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Kelly
Welcome to the Carpool podcast with Kelly. If you drive a Subaru, you have a real Christmas tree.
Mary Chrysler
Yeah.
Kelly
You're just into that, you know, I mean, that's so. I'm sorry. I have a Subaru this week, and I've had such an urge to go out and get a real Christmas tree. And Liz.
Liz
Oh, my gosh. Wow. Q, it's time.
I'm so sorry if I just caused a car accident.
Kelly
Your mom time off starts.
Welcome back to the Carpool Podcast with Kelly and Liz. And we're making it kind of like a special, like, Christmas edition of the Carpool podcast.
Liz
I love a Christmas edition of anything.
Kelly
Yeah.
Liz
I love a Christmas edition of a TV show. I love a Christmas edition of a latte. I love a Christmas edition of a. Of a song, of a cover.
Kelly
So why not do a Christmas edition of your favorite podcast? And you might be thinking, like, it's a little early, but it's not, because we plan on having such a. Just such a jolly filled episode. I have been giving a lot of head space to a topic I want to talk about, which is cheaper, free things to do to get you into the Christmas spirit. I feel like it was so, like, money this, money that. Consumerism. Consumerism. There's a little consumerism in here, but only the necess. Only the necessities. Okay, we're gonna play assumptions we have about you based on the car you drive Christmas edition, because some of you guys out here are being crazy. And we're gonna call you out on it.
We are going to do a Christmas themed dtd.
Liz
Yeah.
Kelly
And so just have a jolly old time.
Liz
So buckle up.
Kelly
I even have. I even have a Christmas edition of industry news.
Liz
Oh, my gosh. Wow. Q, it's time.
I'm so sorry if I just caused a car accident.
Kelly
I am. I don't know, I'm just feeling very Christmy this year, which is exciting. I think last year we were like, so foggy postpartum.
Mary Chrysler
Like, we.
Kelly
We had, like, what, two months old? So that was kind of like a lot to navigate at the time. This is like, Libby's a more fun age. My older kids are easier. Fred is light years easier than he was last year. So I'm just really excited to have a great Christmas this year.
Liz
Yeah, me too. Me too.
Kelly
And, you know, I think my number one is like, tip for Christmas is you guys have to be making. Making sure you're taking your notes because I had such. I don't know if you can see this, Elizabeth. These were all of the notes I had for myself about what I did wrong for last Christmas. Would you like me to read some?
Liz
Yeah, could you, please?
Kelly
So I. Here's how I set it up. I said highs and lows. So I just made a section. What were the highs of the Christmas season? And I'm. To me, the Christmas season is December. Like, I don't do this before Thanksgiving crap. So December 1st to December 25th. These are my notes. I did highs and lows. And then I just did, like, more thoughts and, like, some schedule type things. So the highs. We went to a movie on the 23rd. We thought that, like, it was just, like, a fun way to kick it off. So I will be doing that again. High number two, I said decorating gingerbread houses. I did target pickup for the candy and I did target pickup for the already made houses. Don't get the ones in a kit. Super fun. Okay. I said, have the. Have the makeup party at your house.
Hot chocolate bombs galore. We're really into that. Lowe's.
I need to get more organized with the kids gifts. My upstairs tree needs some more decor. Which is why that was hired out for all of you haters. Because it was on my notes.
I said, mom's. Mom's Christmas was a cluster. Moms, as in our. Our moms need to feed kids lunch before. Tell her less trinkets and treats. One nice gift per kid that they can play with.
Liz
Yeah, we had a lot of notes for her Christmas. This year we're doing things a lot different.
Kelly
I said I want more religious decor and Advent candle holder. Check. Mud pie. Reason for the season. Get advent blocks for the kids. I haven't done that yet, so I need to get on that Christmas Eve morning. I had that. We made sausage pancake bites and cinnamon rolls. Easy and fun. I made an ambitious kitchen. Sweet potato and caramelized onion, bacon and goat cheese quiche. And it was phenomenal.
Liz
And you're like. But like, I was, you know, so postpartum and just.
Kelly
I don't know how I did that.
Mary Chrysler
That was crazy.
Liz
Goat cheese carb wise onion quiche.
