't.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

As it relates to Christmas decor.

[June Diane Raphael]

That's exactly right. That's it.

[Culap Vilaysack]

That's right.

[June Diane Raphael]

That's all. Cool up. Is this right? And she says, you've known it's right all along. She is my Yoda. She is. I'M a Christmas Yoda.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Christmas coach.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

That you are. That. That. Another phrase. And you guys.

[Sujin Pak]

We're CEOs here, guys. Yes. Yes.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Grab. Grab the website, please.

[June Diane Raphael]

Grab it now.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Grab it now.

[Sujin Pak]

Our staff members, all of our production staff members on this. I hope you're on a second screen.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

No, but, like, they have people helping kids get in college now. Like, you can have a coach for. Literally.

[June Diane Raphael]

It's a great idea.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Jessica and I have a boundaries coach. You know, it's like, why not a Christmas coach?

[June Diane Raphael]

A great idea.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Honestly, I would book a session. I would book a session.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I.

[June Diane Raphael]

It's true. And, you know, I just thought it was interesting. Like, June, you put up your hero tree, which is so beautiful. It's a new balsam. I'll let you describe her, but you reached out to Coolop last night, and you said, do I need a bigger bow? And. And we could. We could all chime in. We can all. Oh, I think so, too, I said, but I know that at the end of the day, Cool up will make that decision. Cool up will again.

[Sujin Pak]

What. What chat is this?

[June Diane Raphael]

This is Christmas here. Our text throw thread. That is the three of us.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

You want Christmas? Is there such. In, like, Christmas is on the 24th. We are.

[Sujin Pak]

Yeah.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Christmas is here.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Christmas is here. You're on.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Well, yes, Jim, please.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I just want to say. And I guess I'll move over to suggest. So that's the hero tree.

[June Diane Raphael]

She's all set up, and I actually feel like for her first year on this planet, I want her to feel special. I don't need. She's given me so much baby steps. And June and I have said, we wish we could give money to Balsam. More money to Balsam Hill for their products, because they're so excellent. And I kind of feel like I don't have a need for anything else. I found the love I've been waiting for. I found my missing piece.

[Culap Vilaysack]

I know. But I know for a fact next year it's gonna be a little polyamorous, because I know you're working on Dan, your husband, to get you a balsam tree in your bunker.

[June Diane Raphael]

Honey, we'd be having a tree immediately, but I had to. First of all, I didn't ask him about the election tree. So that was. And he had a lot of pushback about it, but I didn't listen. And so. And anyway, we'll talk about that, too, June, about how you would have gone early, but you have a spouse that you respect, and I. I think that's beautiful.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Scott has no Say, go ahead.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah, But I wish you guys. It's not like. No, say, like, I'm up against a lot. A lot of. I'm up against a lot.

[June Diane Raphael]

You are.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And I do feel like finally, my friends are really. You guys seem to be really seeing that now.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I know.

[Jessica St. Clair]

But it's always been the case that I've been honestly walking 7ft behind him.

[June Diane Raphael]

A7. 7.5ft. Balsam Hill tree behind Paul.

[Jessica St. Clair]

So behind him.

[Sujin Pak]

Fluffed out.

[June Diane Raphael]

Fluffed. God, we have so many things to talk about. Fluffing. We have so many things to talk about. Flocking.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Well, now cool up. If I could just circle back to the rendered services that I see. Every photo is cool up. Like, on her hands and knees, like, doing things. And then we went shopping the other day, and June's like, cool, you'll help me with this. And I'm like, it does bring to mind when Jessica was not paying Heidi Rose Robbins for several years.

[June Diane Raphael]

Still not. Yeah, yeah.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Still not. Okay.

[Jessica St. Clair]

She's still not. That was never really corrected.

[Culap Vilaysack]

No.

[June Diane Raphael]

I was meeting with our astrologer twice a week. I think for a while it was.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Like, you got the cancer rate, but now it's like, you got a clean.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Bill of health, you know, that I bring. She wants to send you a bill.

[June Diane Raphael]

You know, I bring that up as much as I can. Like, if I'm going for a dermatological procedure, I'll always be like, oh, God, you know, this is all cause of cancer. And that's nine years ago.

[Sujin Pak]

For a discount.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah. Just to see if there's some wiggle room. See if there's some wiggle room.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Yeah, That's. I respect it. Now, June, please speak. Speak on your.

[Jessica St. Clair]

You.

[Culap Vilaysack]

You. You have the aforementioned hero tree, but you have a lot of trees.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And. And I will say a new tree, and I went cheap on this one. And. And I think that's okay. I think ultimately all roads are going to lead to Balsam. But I also think it's like, you can only get one balsam 100%. They're very excited, you know, and it is truly the difference between, like, renting and buying. And so. I know. I know. I'm throwing my money. You are.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

It's good after good, money after bad.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Yeah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I might as well lighted a fire, but I wasn't ready to pull the trigger on a TV room. Balsam. So I got a very slender corner tree. Now, one tree that I've had tm. But although one thing that I've been honestly considering, Jess and I talked about this at, you know, our show the other night, I guess is for us justice is a wrap up what we're adding to Cartney.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah, you are.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Oh, you are.

[Culap Vilaysack]

I mean I guess Hardwick show up and do a little.

[June Diane Raphael]

I don't know. But after the.

[Jessica St. Clair]

There's gonna be some overlap but I'm actually glad to have a little more time to explore this. But there was a tree on the Balsam Hill website that was like a two to almost two dimensional corner tree that was half the diameter so it's not fully round.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

She's a kind of like an apartment or just a smaller space or just.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Like a corner that you can't fit a big tree in or the circumference.

[Sujin Pak]

Of a full stem. That's happening at Balsam.

[June Diane Raphael]

It's mind blowing, honestly.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Innovation, the technology, the. Yeah, they are forward thinkers are thinking of every space, you know, and how to get a tree.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I would kill to be in that conference room with all our pens out and sharpen them and say what do we got? Where are like pitch us. Where are the ideas guys?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah, you got a round room. What's the tree look like?

