A (3:36)

You know what's so crazy is that every year I go, I think to myself when I'm taking down my tree and Christmas is done and we're in the new year, I gotta decorate earlier next year. I gotta decorate earlier next year. Well, guess what? It didn't happen again. It's such a crazy part of the year for me. And I do not like how the last two years, because Thanksgiving is so late, it really chomps into the Christmas time. So I love it. I love when my house is decorated, my outside. I love my Christmas lights outside. I love coming home at night and seeing them like everything. It's just good times and hot cocoa and more movies by the fire. I just absolutely love the Christmas time. What about you?

B (4:27)

I'm getting better.

A (4:28)

Okay.

B (4:29)

I was not always a Christmas fan. Obviously I liked it when I was a kid and then, you know, it was always a lot of travel and stuff like that. So I just, it seemed like, I mean, I always called it stressmas because it seems like you're always trying to just, you know, I've gotta buy this and I've gotta do this. And then Susan came into my life and she's a big.

A (4:50)

Is she big on Christmas?

B (4:51)

She loves Christmas. So she likes a very specific kind of tree and we decorate the same kind. So since she's come into my life, I'm getting better every year. I also, as the. The older I'm getting, I feel like Christmas happens every weekend. Like, I put away the. I feel like I put away the Christmas decorations and the next weekend I'm pulling them out again. Like, it just happens really fast.

A (5:12)

So fast.

B (5:13)

But this is also going to be the, you know, the first Christmas with the grandkid and we're actually celebrating, you know, up in, you know, up with the family. So we're traveling a little bit. We're going to get to see the grandkid with his first kind of his eyes w open. And so that's going to Be a lot of fun. And. And I'm looking forward to that. And then I love all the kind of the food. I'm a big fan of the Christmas food, the cookies. My Susan is a wonderful baker, so she spends days on days on days. She loves making cookies. So she makes bags and bags and bags of cookies for people. And we're giving them out all over the neighborhood and to friends and stuff like that. So it becomes kind of a cookie making factory around here. And it is. It becomes very pretty to have the tree up and you get the smell of Christmas and. But it's also, you know, I grew up on the. The east coast where when it was Christmas, it was cold. You would usually get snow if you get, you know, so here, where it's like, oh, wow, it's 72 degrees and it's Christmas. It just. It's not kind of the same. But that's what you're used to.

A (6:11)

Yes. And I mean, as a matter of fact, we were thinking at one point, I'm still. It's kind of up in the air of whether or not we'll be spending Christmas here down in Orange county or if we're gonna go up to Big Bear. We do go up to Big Bear. I'm hoping that there might be some snow.

B (6:28)

There should be, right?

A (6:29)

Yeah. Because I really haven't had, I don't think ever a white Christmas, which is something that I've always dreamed of, you know, And I've been on the road, I've been on the. On touring and stuff during Christmas time. Been in New York, you know, Rockefeller Center. I've done that.

B (6:48)

New York, New Yorker on. Christmas is cool.

A (6:50)

It really is magical. I've done that kind of stuff, but not like on Christmas Day, you know, so it would be nice to be in snow. I do think that we don't get that best kind of Christmas like the East Coaster or people that live in the areas of snow do.

B (7:06)

Yeah. What. What are some of your, like, straight up Christmas traditions that you have to do every year?

A (7:12)

This one, I was actually just. Someone just asked me about it and it's been a Christmas tradition for as long as I can remember as my family makes tamales.

B (7:21)

Oh, yeah, you told me about that. You were supposed to save me some last year.

A (7:24)

I know. And we went through and we barely made any because we only really had like half of a day to do them. And it's a long process.

B (7:32)

Right.

A (7:33)

And now, you know, that has just become. Become so grueling. And my dad usually, he calls it like the tweener time. And it's in between Christmas and New Year's that we try to get together. Then it started getting closer to November, Thanksgiving, because our schedules during the holidays have just gotten so packed to get together and do like a. It takes ultimately two days because my. We prep and that's like a half a day.

B (8:03)

We.

A (8:03)

We put them all together for a day, and then the second part of that day that puts together is when they're cooking and the next day. So it's a long process.

B (8:12)

Yeah.