Kelly
We opened mom and dad presents. That was fun for moms. I brought rotel dip. No one ate it. I also made a bores and caramelized onion and bacon dip with Ritz crackers. People loved. See how I was like making the quiche with those ingredients? And then I translated it into an appetizer. Mm.
Oh. I said, for Christmas day dinner, ramen bowls were fun and easy. Prep a chuck roast on the 23rd and then have sassy ramen fixings could be a good new tradition. Don't. Don't forget to get a nice bottle of wine for you. I'm so smart.
Liz
This is. And this is why you do notes. Cause, like, you and then I totally.
Kelly
Forgot about a bottle of wine or sassy ramen bowls. That's a perfect thing to have. That. That was actually gonna be our ditch to drive through, so we'll get into that later. Okay, Final note. Record carpool episodes and don't take off, you lazy losers.
Liz
Yikes. So that one hit home.
Kelly
I'm just letting you know, those were some of the notes that I had for myself. So it's important to start taking your notes now. Just go to your iPhone, type in Christmas notes 2025.
Liz
Doing this, right?
Kelly
And start. If there's already something that you're not happy with, you can always organize your thoughts later, but just start now by getting. It's called a brain dump. Just, like, if there's already something you've messed up on or something that you've loved, get it in there now, because you won't remember, and you'll be. Then you'll never be improving. And we are always improving.
People. Okay, let me get off these notes. That was fun.
Liz
Done.
Kelly
Trip down memory lane. So now I want to talk about Christmas. I want to talk about what the Christmas season means and how I plan.
To make it feel more like a 90s Christmas. Like, that's kind of like the trend that I've been seeing. And people are always like, yeah, we. Why do we hold those with, like, such regards? Like, those were the best years. Probably because we were kids. So I think we kind of all need to chill and, like, not put so much pressure. It's, like, not so live in the past. Like, we were kids. Like, of course it was fun, but I do want to take elements.
Liz
Was more magical when you were a child. Yeah.
Kelly
Shy.
Liz
Yeah.
Kelly
No. People really do be putting too much pressure on themselves to, like. And, like, they're just so quick to blame the phone. And it's like, yeah. You're also 34.
Liz
Yeah. And now you're in charge of the magic.
Kelly
Yeah. Now you're just in charge.
Liz
But anyway, so it's not quite as.
Kelly
Much fun, but I am looking on ways where we can, like, make it feel not like a day. Like, have fun with the anticipation. Slow down.
Mary Chrysler
Yeah.
Kelly
And ultimately prepare our hearts for the new year and for the birth of Jesus, our Lord and savior. So my first free activity. If you're not. If you are. If you are Christian and you're not going to church. May I suggest the Advent season? It is the best time to go to church. It is wonderful. The church is decorated, beautiful. There'll be Christmasy songs. You'll hear a Christmasy message. Like, it's just such an easy. It's a great excuse to like trial run some of like your Christmas clothes you might want to wear or like get another wear out of them. Like are we buying these Christmas dresses for day of and then we're wearing them once? Well, if you're going to church on Sunday, you can like wear them a couple of times, so that can be helpful.
So I mean, Advent is like such a beautiful time in the church. We've got the pink candles, the purple candles. It's just, it's stunning. If you don't want to take your whole kids, I think that's a perfect time to tell your husband, hey, I'm gonna go to church today. You can say you're with the kids. You will leave feeling more relaxed, reminded of why we're all doing this. That's my first. And it's free. Free as can be.
Liz
Free as can be.
Kelly
Free as can be. Okay. I wanted to get that one out of the way because that is the reason for the season.
Liz
You know, that's kind of another thing too where everyone's like, I'm trying to fix my attention span. And then people are just like filming themselves sitting somewhere for an hour not doing anything. I'm, I'm not going to do that. But where I can sit for an hour without being able to like scroll on my phone. Church.
Kelly
Totally. Yeah. That's a good idea. So do it. So for no other reason, do it for that.
Liz
To fix your attention span.