[Culap Vilaysack]

What are the problems? Let's figure out the solutions, let's solve them.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Where's the white space with the tree?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Of course. So I did go cheaper in that and you can tell, you know, that's a tree you have to look at with yoga eyes, soft eyes.

[June Diane Raphael]

Is she flocked? Is she flocked? I don't remember if we, if we met the flockers or not on the.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Flockers this year and. But believe me, after. And I know we're about to get to Casey's trees but after having such an intimate experience with Casey's new flock.

[June Diane Raphael]

I love you know about this one.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I. She's got a new one and I'm sure she'll speak about it, but I spent a long time talking to the tree salesman at Aldick Home. Aldic home and long time. They sell trees to, to you know, Kris Jenner and the like.

[June Diane Raphael]

She's not getting a balsam. These are different models.

[Jessica St. Clair]

These are different. I don't.

[Sujin Pak]

Well, she's getting a balsam.

[June Diane Raphael]

The scale that she has to go up on is so high. I don't think they make it at Balsam.

[Jessica St. Clair]

But he showed me in co op Casey this point when he talked to us about this, you were, you were over by the flock you ended up getting. But, but co op and I were closer to another arrangement of flocks and he said I'll never forget it as long As I live. I looked at this tree, this flock, and I was like, I've never seen anything like it. And he said, actually, you'll notice that sometimes in certain areas the snow's built up a little more and in other areas that the branches are sort of crossed. They're not supposed to look perfect. This is a tree you've carried through the snow in Los Angeles in a forest. You carried it and you just put it. Dragged it, you dragged it. And that's the energy it was giving. That was the effect.

[Sujin Pak]

A man said this of it.

[Jessica St. Clair]

A rustic that's single is unavailable.

[Sujin Pak]

Let's put his number up. Let's do a service to our listeners.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, we all listen. We also heard about just the Aldic calendar and how the design, the tree designers, how. And I'll never forget this fact as long as I live. They allow two cashiers, not tree designers.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Because they have four tree designers.

[Jessica St. Clair]

They hired one more this year on staff.

[Culap Vilaysack]

That's right.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yep. But they have two cashiers who get to go up at bat and decorate one.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Big deal in the store.

[June Diane Raphael]

That's really special.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

It's nice to promote from within. Yes, you know that's right.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Exactly. I was like, that's a pipeline.

[June Diane Raphael]

I want a culture I want to be a part of. Wow.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah. The all day culture.

[June Diane Raphael]

I will say this about Kim Kardash and I don't know if this was this year's or last year's. She did a hallway of flocked trees. It looks like you're going through a forest. And I thought, boy, oh, beautiful.

[Culap Vilaysack]

That's a great idea.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Now I will say Aldic. I don't believe Aldic made a misstep with this tree. I will say. But yet we saw it in Courtney Kardashian's page, which is the upside down tree. And at Aldic, it just feels fun. It's like all this crazy stuff's happening and whoa, there's one that's upside down. Like, you don't. I don't think, think. Should I put that in my home? But it feels fun there.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yes, agreed.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Agreed.

[June Diane Raphael]

It's an assault. It's an assault.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I totally agree.

[June Diane Raphael]

Is that up downtrend?

[Jessica St. Clair]

It should never be.

[June Diane Raphael]

Ever.

[Jessica St. Clair]

It should never be.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Just because they can be inverted doesn't mean they.

[Suchin Pak]

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[Reshma Sajani]

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[Jessica St. Clair]

Things I found fascinating about that, what that gentleman told us about trees was that he said. I said, you know, how long do you fluff for?

[Casey Rose Wilson]

This was staggering.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I'm thinking. I'm thinking 40 years.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I'm surely thinking I'm about to do it.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Cool up was at. Yeah, Cool up was at my house for an hour fluffing my tree. And he said, three hours.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Three hours. He said, take.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

He said, if you want it to look good, like that's all to you, you need to.

[June Diane Raphael]

Three hours.

[Sujin Pak]

Just. Just for the conference callers that are on the line. Yeah, Fluffing.

[Culap Vilaysack]

What is fluffing?

[Sujin Pak]

What.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Okay.

[Sujin Pak]

Are you talking about.

[June Diane Raphael]

And some people call it. We found out. Fronding.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Fronding. Interesting.

[Sujin Pak]

Sure, sure.

[Culap Vilaysack]

So with these artificial trees, they're. They're boxed up. And so when you unbox them, you unfurl them, if you will. I. I put on gloves. You have to.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Why do you bring them to life?

[Culap Vilaysack]

I love my hands. My gorgeous hands.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I mean, I fly on fluff for three hours and it didn't, like, hurt my hands.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Well, look, I mean, well, the balsam.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Comes with a pair of gloves.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Right, Right.

[Culap Vilaysack]

So there. There's that.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Which is nice. There's that.

[Culap Vilaysack]

And you know, Casey, do I love ceremony?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yes.

[Sujin Pak]

Right.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Do I. Did I come to June's house with my own Christmas labeled kit and caboodle? That I opened it up? Yes, she did.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh, that's beautiful. Yes, she did.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yes, she did. It was a Christmas toolbox. I never seen anyone.

[June Diane Raphael]

Sometimes I think, you're married to Paul.

[Sujin Pak]

And I thought, what will we be talking about this year? What could we say? What could we say? I was thinking in my mind, I said, why are we doing this again this year? Just run last year's My God. There's. Sorry. It's okay. It's the first of many apologies. Continue.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Yeah, Jess, you know, I know what you're saying, because I was. Paul's like, let me see. Let me. Let me look at your toolbox. I'm like, I know. I go, paul, I know yours is going to be better, but fine. He's like, no, no, I just want to understand.

