Unpacking Money Lessons from Your Favorite Christmas Movies

Summary

Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel

Episode Summary: "Unpacking Money Lessons from Your Favorite Christmas Movies"

Release Date: December 19, 2024
Host/Authors: Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
Produced by: Ramsey Network

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1. Introduction and Setting the Tone

The episode kicks off with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel embracing the festive spirit, humorously tackling their shared disdain for eggnog while setting the stage for a deep dive into the financial lessons embedded within beloved Christmas movies.

• Rachel Cruze (00:05): "This is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about."
• George Kamel (00:21): "With a little gag, too. I don't like it."

---

2. Christmas Movies and Financial Lessons

a. Elf (05:00)

Rachel and George discuss the modern classic "Elf," focusing on Buddy the Elf's unwavering truthfulness and its relevance to financial integrity.

• George Kamel (05:09): "You sit on a throne of lies."
• Rachel Cruze (05:23): "You have $400,000 in debt without a mortgage. Please break that down for us."

Key Lessons:

• The importance of honesty in financial dealings.
• Recognizing and avoiding deceptive practices by credit card companies.

b. It's a Wonderful Life (06:34)

The duo reflects on the timeless film "It's a Wonderful Life," highlighting the value of friendships over material possessions.

• Rachel Cruze (07:13): "Remember, no man is a failure who has friends."
• George Kamel (07:30): "People are priceless."

Key Lessons:

• Prioritizing relationships over consumerism.
• The significance of contentment in achieving financial well-being.

c. Christmas Vacation (08:51)

"Christmas Vacation" serves as a cautionary tale about financial planning and the pitfalls of living beyond one's means.

• Rachel Cruze (11:53): "Don't count the chickens before they hatch."
• George Kamel (12:24): "You can't live your life just on the edge all the time."

Key Lessons:

• The necessity of maintaining an emergency fund.
• Avoiding impulsive financial decisions to reduce stress.

d. Home Alone (12:27)

In "Home Alone," the hosts extract lessons on frugality and strategic financial planning.

• Rachel Cruze (12:37): "Bless this highly nutritious microwave macaroni and cheese dinner and the people who put it on sale. Amen."
• George Kamel (14:17): "The power of home ownership."

Key Lessons:

• The benefits of homeownership as a wealth-building strategy.
• Effective management of home equity to eliminate debt.

e. A Christmas Story (18:06)

"A Christmas Story" is analyzed for its portrayal of budgeting and gift-giving within financial constraints.

• Rachel Cruze (24:24): "I want an official Red Ryder Carbine Action, 200-shot range model air rifle."
• George Kamel (24:40): "Communicate your budget and boundaries early."

Key Lessons:

• Setting and adhering to spending limits for gifts.
• The importance of planning and open communication in family finances.

f. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (26:55)

The episode concludes its movie analysis with "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," emphasizing the true meaning of Christmas beyond materialism.

• Rachel Cruze (27:12): "It doesn't come from a store."
• George Kamel (27:15): "Memories are made by meaningful interactions, not gifts."

Key Lessons:

• Fostering gratitude and contentment.
• Valuing experiences and relationships over possessions.

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3. Personal Stories and Financial Insights

Rachel and George share their personal Christmas experiences, intertwining anecdotes with financial wisdom. They discuss the significance of contentment, the impact of inflation on holiday spending, and strategies for maintaining financial health during the festive season.

• Rachel Cruze (07:52): "Friendships are priceless. It's a beautiful thing, just being content."
• George Kamel (24:40): "Communicate your budget and boundaries early to avoid last-minute stress."

Key Insights:

• Emphasizing relationships and personal well-being over excessive spending.
• Encouraging proactive financial planning to alleviate holiday stress.

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4. Promotions and Recommendations

Throughout the episode, Rachel and George recommend valuable resources to help listeners manage their finances effectively.

• DeleteMe Promotion (16:58):

  • Rachel Cruze (17:04): "Delete Me takes all your information off data broker websites, protecting your personal data."
  • George Kamel (17:34): "Use Delete Me to reduce spam and protect against identity theft."

• Cozy Earth Promotion (21:16):

  • Rachel Cruze (21:22): "Cozy Earth offers luxurious sheets, blankets, and PJs with up to 40% off for listeners."
  • George Kamel (22:01): "Take advantage of Cozy Earth's discount for quality, comfortable gifts."

Discount Codes:

• Delete Me: Listeners can get 20% off at joindeleteme.com using the code smart money.
• Cozy Earth: Use the code smart money for up to 40% off products.

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5. Eggnog Review (33:00)

In a festive twist, Rachel and George review their homemade upgraded eggnog, incorporating financial assessments alongside taste tests.

• George Kamel (33:37): "This eggnog costs $2.72 per glass and is a premium mix with cognac and spiced rum."
• Rachel Cruze (34:26): "I give it a 5 out of 10 because it's not my favorite, but it's not bad."

Ratings:

• George Kamel: 9 out of 10 – "It's a great eggnog if you like eggnog."
• Rachel Cruze: 5 out of 10 – "It's not my drink, but it's decent."

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6. Interactive Segment: Guilty as Charged (35:00)

The interactive segment, moderated by producer Kelly, explores personal confessions related to Christmas gift-giving, fostering a relatable and engaging atmosphere.

• George Kamel (36:07): "Have I peeked at a Christmas gift? Yes – I searched online to check box sizes."
• Rachel Cruze (35:06): "I didn't peek because I didn't know where the gifts were hidden."

Key Takeaways:

• Sharing vulnerabilities creates a connection with listeners.
• Emphasizing the importance of embracing the surprise and joy of gift-giving.

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7. Conclusion and Final Thoughts (33:02)

Rachel and George wrap up the episode by reiterating the core themes of gratitude, contentment, and generosity. They encourage listeners to embrace meaningful interactions during the holidays and make wise financial decisions to enjoy a stress-free Christmas.

• Rachel Cruze (33:06): "The meaning of Christmas is much more gratitude, contentment, generosity."
• George Kamel (34:31): "Enjoy your stuff and make thoughtful, impactful gifts."

Final Messages:

• Maintain financial boundaries to ensure a joyful holiday season.
• Focus on building and cherishing relationships over accumulating material wealth.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Rachel Cruze (00:05): "This is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about."
• George Kamel (05:09): "You sit on a throne of lies."
• Rachel Cruze (07:13): "Remember, no man is a failure who has friends."
• George Kamel (12:24): "You can't live your life just on the edge all the time."
• Rachel Cruze (17:04): "Delete Me takes all your information off data broker websites, protecting your personal data."
• George Kamel (33:37): "This eggnog costs $2.72 per glass and is a premium mix with cognac and spiced rum."
• Rachel Cruze (33:06): "The meaning of Christmas is much more gratitude, contentment, generosity."

