Coffee Convos with Kail Lowry & Lindsie Chrisley
Episode: "Choosing Your Battles: Christmas In-Law Conflicts"
Date: December 15, 2025
Episode Overview
In this lively, candid holiday episode, Kail and Lindsie dig into the perennial holiday stressors that come with family, in-laws, and managing Christmas traditions as parents. They tackle listener write-ins about Christmas in-law conflicts, childhood memories of the season, and gently rant about the chaos that comes with balancing family expectations, traditions, boundaries, and “choosing your battles” when it comes to Christmas decor, Santa, and more. The mood is classic Coffee Convos: irreverent, honest, supportive, and full of practical advice—with plenty of signature banter.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Festive Food Hacks & Mom Life
Timestamps: 01:25–04:45
- Kail suggests snack-based dinners like charcuterie plates for picky kids; Lindsie loves the idea and details how handy store snack-packs are for her twins.
- Both hosts extol the virtues of bulk shopping at Sam’s Club and Costco for family savings.
- Lighthearted debate: Are detergent pods or liquid best for laundry?
Quote (Kail, 04:12):
"It’s like you just put a pod in there, it just goes away. Why am I making a mess with liquid every time?"
2. Marketing, Packaged Drinks & Holiday Collabs
Timestamps: 04:46–08:45
- Lindsie discusses how “packaging girlies” fall for collaborations like Gain’s Wicked-themed scent beads or Alani nutrition drinks’ limited-edition flavors.
- Both have strong opinions about energy drink flavors; Kail admits to a grape soda college addiction and shares her Gatorade frustration about unwanted variety pack flavors.
Quote (Lindsie, 06:04):
"I’m telling you, if you brand the big things people have to use, the GAIN collab with the Wicked movie was genius."
3. Bar Culture & Childhood Memories
Timestamps: 09:31–16:00
- Lindsie shares childhood stories of being at “hole in the wall” bars where her mom worked/partied, reflecting on how normalized it was.
- Kail admits to reading her Kindle solo at bars for the vibe (not for drinking), triggering a larger convo about evolving views of what defines “a bar” and family-friendly vs. adult spaces.
Quote (Lindsie, 10:13):
"I spent countless nights sitting at the bar... not just in the presence of the bar, at the bar... or I’d cry in the car, either way."
Quote (Kail, 15:00):
"I’ve been to a bar and sat there by myself reading my Kindle…for the vibes. There was sports playing. I went and got some boneless wings..."
4. Christmas Decorations: To Decorate or Not?
Timestamps: 16:05–17:45
- Kail confesses she still hasn't put up her Christmas tree; Lindsie shares a friend’s controversial “tarp over the tree and store it decorated” hack.
- The hosts note how post-divorce or blended family life changes the urge and logistics of holiday decorating.
Quote (Lindsie, 16:35):
"She covers it with a tarp and puts it in the garage exactly how it is. They do not redecorate it every year. And I actually love that idea for people who do not care about the decorating itself."
5. Living in Construction/Renovation Zones
Timestamps: 19:03–23:41
- Hilarious story: Kail helps her ex-husband move a massive DIY concrete countertop and reflects on why she could never live in a chronic renovation zone.
- Lindsie relates the difficulty of construction with a big family and the impossibility of finding rental space for seven kids and pets.
Quote (Kail, 20:00):
"I go downstairs. This thing is a whole island…I said, what am I supposed to do with this?"
6. Listener Write-Ins: In-Law Holiday Drama, Santa, and Boundaries
Timestamps: 25:25–46:58
A. Santa Conflicts with In-Laws
- A listener’s in-laws declare they’ll “tell the kids the truth about Santa” if the parents keep up the tradition.
- Kail and Lindsie side with the listener: Santa is not for in-laws to police, regardless of their motives (materialism, religion, etc.).
- Discussion expands to modern challenges—social media, classroom conversations—ruining “the Christmas magic.”
Quote (Lindsie, 26:25):
"If his mother wants to start a war, I’ll hand her the sword myself."
Quote (Kail, 32:29):
"We should just be celebrating the holidays for what they are…what you do in your home is up to you. But don’t force that on others."
B. Overbearing Holiday Helpers
- Listener complains her mother-in-law “fixes” all her holiday decor: redecorating her mantle, tree, and garland.
- Lindsie: "Choose your battles. If it shuts her up, let her do it."
- Both agree it’s annoying, but unless it crosses a big boundary, it’s often better to let it go for the sake of peace.