[June Diane Raphael]

And he always wants to understand.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Paul and I are simpatic.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

He's always open to learning all those things. Ordered by nightfall.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I'm sure there's a million Amazon pack. I'm sure he has one labeled with the label maker. I'm sure.

[June Diane Raphael]

I just want to understand every time he says that, know there is something nefarious going on that he wants to siphon off your knowledge. Okay, go ahead. Ku. So you get on your gloves, and then what happens?

[Culap Vilaysack]

You get on your gloves and you are just. You're honoring your trees. You're the design of the balsam fur the hill, and you're just. You're just expanding them. You're making them look lifelike. You're putting life into them. Such. And pok. Does that make sense?

[June Diane Raphael]

Can I ask you this? Cool up.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Are you.

[June Diane Raphael]

Because when I was fluffing, I should have asked you. Are you sometimes taking a frond up, like, so you're not just spreading out? Are you sometimes bending up to hide the trunk?

[Culap Vilaysack]

With the balsam hill, specifically, there are different types of branches inside that are more about giving levels. And then the outer ones are more decorative.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Okay.

[Culap Vilaysack]

So you can do whatever you want. For June's tree, I just noticed that, like, the tips needed to be pulled out to make it more expansive, to give it the width that it needed to. And all of it is for the service of it looking fuller and then also, like, making the ornaments look good.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, one thing I hadn't done at all. Cause please know that I thought, well, I had already fluffed the tree before she came over. And she's saying, you know, I know we're working around Emmy's nap schedule and this and that. And I was like, well, unfortunately, it didn't work out. Like, she's gonna come over and be like, it's fluffed, but maybe we have a, you know, cup of coffee instead. And she came over the day after Thanksgiving and saw it.

[June Diane Raphael]

This is what she was on.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Saw it and put. Opened up her caboodle, put her gloves on, and went to work. So I was shocked that there was more to do. Cause I had a ladder out for her. But I didn't understand how to do the top. And you did look at the top and you were like, oh, what? What? And I was like, I didn't get to it. But the truth was I didn't know how to Cool.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah.

[Sujin Pak]

Wow. Wow. June, the vulnerability here, the vul.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah, I might cry.

[Sujin Pak]

I didn't know.

[Jessica St. Clair]

But I think that's why cool up is our Christmas coach tm because I knew you wouldn't a make me feel badly about it. But I also want to shout out Casey because when I saw her decorations of her tree, I. I said to her she has, I really believe, a department level, aldic level eye for designing things.

[June Diane Raphael]

I agree. I agree.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

You, I've honestly never been more touched.

[June Diane Raphael]

You're giving us like Plaza Hotel. Your hero tree gives us like a wow factor that I don't think I've ever seen.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I told Dave about my compliment because I'm like, I don't think I've received a compliment that's touched me as deeply. I said, you're not going to believe what June said today day. And he was like, true.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah. I couldn't care less.

[Jessica St. Clair]

It's true. The little things. And also, I know there's so much from your. Your, you know, your home tree that you grew up with that it's a really. I just love it. I love it and I do think that you have always had it, but it's also just wow. The scale at which it's presenting now is just. It's fantastic.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Thank you so much.

[Sujin Pak]

Wow.

[Jessica St. Clair]

You know, it's fantast. Fantastic.

[Sujin Pak]

Okay, so June, how many trees? Just spit it out.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, okay, sorry. So we got the hero Candy cane alley Candy cane Lane, and then the peppermint Candy cane Lane. We have four trees. We have four trees.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Where's the fourth bedroom, kids?

[Jessica St. Clair]

In the boys room.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Oh, cute. And what's the ornaments on that?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yes, that's where. And you know, I told Casey about this yesterday, but my hero tree has a lot of like Star wars, you know.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Listeners of ADD to CART are well aware of Santa Paul Shears. You know.

[June Diane Raphael]

Okay.

[Jessica St. Clair]

So, yeah, he's already been on this year.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Some comic con kind.

[Sujin Pak]

Yeah, Lanyards.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah, it's.

[June Diane Raphael]

It's never make their way onto your tree.

[Sujin Pak]

I know, but if it was a lanyard tree, I mean, I'm just throwing spitballing guys. I could be wrong, but that's you to know. No idea.

[Jessica St. Clair]

No, he. Well, he does not see this as women's work.

[Culap Vilaysack]

No, no.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Okay.

[June Diane Raphael]

No. If anything he's very, like, patriarchal about it. Like, he. If anything is like, well, you should see the way he presides over his Christmas village. He decides whether those people live or die. He decides what the economics are on Brixton Lane. I mean, it is.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And it's like that with the ornaments, too. It's like, you're. You're not gonna throw some toxic masculinity there. Go, Branch.

[Reshma Sajani]

He's the only one.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I'm, like, jealous.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Well, he does homework. He. He. He buys a Hallmark ornament every year. Like, who among us does that?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, and now this year. What a reveal last year. And is. Is now starting this year is the kids get a special ornament from him every year.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Just him.

[Jessica St. Clair]

So they get a special.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Just him, Mother.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Oh, no, no, no, no, no. It's like, this is your Hallmark ornament this year, and it's.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah, he's master of the house.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Yeah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And I'm like, oh, that's nice, you know, But I can't.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

You get one from him.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I have gotten many ornaments from him through the years, but it's now become like, what's their ornament? Gus has arrived earlier than Sam's this year. That was a whole thing. But he does the Advent calendars. You know, I don't have a word.

[Sujin Pak]

To guys, but you don't need to do anything, Gary.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Guys, just know that there's. I know, but this will interest sue and Ku because they're already added to cart before I can come up with an idea.

[June Diane Raphael]

He's functioning light years ahead of you. It's like, when aliens do come to see us, they're gonna be like, oh, you guys are in the, you know, primitive stages. Could I just say, my family.

[Jessica St. Clair]

He's had these Advent calendars for three months.