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Key Takeaways

• Honesty and Integrity: Upholding truthfulness in financial matters leads to greater trust and stability.
• Prioritizing Relationships: Valuing personal connections over material possessions fosters long-term happiness and financial well-being.
• Financial Planning: Establishing emergency funds and avoiding debt ensures a stress-free holiday season.
• Contentment: Embracing contentment and gratitude over consumerism enhances overall life satisfaction.
• Smart Spending: Setting budgets and communicating financial boundaries prevents overspending and promotes financial health.

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Recommendations for Listeners

• Implement Financial Lessons: Apply insights from classic Christmas movies to your financial planning.
• Utilize Resources: Take advantage of recommended services like Delete Me and Cozy Earth to manage finances and personal well-being.
• Engage with Loved Ones: Focus on building meaningful relationships and creating lasting memories during the holiday season.
• Plan Ahead: Communicate budgets and set spending limits early to alleviate holiday stress and ensure a joyful celebration.

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Merry Christmas and happy financial planning from Rachel Cruze and George Kamel! 🎄💰

Transcript

[Kelly]

Foreign.

[Rachel Cruz]

Hey, guys, I'm Rachel Cruz. I'm George Camel, and this is Smart Money Happy Hour. Cheers, George.

[George Camel]

Cheers. Well, that puts the spirit in Christmas spirit. I'm gonna tell you that right now, Rachel.

[Rachel Cruz]

With a little gag, too. I don't like it. But this is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about. So everything from pop culture, current events, and money.

[George Camel]

And let me just say, Rachel Mar. Christmas.

[Rachel Cruz]

Merry Christmas as well.

[George Camel]

And I cannot stress this enough. La la la la la la, la, la.

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, thank you, George. So part of the Christmas spirit always is the films that we engage in every holiday season. And they actually have a lot of lessons that we can learn, not just in life and love and the Christmas season, but also our money.

[George Camel]

Great tease.

[Rachel Cruz]

We're gonna dive into that today.

[George Camel]

Expertly done.

[Rachel Cruz]

But before we do. I know. I just don't like it. And I know what it is right.

[George Camel]

Out the gate, and I know what it is. We are sipping on an upgraded eggnog, so.

[Rachel Cruz]

Eggnog? Yeah.

[George Camel]

Not Rachel's favorite at all.

[Rachel Cruz]

You either love it or you hate it, right?

[George Camel]

You seem to be a little bit Scrooge.

[Rachel Cruz]

Ish. We're still gonna drink it. Let's be honest. We don't waste a.

[George Camel]

Someone spent a lot of time on here.

[Rachel Cruz]

And it's beautiful.

[George Camel]

And money.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's beautiful.

[George Camel]

So we're gonna give you the rating and reveal the cost per glass at the end of the episode. So stick around for that.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. So we should, like, set the Christmas vibe, the tone, if you will.

[George Camel]

Okay.

[Rachel Cruz]

Can you give us, like, a little Mariah to.

[George Camel]

How was that?

[Rachel Cruz]

That's really good, George. That's really good.

[George Camel]

You said it like a mom who had to be proud of her kid for doing, like, the worst cartwheel ever.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, it really sounded good, though. Well done. You can carry a tune.

[George Camel]

Thank you. You have to do a real. Just. Back of the throat. Breathiness, man.

[Rachel Cruz]

She's everything.

[George Camel]

Do you want to give it a go or.

[Rachel Cruz]

No?

[George Camel]

Okay. That's your Christmas gift to all of us.

[Rachel Cruz]

Maybe four eggnogs in. We might, but I'm not. Not now. What Was that? The 90s? Like, the 90s Christmas?

[George Camel]

Sure.

[Rachel Cruz]

I saw something on Instagram. It was a video, like a. From a home camera. Like, the old school home camera, like, at a local mall. Like, that's all it was. It was just like a B roll of, like, the mall in, like, 1994. And it just takes you back. Like, there's just something about the 90s.

[George Camel]

You know, I think we could admit Christmas was more special back then.

[Rachel Cruz]

I really think so. Is that age or is that culture?

[George Camel]

I think both. But also, we've just. In the digital age, you just lose something when you're just like clicking add to cart. It just shows up. There's something about going to a physical place and choosing the item and seeing the excitement as a kid.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yep. And you got, you know, tacky sweaters that were actually not tacky then. That was the style.

[George Camel]

Now they're back in trend. I can see you're wearing one.

[Rachel Cruz]

Snow days. This isn't a snow day.

[George Camel]

I just wanted to see if you'd go with me on that.

[Rachel Cruz]

Unbelievable.

[George Camel]

It's a great sweater.

[Rachel Cruz]

Did y'all ever have snow days up where you were?

[George Camel]

Massachusetts.

[Rachel Cruz]

In the north, sir.

[George Camel]

Yeah. In Boston. A snow day. I remember watching the morning, you know, news. But y'all would get them really show up.

[Rachel Cruz]

Is that real, though? Because usually up north you don't get snow days because it's just part of the world.

[George Camel]

It'd have to be like a nor'easter. A blizzard. Like something that was. You'd look outside going, we're not going to be able to shovel this in time to get up the car out.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. Wow. Yeah.

[George Camel]

And we don't remember. They don't have a lot of garages up north. It was a lot of driveways. So your car is just under snow. Buses. If buses can't get to you, party's over.

[Rachel Cruz]

Done. So, yeah, yeah. We got out of school a lot here in Nashville and it was great. But I did love, man. Remember Fox Family, that channel?

[George Camel]

Oh, my gosh.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Yeah.

[George Camel]

You just triggered something for me.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know.

[George Camel]

Core memory, man.

[Rachel Cruz]

Those were. Those were the days. But the Christmas movies would always be playing on tv. Still are. It's where I go back to my old school cable. That's where cable comes in. Comcast doesn't leave you hanging on Christmas. Wow. You can turn to AMC.

[George Camel]

You might as well have said we TiVo all the Christmas movies. That was impressive.

[Rachel Cruz]

Anyways. But Christmas movies, do you watch the.

[George Camel]

Classics with the kids? Like, do they still like it or do they want to watch the modern?

[Rachel Cruz]

They want to watch the modern. But I do want to make them watch a couple of like, just the classics.

[George Camel]

Have they ever watched a movie 4 by 3 ratio versus the 16x9?

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm not sure the measurements you speak of.