Quote (Kail, 36:41):
"If you have a parent…comfortable enough to be doing that stuff and think they’re helping, just let it fly."
C. The Sister-in-Law Who “Shoplifts” Gifts
- Listener’s sister-in-law brings gifts, then takes them back home to incentivize visits.
- Both hosts call it “emotional shoplifting” and totally inappropriate—one of the battles to pick, not let slide.
Quote (Kail, 45:03):
"I feel like she’s emotionally shoplifting my children…If that happened to me one time, that person would never be welcome back into my home."
D. Christmas Pajama Oedipus Complex?
- Listener’s husband’s mother sends matching “Mommy and Son” PJs for them, not the rest of the family; husband sees no problem, listener thinks it’s “giving Oedipus vibes.”
- Both Kail & Lindsie think it’s deeply weird for an adult man to do exclusive coordinating pajama photos with his mom.
Quote (Lindsie, 56:31):
"If it’s a grown man and his mother only, the answer is no. We’re broken up now."
7. Gift-Giving, Kid Logistics & Holiday Boundaries
Timestamps: 47:01–53:48
- Kail and Lindsie both advocate for minimizing kid chaos: avoid dragging kids to a dozen houses on Christmas, let kids enjoy gifts at home, and adjust traditions for modern, blended families.
- Acknowledge: The pressure to perform (grateful, happy) for families all day is unfair to kids; adult family members should do the traveling.
Quote (Kail, 47:47):
"Never could I ever imagine…buy it, he opens it, plays with it, and then I’m like, 'While I’m getting my leftovers, I’m also taking your toy.' Like, that's bribery if I’ve ever seen it."
Quote (Lindsie, 50:17):
"Your kids’ memories of this are way more important than who you saw…Why are these adults not coming to you?"
8. Holiday Clutter, Storage Woes & Knickknack Banter
Timestamps: 37:54–40:07
- Lindsie laments her closetless house, leading to another tangent: Kail’s aversion to knickknacks (including her son’s wish for a 3D printer).
- Practical gifting advice: If gifting something to a kid, let them keep it—don’t make it a bargaining chip.
9. Foul Play: The Time I Traumatized My In-Law’s Dog
Timestamps: 61:36–62:36
- Listener story: Staying at boyfriend’s parents, got “overenthusiastic” in the bedroom. The elderly dog (Mr. Pickles) barged in, freaked out, peed everywhere, leading to a mortifying clean-up.
Quote (Listener, 62:02):
"Ma’am. It was me. I scared your dog with my enthusiasm."
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On boundaries:
"Choose your battle. I know, she’s one candy cane away, but… you don’t want to ruin Christmas over moving your Christmas decorations." – Lindsie (36:41) -
On intrusive traditions:
"If my man was taking matching Christmas pajamas with his mother, I’m not gonna be with you." – Lindsie (56:02) -
On practicality vs. tradition:
"Traditions are what you make them… that doesn’t just apply in co-parenting. That’s real life too." – Kail (52:57) -
On family chaos:
"My ass is sitting right here on this golf course." – Kail (54:02) -
On choosing peace:
"Sometimes the cleaners will rearrange my bookshelves. And I'm like, oh, that looks nice." – Kail (35:49)
Key Timestamps for Important Segments
- Meal & snack hacks: 01:25–04:45
- Bar culture & childhood reflections: 09:31–16:00
- Listener in-law Santa drama: 25:25–32:29
- Mother-in-law decorating boundaries: 34:09–37:05
- Sister-in-law gift "shoplifting": 44:46–47:01
- Pajama Oedipus Complex: 54:47–56:31
- Holiday boundaries and kid logistics: 47:01–53:48
- Foul play dog story: 61:36–62:36
Episode Tone & Final Thoughts
The hosts keep the conversation relatable, irreverent, and supportive. They offer a safe space for listener venting but don’t hesitate to call out weird, harmful, or boundary-crossing in-law behavior—while also encouraging practical peace for things that ultimately don’t matter as much.
Their takeaways:
- Choose your battles; don't lose your mind over decor, but don’t let anyone emotionally blackmail your kids.
- Holiday magic is made at home, on your terms—a hill worth dying on is letting your kids be comfortable, safe, and happy, not managing adult egos.
- Own your family’s unique traditions, set (and keep) necessary boundaries, and let go of "performing" Christmas for relatives.
For busy parents and those who haven't listened, this episode is a must for solidarity, humor, and tactical tips for holiday sanity—in-laws and all.