[June Diane Raphael]

My mother had a woman in town in New Jersey make these ornaments, Claymation ornaments of all of us every year. And it would, like, be whatever we were up to. And so it'd be, oh, college. Jessica had a little middle grade, and then when I graduated, I took a job in advertising, and I was so sad. Everybody else's ornaments were, like, happy. My brother's playing basketball, and I just had a sad face on a briefcase, and my eyes were downcast.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Corporate Jessica was like, this ain't school and this ain't child.

[Sujin Pak]

Where is this ornament?

[June Diane Raphael]

I was in therapy for the first time, and I unwrapped the tree around this ornament.

[Sujin Pak]

What is this shit?

[June Diane Raphael]

And they were like, this is what we see every Morning at breakfast and I was like, fuck, you guys. I was like, living at home. She's just like, looking down.

[Sujin Pak]

We have to mass produce that. Tm.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Okay, I believe it's Casey's turn.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Thank you so much, Kim.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Please. I.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

So in a twist, I have done less treats this year, but I feel I've put more attention to decorating in other ways.

[June Diane Raphael]

Less is more.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I would argue your mantle has become a different.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

That's fair.

[Sujin Pak]

Wow.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Fair.

[June Diane Raphael]

Wow. I didn't even.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Gorgeous.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I would have never asked anyone to follow me on Pinterest, but I have a working folder. Everything set to private that I'm up to over the year. Gathering images. Gathering, gathering, scrolling them away. And one thing I was hell bent on this year was like. And I didn't totally come to fruition, but taking a cabinet, you know, like if you have a china cabinet in your home, that now needs to become, I think, all your curios and your Christmas little beautiful collections. Like, we're transforming. We can transform other spaces into adorable. But Christmas area.

[June Diane Raphael]

Better Homes and Gardens and Country Live in magazine. As you know, they put out holiday issues.

[Jessica St. Clair]

You're the. You're the only one who's still buying those.

[June Diane Raphael]

I know. And I. In fact, I'm late in buying them. And I will tell you that they always are looking at those spaces. They are taking out the china and they were putting in vignettes. But a lot of times it's for collections. So collections of vintage Santas will go in into these things.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Don't you know, I'm on ebay doing a lot of ebay work.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah. That's nice. That's nice.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

With like 1950s angel carolers.

[Culap Vilaysack]

And that's where you got the blow molds, right, Case?

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Yes. Blow molds have become a part big part of my life. And you know, and I also added three. I had one, but I added three Hanukkah stations. My husband's Jewish and said our home seemed. Dentist, time to throw him a.

[June Diane Raphael]

A.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Those are more in the transitionary spaces.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Hanukkah stations. T.M. casey.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Because I don't think Hanukkah stations has to be.

[Culap Vilaysack]

You guys are getting it now.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

You're getting it.

[Sujin Pak]

Give the Webster's Ditch an example of a Hanukkah station.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

So I found. And if you are Jewish, this is the cutest thing I've ever seen. Because, you know, there's not a ton of Hanukkah decorations. But I'll tell you, I found a blow mold of a menorah. It's all white and it lights up. It is the most comforting, gorgeous thing. Then I took light blue tinsel and silver tinsel, and then I took light blue night. Nice shiny and bright Hanukkah ornaments sprinkled around some gelp. Put some dreidels, and then I put blue lights. So it does feel very like the bathroom. It's where it's a breezy way.

[Jessica St. Clair]

You know, it's a pass through, but that's okay.

[June Diane Raphael]

Take a candy. Take some chocolate on the way. See, if that was out for me, that'd be.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

This isn't a holiday people are decorating for routinely. So it's not that I'm turning my back back. If anything, I'm a pioneer in this space.

[Culap Vilaysack]

I think so. Because where we came from, Casey, I recall barely a quarter of your mantle had a dreidel. And so we've come up, come quite a long way.

[June Diane Raphael]

Marry a dreidel.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And you know, I think what I like about the. Because when you said it's station, you know, there's several stations, I was like, God, station to me implies that there's. You go in, you do, you do.

[June Diane Raphael]

You spin it and then you leave.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah. Or you. You stock up on something and then you go, no, no.

[Sujin Pak]

Yeah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

But it is just. It's a station to look at a few things and then.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

And then you're on your own.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Well, you are the train, June. You are the train. So you're just going through Choo Choo.

[Jessica St. Clair]

But it's inviting you to stop. It's inviting you to stay and put.

[Sujin Pak]

Your shoes on and then move.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

And then go to the bathroom and move forward.

[Sujin Pak]

Keep going.

[June Diane Raphael]

But something I want to report on the front lines is I have been to Home Goods probably once every four days since election day.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I have to ask.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Yes. And I say this as someone who has a shopping problem. Everyone here can attest to that. I'm working on my finances. I say this so seriously, how many times do you go to Home Goods? Like, for real, at least. And I don't want to shame anyone, because every time I'm texting with you, you're like, just pulling up or just leaving.

[June Diane Raphael]

No, I have a problem. I mean, if this is an intervention.

[Sujin Pak]

Same Home Goods.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah, it's the same one. And unfortunately, there's a. It's a. It's a plaza that has a Panda Express where I stop for an egg roll. Then there's a Michaels, a HomeGoods and a Marshalls.

[Sujin Pak]

Oh.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

And so the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

[June Diane Raphael]

Now, what I was gonna say, though, is something that's very exciting. I have noticed is HomeGoods is usually very much all about Christmas, but this year they have a tiny little corner for Hanukkah, A station. Station. And they had a quite a large section for the Lunar New Year, which was gorgeous stuff.

[Culap Vilaysack]

And, Jess, I want to say in support of you that I'm either going to Home Goods Marshalls since October, if not every week, every other week, but.

[June Diane Raphael]

Did I do this to you, Kula?

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I think it's every week.

[June Diane Raphael]

I feel like I did this to you.

[Culap Vilaysack]

I didn't go last week. I didn't go last week because I knew we were this week.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Something happened.

