Podcast Summary: RISK! – Holiday Stories Fan Favorites!

Date: December 25, 2025
Host: Kevin Allison
Main Theme:
A compilation of beloved holiday-themed stories from RISK!’s archives—tales that have become fan favorites for their humor, heart, and humanity. The episode features personal stories about awkward jobs, unique family traditions, small miracles, and moments of unexpected magic during the holidays.

Episode Structure & Key Segments

[03:54] Elna Baker – “For the Love of Nubbins”:
Hilarious and bittersweet account of working the holiday season at FAO Schwartz as a toy demonstrator.
[16:49] Kevin Allison – “The Allison Family Christmas Tree Hunt”:
Nostalgic family reminiscence about a quirky, tradition-filled annual trek for the Christmas tree.
[28:32] Sarah Long Hendershot – “The Present”:
Moving tale of a single mom’s struggle and the kindness of a friend during a hard winter.
[45:58] Kate Bohl – “Snow Globe”:
Poetic, atmospheric vignette about a perfect, fleeting winter connection in a Brooklyn bar.
[57:36] Post-Story Conversation: Kate Bohl & Kevin Allison
Reflections on the meaning of “snow globe moments” and life after transition.

Story 1: “For the Love of Nubbins” by Elna Baker

[03:54–16:49]

Key Points:

Elna lands a job as a toy demonstrator at FAO Schwartz—an odd hybrid between retail and acting.
Assigned to the “Lee Middleton” doll adoption center, where dolls, cradled in incubators, are “adopted” by children after a scripted interview. The line between reality and make-believe is strictly maintained for customer immersion.
The story centers around “Nubbins,” a malformed display baby doll (white with red hair and “flipper” hands, head weighted down, kept out of sight due to its disturbing appearance).
Elna and her coworkers pass slow days by inventing dark games involving Nubbins and playful challenges to break character.
Post-Thanksgiving, the dolls become so popular (after being featured on “Rich Girls”) that they sell out—first of all “white” dolls, leaving only minority dolls and Nubbins.
The ensuing weeks expose the biases of eager mothers, with Elna and team devising subtle ways to confront those prejudices (such as slyly offering the unwanted minority dolls and “accidentally” referencing a “whiter selection”).
The ultimate bet: who will be sold first, the black dolls or Nubbins? On Christmas Eve, Nubbins is finally adopted by a cold, affluent customer for her uninterested daughter. Elna, struck by her attachment to the doll and the sad absurdity of the scenario, lets him go.

Notable Quotes:

On the illusion:
“You couldn't say purchase or cost or buy because that would break the illusion of the world.” – Elna Baker [05:35]
On the customers’ discomfort:
“They would be like, ‘I'm sorry, do you have any other shades of babies?’” – Elna Baker [10:05]
Confronting bias:
“I remember once in particular, this woman, I tried to sell her a Hispanic baby, and she put her hand on mine and was like, ‘We don't want a dark child. You know what I mean?’ I was like, no, I don't.” – Elna Baker [11:50]
Bittersweet ending:
“I watch him, his head bouncing on the little girl's shoulder outside the store until I can't see them anymore.” – Elna Baker [15:55]

Story 2: “The Allison Family Christmas Tree Hunt” by Kevin Allison

[16:49–28:32]

Key Points:

Kevin reflects on the importance of cherished family memories at Christmas, while acknowledging their inherent fuzziness.
The Allisons abandoned buying pre-cut trees after watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” instead inventing an epic tradition: a road trip into rural Indiana, with a Catholic priest friend, to cut their own tree and split the Christmas Mass in half—before and after the journey.
Each retelling of the story by family members results in wildly different details, especially regarding who “shat on whose lap” during the car ride.
The annual event grew to include many families, leading to increasing chaos, misremembered mishaps, and cherished (if inaccurate) collective storytelling.