Kelly
Do it to fix your attention span. No, I'm serious. It's a good way. Like the, it's the best time to go. It's the best time to go. All times are good. But that's the best. Okay, next. This is one that I have kind of taken from my mother in law and kind of like tweaked just a bit. I've seen a lot of trends on like and again, this is just. There's there are content creators whose content is over consumption. Like that is their, that's their kitsch. Like they are going to redecorate their entire room for Christmas. Like get, get a new rug, a new bedding, new everything just for this. Like that's crazy. So I don't want to do that. But something my mother in law does that's fun is she has a collection of pillowcases. And whenever our kids go over to her house to, to spend the night or just take a nap, the big thing that they get to do is like they get to go to the drawer and pick a pillowcase. Like, which pillowcase do you want on your pillow? Barb is so in to like, choices. And so she recently kind of gave us some of the pillowcases because she just had to clear out. So it's been fun because my kids have very basic, just like gray bedding. It's like the Betty's bedding. They're. They're gray. They're boring. I don't need this, like, Pinterest worthy bed for a five year old. Like, I'm sorry, I think some of these things are crazy. I'm just not, I don't, I don't need this. So they get. So we do fun pillowcases. So on sheet wash day, they know that, like when we're washing their sheets, that means they get to go choose new pillowcases for this time. I literally have like 25 pillowcases. It's so fun.
Liz
I've never seen your pillowcase collection.
Kelly
Oh yeah, I'll have to show you.
Liz
They're.
Kelly
And they're all from the 90s. Like, they're like vintage Barbie, vintage Lion King. But I was thinking like a fun way. We have one Christmas pill case that she, that she gave me. It's Snoopy Christmas and it's on Hattie's bed right now. But I was like, wouldn't it be fun? I don't need to buy them all new bedding, but you can just buy pillowcases. Okay, so it's way cheaper than like buying a Christmas bedding, Christmas blanket. And like, then what if around Christmas it's like, we're gonna put your special Christmas pillowcase on? I mean, they're kids. Like, it doesn't matter. It's huge.
Liz
That's magic, guys. That's the, that's the Christmas magic.
Kelly
It's magic. So I need to try. I haven't bought any yet. I, I literally had the idea this morning. I was, as, I was brainstorming this because I thought about, like, I was thinking to myself, maybe when things go on clearance, I'll buy my kids Christmas bedding. And I thought to myself, I'm not doing this. I don't want to store it. Like, ew, who wants to store that for a year? But I am going to buy them all. Like, I want to, I want to buy like, 15 though Christmas pillowcases. And it's like, you know, twice a month in December, like, we picked the Christmas pillowcase that we're gonna get.
Liz
Yeah.
Kelly
So fun. So fun.
Liz
It just marks the season. That. That is fun. Yeah.
Kelly
Would you say that was a tangible takeaway?
Liz
I would say so, yeah.
Kelly
Okay, next. This is something that I started doing in college when I was just, like, really trying to get into the Christmas season. And it's so simple, but change your phone background to something Christmassy. So, like, my favorite photo that I have is when I dressed all my kids up like they were in the nativity. And so, like, for the month of December, that will be my phone background.
Liz
Yeah.
Kelly
So maybe like. Or if you, like, don't have, like, a great picture or you just, like, want something more festive, like, go to Google and get, like, just a darling Christmas scene and make it your phone background. It'll just be. You pick up your phone a hundred times a day. It'll just make a little reminder if you feel Christmassy. Okay.
Liz
I love that.
Kelly
Yeah. On my laptop, my iPad stopped working. Hold on. Okay, next. Such a classic, such a fun, easy craft. And, like, this isn't a Christmas craft that. That requires mod podge, because I'm not a person who wants to get out mod podge in my. But one of the most fun Christmas crafts that you can do are paper snowflakes. Okay. It is good for kids of all ages. Kids of all ages who can use scissors, because, don't get me wrong, like, George and Hattie, they would have fun doing it. Now, if you have an older kid, you look up a TikTok or an Instagram reel of intricate paper snowflakes. It will keep them busy because you can go. You can do the least, or you can literally do the most with these paper snowflakes. So fun. And then just hang them all around the house.
Liz
No. Paper snowflakes are very good decoration. They're very cute. They're aesthetically pleasing. Like, unlike a lot of. Maybe the crafts your kids can make for Christmas. Paper snowflakes are. You can tape them on your window, or you can hang them from the ceiling.
Kelly
They're stunning. Taped on the window, taped on the wall. I'm actually thinking I might try to let the kids do some for my. Before my party. I thought that would be, like, a fun thing to have.
Mary Chrysler
Mm.