A (8:12)

When you're doing a lot. We used to do dozens and dozens. Like, that was what. Like how sue does cookies.

B (8:17)

Yeah.

A (8:18)

That's what we would come to Christmas parties with or, you know, give to our friends. Is bags of tamales and you can freeze them. And now. Okay.

B (8:25)

I don't know. Stupid question. I don't know a lot about them. Tamales do. Are they different? Do you have, like a chicken tamale, a beef tamale, veggie, or.

A (8:33)

We do. We do chicken, beef, and veggies.

B (8:36)

What's. What's your favorite?

A (8:38)

I like. Oh, gosh. I. I don't ever do the veggies because it just is. It's maza. And, like, I really like either the beef or the chicken, but it just depends what kind of mood I'm in if I'm wanting a chicken and green or beef and red sauce, you know, it just kind of depends. I've tried my hardest to master a sweet tama something. My great grandmother, I guess I. I unfortunately never met her, but she used to make these, like, cinnamon and raisin, and then she had one with, like, chocolate and banana of some sort. I try and fail almost every year with them. Kind of give it up on them. But, yeah, that's mainly ours now. The new. The new mainstream tradition that I have started now this is three years, is Elf on the shelf.

B (9:31)

Oh, okay. We just talked about this on Pod meets World. How people can go crazy with this stuff.

A (9:36)

I don't know why I trapped myself into doing it, because it is so stressful to like. Because, you know, make waiting until they go to bed and then getting. Or getting up early enough in the morning before they get out of bed.

B (9:51)

Before the elf doesn't move itself.

A (9:53)

I know it's wild. And I just said that. And then luckily, when I was at Jingle Ball for iHeart, there was one of the gifting. In the gifting suites, there was a thing and they just gave me like a. They've got the. And I had really no idea how great these packages are. They have 24 days of elf. And it's like a. Wow. It's a box with all the little things and the notes and the this, and you just put it together, and it's great. Versus me scouring the Internet looking for these, like, top notch ideas of what to do for.

B (10:24)

I saw. I saw one of the funniest ones that just said, I'm never letting my husband do elf on a shelf again.

A (10:29)

What it was.

B (10:30)

They had taken a mixer, like, so you know the mixers that spin and made it into a Barbie on it. No, he put. Yeah, he put a Barbie on it so it looks like she's pole dancing. And then the elf is sitting there with dollar bills all over the place.

A (10:42)

I know. I really want to do that. You know why I begged. I will not beg. I put this incredibly ridiculous, expensive mixer on my wedding registry, Right. And I got it for a really great price because it got. Kept getting down, downsized in. But. But Jordan's like, what is this? With this, like, mixer, you've never. I've never seen you do. You don't bake. You don't. And I'm like, I need this mixer. And then I'm. I also got the extensions for the homemade pasta. And all these extensions you can buy. We've been married now seven years. Never once have I pulled it out. Never once have I used it. But I really want to do that elf and not do a Barbie, but do the elf. Like, help. And it be a cookie day. I really want to, just so I can look at Jordan. See?

B (11:29)

See? I used it. I used it.

A (11:31)

The mixer has been used.

B (11:32)

Oh, God, that's funny.

A (11:33)

But then I'd have to actually make cookies, and that just seems like a lot of something.

B (11:37)

Yeah. Sue's got all the, like, the old school she does the way her mom did. So she's got, like the old. It's like this big metal gun that you. You turn the top and then you pop the cookies out for these old kind of German. Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So she makes those, and then she makes, like, the best cookies in the world. So she picks every year. She's like, all right, I'm gonna do these things. Three or four cookies, and then she'll pick and they'll change every year. Like one or two of them the same, but then she'll add two new ones. Oh, it's just. It's wonderful.

A (12:01)

I love it. I'm such a Cookie monster, too. I'd be eating all of them.