Notable Quotes:

On cherished but fuzzy memories:
“We do cherish the memories, even if we can never come to a consensus on the details.” – Kevin Allison [28:20]
On family mishaps:
“Nine out of 10 times, we couldn't get the goddamn thing in the house...there was a year where the top of the tree had to be chopped off so that it kind of looked like maybe it was going through the ceiling into the next floor.” – Kevin Allison [21:22]
On the legend of lap accidents:
“Wasn't it Becca that shat on dad's lap on the car ride up one year...?” – Kevin Allison [27:26]

Story 3: “The Present” by Sarah Long Hendershot

[28:32–43:53]

Key Points:

Set in a frigid, gray upstate New York winter; power in Sarah’s apartment is cut off before Christmas due to poverty.
Sarah, a single mother, tries to shield her 11-year-old son Shane from the full weight of their hardship, maintaining joy and dignity through small rituals: library trips, reading books by flashlight, and a special (if modest) Thanksgiving Chinese dinner.
An act of kindness from a distant friend—Paul, a bar pianist—changes everything: a surprise box filled with tip money arrives, enough for rent, Christmas dinner, and gifts.
Sarah and Shane, in turn, share their good fortune by buying gloves and McDonald’s gift certificates for neighbors in need.
The story ends on a note of gratitude for unexpected generosity and the ripple effect it can create.

Notable Quotes:

On the weight of holiday expectations:
“As the only parent, deep in your being, you want to give your child a nice holiday. These are memories your kid is going to have for the rest of his life.” – Sarah Long Hendershot [28:48]
On sudden poverty:
“You can be okay for a long time and then some unexpected thing or two things go south and then the dominoes are falling and you're suddenly in poverty... you just don't have any slack.” – Sarah Long Hendershot [33:56]
On generosity and miracles:
“There was a box sitting there... wads of paper money came shooting out onto my lap and onto the floor.” – Sarah Long Hendershot [37:09]
Closing reflection:
“That completely unexpected act of kindness kept the other dominoes from falling and it held us together. It was a beautiful Christmas.” – Sarah Long Hendershot [42:46]

Story 4: “Snow Globe” by Kate Bohl

[45:58–57:36]

Key Points:

During a Brooklyn blizzard, Kate (then a bartender, pre-transition) closes the bar early, savoring the solitude and beauty of the historic space.
A young woman appears, stranded by the storm, asking for shelter. Though reluctantly, Kate lets her in.
At first, conversation is monosyllabic, but the guest’s warmth, curiosity, and persistence draw Kate out.
At the woman’s urging, Kate plays Billie Holiday’s “Blue Moon.” The woman takes her hand, leads her around the bar, and they dance together as the snow falls outside.
The magical moment is ephemeral; the woman’s friend calls, and she leaves. Kate is left moved, changed, and quietly grateful for this “snow globe moment”—a perfect, self-contained memory lasting only an instant but transforming the whole evening.

Notable Quotes:

On the bar’s magic:
“If you squint when the cars are covered and you have the sodium lights coming down...you can imagine, almost believe that you are in the 19th century.” – Kate Bohl [46:38]
On the emotional moment:
“We are slowly dancing to her music. And the snow is falling outside the giant windows. And I can feel her warmth next to me...it’s just perfect.” – Kate Bohl [53:01]
Reflection:
“This must be what it’s like to be inside of a snow globe...just this perfect crystalline moment in time.” – Kate Bohl [56:08]

Post-Story Reflections: Kevin & Kate Bohl

[57:36–66:56]

Key Points:

Kevin and Kate get emotional revisiting the story’s beauty, simplicity, and atmospheric detail.
Kate describes how the idea of “snow globe moments” has since colored her perception of life: seeing perfect, self-contained moments everywhere.
Kate shares her recent coming out and transition, how her community and family have supported her, and how affirming it was when a friend recently asked her to dance in the same spot in the bar—echoing the original story, but now living fully as herself.
They discuss the universality of small, perfect moments and approachability of beauty if one is attentive and open.