[George Camel]

Well, you know, like a square TV style movie versus a widescreen movie.

[Rachel Cruz]

Aren't they all on the same screen now?

[George Camel]

Never Mind. Never mind.

[Rachel Cruz]

Shorten the screen.

[George Camel]

Some of us didn't take a film class. And it shows.

[Rachel Cruz]

Do they.

[George Camel]

Know your ratios?

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, but my question is for real. Will there be.

[George Camel]

They expand it for TV these days.

[Rachel Cruz]

So how will you know?

[George Camel]

You wouldn't. Unless you can.

[Rachel Cruz]

You can see it and you're like, that was expanded. Wow, George, you're so smart. Unbelievable. But anyways, today we are going to go through some classic, iconic Christmas movies and some of the famous quotes that came out of them because again, we can learn something from them.

[George Camel]

You're going to get a money lesson out of these or your money back.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right.

[George Camel]

How about that? What are we kicking it off with?

[Rachel Cruz]

This is a more current classic, but it has become a classic. Elf.

[George Camel]

Elf is the modern classic.

[Rachel Cruz]

I mean, funny. Still funny to me. What's the best quote?

[George Camel]

Buddy the Elf. What's your favorite color?

[Rachel Cruz]

Buddy the Elf. What's your favorite color?

[George Camel]

That's a good one.

[Rachel Cruz]

Should we answer like Ramsey show calls like that?

[George Camel]

Now, I would love nothing more if we just got to ask people their favorite color instead of be like, no. Tell me more about your $160,000 in credit card debt. That'd be way more fun.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, you have $400,000 in debt without a mortgage. Please break that down for us. What's your favorite color? And we all could just live in a happy childhood world.

[George Camel]

I use this elf quote more than I should. But I say this. You sit on a throne of lies.

[Rachel Cruz]

You sit on a throne of lies.

[George Camel]

That's a great one. Because Buddy tells the truth no matter what. He genuinely wants everyone to win. And I feel like you need someone like that in your corner when it comes to money.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Someone who would tell you the truth.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right. And to know who is throwing out the lies and out there in the world, credit card companies.

[George Camel]

I thought you were pointing to me. I was like, what have I lied about?

[Rachel Cruz]

You speak truth.

[George Camel]

That's true. No, One of the things I try.

[Rachel Cruz]

To do, it's a lie. I mean, what they're. What they're dangling out in front of you for a bigger and better life and taking away your peace. Liars.

[George Camel]

And some of it's not even malicious. It's just the credit card companies really happy, joyful marketing about how they're going to give you financial freedom with your 2% cash back.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, but they also know they're making a crap ton of money off of.

[George Camel]

People billions while charging you 25% APR.

[Rachel Cruz]

You sit on a throne of.

[George Camel]

So listen to us. Cause we'll tell you the truth.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, next one. This is one of my favorites. Might be. I'm gonna go top. Sorry. It could be in the number one slot.

[George Camel]

Okay.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's a Wonderful Life.

[George Camel]

Mmm.

[Rachel Cruz]

George Bailey cry every year.

[George Camel]

Is it the transatlantic accent for you?

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. I do love. We've talked about this on the show. I do love a good accent.

[George Camel]

That's part of the charm.

[Rachel Cruz]

It is. But I. Do they do it in color now? Talk to me. Film school grad. Oh, is that weird?

[George Camel]

I didn't graduate. Come on now. I took a class.

[Rachel Cruz]

But yeah, they put it in color, which I honestly think I prefer the black and white.

[George Camel]

Does it sort of ruin the imagination part too distracting?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I guess so. But man, when George Bailey at the. I mean, it's just a. It's just a really good movie. I just love it. So.

[George Camel]

Okay, give us a quote.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes. Remember, no man is a failure who has friends. That's a good one. Because I do think, especially in this, like, you know, consumer part of the year. I'd say Christmas is part of that. We do get wrapped up a lot in the stuff.

[George Camel]

Just stuff.

[Rachel Cruz]

And we talk a lot about, you know, you as a whole person is so important to being a healthier version of you. Right. And so money is part of that. But when we constantly feel like we're finding our value and our worth and our stuff, and that stuff can be taken away any moment. Yeah. It's just a scary place to be. So relationships, the stuff money can't buy, which I would include friendships in that.

[George Camel]

That's a good one. So people are priceless. And here's the thing. Don't let money, stress or disagreements compromise the relationships. Especially around the holidays. It's easy to get into some of those heavier conversations. I just personally avoid it. If I have friends who I know it's going to be a blow up argument, I go, I'd rather be your friend than be. Right.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. And I don't want to blow up argument around Christmas.

[George Camel]

Well, just money, conversation and, oh, if stuff starts, politics and who knows what else you can get into.

[Rachel Cruz]

Christmas. Yeah. You know, not worth it.

[George Camel]

Not worth it.

[Rachel Cruz]

But friendships are priceless. It's a beautiful thing, just being content.

[George Camel]

With the stuff you already have.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. It's great.

[George Camel]

That's a powerful place to be as an adult.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes. No, not. Not where not to put your joy in stuff, but in relationships and people you love.

[George Camel]

And you've written a lot about this with your books.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Contentment's a Big. It's a big part of life and a big lesson to learn money wise, too. If you can have the discipline of contentment, you can do a lot.

[George Camel]

You will win with money.

[Rachel Cruz]

You can do a lot for yourself.

[George Camel]

Good lessons there. Okay, next up, Christmas vacation.

[Rachel Cruz]

In my top three, I'm gonna go number two is the can.

[George Camel]

I guess the third one, is it four Christmases?

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, my gosh, George. Yeah, I think it would be.

[George Camel]

She is known.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wow, what a good friend you are.

[George Camel]

I just had a feeling.

[Rachel Cruz]

Priceless, George. I feel like she's gonna go priceless.

[George Camel]

She's going with the comedy.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. But Christmas vacation, funny.

[George Camel]

Great one. Still holds up.

[Rachel Cruz]

Hilarious.

[George Camel]

I watched it fairly recently and I was like, oh, this was pretty edgy back then. Like, I'm surprised parents let their kids watch it.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Oh, man. I mean, just. It's just quote after quote after quote after quotes.

[George Camel]

Would it be indecent to ask the grandparents to stay in a hotel?

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, so great. Yeah. Yeah. Are we at the airport? Clark, Grandma. Aunt Bethany.

[George Camel]

Oh, yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

That was a funny one, too. She gets up and doesn't pray, but says the pledge of allegiance and they all stand up and I know.

[George Camel]

Here's the question. Do your family and families travel a long way and pile into the same house, or do you spread out?