B (12:05)

She's so good at it. Hey, it's dramas from the Life as a Gringo podcast, and on this important episode, I'm unpacking how machismo culture and the need for validation can lead to a toxic relationship with sex and why real masculinity means protecting your partners and prioritizing your sexual health. We talk about the word validation, but really a lot of it is also like my lack of self worth during that time, right. You know, I needed somebody else to tell me I was worthy essentially, right? And whether it was my guy friends, whether it was a woman, you know, and you want attention. And again, you're trying to get attention from the quote unquote right people. And the unfortunate part about this, like succumbing to sort of that peer pressure of society in general is you end up hurting a lot of people along the way. And then you also put yourself in a position to negatively affect your own health, both emotionally and physically. You can listen to this special episode of Life as a Gringo brought to you by Healthy Sexual from Gilea sciences on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

A (13:18)

Hi everybody and Happy Holidays. Let's talk about those two words and what it really takes to keep your holiday happy. Because let's be real. Sometimes the happiest season could use a boost. Between wrapping gifts, juggling plans, and keeping up with Santa's mischievous elves, happy can really get hectic. But hold up. There's no reason to be holidays. Mi gente. Pause for a second, grab a Coke and with one sip, you're right back in Mary mode. A refreshing, effervescent Coca Cola break is this season self care. Whether you're a boss, multitasker, the host with the most, or, I don't know, actually, Santa Claus, you deserve a second to reset. So if things are getting a little too jingly jangly, breathe, center yourself, have a Coke and get back out there fresh, festive and ready to slay like Santa slay. You know I made a pun. You're welcome. Enjoy a Coca Cola refresh your holidays Felices Fiestas mi gente. You know me, I'm all about sharing love, especially during the holidays. For me, that comes from giving and connecting with people. So this year I decided to make the season super intentional. Stocking up on gifts for my friends and family, wrapping up some amazing smartphones, just making sure everyone feels seen and spoiled because I love making people feel special. Honestly, that's my ultimate recharge. And holiday gifting has never been easier with T Mobile. I can get the latest 5G smartphones. Get in all in one place. And the best part, switching to T mobile only takes takes 15 minutes per line. That's even faster than Santa's reindeer. So if you're like me, what better gift than connection? What better gift than a 5G smartphone from T mobile? They'll use it every single day and know you care. Call 1-800-T-Mobile to talk to a bilingual mobile expert on the phone. Visit your local store or the Tealife app so you can switch today and connect with Los Tuyos. Check out in 15 minutes or less per line. Visit t mobile.com this mood check is brought to you by State Farm. Porque tu bieng estar tam bien Mercedeccion que tal mi gente honey. German Checking in. Contigo. Take a second Literal mente un momentico para T. How's your corazon feeling today? If it's a little tired, a little. Oof. You're not alone. Have you eaten algorico? Taken a deep breath, maybe even turned off your phone for cinco minutitos. I promise the memes will still be there. Sometimes self care isn't candles and meditation. It's just saying no. It's drinking a little bit of agua. It's letting yourself rest. Simpena, you don't have to prove anything today. Just be breathe. Estas haciendo lo mejor que puedes. And yes, that's enough. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

B (16:05)

The other one we do is every year when we decorate our tree. She pours a glass of wine, puts on the same exact music, and then cries with every ornament because it's like, oh, this is the one of our dog who's not with us anymore. And this is the one of my grandmother gave me the. So we that's our joke is it's like, well, there's a glass of wine and tears. We are ready for Christmas.

A (16:23)

I put we, Jordan and I put the elf on and we've done this since we've been together, since our first Christmas. We put elf on and we decorate our tree. And then he holds our our dog and puts the star on like that. Pictures of it every year.

B (16:40)

Is that gonna change now with the little ones? Does one of the little ones get to go on his shoulders and put the star up? No, because you can't pick which one of the kids it's gonna be.

A (16:48)

No, it just remains the dog. The dog is held and it's the same picture every year. We'll just Keep it that way. So because we get high trees, we get like 10, 11, we're. We go.

B (17:00)

You go big.

A (17:01)

We go big with them, especially now that we've got a higher ceiling. And so we love doing that. But yeah, that's just. I love that. And you have. I remember you told me you watch A Christmas Story by myself.

B (17:14)

Wrapping my presents.

A (17:15)

Presents, yes.