Kelly
We'll think about it. So. And I mean, it's printer paper. It's cheap as chips. You probably have it downstairs right now. Mm. Okay, so just to clarify, like phone background free paper snowflakes. I'm assuming free because you have printer paper. Church free pillowcases. $3, $4, $6 a piece for a pillowcase. We're not doing the whole bedding. Also, I'm not a sewer, but out of all the things to make, I would say a pillowcase has to be one of the easiers, Easier ones.
Liz
Yeah, yeah.
Kelly
So if you have any, like go to Joann's and get Christmas fabric and then just make the pillowcases. I'm going to, actually, I'm not going to buy, I'm not going to buy anything. I'm going to put my mother in law on this. She'll love this. Yeah, that will be so fun.
Liz
Kids can pick out their, they could go pick out their pattern too if.
Kelly
Like you want for their special Christmas pillowcase. Yeah, I'm obsessed. Okay, next I wrote down cookies, cookies, cookies, cookies.
Cookies or baking. I mean, this is the season.
To get a little fluffy. This is the season to like to just let yourself have some cookies, have some fun and do some baking. I think it's like the easiest way to sneak like Wintry Pro Wintry flavor profiles into things. And cookies are such a good icebreaker to my next point, which is neighbors, which is giving back, which is loving thy neighbor. Now, there are a lot of people who get really lonely around the holidays, who get really bored. There's a lot of people, probably some of your elderly neighbors who don't have their kids at home anymore. So like you could have Christmas magic every day. When your kids look at the tree, they are desperate to like see a cute child loving Christmas or your local nursing home. I want you to think about the elderly and I want you to bake some cookies with your children or without your children. And then I want you to take your children to your elderly neighbors with your Christmas card in hand. I wanted to say, like, we just wanted to bring you these cookies, say Merry Christmas. This is our Christmas card. We hope you have a great Christmas. It's, it's such a good icebreaker to deliver cookies. And when you do it with your kids, it makes it so much less awkward because to that person, like, because I feel awkward about it. Like, luckily my husband doesn't. And my husband is the one who like, is way better at making our kids go to do these things. But last year we made cookies and Teller drove them around to all of our neighbors. We knocked on doors and we said merry Christmas and gave cookies.
Mary Chrysler
Cute.
Kelly
And I just think you don't have to look far. Like just look at the people in your neighborhood, literally in your neighborhood and make them a plate of cookies and then go over there with your children. It's also a good lesson to teach your children on how to like talk to people. Also good for a lot of us who are stuck behind the phone. I mean, how many of us don't want to go on knock on a door and say hi to somebody? Like, we're crazy. Yeah, we're crazy. We need to work on that. Okay, next is the is a classic. I love. First of all, I love a candle. Like I balls and furniture. Bury me in it. Like it's my favorite scent. It's my favorite, favorite scent. So I always have a balls and fur candle lit. And if you don't want to do that, respect. I get it. Some of you guys don't like that. That also costs money. So I'm trying to make these like totally free.
Get, get on your simmer pot grind. We you people are over complicating simmer pots. You really are. Here's what you need. Orange peels and cinnamon. So my biggest hack is first of all, cuties. They're in season right now. Get some cuties and whatever. Then just take the cutie peels or like your kids half eaten cuties or an apple that they half ate and just put it in the pot. You can have half eaten fruit. And once I discovered that, I was like, oh yeah, it doesn't matter what it looks like. Cause it's a simmer pot. So if you have cinnamon sticks and a dash of vanilla in your kid's half eaten fruit, you have a simmer pot. Is what you have.
Liz
Ugly simmer pots.
Kelly
Who's looking at them? Ugly simmer pots. And like, okay, if you have a pine tree, okay, go get some needles, go outside and get some of those.
Like it doesn't take much. And then you just like have a simmer pot going. And that's just like always. It's like, it's like having a pot of soup. But it's a simmer pot.
Liz
Yeah.
Kelly
It doesn't matter what it looks like. Like, stop with these aesthetically pleasing ones. Like, it's just. You're over. You're doing too much. No. If you're giving that as a gift, sure.
Liz
What I want to start a trend. Ugly simmer pots. And like, I want people to tag the carpool or me and Kelly and say, and show us your ugly simmer pot. Because that's actually hilarious.