[Rachel Cruz]

Team hotels, family. No, we're all at the house.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. And it's Knoxville, so it's two and a half hours.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

So not. I wouldn't say that's a long way for some people that, you know, pile in and take a big road trip, but no. Yeah. And his parents, they have, like, two rooms for the grandkids, too, so they all have bunk beds and they, like. Yep. Put the kids. Put the kids away. But his sister lives in Knoxville, so they usually go home.

[George Camel]

That makes sense if you're local.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. How about you guys?

[George Camel]

Yeah, I mean, we have to travel. You know, family's in Boston and family's in Florida, so we generally stay at the house. I think it would be considered rude.

[Rachel Cruz]

Not to both families for the holidays of Florida. Ann. Wow.

[George Camel]

George did Thanksgiving in Boston, and then we're gonna drive to Florida for Christmas, actually.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, so you pick one.

[George Camel]

Whitney and me are flying, and I'm gonna be driving with the pups solo.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wait, I'm so sorry. Say this all again.

[George Camel]

Whitney and me are flying because they're queens. They don't need to be in a car for eight and a half hours. I will be driving solo with the dogs in the back, and they'll Likely drive back with me.

[Rachel Cruz]

Do you not get a dog sitter?

[George Camel]

The dogs can hang for this trip.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. Yeah. How long are you gone for?

[George Camel]

A full week.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. It's pretty serious down to Florida. Yeah, man. So you're driving eight hours for the dogs?

[George Camel]

Well, we could all fly and leave the dogs, but I think it's. It's just finding a dog sitter for the week of Christmas. It feels like a lot to ask. And I'm not gonna bored them. That's too much trauma for my dogs.

[Rachel Cruz]

You don't board them.

[George Camel]

They're very sensitive, emotionally very weak. Very weak. They wouldn't survive. You know.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know what? You're a good.

[George Camel]

It would be like me sending my dogs to prison. They're going to come out a little different.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, my gosh.

[George Camel]

It's just different. You got to have a dog that's emotionally strong enough to hold. To handle. Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

To hold their own.

[George Camel]

Nothing wrong with boarding. Hear me say that. My dogs just cannot handle it. It's about the weakness of my dogs.

[Rachel Cruz]

And I think we can all say Clark Griswold wish he had an emergency fund because a lot of things came up in that movie.

[George Camel]

He was a fly by the seat of his pants kind of guy.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I know. And he spent the Christmas bonus before he even got it.

[George Camel]

Dangerous.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's tough too, y'all. So, yeah, there's a lot we could learn from old Clark.

[George Camel]

Don't count the chickens before they hatch.

[Rachel Cruz]

Clark. Manny announces the swimming pool. And then the Jelly of the Month club comes in.

[George Camel]

Oh, that's right.

[Rachel Cruz]

Just terrible.

[George Camel]

But here's the thing. You can't live your life just on the edge all the time. No emergency fund. Just hoping that's too stressful of a life. And as you can see in the movie, it's a great example of what can happen on the outrageous side. But for a lot of people, Christmas is stressful. You know what's happening every year. There's no reason not to start saving up with a sinking fund. Not to have an emergency fund. So be prepared.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, next great one. Home alone.

[George Camel]

This one was near and dear to my heart.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, this is a good one. So the great quote is, bless this highly nutritious microwave macaroni and cheese dinner and the people who put it on sale. Amen.

[George Camel]

I think that's a George Camel quote right there. I actually prayed that with you right now. Yeah, I thought it was.

[Rachel Cruz]

I wanted to be so moving. Kevin McAllister. What a guy.

[George Camel]

Cheers to inexpensive meals at home.

[Rachel Cruz]

And we Always wonder, what did the dad do that flies everyone to Paris and lives in this massive house, Man. Do you ever get nervous the pizza delivery got or no, no, no. That it was the cop? That the cop who shows up isn't really a cop.

[George Camel]

Oh, I didn't think about that.

[Rachel Cruz]

Do you ever ask for, like, can you ask a cop for id? Like, I need to make sure you're a cop.

[George Camel]

Yeah, but if you got a badge, I'm like, I don't know. Is that a real badge? You can fake an ID pretty easy. I don't know.

[Rachel Cruz]

I don't know. There's something to learn there. Some identity theft.

[George Camel]

Well, here's the thing. Is there a police car that looks legitimate outside?

[Rachel Cruz]

That's a good question. All right, we gotta.

[George Camel]

Dude just walks up to my door, I'm going, how'd you get here, man?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Walking around the neighborhood, patrolling, man.

[Rachel Cruz]

Do you know the name of the gang they, like they call themselves?

[George Camel]

As soon as you said that, I left my brain.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, oh, okay. So they have one name in Home Alone. 1. And then number two in New York is a difference.

[George Camel]

Oh, Sticky Bandits.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, that was New York. Okay, what's the first one? No, don't tell him. You both use cheaters.

[George Camel]

Well, just tell me then.

[Rachel Cruz]

The Wet Bandits.

[George Camel]

Wet Bandits. I don't know. Sticky was in my brain and then.

[Rachel Cruz]

Sticky was New York. That was good.

[George Camel]

Wow. I didn't know they had a name change. Yeah, good for them.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know. The Sticky Band.

[George Camel]

I guess you gotta change it up so no one catches you.

[Rachel Cruz]

And that mansion, George, that they lived in, Big house sold for 1.6 million in 2012 and now is on the market, ready for this for 5.2.

[George Camel]

Wow, that's some serious appreciation.

[Rachel Cruz]

Talk about some equity if they were owning that house, man.

[George Camel]

So if you're thinking about buying it, may we suggest a 15 year mortgage on 5.2 million? I feel like that'd be a pretty high payment, but this is a good lesson in the power of home ownership.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, for sure.

[George Camel]

I mean, just buying a home, getting it paid off, having the home appreciate over time, it's a wealth building hack. In our millionaire study, we found that people with a net worth of a million bucks or more, one third of their net worth was made up of their home equity.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes. You know, I talked to a lady today, and she had two homes, she had her primary home, and then she had another home that she bought as a rental property. Well, she was like, I want to be debt free. So she's selling the Rental property, and the equity on it was $320,000. She's paying off her primary home and paying off her mom's home that still owes 62,000 on it.

[George Camel]

That is incredible.

[Rachel Cruz]

Isn't that great? So, anyways, yay for real estate. But it's very high right now, so if you can get in and you have a great emergency fund and no debt and a good down payment of at least 5%. Get in there, girl.

[George Camel]

Get in the game. Get your foot in the door.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Next up on the docket, Miracle on 34th Street. Oh, was that a classic for you?