B (17:16)

Every year in my little theater, I watch. I watch put on the same movie. And it's so funny. I was at a convention last weekend and they had a whole Christmas story set up where it was the. The actual fire truck that, that came to help the guy who put flick who has his finger on the. Or tongue on the thing. And then there's the. All the kids that were in the classroom with Ralphie were all there signing autographs and it was their picture and then the line they had. So it was like the guy who said, oh man, it's the fire department. Like, that guy was there signing autographs. So it was. They had the Red Rider set up. And then Higby's, the store that they go to, like that whole thing was set up. So it was, it was a fun little thing. So, yeah, really got. That always gets me in the, in the Christmas mood. But yes, I bought a single gift, yet not a single gift.

A (18:02)

Okay, this is. Will actually now, I guess become a tradition. I don't mean to do it same thing as my decorating. I'm going to start buying presents. However, I am a person that typically starts. Actually, it might get something here and there if it just pops up in front of me somewhere. December 19th, December 20th is when I start doing it. I'm not kidding. And if I can't get it on Amazon and delivered fast enough, it's just not a present that's going to get. And I will tell you, I save money on the holidays because I do that. These people that go to Black Friday and they start buying them in September, in October, you still get to it. You forget about everything that you bought so early on and you keep going because the Christmas spirit just drives through you throughout the entire time and you end up spending. I just talked to a girlfriend, she ends up spending so much money. I go, how much do you think you spend? And she said, I think last year I. I spent between five and six thousand on. On presents. Because I said, thousand dollars? Are you kidding me? I said I didn't spend near that much, not even half that much. Unless it was. Unless it ever is. Like for Jordan, like two years I got him His Traeger. He really wanted a Traeger. If it's a big gift, like a golf club set or something like that. But on my kids, no, I'm not spending that much money. There's no room to put that many toys. They've got so many toys. Unless they're willing to donate all of their toys that they have now. Am I gonna spend that much money on Christmas?

B (19:42)

That's crazy.

A (19:42)

But. And I. She goes. I go, wow. And she goes, well, you know, I start in September, I start doing some things. And I go, well, that's why she goes, yeah. By the time I forget all the things, by the time I go out to start wrapping them, I pull them out every year and go, holy cap, I forgot I bought this. Oh my God. And I'm like, no. See, last minute is it's there or it's not. You get it or you don't. You guys, I love you. I will still get you gifts throughout the year. This is not the only time you're getting gifts. So this is it. Like, I'm not. I don't need to do a thousand gifts under the tree, you know.

B (20:16)

I agree. Well, thank you everybody for joining us on this, well, magical night, frankly. And hopefully the new tradition you can start is going back and watching old episodes of Magical Rewind and screaming at us about how we could possibly think that brink or double teamed isn't as good as it was when you watched.

A (20:34)

It when you were or triumph when you find out that the Johnny Tsunami is in fact a nightmare.

B (20:39)

A great movie. Yes, exactly. So thank you everybody. Have a wonderful, safe holiday. And don't forget, it's not just your family that you're gonna be with, but if you can also do something nice for a stranger, hey, how's that bad thing? Thanks everybody and have a great holiday. Did you know Microsoft has officially ended Support for Windows 10 upgrade to Windows 11 with an LG Gram laptop? Voted PCMag's Reader's Choice top laptop brand for 2025. Thin and ultra lightweight, the LG Gram keeps you productive anywhere. And Windows 11 gives you access to free security updates and ongoing feature upgrades. Visit LGUSA.com iHeart for great seasonal savings on LG Gram laptops with Windows 11. PCMag Reader's Choice Used with permission. All rights reserved. Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any ideas into an Investable Index with AI it all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index, and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like EFTs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available@public.com Disclosures A new year.

A (22:47)

Is on the horizon, and your 2026 savings start here. Right now. You can access the Washington post for just $2 every four weeks. Head into the new year with six months of savings at this special intro rate. After that, it'll cost $12 every four weeks. Cancel anytime. You'll get unlimited access to trusted journalism that helps you understand the year ahead and the world around you. Now's the perfect time to subscribe because great habits and great savings start together. Go to washingtonpost.com iheart that's washingtonpost.com iheart and start your year informed with the Post. This is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA in adults with obesity?

B (23:31)

They may be happening to you without you knowing.

A (23:34)

If anyone has ever said you snore loudly, or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability and concentration issues, it may be due to osa. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don'tsleep on OSA.com this information is provided by Lilly, a medicine company. This is an I Heart Podcast. Guaranteed human.