[June Diane Raphael]

Well, you guys are going together?

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah. You want a cup?

[Casey Rose Wilson]

You'd have to kind of leave me out.

[June Diane Raphael]

I have to move.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I have to move.

[June Diane Raphael]

You're all going together at three?

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Yeah, well, it's just.

[Jessica St. Clair]

It's.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

It's in Los. You know, it's. It's in San. Wolf.

[Sujin Pak]

Casey, spit it out.

[June Diane Raphael]

God damn. Well, as much as I say, as much as I say that I'd want to meet you guys there, it's a very solitary experience for me. I don't want anybody with me. And in fact, I do go with bb. I go with Bibi, but. But when I really need to center myself, I go alone. That's. That's shadow work I'm doing.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I'll be honest. I've gone to Marshall's Q. But I do always need to do a circle back by myself. That's for a fact.

[Jessica St. Clair]

And I will say, having gone to Altic recently with Casey and Ku and traditions, you know, I found that our traditions work was very separate. We come together, we show things, you know.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

But then we were off on our ornament.

[Jessica St. Clair]

You said when I. I immediately broke several ornaments. Truly, upon arriving, it was like I was at my first station and I broke many ornaments. But then when we got to Aldix, and I don't know if it's because of the scale of that place, but I couldn't.

[June Diane Raphael]

You had to be together.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I needed them. I had. I felt like I'd never get out. I'd felt like I lost honestly start a new life by one of those trees.

[Sujin Pak]

I mean, you practically got married to that guy. How much time did you spend?

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I was spending quite a bit of time there.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Casey and I have been there every year. Never ask.

[Sujin Pak]

Fronding in the corner. Fronding.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I will say this about Casey and Jessica for two women who. Who wrote a book about I have seen you guys try to get out of these conversations.

[Culap Vilaysack]

June, you were doing deep talk. You were doing.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I guess I was. I guess it wasn't small enough. I was just asking him about his experience as an ALTIC worker.

[Suchin Pak]

Struggling to make healthier choices or stick with your goals. You're not alone. We all know it's tough to create lasting changes in our lives, especially when it comes to eating and exercise habits. That's where NOOM comes in. NOOM isn't about quick fixes or strict diets habits. It's a flexible psychology based program that helps you build healthy habits that fit into your life. With noom, you'll learn how your mind works and why you make the choices you do. You'll have personalized lessons, a support system and tools that track your progress, all designed to guide you on your journey. NOOM uses psychology. That's why they say losing weight starts with your brain. But it also takes into account your unique biological factors which also affect weight loss success. Yes, what makes NO stand out is that it's not just about the number on the scale. NOOM helps you change your mindset so these healthier habits stick long term. Ready to feel more in control of your health? Take the first step today. Stay focused on what's important to you with noom's psychology and biology based approach. Sign up for your trial [e-mail] that's.

[Sujin Pak]

N-O-O-M.com Today's episode is sponsored by Acorns. Well, it's that time of year where people are thinking about resolutions, what they want to do differently, right? In 2025. Last year save more money was the most popular resolution in America. And when eggs cost 8 to 12 bucks a carton. And after all that holiday shopping has hit your checking account, you're kind of left wondering where did all my money go? Good thing there's Acorns now. Acorns makes it so easy to start automatically saving and investing so your money has a chance to grow for you, your kids and your ret. Listen, I'm an expert in practically everything. That's what comes with the auntie title. But I'm not a financial expert and some would say I am the opposite of whatever that is. Which is why I love the help of Acorns because it recommends a diversified portfolio that fits me and my money goals. And right now my goal is to build that she shed of my dreams back there. Head to acorns.com add to cart or download the Acorns app to start Saving and investing for your future Today paid client endorsement compensation provides incentive to positively promote Acorns Tier 1 compensation provided investing involves risk. Acorns Advisors LLC and SEC registered investment advisor view important [e-mail] Add to Cart okay parents, we've all been there. This is what I call the post holiday sugar crash. And it is real. And let's be honest, finding snacks that satisfy your kids and let's be really honest ourselves isn't always easy. And that's where Thrive Market comes to the rescue. They make it so simple to find healthier kid approved swaps for all those sugary junk filled favorites. For example they have this thing called the Healthy Swaps scanner okay in the Thrive Market app and it is a total game changer. All you do is scan a product that your kids love like their favorite chips or crackers and they Apple app shows you a cleaner, healthier alternative. We've made some great swaps. How awesome is that? Instead of sugar pack snacks, we're stocking up on brands like Simple Mills Crackers, Annie's Mac and Cheese, always a favorite. Chomps Beef Sticks for this old lady and well lesser evil popcorn. I know popcorn, trust me can be evil. My kids absolutely love them. I feel good knowing that they're eating something just a bit more nutritious. The best part, everything gets delivered straight to my door. So I don't gotta stress about searching through grocery aisles or trying to figure out what exactly is on this teeny tiny ingredients list. Ready for a junk free start to 2025 head to thrivemarket.com add to cart and get 30% off your first order plus a free sixty dollar gift. That's T H R-I V E market.com add to cart cart thrivemarket.com add to cart.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I just want to quickly describe the last tree I got because it was an impulse purchase. Let's be honest.

[Sujin Pak]

This is the new tree.

[June Diane Raphael]

This is the flocks.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Yeah. So I've always reserved for our family room a tree that we get a lot. You know a real tree that's always been like and we do that tradition. We've gotten a flocked one day's done. But that day coup really put it in my head that day it's like that day is done and it's hard because like that's the memories like strapping the tree to the car for my family.

[June Diane Raphael]

What in the parking lot of to Home Depot. That's not a fun in la we aren't if there is no actual snow on the ground that's not a tradition.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Yeah.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

So I was accepting that sort of as I was walking around, but I was still very much struggling with it when I saw her when she came into my life.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Really cute.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

And as I said, when you find out, you know who you're going to spend the rest of your life with, you kind of want your life to start right now. Because she's a flock.