Kelly
I love that like Star Anna's like calm down. If you don't have that, like literally calm down, I'm gonna put some cutie carcasses and a cinnamon stick on my.
Liz
Stove.
And create the Christmas magic.
Mary Chrysler
Today's episode is brought to you by Clean Simple Eats. We just can't stop talking about Clean Simple Eats here on the Carpool Podcast. Kelly and I are both huge fans of Clean Simple Eats. We're having a CSE product daily like it's CSE o' clock in our household. I love their protein powder. They have a variety of delicious flavors and they are grass fed with no seed oils or artificial ingredients. Third party tested non GMO and gluten free and has 20 grams of grass fed whey protein. The protein powder is also incredibly creamy and smooth without that chalky texture that's found in most protein powders. I'm also a huge fan of their canned drinks, specifically their energy drinks. I love the Island Paradise, Island Sunrise, something like that. That one's my favorite one. They're all delicious but that one's my favorite. And I also love their clear sodas because it's a protein in a can.
Liz
But it's a little bit carbonated which I appreciate it as my afternoon pick.
Mary Chrysler
Me up so you can visit clean simpletes.com and use code carpool10 at checkout.
Liz
For 10% off your order.
Mary Chrysler
If you're interested, that's clean simple eats.com code carpool10 for 10% off your order. The link is also in the show Notes Foreign.
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Kelly
Okay, tell me these are not so good.
Liz
They're so good. I don't know where you came up with all these.
Kelly
Okay, next is very timely to what we're wearing.
Christmas clothes. Wear the life out of them. Like, wear the life out of them. I think, you know, I'm so shook to my core about, like, how much we just like buy clothes now. And I know I'm kind of part of the problem, not necessarily the solution. So here I am trying to be more solution oriented. But like, when it comes to the holidays, like, this Christmas sweater, first of all, I love it. Get a Christmas sweater you love. You probably have one and you're probably like saving it because you're like, oh, well, I don't know what I'm gonna wear that. Like, I might wear that to this event. It doesn't matter. It's your Christmas sweater. Wear your Christmas sweater one to two times a week the entire month of December. I want you to be wearing holes in them. And I want, when you, I want, like, your kids to fight over that because, like, mom wore that sweater all the time in December. That's what I want them to say about you. Not, oh, I didn't even know she had that because you, like, didn't want to wear it more than once in December. You're being crazy. So this sweater, you're gonna get sick of me in it. You're gonna get sick of me. People are gonna be like. You are gonna be like, is this, like, all one long episode? Like, every clip she's wearing that sweater? No, I'm just wearing my sweater.
Mary Chrysler
Okay, fair, fair, fair, fair.
Kelly
You seem done with that.
Okay. And then my last one is, you know, if you have the urge, if you want to get a little razzle dazzle, if you want to go shopping.
You know, I love nothing more than a thrift miss, and I haven't talked about thrift miss much, mainly because I did feel like it got a lot harder as my kids got older and, like, had more specific ones and needs.
But do a Christmas thrift. You can be thrifting for presents, or you can just go thrift for Christmas decorations. Like, they're all out right now. And I think thrifting is fun when you have a theme to it, you know?
Liz
Yeah, yeah.
Kelly
So thrift for Chris miss. Thriftmas for Christmas. And then the last one was I had was books. I think that books are just, like, books and music media, if you will. You can use their TV shows. So fun. I like the idea of having, like, for, like, Christmas movies. I think something I'm gonna write down on my list is, like, I'd like to have a bit of a schedule with it because it feels like, you know, the first week of December, like, maybe we watch the Grinch on a Friday. The second week we do Elf. The third, it's just like, it felt like too much all at once. Like, which one do we choose? So I'm thinking about doing, like, a movie schedule for next year. And you guys know I love my Christmas books. And I try to be really intentional when, like, with, like, if my kids. If I can tell my kids need one on one time, or like, instead of just, like, waking up in the morning and, like, turning on the tv, I say go get a book under. I keep my Christmas books under the Christmas tree for a little extra magic. I said, why don't you go get a Christmas book and I'll read it to you guys this morning? Or, like, so I really try to get through my Christmas book. So we also read them multiple times again, so they get sick of it.
I've had. I've just been collecting Christmas books for the last several years. I. But you can go to your library and you can get Christmas books. Like, go to the library every week and get two Christmas books and read them a lot.