Notable Quotes:

On snow globe moments:
“After this, I started to find snow globe moments everywhere.” – Kate Bohl [59:54]
On affirmation in transition:
“For her to put me in the woman's position was so affirming and exciting. And, you know, of course, I wept again.” – Kate Bohl [65:00]
On finding meaning in the ordinary:
“If you have your antenna out, if you are receptive...toward the beauty out there.” – Kevin Allison [63:19]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

The Bet over Nubbins vs. Minority Dolls:
The recurring, darkly funny wager among the “nurses” at FAO Schwartz is both a window into retail survival and social critique. [11:55–13:00]
The Family Mass Split in Two:
“She could say, ‘We are in the middle of a Mass.’ And that was generally accepted as, ‘Oh, shoot, yeah, she’s right.’” – Kevin Allison [20:52]
The Thanksgiving Dinner on a Paper Plate:
Sarah’s heartbreak and fast-thinking over spilled food poignantly capture the intensity of parent-child love and dignity in poverty. [32:48–34:05]
Snow Globe’s Ephemeral Beauty:
The entire dance scene and the final “this must be what it’s like to be inside a snow globe” moment. [53:01–56:08]

Final Thoughts

Holiday Stories Fan Favorites! reflects RISK’s core: unfiltered, emotionally honest storytelling that’s by turns funny, vulnerable, and profound. Each segment offers a unique angle on the complexities of holidays—the bittersweet, the awkward, the miraculous, and the quietly transformational.

Recommended For:
Listeners who appreciate “real” holiday stories—unpolished, complex, and ultimately hopeful.

Timestamps for Key Segments

[03:54] – Elna Baker: For the Love of Nubbins
[16:49] – Kevin Allison: The Allison Family Christmas Tree Hunt
[28:32] – Sarah Long Hendershot: The Present
[45:58] – Kate Bohl: Snow Globe
[57:36] – Kate & Kevin: Reflections on “Snow Globe” Moments & Life After Transition

Follow-Up & Further Listening

Find Kate Bohl on Instagram: @itbohl6
More themed episodes at risk-show.com/specialseries
Happy Holidays from RISK! “Take a risk.”

Podcast Summary: RISK! – Holiday Stories Fan Favorites!

Episode Structure & Key Segments

[03:54] Elna Baker – “For the Love of Nubbins”:
Hilarious and bittersweet account of working the holiday season at FAO Schwartz as a toy demonstrator.
[16:49] Kevin Allison – “The Allison Family Christmas Tree Hunt”:
Nostalgic family reminiscence about a quirky, tradition-filled annual trek for the Christmas tree.
[28:32] Sarah Long Hendershot – “The Present”:
Moving tale of a single mom’s struggle and the kindness of a friend during a hard winter.
[45:58] Kate Bohl – “Snow Globe”:
Poetic, atmospheric vignette about a perfect, fleeting winter connection in a Brooklyn bar.
[57:36] Post-Story Conversation: Kate Bohl & Kevin Allison
Reflections on the meaning of “snow globe moments” and life after transition.

Story 1: “For the Love of Nubbins” by Elna Baker

[03:54–16:49]

Key Points:

Elna lands a job as a toy demonstrator at FAO Schwartz—an odd hybrid between retail and acting.
Assigned to the “Lee Middleton” doll adoption center, where dolls, cradled in incubators, are “adopted” by children after a scripted interview. The line between reality and make-believe is strictly maintained for customer immersion.
The story centers around “Nubbins,” a malformed display baby doll (white with red hair and “flipper” hands, head weighted down, kept out of sight due to its disturbing appearance).
Elna and her coworkers pass slow days by inventing dark games involving Nubbins and playful challenges to break character.
Post-Thanksgiving, the dolls become so popular (after being featured on “Rich Girls”) that they sell out—first of all “white” dolls, leaving only minority dolls and Nubbins.
The ensuing weeks expose the biases of eager mothers, with Elna and team devising subtle ways to confront those prejudices (such as slyly offering the unwanted minority dolls and “accidentally” referencing a “whiter selection”).
The ultimate bet: who will be sold first, the black dolls or Nubbins? On Christmas Eve, Nubbins is finally adopted by a cold, affluent customer for her uninterested daughter. Elna, struck by her attachment to the doll and the sad absurdity of the scenario, lets him go.