[Rachel Cruz]

Can I. I was gonna say, can I have a little confession?

[George Camel]

We'd appreciate honesty around here.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yep. I think I've seen it once.

[George Camel]

Fair.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know y'all. I know. It's not one of my. It's not one of my Go to.

[George Camel]

I might say the same. It wasn't a movie I watched every year.

[Rachel Cruz]

No. Yeah, they had the one with, like, the little girl who's Matilda.

[George Camel]

That's right. That was a 1994 edition.

[Rachel Cruz]

And I think that may have been the one side. I don't think I ever saw the Black and white one.

[George Camel]

1947.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wow.

[George Camel]

Where were you? Can you imagine, like, World War II ends, and they're like, you know what we should do? Should make a nice little Christmas movie. That's a crazy thing to do about Santa. We need some positivity around here.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, what's the question?

[George Camel]

If you can't believe or if you can't accept anything on faith, then you're doomed for a life dominated by doubt.

[Rachel Cruz]

Geez.

[George Camel]

Pretty heavy. For, like, a sweet little Christmas.

[Rachel Cruz]

That'll preach.

[George Camel]

But that's a really good life.

[Rachel Cruz]

Sometimes faith and Kris Kringle need to come together and just make the world a little better.

[George Camel]

What are you choosing, A life dominated by doubt or a life of belief and faith and hope?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yep. So good.

[George Camel]

That's pretty good.

[Rachel Cruz]

I love that.

[George Camel]

I think that with money, this happens a lot. We get cynical. We're doubtful that we can ever get out of debt. We're doubtful we can ever build wealth. And what happens? You never get out of debt. You never build wealth.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Yeah. The belief is huge. The belief in Kris Kringle and for your financial future of really believing, like, okay, I'm going to believe in faith and hope and that I can do things with my life and my money and make wise decisions that can have a great outcome to help my life.

[George Camel]

So keys to a great. Believe in Santa and believe in debt, freedom.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right. All right. But Santa isn't the only one with his personal info going around town, George.

[George Camel]

Whoa.

[Rachel Cruz]

Which is why we recommend and why you need delete me in your life.

[George Camel]

If they can get Santa's address of North Pole off the Internet, I will be impressed. Yeah, that's a good one.

[Rachel Cruz]

So delete me goes in and takes all your info on all these data broker websites. It's like your name and your address and your number and all of this. And they remove your data, which is a really big deal in our world today. I mean, seriously, we have so much of our information out there and it can be sold, it can be traded, and they're making money off your info and so get it out of here.

[George Camel]

Yeah. If you ever been worried about spam and scam and these text message and phone calls, then get delete me and you will sleep better at night knowing your information is not out there. And truthfully, I've gotten way less spam this past year after using Delete Me.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's amazing.

[George Camel]

And so go check them out. They're giving our listeners 20% off any of their [e-mail] smart money. Or you can click the link in the description.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, up next is a Christmas story and the quote is, I want an official red rider carbine action, 200 shot range model air rifle.

[George Camel]

If I had a nickel for every time I've said that.

[Rachel Cruz]

This is not one of my favorites either. I'm going to say it.

[George Camel]

Was it because of the pro gun agenda? What's going on here? Is that why young Rachel was like, I don't like this?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. I don't know, it just was not a movie that like, I find it a little boring. It's a little slow for me.

[George Camel]

Yeah, you need fast paced action.

[Rachel Cruz]

But I love It's a Wonderful Life.

[George Camel]

So like you need either fast paced action or transatlantic accents.

[Rachel Cruz]

Maybe that's what it is. Did you like, do you like It's a Wonderful Life? Oh, yeah. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. A Christmas Story.

[George Camel]

No, I can't say it was very impactful on my life. It didn't shape who I am as a man today.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I see it on TV a lot during the Christmas season and it's not one that I'm like, oh, I want to like DVR it.

[George Camel]

Yeah, well, you know, it's very much about stuff. Maybe that's why dvr. You're one step away from Tiva.

[Rachel Cruz]

I was hoping you would appreciate that one.

[George Camel]

George, tell us about Your VHS rewinder while you're at it?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Uh huh. Okay. So is there. Was there a Christmas gift as a kid that you were like, this is what I want. So spend specific.

[George Camel]

Oh man. There was a Nickelodeon thing. You shoot a light at a wall and then you can draw on the wall.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, that's cool.

[George Camel]

I still don't know how they do it, but that was my favorite.

[Rachel Cruz]

I still think about it is like a projector.

[George Camel]

I've searched on ebay for it to see if I can find one.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, funny.

[George Camel]

Yeah, yeah, it's somehow. It's a really bright flash.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

And then it kind of creates like an image on the wall and you can actually like with a marker and draw a finger. I don't remember how it worked, but yeah, you could like draw pictures just with light and eventually it would fade as the.

[Rachel Cruz]

How cool.

[George Camel]

I don't know.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wow. Technology of Nickelodeon was.

[George Camel]

Someone will let me know in the comments what it was, cuz.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh yeah, let us know.

[George Camel]

How about you? I imagine Christmas was like crazy at the Ramsey house.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, no, not really.

[George Camel]

Nothing. No gifts.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, I mean gifts. But is that crazy?

[George Camel]

But like, were you like, oh my gosh, I got the xyz.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm trying to think what I. Barbie Jeep.

[George Camel]

What was the thing for you?

[Rachel Cruz]

There was, there was like probably all the Barbie stuff. A Tamagotchi was big and a boombox. I got a boombox one year and it was a big deal because you could put your tape recorder in with CD as well. Yeah, it had cd, cd, tape. You know what else I got? Same on the electronic wagon was a CD alarm clock so you could wake up to a cd. And I had Samantha Mumba.

[George Camel]

I could have guessed it. The one song you knew for the first 20 years of your life was just Samantha. What was the name of the song?

[Rachel Cruz]

Mamba. Oh my gosh, it's time for school. We gotta get up.

[George Camel]

Are they playing guitar on a keyboard?

[Rachel Cruz]

7Th grade. Rachel's getting her caboodle out. Putting our. Putting our contacts in caboodle.

[George Camel]

Do you remember this song?

[Rachel Cruz]

Anyone? Anyone?

[George Camel]

Why was that the voice of every, I don't know, singer back then? Very like Britney Spears esque. Totally Christina in there.

[Rachel Cruz]

Totally. Anyways, bring me back to 2000 when the world was peaceful and good.

[George Camel]

Well, I hope you've graduated to better gifts, Rachel. And maybe something quality, comfortable, practical.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know, that reminds me of Cozy Earth.