Liz
Also, I bought a bunch of Christmas books after the season last year when they were on like mega sale at Target. It was like $3 for a brand new Christmas book. We also go to, like half price books a lot. And the thrift store, like, you can buy all those Christmas books has been such a game changer for us, my kids. James specifically just is obsessed with books and he needs about 15 books before bed. And so I'm. So if I have to read Little Blue Truck Rolls into the city one more time, I'm gonna.
Kelly
I'm gonna. Oh, do you have Little Blue Truck Christmas Edition? Yeah.
Liz
Little Blue Truck Christmas isn't very good though.
In my opinion.
Kelly
That's.
Liz
Anyway, we pull. I have so many Christmas books because I saw a real years ago that was like, wrap one and each day under the tree, they can open it. That's actually not a good idea in my. Pull them all out at once. We have some in our main floor. We have some in James's room. And.
It'S new material for me. It's new material for them. I love having seasonal books.
Kelly
I do agree. I don't like the rapid. That seems like an extra step. That seems like a fight every night. That seems like. I think now they.
Liz
They're expect. They're expecting that they get to open something every day. Like. Yeah, it seems like unnecessary waste paper. I don't care for that. I love just pulling them all out.
Kelly
It does seem like Christmas pillowcases are a little harder to find than I was expecting.
Liz
Oh, no. So it sounds like Barb might be making them.
Kelly
Okay, I found a couple.
Liz
What about, like, Etsy? Like, could you support a small business 100.
Kelly
I could. 100%.
Okay.
Liz
Well, that was really fun. Thank you for that, Kelly. Thank you for those reminders.
Kelly
And do you guys have any more, like, sound off? Like, I mean, I'm looking to adapt more.
Liz
Yeah.
Kelly
Yep.
Liz
Okay. Are you ready for assumptions we have about you based on the car you drive? Christmas edition.
Kelly
You know it.
So are we doing. Kelly, am I giving you the car?
Liz
No, let's just. Let's just go. I mean, you prepared some. I prepared some. Let's just go back and forth and. Yeah, and say them. Okay, I'll start. If you drive a Volkswagen Atlas, you got all of your Christmas shopping done on Black Friday. You secured the deals. Everything's coming. You're done, you're relaxing. All of December.
Kelly
The Atlas people have. And if they're not done. Like, don't take if they're not done. It's for good reason. You know, it's because they know that they had to get that in store. Or like, it was more of a boutique type gift.
Liz
Like, it's like a water. Like, sure, you're one off. You haven't gotten your mother in law one yet. Like, sure.
Kelly
But like everything else, they're Christmas gift spreadsheet people. They. Those are atlas people. That's. That's an excellent take.
Liz
Thank you.
Kelly
I have no notes, so just know if you are getting the gift from someone who has an atlas, it's been bought for a while. Okay. This one's gonna be controversial, but it's not because I'm 100 right on this. If you drive a Toyota Sequoia.
You'Re a colored light family.
Mary Chrysler
Yeah.
Kelly
Colored on the trees, colored on the house. You are into the colored lights. You're fun. You know what I mean?
Liz
Well, you're like, I'm not buying into this neutral Christmas. Like, you're trying to give the 90s, the 90s flair. So, like, we're going color lights. We're going jolly, we're going Mary.
Kelly
And it's color in a very classy way. It's color in a very.
Liz
It's not an LED color.
Kelly
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Liz
It's a nice color.
Mary Chrysler
Yeah.
Liz
Okay. If you drive a Chevy Traverse, your favorite Christmas movie is the Grinch. Like, when you like, you buy Grinch decor. Like, you have Grinch. Like, Grinch is your. Is your favorite. Is your favorite Christmas movie.
Kelly
Traverse people are Grinch people. And it's not that you're not a Grinch. You're actually the opposite of a Grinch.
Liz
No, like, you're like, in the jolly way. Like, you just love the movie. Like, you love the book. Like, you like the decorations. Like, you just like the Grinch.
Kelly
Yeah. You, like, made a real to like. But what will I wear? Like, that's you and your chubby trip.
Okay. If you drive a Subaru. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter. You're a maker model. Well, matters make. But if you drive a Subaru, you have a real Christmas tree.
Liz
Yeah.