[June Diane Raphael]

It's a he. It's a he or she?

[Jessica St. Clair]

She.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

She's a bigger gal.

[June Diane Raphael]

She's a she.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

But, boy, does she stand tall. She's only 7.5, but could have fooled me when you put her up.

[Sujin Pak]

7.5 tree. That it was an. Was almost an afterthought. Like, that is a giant tree.

[June Diane Raphael]

That's my hero.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Ku and June, you did make me get the expensive one, because I was gonna get just the one, like, light white lights. And then you and your friend that works at Aldic talked me into quite more expensive one. Guys, it is the most gorgeous flock tree. It goes the lights. There's 20 settings. You can do pastel lights. Now. I'm like, is this an Easter tree?

[Sujin Pak]

This.

[Culap Vilaysack]

That the pastel sold me.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

It was unbelievable. Guys. The colored lights can go from super bright, and then they fade so slowly out and then back on that.

[June Diane Raphael]

It.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

It's not, like, seizure inducing. It feels so calming. To where for tree time, which Danielle's had questions about. She says, quote, do you just stare at the tree? I don't get it. Well, yeah, especially with this one, because you don't know what the lights are gonna do next.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Well, she took me and June's breath away because we had to haul it.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Not open. About my recent breast augmentation and lift. And I can't lift. I lifted my tts. I can't lift a big box.

[June Diane Raphael]

How long are we gonna be for this? How long? I feel like it's gonna be.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Look in the mirror.

[Sujin Pak]

Look in the mirror, Jess. Look in the mirror. Go ahead. Ask that question. Get the mirror out. Hand mirror.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Thank you so much. Now, mine was more by choice than Jessica's, but I, you know, I. I. We are still in recovery, and that was a heavy tree. And, boy, did they both really put their backs into it. And they dragged it in.

[Culap Vilaysack]

I was looking forward to saying goodbye to my friends after all day because Casey and June had driven together. Next thing you know, it's in my.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Car, and she's driving a car.

[Jessica St. Clair]

That happened so quickly, too. And there was no discussion before the purchase of, like, how will we get it home? Cuz there's car seats and there's all manner of things. I had all of the stuff from the show, Jessica in the backseat of my car and there's all manner of things.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

But God provides because we needed both of you.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah, God does provide.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Get it in.

[Jessica St. Clair]

We did then.

[Sujin Pak]

Casey, what's the count? Both houses count. Full count.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I'm at six.

[Sujin Pak]

You're at six.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I took down my kids tree and my podcast room tree because my podcast is so small and I've got.

[June Diane Raphael]

No, that was too much. Your Coca Cola tree. Didn't you have a Coca Cola?

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Yeah, I let the Coca Cola tree go.

[June Diane Raphael]

But that's sad because that was a tribute to your mom.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Yeah, why would that one go?

[Culap Vilaysack]

You know, we.

[Sujin Pak]

We.

[Culap Vilaysack]

We have to round out this episode and, And. And put Suchin in the hot seat.

[Sujin Pak]

Okay, well, I mean, it's a very short. Short. You know what, what do you. What do you want me to say? Say that hasn't been said before.

[Jessica St. Clair]

You guys, I want to ask you something. After last year's episode, did anything stick? Did you approach?

[Sujin Pak]

I mean, it's 364 days in between, so like, it stuck for maybe 12 days. And then I had the rest of the year for the. For all of the muscle memory to go right back to where I've been. I don't have a tree. I don't plan on getting a tree. I am neutral about poinsettias also.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Wait, wait, wait. You're not getting a tree, period.

[Sujin Pak]

No, I am getting a tree at some point, but it's not coming anytime soon.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

What are you doing?

[Sujin Pak]

I don't even know where the. That tree. What is that thing that holds the tree?

[June Diane Raphael]

The tree?

[Sujin Pak]

Yes. I don't even know where that is. I. I don't know where that is at this point. Point.

[June Diane Raphael]

But is the Christmas Village. Is the Christmas Village up?

[Sujin Pak]

Sue, the Christmas Village went up the day after Thanksgiving.

[June Diane Raphael]

Wonderful. Okay, great.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Well, that's great. And how is the village faring these days?

[Sujin Pak]

The village is great. I got a new piece. I will send it around. I guess I'll text it to Ku to text you guys on your group thread since I can't access that directly. Well, I'll hack into the Google Doc if I can't get Koo to send it to you new. The new piece that I got for my village. What my village really needed was a popcorn factory. And it has a twirling popcorn where the popcorn pops when you turn it on. And I did that. Speaking of patriarchy, I did that Because I am raising a son. And I want him to understand that this is. That this is all of our work together. That he doesn't have to go around poo pooing it. You know, he can be a part of this. He is obsessed with popcorn. And so this was really for him, inviting him into the space, into Christmas Village. Yeah. And inviting him because my daughter, you know, we start talk, you know, we start planning, like what will be our new. We have. We have. I get one. Sights and sounds, as they say in the LeMax world. And then I get one just stationary. And the sights and sounds is what it is. Because that's the thing about lemax, which I can appreciate. They just. They do it. Exactly. It's no confusion. There's no thinking involved. There's too much other things going on in our lives.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

You mean they're just like. This is the one that's available this year?

[Sujin Pak]

No, this. The sights and sounds category. There will be sights, there will be sounds, there will be movement on those village pieces. And then they have just the light up pieces.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Got you.

[Sujin Pak]

And so I get one of each. So the sights and sounds was a popcorn. And then the light up one again. Homage to my son who loves. Well, not so much anymore, he's 12, but loved. Just an afternoon at the Museum of Natural History. And that is a Christmas version where they have a little sign for an auction, a silent auction at the. At the museum. Museum of Natural History.

[June Diane Raphael]

That's beautiful.