[George Camel]

Exactly. Way better than a boombox.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know, it's true. You know, Cozy Earth, they got the clothes, they got the Sheets. They got the blankets. You got everything you need.

[George Camel]

PJs.

[Rachel Cruz]

I mean, cozy.

[George Camel]

It's in the name. It's.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's a very appropriate name for this because it is the softest stuff. It is like. It's amazing. Our sheets. It might be my favorite. The sheets are my joggers. I'm not sure I'm gonna.

[George Camel]

That's a tough topic.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's a hard one.

[George Camel]

So, ladies, if you're buying for the guys, skip the nose hair trimmer. It's offensive. Just buy one outside of Christmas to tell us that we need to trim our nose hairs.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, gross.

[George Camel]

But instead, what did Winston get that he loves? He got a nice hoodie, didn't he?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. And he paid full price for it.

[George Camel]

Does he not know we have a Smart Money Happy Hour discount?

[Rachel Cruz]

I think it was before all of that. Yeah, we gotta get. Yeah, you. He will use the discount. You all need to use the discount because it's a great one this time of year. So use it and enjoy your stuff.

[George Camel]

And I hope Whitney's not listening, but my wife wants. She has the PJs in blue. She's craving them in brown.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, really cute. You can get her a different color. They're giving us up to a 40% off discount.

[George Camel]

Amazing.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's a lot. So make sure when you're checking out that you use the code smart money to get that discount. And, man, enjoy. And you're welcome. Merry Christmas.

[George Camel]

Wow. I love the confidence. If you get the post purchase survey, let them know you heard about Cozy Earth on Smart Money Happy Hour. We appreciate that.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, next up, A Christmas Carol.

[George Camel]

I don't even remember this.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know this is what this is. Mickey Mouse. Oh, the Mickey Mouse.

[George Camel]

We're all looking at each other like.

[Rachel Cruz]

Is it Scrooge?

[Kelly]

Well, it's originally a Charles Dickens novel.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, I know it is. Thank you. But it's time.

[George Camel]

To my childhood Ghost of Christmas Past. That's all you need to know.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Mickey Mouse had a version there. Listen. Okay, so the quote is, these were shadows of things that have been. They are what they are. Don't blame me. Wow. It's real.

[George Camel]

Why does this. He sounds like a Gen Zer.

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, no, he's an 1800s er.

[George Camel]

They are what they are. Don't at me. It's like, what energy is this?

[Rachel Cruz]

It's an 1800s or what that is.

[George Camel]

Yeah, I guess. I guess Gen Z often sounds like the Ghost of Christmas Past.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, but I think that. I think the key here Is that you don't want to take your money habits that were in the past with you to the future.

[George Camel]

That's right. And accept some responsibility. Enough with this. Don't blame me. Like, I didn't know. You have to take responsibility for all of the money mistakes from the past. Own it and go, hey, that's fine. I'm gonna get better in the future. I'm going to get out of this debt. I'm not gonna make the same mistake twice.

[Rachel Cruz]

Good. Yeah. Charles will be proud of us.

[George Camel]

I think so.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Love it. All right. This is one of my three funniest Christmas movie. I think of all time. Poor Christmases. Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon. I mean, they are. It is.

[George Camel]

It is at their best.

[Rachel Cruz]

Literally makes me laugh every year and I still know what's coming.

[George Camel]

It holds up for an old school kind of comedy.

[Rachel Cruz]

I mean, it's so funny. So the quote is, I didn't know there was a $10 spending gap.

[George Camel]

We've all been there.

[Rachel Cruz]

So listen. Yeah. We're not gonna be embarrassed if this Christmas looks different for you, you know, than past Christmases. Cause, you know, life is expensive these days. Inflation is just up, up, up, and it feels like, oh, my gosh. It just takes a lot of a.

[George Camel]

List of, like, 14 people you're buying.

[Rachel Cruz]

For to buy gifts. It's a lot. So. So don't be embarrassed if it's, you know, a Christmas that you're on a tighter budget. But also, it's probably a little too late for this episode, but maybe for next Christmas, talk about it. Draw names, have a spending, you know, limit. And that's. I think that's great. I think everyone appreciates that.

[George Camel]

Yeah. Just communicating your boundaries, communicating the budget that you're comfortable with the expectations. And do it as early as possible. Don't wait until the ninth hour.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Just, hey, in October, November, call up the family and go, hey, what's our plans? Here's what I'm thinking.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. One thing from the movie that Winston I have implemented in the year across the year is like a code word. Because in the movie, if they have to leave the in laws house, they're like mistletoe. That's their code word to get out of there.

[George Camel]

Yep.

[Rachel Cruz]

And Winston and I come up with code words in social situations. I want to know mostly for him, if I hear it changes every time.

[George Camel]

Okay. Do you remember?

[Rachel Cruz]

It could be like Taylor Swift or it could be, you know, we'll just like throw it out before we go somewhere.

[George Camel]

What if your accidentally comes and holds.

[Rachel Cruz]

My hands like, I really, you know. How was that Taylor Swift concert? I'm like, he's ready to go. We gotta wrap this up. I've never used the code word, as you can imagine.

[George Camel]

Oh, I was gonna say. Well, I was like, rachel could never have code word Taylor Swift. Because four seconds into the party, she'd be like, oh, my gosh, did you hear the new Winston's? Like, we have to go.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's so true. That's so true. Yeah, but we've. Yeah, we'll do that.

[George Camel]

Well, we have a physical version where show the. Squeeze the hand.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

You know.

[Rachel Cruz]

What was that?

[George Camel]

It was me. PTSD from Whitney squeezing my hand. And after I've been at a party for far too long, trying to escape a conversation that I cannot escape because I am a people pleaser. And here's what I do, Rachel. I will double down. I will be like. So tell me exactly what happened in fourth grade. And we talked about fifth. And I'm like, I'm trying to get out of it. And I'm somehow.

[Rachel Cruz]

But you keep asking more questions.

[George Camel]

I'm asking more questions.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah, you gotta wrap too much.

[George Camel]

I'm a terrible. I must be secretly from the Midwest because I cannot say goodbye.

[Rachel Cruz]

Can I say goodbye? Just keep on going. Keep on going. All right, let's end with a. With a classic, a cartoon, and a real person movie classic. How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

[George Camel]

One of Jim Carrey's best.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes. And Whoville. Cindy Lou, who had a great quote. I think it was her. Maybe it was the narrator. Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more. I think that was the narrator. Did I sound like a narrator?

[George Camel]

You actually did.

[Rachel Cruz]

But it's really so true. It doesn't come from a store. George.

