Bachelor Happy Hour – "Christmas Eve Traditions and Holiday Reflections | Golden Hour"

Release Date: December 24, 2025
Hosts: Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt (regular hosts, but this episode is co-hosted by Kathy and Susan)
Episode Theme: Heartfelt holiday reflections, family traditions, memorable Christmas moments, and a lighthearted Q&A revealing personal stories from the hosts’ lives.

Main Theme & Purpose

This festive "Golden Hour" episode centers on cozy Christmas Eve nostalgia and the meaning behind holiday traditions, as co-hosts Kathy and Susan share personal stories—hilarious, touching, and honest—about past holidays. The episode is sprinkled with laughter, memories, and relatable truths about family, gift-giving, and the lessons gathered with age. The pair also answer a series of personal "get to know us" questions, offering listeners a candid look into their lives beyond Bachelor Nation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Treasured Christmas Eve Traditions

• Kathy reminisces about peaceful church services with her children:

  “When the kids were young, we used to go to like a five o’clock church service... Christmas Eve to me is just a, a really beautiful, peaceful time.” (03:38)

• Susan describes gifting her kids matching pajamas on Christmas Eve, a tradition she misses now that her children are grown.

  “I liked giving the kids all one present on Christmas Eve and it was all matching pajamas.” (04:12)

2. Holiday Surprises & Standout Memories

• Disney World Reveal:
  Kathy fondly recalls a classic “big gift” moment when the family surprised her children with a Disney World trip on Christmas morning, emphasizing the thrill and magic of the reveal:

  “They started crying and screaming... I could cry again thinking about it. I’d get goosebumps.” (06:44)

• Treasure Hunt Gifts:
  Susan shares her creative scavenger hunt tradition:

  “I would have them run all over the house... after about the fifth one, they go, ‘Mom, seriously?’” (07:42)

3. Food Traditions and Family Dynamics

• Discussing traditional meals, Susan talks about the “Seven Fishes” and a family tradition of hibachi dinners on Christmas Eve—even joining her ex-husband, children, and grandchildren.

  “They always wanted to go to the hibachi... For years, that is tradition. And Susan’s going this year.” (08:34)

4. Childhood Holiday Memories

• Both hosts reflect on the differences between the magic of being a child during the holidays, versus the magic of watching your own children.
• Kathy describes a snowstorm that allowed her to spend an unexpected Christmas Eve with her dad:

  “We couldn’t... We were walking back in the snow, trudging back to their house, and we were all so excited because we got to spend Christmas with my dad.” (09:58)

5. Mishaps, Missing Gifts, and “Santa” Slip-Ups

• Both share the chaos of assembling and sorting presents late at night, including the accidental mix-up of stocking gifts and even misplacing a major gift for a year.

  Susan: “I lost it. The gold chain, like a real gold chain.”
  Kathy: “You lost it?”
  Susan: “Gone... The following year, I was wrapping gifts... It was there. I found it the next year.” (14:48)

6. Candid Holiday Q&A

The latter half of the episode features a volley of deeply personal and fun questions:

If You Could Revisit One Holiday

• Kathy:

  “I would love to see my children’s faces again when they got those tickets to Disney World.” (22:34)

• Susan:

  “I love all of them... I just still do.” (23:04)

First Holiday with Children

• Susan:

  “Chaos. I remember... And they like the paper and the boxes. It didn’t even matter what was in it.” (24:24)

On Making Naughty or Nice Lists

• Kathy:

  “If a guy is kind to me and... whispers a sweet nothing in my ear, he’s automatically on the nice list.” (26:47)

First Big Purchase

• Susan:

  “My first real job, my whole paycheck—there was a pair of these teal colored wedgie shoes... They were a hundred dollars.” (27:52)

Odd Jobs

• Kathy:

  “I was a cashier at a grocery store... Back in those days... you had to push the...you had to count the change out.” (30:03)

Childhood Moments That Still Make Them Laugh

• Kathy:

  “I was so sensitive to... that loud noise [fireworks]... And now I love fireworks. Like, the louder, the better.” (30:59)

• Susan:

  “I would entertain my parents, my grandpa. When we went to Marnata’s, I would perform.” (31:59)

Most Proudest Moments

• Susan:

  “The second proudest that I felt was when I was able to speak at my father’s funeral.” (32:36)

• Kathy:

  “I finally graduated 13 years after I started, and I walked... I was so proud that I did it.” (33:29)

Lessons Learned with Age

• Kathy:

  “I may not be perfect, but... I’m a good person. I’m the best I can be and not everyone’s gonna love me and that’s okay.” (41:53)

• Susan:

  “I don’t have to be somebody I’m not to please another person. I’m good enough.” (42:28)

Value or Truth Held Throughout Life

• Kathy:

  “I value integrity. I value doing the right thing... You do the right thing for you. You don’t do it so other people see it.” (43:32)

• Susan:

  “For me, it’s being real to people and not telling a lie because you think that’s what they want to hear.” (44:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Joy of Christmas Morning:

  “It was always their big gift... and to see their faces was amazing.” – Kathy (05:25)

• On Family Chaos:

  “We’d be up till wee hours of the morning trying to put the things together.” – Susan (11:29)

• On Holiday Mishaps:

  “People have opened gifts, I go, ‘Oh, that’s not for you.’” – Susan (11:51)

• On Honoring Loved Ones:

  “My Nana... I was the first grandchild as a girl... I was very special to her.” – Susan (44:32)

• On Self-Acceptance with Age:

  “I think I spent too much time earlier in my life trying to please other people... Not everyone’s my cup of tea.” – Kathy (41:53)

Important Timestamps

• Opening Holiday Reflections: 03:26
• Big Christmas Morning Reveal (Disney World): 05:25 – 07:03
• Family Traditions – Hibachi & Seven Fishes: 08:34
• Snowstorm Memory – Bonus Christmas with Dad: 09:07 – 10:22
• Mishaps & Missing Gifts Stories: 13:37 – 15:21
• Holiday Q&A Begins: 22:22
• Candid Reflections on Aging, Love, and Values: 41:41 – 44:22
• Final Thoughts & Holiday Wishes: 48:25 – 49:08

Tone & Style

The conversation is full of warmth, humor, and seasoned wisdom. Both Susan and Kathy freely poke fun at themselves and each other, and their old friends banter is both lighthearted and honest. Sensitive subjects, such as grief or childhood difficulties, are handled with a gentle, reflective attitude. Throughout, there’s a palpable sense of gratitude for family, friends, and a lifetime of holiday experiences.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This holiday episode serves as both a testament to the enduring magic of Christmas Eve and a candid look at the complexity of growing older, loving deeply, and finding joy even in chaos. The hosts’ stories, ranging from laugh-out-loud mishaps to moments of profound gratitude, evoke nostalgia and invite listeners to reflect on their own traditions and memories. The Q&A segment provides additional depth, drawing out values and lessons that resonate far beyond the holiday season.

Final Words from the Hosts

• Kathy:

  “That is our Christmas holiday gift to you all, getting to know a little bit more about us.” (48:25)

• Susan:

  “We wish those of you who celebrate Christmas a very, very happy Christmas. And to the rest of the world, happy, happy New Year.” (49:08)