Notable Quotes:

On the illusion:
“You couldn't say purchase or cost or buy because that would break the illusion of the world.” – Elna Baker [05:35]
On the customers’ discomfort:
“They would be like, ‘I'm sorry, do you have any other shades of babies?’” – Elna Baker [10:05]
Confronting bias:
“I remember once in particular, this woman, I tried to sell her a Hispanic baby, and she put her hand on mine and was like, ‘We don't want a dark child. You know what I mean?’ I was like, no, I don't.” – Elna Baker [11:50]
Bittersweet ending:
“I watch him, his head bouncing on the little girl's shoulder outside the store until I can't see them anymore.” – Elna Baker [15:55]

Story 2: “The Allison Family Christmas Tree Hunt” by Kevin Allison

[16:49–28:32]

Key Points:

Kevin reflects on the importance of cherished family memories at Christmas, while acknowledging their inherent fuzziness.
The Allisons abandoned buying pre-cut trees after watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” instead inventing an epic tradition: a road trip into rural Indiana, with a Catholic priest friend, to cut their own tree and split the Christmas Mass in half—before and after the journey.
Each retelling of the story by family members results in wildly different details, especially regarding who “shat on whose lap” during the car ride.
The annual event grew to include many families, leading to increasing chaos, misremembered mishaps, and cherished (if inaccurate) collective storytelling.

Notable Quotes:

On cherished but fuzzy memories:
“We do cherish the memories, even if we can never come to a consensus on the details.” – Kevin Allison [28:20]
On family mishaps:
“Nine out of 10 times, we couldn't get the goddamn thing in the house...there was a year where the top of the tree had to be chopped off so that it kind of looked like maybe it was going through the ceiling into the next floor.” – Kevin Allison [21:22]
On the legend of lap accidents:
“Wasn't it Becca that shat on dad's lap on the car ride up one year...?” – Kevin Allison [27:26]

Story 3: “The Present” by Sarah Long Hendershot

[28:32–43:53]

Key Points:

Set in a frigid, gray upstate New York winter; power in Sarah’s apartment is cut off before Christmas due to poverty.
Sarah, a single mother, tries to shield her 11-year-old son Shane from the full weight of their hardship, maintaining joy and dignity through small rituals: library trips, reading books by flashlight, and a special (if modest) Thanksgiving Chinese dinner.
An act of kindness from a distant friend—Paul, a bar pianist—changes everything: a surprise box filled with tip money arrives, enough for rent, Christmas dinner, and gifts.
Sarah and Shane, in turn, share their good fortune by buying gloves and McDonald’s gift certificates for neighbors in need.
The story ends on a note of gratitude for unexpected generosity and the ripple effect it can create.

Notable Quotes:

On the weight of holiday expectations:
“As the only parent, deep in your being, you want to give your child a nice holiday. These are memories your kid is going to have for the rest of his life.” – Sarah Long Hendershot [28:48]
On sudden poverty:
“You can be okay for a long time and then some unexpected thing or two things go south and then the dominoes are falling and you're suddenly in poverty... you just don't have any slack.” – Sarah Long Hendershot [33:56]
On generosity and miracles:
“There was a box sitting there... wads of paper money came shooting out onto my lap and onto the floor.” – Sarah Long Hendershot [37:09]
Closing reflection:
“That completely unexpected act of kindness kept the other dominoes from falling and it held us together. It was a beautiful Christmas.” – Sarah Long Hendershot [42:46]

Story 4: “Snow Globe” by Kate Bohl

[45:58–57:36]

Key Points:

During a Brooklyn blizzard, Kate (then a bartender, pre-transition) closes the bar early, savoring the solitude and beauty of the historic space.
A young woman appears, stranded by the storm, asking for shelter. Though reluctantly, Kate lets her in.
At first, conversation is monosyllabic, but the guest’s warmth, curiosity, and persistence draw Kate out.
At the woman’s urging, Kate plays Billie Holiday’s “Blue Moon.” The woman takes her hand, leads her around the bar, and they dance together as the snow falls outside.
The magical moment is ephemeral; the woman’s friend calls, and she leaves. Kate is left moved, changed, and quietly grateful for this “snow globe moment”—a perfect, self-contained memory lasting only an instant but transforming the whole evening.