[George Camel]

Christmas and you talk a lot about comparison. And we mentioned contentment earlier. This feels like one of those. Like, it's a hokey thing to say, but there's so much depth and truth.

[Rachel Cruz]

But it's so true. Yes. And I feel like, honestly, the memories of Christmas that you have, it is more of like, oh, that funny conversation or that time everyone couldn't stop laughing or, like, there's always a thing that happens. It's really not about the gift. Gifts. We talk about gifts a lot, but, like, that's not really what people remember, I don't think.

[George Camel]

Yeah. I feel like, the memory for me when I just think Christmas as a child. I remember just wrapping gifts with my mom. Didn't matter What? I don't remember what the gifts were.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, yeah.

[George Camel]

But I just remember helping her. Like, I would get all the tape, and I'd put a piece of tape on each finger, and I would be ready with more tape.

[Rachel Cruz]

What a helper.

[George Camel]

And I just love that. I love that. I didn't care about the gifts necessarily, but so that's a. You know, it's. It's more about the quality time.

[Rachel Cruz]

And Mrs. Camel, were they ones that were like. You had to wait on the stairs. Dad had to get the video camera. I mean, it felt like years before we could come downstairs.

[George Camel]

Well, we do a very Camel tradition, which is everyone. Cousins, aunts, uncles, Christmas Eve, and then we open all the gifts together. Oh, okay. We're talking 35 people. There's music. It's 1am we might get to the presents eventually. Kids are hopped up on sugar. We're having a good time.

[Rachel Cruz]

So fun.

[George Camel]

So Christmas morning was less about gifts and.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

More just taking it easy sleeping.

[Rachel Cruz]

If you go to Boston still and.

[George Camel]

Someone dresses up as Santa and comes through the front door. I have heard this sombrero.

[Rachel Cruz]

Santi Cross. Santi Cross.

[George Camel]

Yes. Honestly, a decent accent. Offensive to all people, but accurate.

[Rachel Cruz]

You do it. Do your accent.

[George Camel]

When I do it, it's not. I can do it. You know what I mean? Like, check my 23 in me. I can pull it off. But Santy Claus is pretty. That's pretty good. I love that you remember that.

[Rachel Cruz]

I remember you saying it. Say it.

[George Camel]

No, I won't do it now. I want to leave the audience with your version in their mind every year.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's what I remember.

[George Camel]

It's so much funnier hearing your version. I want that burned into the memory of Smart Money happy ever since.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, my gosh. Anyways, that's a good.

[George Camel]

But, yeah, Christmas Eve was our gift. Opening time. Christmas morning was like, setting it up, playing with it all. Carolers come to the door from the church.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wow.

[George Camel]

Mom's making baklava coffee. Oh, yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

That was a different Christmas than mine. That sounds really idyllic.

[George Camel]

It was. Was yours like craziness on Christmas morning?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. I mean, it was just like us kids getting up and we had to wait on the stairs. Well, they had to get the video.

[George Camel]

Camera one gift at a time.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know, they would set up the video camera on a tripod.

[George Camel]

Oh, that's smart.

[Rachel Cruz]

And you would just film it.

[George Camel]

Who's they?

[Rachel Cruz]

Mom and dad.

[George Camel]

Okay.

[Rachel Cruz]

And then it sounded like there was.

[George Camel]

A team of filmmakers. Crew would come, set up early.

[Rachel Cruz]

They all came. You Know some lights and. Yeah, yeah, you had a way. And it was usually just us. My aunt, my mom's twin, Sharon and Karen.

[George Camel]

Sharon and Karen.

[Rachel Cruz]

How can you forget Aunt Karen And Uncle Mac would come and actually Uncle Mac sometimes dressed up as Santa.

[George Camel]

Oh, that's fun.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. So great, George. Well, listen, I think I am fully in the spirit. And you know what? I got you a little something.

[George Camel]

George, you would not believe this. I did too.

[Kelly]

What?

[Rachel Cruz]

In the same.

[George Camel]

In a very similar bag. Different color.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. Shall we exchange?

[George Camel]

We also shop for the $1 bag at Target.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know.

[George Camel]

Love that. For you. Okay, let's exchange gifts.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. Here you go.

[George Camel]

Thank you so much. You could have reached a little further, but it's fine. All right, you go first.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right.

[George Camel]

You know what it is?

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, wow. A light bowl for my toilets. Thank you, George.

[George Camel]

One of the all time best gifts you can give someone.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm gonna. I'm gonna use it. I'm gonna introduce this to the cruises and I'm gonna be just okay.

[George Camel]

And you. Wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

What color do you choose?

[George Camel]

I prefer a light blue. It feels clean.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, yeah, yeah, I hear ya.

[George Camel]

Yeah. Green toilet. That's weird. Red toilet. Danger, danger. Yellow. We're letting that mellow caution. So I think a nice light blue, not an aggressive blue.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, orange is too much like the. Okay, I may go purple. Purple.

[George Camel]

Seems purple is actually a safe color.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, it feels right. All right. Thank you, George. I so appreciate that.

[George Camel]

I hope that blesses you.

[Rachel Cruz]

It does.

[George Camel]

Thank you. No. Can I tell you though, recently ours broke and now in the middle of the night, it's tumultuous. I'm like figuring out, I mean, you're stumbling through. Cuz I don't like turning lights on in the middle of the night, you know, waking up people.

[Rachel Cruz]

Do you have like street lights that are coming through like some level, some window?

[George Camel]

No, no street light. Everything's closed off. I don't want none of that coming in.

[Kelly]

Right.

[George Camel]

All right. What did Rachel get me? A woofie. Oh my God.

[Rachel Cruz]

For your high maintenance dogs.

[George Camel]

The thing I didn't know existed and didn't know I needed. So you clip it to any phone, you add a treat to it so the dog looks directly at the lens for all photos. That is actually something I will be using more than I would care to admit. Oh my gosh. Thank you so much.

[Rachel Cruz]

You're so welcome.

[George Camel]

I feel so known. And they donate a percentage of the sale to local animal shelters. They don't say what percent, they just say 8%. And I appreciate that woofy.

[Rachel Cruz]

That they're honest while being.002%. We don't know.

[George Camel]

But, you know, speaking of generosity, Rachel, it's powerful. So if you want to give a thoughtful, impactful gift, way more impactful than a woofy. Here's your reminder. Ramsey is wrapping up its 50 days of Christmas deals. Right now. We've got best selling books and products, including from my friend Rachel Cruz, up to 30% off. Just go to ramseysolutions.com this is your last chance. Depending on when you're listening, it might be over, but go to ramseysolutions.com and check it out.