[Sujin Pak]

And that's my stationary piece, those two pieces. And I felt like this year was the year I wanted to truly invite my son because it's been, you know, honestly, a me and my daughter type of thing for, you know, since the inception of this. So she still has the keys to the village.

[June Diane Raphael]

She's the mayor.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah, yeah, of course.

[Sujin Pak]

And I think even she can't stretch that far to invite him to partake in that.

[June Diane Raphael]

Cause she loves. She can't reach across the aisle so much.

[Sujin Pak]

Not that far.

[Suchin Pak]

Not.

[Sujin Pak]

She's 10.

[Jessica St. Clair]

She's 10. I don't know if you. I would love to ask a question suchin as somebody who. I don't make our village, but I live in the village within the village, you know, and so I see. I see the sights and sounds and I see what's going on. I see the new pieces. One of the things that Paul Scheer has been really struggling with. And I don't know if this is the same as. What did you say? It's La Mat as lemax. That line of Christmas Village Items has. But I don't know if it's the same. But Paul is really struggling with the fact that he's had some pieces for years that lit up from the back, and now a whole new line has been released that lights up. Up sort of in the middle. It provides a beautiful amount of light. It's clearly like, this is the newer. But how. What would you do in that scenario?

[Sujin Pak]

I mean, I can't. I can't imagine it because Lomax has thought so far ahead that lemax is.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Definitely the Balsam Hill of.

[Sujin Pak]

That's. There's just not going to be an improvement on that. I mean, in fact, they've thought so far ahead some of the stuff that I. I'm not like, this was a little unnecessary, but maybe in 20 years I'm going to appreciate this. Even I am not caught up to some of the sights and sounds of it. There's a lot of script involved. Let's just say in some of this, the sounds that I don't necessarily love, but they've thought ahead. And you can silence the script and just have the background music, voiceovers, voice work. There's actor work. And my son. And I'm now realizing where I am misstepping and where I get in the way of making sure my son is not part of the patriarchy. When I was upset, he likes all of the voices on all at once. And Zoe and I are like, that's a lot.

[Culap Vilaysack]

That's too much cacophony.

[Sujin Pak]

You're a maniac. What psycho landed in our village? You do one voice.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Sort of like this podcast episode. Everybody's talking to him.

[Sujin Pak]

That's what it sounds like when we're at our best. When we're at our best, we let each person raise a voice at a time. And so one sights and sound will get a script and then, you know, but not all at once. It can't be like, hey, there's my house.

[June Diane Raphael]

Ha ha ha.

[Sujin Pak]

Ho ho ho. Popcorn, everybody. Here in the silent auction.

[Jessica St. Clair]

That's it is crazy what it sounds like.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

And he loves it.

[Sujin Pak]

He likes to turn up it. So anyway, so. But the point is, is my daughter is the mayor. So after dinner. Dinner. The lights go on in there. I went to Coolop's house and I saw the anthropology letters. The. The Casey gifted.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Casey gifted.

[Sujin Pak]

It's like a Christmas village in an initial, like a.

[Culap Vilaysack]

A Swiss Alpine.

[Sujin Pak]

Correct. And you light it up. I got 1k and 1s each for their room. And that lights up after dinner. And everybody does that. And so that's the extent this tree. I have a feeling this tree is going to come. Perhaps the latest in tree time history.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Interesting that when she's talking about the trees, it cut out.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I thought you said 23rd, but that couldn't have been right.

[Culap Vilaysack]

What did you just say it again? Like.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Yeah, no, it cut out. And you couldn't have said 23, right?

[Jessica St. Clair]

You literally cut out as soon as you started to talk about was that Father Christmas?

[Culap Vilaysack]

When will the tree go up? Suchinpa cut out.

[June Diane Raphael]

Suchin break our hearts. Go ahead, tell us.

[Sujin Pak]

I'm just looking at the calendar and.

[June Diane Raphael]

Yeah, it doesn't change every year. It's the 25th.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Yeah.

[Sujin Pak]

Well, the week of the 20th. Yeah, something like that.

[June Diane Raphael]

I just.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Yeah, it doesn't get easier.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Okay, Soojin.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Okay, let's. Let's. Let's forward think real quick.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Forward, think.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Okay.

[Sujin Pak]

And also let's. Let's move on.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Nope, we're not.

[June Diane Raphael]

This is an intervention.

[Culap Vilaysack]

If anything, next year, ladies, we. We're building a she. Shed is being built just for such in. There's a full kitchen. There's a her. She's gonna have the. The closet of her dreams.

[June Diane Raphael]

Oh my God.

[Culap Vilaysack]

In a year will there be a tree in the shisha.

[Sujin Pak]

Oh, my God.

[June Diane Raphael]

Mic drop. See? She guides us. There's only one set of footsteps.

[Sujin Pak]

Coach has entered the chat. I hadn't even.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Christmas.

[Sujin Pak]

Let me just say I've lived so long in the dark, I didn't even know there was a switch on that wall. Hadn't even considered. You haven't even considered electricity.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Is it a time thing that it's not up? Is it a husband thing? Is it a.

[Culap Vilaysack]

It's a husband thing.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Youth thing. Okay. I don't feel we ever really got at that.

[Sujin Pak]

It's. It's. It's a little bit of both. A bit.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Yeah.

[Sujin Pak]

It's a husband thing because I think I would get the tree the day after Thanksgiving and. But it's A tree's alive. So we've. Then I'm like, well, I can't.

[June Diane Raphael]

The live tree. That's gonna you every time.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

But I think we could at least do the 15th with a live one. Like if we're just trying to compromise.

[Sujin Pak]

Yeah.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah.

[June Diane Raphael]

Or you leave it up longer because that's the other thing. And I. This is a whole can of worms. I really think you need to buy the ticket to the Christmas spectacular to see this.

[Jessica St. Clair]

But we had it didn't mean to.

[June Diane Raphael]

We had.

[Culap Vilaysack]

I thought it was excellent.