Notable Quotes:

On the bar’s magic:
“If you squint when the cars are covered and you have the sodium lights coming down...you can imagine, almost believe that you are in the 19th century.” – Kate Bohl [46:38]
On the emotional moment:
“We are slowly dancing to her music. And the snow is falling outside the giant windows. And I can feel her warmth next to me...it’s just perfect.” – Kate Bohl [53:01]
Reflection:
“This must be what it’s like to be inside of a snow globe...just this perfect crystalline moment in time.” – Kate Bohl [56:08]

Post-Story Reflections: Kevin & Kate Bohl

[57:36–66:56]

Key Points:

Kevin and Kate get emotional revisiting the story’s beauty, simplicity, and atmospheric detail.
Kate describes how the idea of “snow globe moments” has since colored her perception of life: seeing perfect, self-contained moments everywhere.
Kate shares her recent coming out and transition, how her community and family have supported her, and how affirming it was when a friend recently asked her to dance in the same spot in the bar—echoing the original story, but now living fully as herself.
They discuss the universality of small, perfect moments and approachability of beauty if one is attentive and open.

Notable Quotes:

On snow globe moments:
“After this, I started to find snow globe moments everywhere.” – Kate Bohl [59:54]
On affirmation in transition:
“For her to put me in the woman's position was so affirming and exciting. And, you know, of course, I wept again.” – Kate Bohl [65:00]
On finding meaning in the ordinary:
“If you have your antenna out, if you are receptive...toward the beauty out there.” – Kevin Allison [63:19]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

The Bet over Nubbins vs. Minority Dolls:
The recurring, darkly funny wager among the “nurses” at FAO Schwartz is both a window into retail survival and social critique. [11:55–13:00]
The Family Mass Split in Two:
“She could say, ‘We are in the middle of a Mass.’ And that was generally accepted as, ‘Oh, shoot, yeah, she’s right.’” – Kevin Allison [20:52]
The Thanksgiving Dinner on a Paper Plate:
Sarah’s heartbreak and fast-thinking over spilled food poignantly capture the intensity of parent-child love and dignity in poverty. [32:48–34:05]
Snow Globe’s Ephemeral Beauty:
The entire dance scene and the final “this must be what it’s like to be inside a snow globe” moment. [53:01–56:08]

Final Thoughts

Recommended For:
Listeners who appreciate “real” holiday stories—unpolished, complex, and ultimately hopeful.

Timestamps for Key Segments

[03:54] – Elna Baker: For the Love of Nubbins
[16:49] – Kevin Allison: The Allison Family Christmas Tree Hunt
[28:32] – Sarah Long Hendershot: The Present
[45:58] – Kate Bohl: Snow Globe
[57:36] – Kate & Kevin: Reflections on “Snow Globe” Moments & Life After Transition

Follow-Up & Further Listening

Find Kate Bohl on Instagram: @itbohl6
More themed episodes at risk-show.com/specialseries
Happy Holidays from RISK! “Take a risk.”

Holiday Stories Fan Favorites!

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Summary

Podcast Summary: RISK! – Holiday Stories Fan Favorites!

Episode Structure & Key Segments

Story 1: “For the Love of Nubbins” by Elna Baker

Key Points:

Notable Quotes:

Story 2: “The Allison Family Christmas Tree Hunt” by Kevin Allison

Key Points:

Notable Quotes:

Story 3: “The Present” by Sarah Long Hendershot

Key Points:

Notable Quotes:

Story 4: “Snow Globe” by Kate Bohl

Key Points:

Notable Quotes:

Post-Story Reflections: Kevin & Kate Bohl

Key Points:

Notable Quotes:

Memorable Moments & Quotes

Final Thoughts

Timestamps for Key Segments

Follow-Up & Further Listening

Summary

Podcast Summary: RISK! – Holiday Stories Fan Favorites!

Episode Structure & Key Segments

Story 1: “For the Love of Nubbins” by Elna Baker

Key Points:

Notable Quotes:

Story 2: “The Allison Family Christmas Tree Hunt” by Kevin Allison

Key Points:

Notable Quotes:

Story 3: “The Present” by Sarah Long Hendershot

Key Points:

Notable Quotes:

Story 4: “Snow Globe” by Kate Bohl

Key Points:

Notable Quotes:

Post-Story Reflections: Kevin & Kate Bohl

Key Points:

Notable Quotes:

Memorable Moments & Quotes

Final Thoughts

Timestamps for Key Segments

Follow-Up & Further Listening