[Rachel Cruz]

So great. All right, you guys. Well, I don't know. I think there's a lot to learn in this episode. I think the meaning of Christmas is.

[George Camel]

Much more gratitude, contentment, generosity. Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

There's a lot to embrace and we hope that you are enjoying time with your family too. Maybe you guys are traveling as you're watching or listening this to the people you love. Or maybe, you know, it's a Christmas at home this year and that's beautiful too. So regardless of what your plans are.

[George Camel]

It'S a free show. So we appreciate your frugality this Christmas season. Not trying to add to it.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, before we head to guilty as charge, let's tell us about this eggnog drink. Did you see? I almost finished it.

[George Camel]

I'm impressed. Yes. This is the upgraded eggnog. And that's because it's got some cognac.

[Rachel Cruz]

In it versus what? What's other. What do you usually spike eggnog with? Bourbon.

[George Camel]

You could do bourbon, you could do whiskey, you could do rum. Okay, those are good ones. Cognac feels a little bit uppity.

[Rachel Cruz]

It is elevated.

[George Camel]

It's a little more French. It's got whole egg heavy cream, maple syrup, and St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, which is a spiced rum.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, okay. Very nice.

[George Camel]

So you're getting a mix the spiced rum with the cognac in there. $2.72 per glass. That's actually a really good price for the ingredients involved here.

[Rachel Cruz]

Not terrible. Not terrible.

[George Camel]

So make a batch for the adults. Make a non alcoholic batch for the kids if they're into eggnog, and check out the recipe in the show notes.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, what's your rating?

[George Camel]

I'm gonna give this one more sip. I'm gonna go nine out of ten.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wow.

[George Camel]

I think it's a great eggnog. If you like eggnog.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know I'm going 5 out of.

[George Camel]

10, but I could not improve on it. If I was craving an eggnog, I would go, this is exactly what I'm needing.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I don't think I crave an eggnog. So that's why I'm giving it 5 out of 10. Just on my drink. Not my drink.

[George Camel]

That's fine.

[Rachel Cruz]

But it wasn't bad. It's just not what I would order.

[George Camel]

So just know that if you like eggnog, don't take Rachel's word for it.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, George, it's time for guilty as charged. And this is where our producer, Kelly, gives us a new guilty charge question every week. And if we're guilty, we take a sip. Kelly.

[Kelly]

All right. Have you ever, as an adult or as a kid, peeked at your Christmas gifts?

[Rachel Cruz]

Wow.

[George Camel]

If we admit it, are we gonna get coal? It's one of those where, like, do we keep this to ourselves?

[Rachel Cruz]

Honestly, I don't think I did. Cause I don't think I knew where they were. Like, they were hidden under the tree, so. Well, see, they. Yeah. See, it wouldn't. Ha. We wouldn't.

[George Camel]

Was this, like, elf on the shelf in your family? What was going on?

[Rachel Cruz]

They don't come till Christmas morning.

[George Camel]

Oh.

[Rachel Cruz]

So. Yeah. So.

[George Camel]

No, they weren't just, like, sitting under the tree all week.

[Rachel Cruz]

Because you'd know mom had. As we got older and she got bougie, she had fake presents under the tree for decoration.

[George Camel]

What a Christmas.

[Rachel Cruz]

But, like, the real gifts came Christmas morning, so, I mean. No, I don't think I ever did. I don't think I did.

[George Camel]

You ever try to, like, find out, like, kind of.

[Rachel Cruz]

I think I probably. I'm sure I looked at, like, interrogation and looked in places and closets. I'm sure I did that. That's not. That's not above me.

[George Camel]

Feels like something you would do.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Not above me.

[George Camel]

You've admitted to cheating on a test once.

[Rachel Cruz]

How about you?

[George Camel]

Have I peaked? No. Have I gone to great lengths to figure out box sizes and search those sizes online to see if it measures up? Yes.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, wow.

[George Camel]

I would. I'm scared to shake things because you never know what's in it if it's sensitive. Like, what if she got me the china I've always wanted and now I shake it and the china breaks.

[Rachel Cruz]

And it shatters. And it shatters.

[George Camel]

But, no, I truly feel like you should not peek. It's just way more fun versus ruining.

[Rachel Cruz]

You shouldn't. But also, when you're a kid and you're curious.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

You're gonna wanna. You're Gonna wanna see.

[George Camel]

I think I had too much childlike innocence and joy.

[Rachel Cruz]

We're so pure.

[George Camel]

Yeah, that's true. We've lost that.

[Rachel Cruz]

I bet Kelly does.

[George Camel]

Kelly seems like a good.

[Rachel Cruz]

Did you find him?

[Kelly]

My sister and I used to. We would do this. You tell me one, and I'll tell you one if we knew.

[George Camel]

And then that's called collusion.

[Kelly]

It was very, very much collusion. And then one year, she and I, we traded our big gift. Like, we told each other the big gift that we were getting. And then we were both really sad about it because I knew, like, I knew I was getting a new bike.

[George Camel]

And then it was like, see? It ruins it.

[Kelly]

Yeah, it ruined it.

[George Camel]

And you feel guilty. Yeah. Cause now you have to fake the response.

[Kelly]

Right. So my mom thought that we were unwrapping our gifts to figure out she didn't know we were telling each other. So she decided one year to have color schemes. No tags. And, like, this is the 80s, so a lot of burgundy and hunter green. But my sister was, like, green and gold, and I was green and silver, but she mixed it up halfway through the season.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Kelly]

Yeah. And my sister's eight years older than I am, so I was getting, like, car key rings, and I was 10.

[George Camel]

And, like, what is happening?

[Kelly]

She was getting toys.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, now y'all wrapping up? Yeah. Yeah. Unwrapping the wrong gifts.

[Kelly]

It was mayhem that Christmas morning.

[Rachel Cruz]

There you go. See? Memory memories.

[George Camel]

Yep. Memories were made by peeking.

[Rachel Cruz]

There you go. I love it. So good. Well, you guys, it's closing time. Thank you so much for listening and watching.

[George Camel]

My heart was warmed by this episode and the cognac. I think the cognac is also warming.

[Rachel Cruz]

And if you want to keep the holiday vibes going, make sure to check out our episode on unique money traditions from around the world. And if you want to stay connected, make sure to follow us on social.

[George Camel]

All the things we thought. Send us drink ideas. That's how I've been getting some of those. Send us your guilty as charged questions. We might feature them.

[Rachel Cruz]

Always fun. And, yeah, we'll see you guys next Thursday on an all new episode of Smart Money Happy Hour.