[June Diane Raphael]

We had an Absolutely.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Just had it I paid for it.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Out of my own money because I support the art.

[June Diane Raphael]

Well, I appreciate it, but.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

But if it'll be linked in bio. If she's got tree to extend, don't we have more Runway to back up?

[June Diane Raphael]

I know, but if we're dealing with husbands, that's always going to be the immovable force.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yeah.

[Sujin Pak]

But maybe the she shed, though. That's. That's new territory space. I mean, that's the upside down trees could be there.

[Culap Vilaysack]

I could have upside down.

[Sujin Pak]

No.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Now we're getting crazy. Let's just get one right side up.

[June Diane Raphael]

Okay.

[Jessica St. Clair]

For a single tree. Normal, normal, normal tree violence. I'm excited for you, Suchin. I'm excited for this new. I love hearing about the new addition to the village.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Me too.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Bringing me a lot of joy.

[Sujin Pak]

Good, good. I. I'm glad I could drop just one ounce of joy onto this juiciness of joy that. That happens every day.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

In a way, your ounce of joy is. Means more than all of our.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Just like excess in Christmas. We make meaning wherever we make meaning.

[June Diane Raphael]

And that so too TM the whole thing. And we all know the case. And that's what cool off knows is. Is when she said to me about my coastal tree, like, you've been coming to this for years.

[Sujin Pak]

Yeah.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

You've been hurtling towards the coastal tree. There's been no, like, history was going to take us there, you know?

[Culap Vilaysack]

Yeah. Before we leave Kasey, we're inspired by you because you have so much Christmas stuff that you have a storage unit that's very far away and it gets loaded, unloaded every year. Right.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

So Paul's idea, it's an elves that help. Yeah.

[Culap Vilaysack]

And elves that help. And Paul's idea is that perhaps at least my household and the Raphael Shear household, we do share. We do share. We combine because our. We share a storage space.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

You mean?

[Sujin Pak]

Yeah.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Amazing.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Yes. Because we are at our limit. I'm at my limit because I'll tell.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

You the name of the one I do because it's so far. It's cheaper. You just have to schedule them to come in advance.

[Sujin Pak]

Great.

[Culap Vilaysack]

That's what we like to hear.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I have a. I hope everyone wants to hear. Hears this. A moving truck comes to my home.

[Jessica St. Clair]

So.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

And to unload.

[Jessica St. Clair]

We.

[June Diane Raphael]

We understand.

[Jessica St. Clair]

But. But that's where we. We finally had. You know, And. And Casey, you've been. You've been at the forefront of a lot of these Christmas conversations because. Because you are doing things a little bit ahead and taking things to places, you know, some of us wouldn't dare go. But when Paul said, hey, we're maxed out.

[Culap Vilaysack]

We're maxed out, he's like, I need places for the bikes.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Yes. It was a moment where we looked at Coolop and said, let's join forces. And it's a one time a year trip.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Coolop and I share a Gucci jacket. You guys will share a Christmas storage space. These are natural things for friends.

[June Diane Raphael]

Well, and here's the thing. Koi fish, they grow to the size of the pond. And. And I don't want limits. I don't want limits put on us.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

I had to buy another home. I had to buy another home to find surfaces.

[June Diane Raphael]

And I support it.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

And I did it.

[Jessica St. Clair]

I know you did it.

[Sujin Pak]

You did it. So is she's grounded and heavy handed. Yeah.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Thank you so much for joining us for tree time.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

If anyone's still listening. I don't think anyone is.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Ladies, let's sing ourselves out. Oh, let's sing a carol. Let's sing a carol. What should we sing?

[June Diane Raphael]

Rocking around the Christmas tree at the half the sun holiday Everyone dancing merrily.

[Sujin Pak]

In the new old fashioned way.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Wow, they're gonna have a field day editing this.

[Sujin Pak]

There's more. Add to Cart with Lemonade Premium subscribers get exclusive access to bonus content like where we tell you about the last item we bought or returned and why. Subscribe now in Apple Podcasts.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Add to Cart is a production of Lemonade Media. Our producers are Keegan Zema and Tiffany Bui. Brian Castillo is our engineer.

[Sujin Pak]

Theme music is by Wasabi and produced by LA Made it and oh so familiar with additional music by apm. Executive producers are Culap Vilaisak, Sujin Pak, Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Whittles.

[Jessica St. Clair]

Wax.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Be sure to check out all the items we mentioned today on our Instagram D2Cart Pod. Follow add to Cart wherever you get your podcasts or listen. Ad free on Amazon Music with your prime membership. Hi everyone.

[Sujin Pak]

Gloria Rivera here.

[Culap Vilaysack]

And we are back for another season.

[Reshma Sajani]

Of no One Is Coming to Save.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Gave us a podcast about America's child care crisis. This season we're delving deep into five.

[Sujin Pak]

Critical issues facing our country through the lens of child care, poverty, mental health.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Housing, climate change and the public school system. By exploring these connections, we aim to highlight that child care is not an isolated issue, but one that influences all.

[Reshma Sajani]

Facets of American life.

[Culap Vilaysack]

Season four of no One Is Coming.

[Reshma Sajani]

To Save Us is out now, wherever.

[Sujin Pak]

You get your podcast. Why, hello there. This is your pal Sarah Silverman. You know the standup comic that's not.

[June Diane Raphael]

Afraid of a diarrhea joke.

[Sujin Pak]

Oh, my God.

[June Diane Raphael]

I'm so brave.

[Sujin Pak]

I hope you're enjoying this podcast that you're listening to. I am just dropping in here to let you know about another podcast I think you'd like, and it's called the Sarah Silverman Podcast. Each week, listeners from all over the world call in and they ask me for advice or they talk about something going on in their life, anything, their silliest, grossest, deepest, darkest situations. And then I respond, whether I'm qualified to or not. Go ahead, search for the Sarah Silverman Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

[Casey Rose Wilson]

Bye.