Kelly
You're just into that, you know? I mean, that's so. I'm sorry. I have a Subaru this week, and I've had such an urge to go out and get a real Christmas tree.
Liz
Wow, that's crazy.
Kelly
Like, I've driven into the outback for a total of 45 minutes and I'm already thinking about pulling over to the nearest Christmas tree stand. Like, it's just. I don't know what it is about there, because I can strive to the roof.
Liz
Totally.
Kelly
Yeah.
Liz
Subaru. People love a real Christmas tree. They do. And that's great for them.
Kelly
Okay.
Liz
If you drive a Hyundai Palisade, your Christmas decorations have been up since, like, early November. Like, November one. You are. You're pulling the boxes out, like, goodbye, Halloween, hello, Christmas.
Kelly
Yeah.
Mary Chrysler
Yeah.
Kelly
You're really. You. You're soaking. You're squeezing the orange.
Liz
If I could go a step further, I do think that on the exterior of their house, Hyundai palace of People are white. Are white Christmas lights.
Kelly
They are white Christmas lights. I do agree. It has been up since November 1st. Depending on the trim of your Palisade, you may or may not have an inflatable, you know.
Liz
Oh, yeah, for sure. Yeah.
Kelly
Like, calligraphies don't, but, like, limiteds do.
Liz
Yeah.
Kelly
You know what I mean? You can just like, totally tell.
Liz
Totally.
Mary Chrysler
Okay.
Kelly
Odyssey. If you drive an Odyssey, your favorite holiday tradition is decorating Christmas cookies. Of course. Like, that's just, like. So Odyssey coded. You, though, are a little. You know, you've got. It's. You've been doing it with your grandma. You make, like, so many different types. It's your favorite tradition. You say it's your favorite tradition. It's really not. It's actually a day that's full of stress for you. And you also totally are the kind of person who won't share a recipe. Like, you make the basics. Like, you make the rolos. You make the little, like, snap pretzel ones. And then you have, like, the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. And when people ask you for it, you're like, oh, I'm sorry. I can't tell you.
Liz
Yeah.
Kelly
And that's what you say. And you need to stop that.
Liz
Share the cookie recipe.
Kelly
Share the cookie recipe or bring that some.
Liz
That's so. That's so Odyssey. And you're so right. Like, they so have just, like, incredible memories of doing it as a child. And now they're like, I have to recreate these memories. And they're just not as fun when you are the mom. But you're trying your hardest, and that's. That's great. And your kids are loving it. Okay. If you drive a Grand Highlander.
You.
Totally bought into the Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic that everyone's doing this year. Like, maybe, like, the Grand Highlander.
Mary Chrysler
Totally.
Liz
Maybe a few years ago, you bought, like, all the neutral Christmas. Like, you were a neutral Christmas girl. And now that Ralph Lauren Christmas is upon us. You.
Plaid is everywhere.
You're tying red bows on every neutral Christmas decoration that you have. Like, you are just trying to make the Ralph Lauren Christmas magic happen.
Kelly
That's so grand. Highlander. Not the hybrid. It's not the hybrid. I don't think the hybrid ers are doing that. I think the other ones are though.
That's. That's a really bold and specific one. Grand holiday people weigh in though. I'd like to know what you have to say. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, last one. If you drive a Navigator, you have multiple Christmas trees and the Christmas trees have different themes on them, so you're not like quite as flash in the pan as Ralph Lauren. You never really left Ralph Lauren Christmas, if you know what I mean. If you're in the Navigator space.
You'Ve never been a minimalist in terms of your Christmas decorations. And you have trees. You have trees in your kids bedrooms. You have trees in the living room. You have trees in like an office. You have a tree in the basement.
Your. Your exterior is pretty simple. Like it's just simple white lights. But you also wrap your trees, but your interior is wow. Wow, wow, wow.
Mary Chrysler
Totally.
Liz
Those are so good.
Kelly
I feel like. I feel like those are 100 accurate.
Liz
No, I'm feeling. I'm. I'm feeling. Let us know if you disagree, but I'm feeling as though that or those are spot on.
Mary Chrysler
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Liz
Since you shared all of your Christmas tips, I want to share like two things actually. One is a free thing for Christmas magic and another thing is like what my approach that me and my girlfriends are taking to like Christmas. I'll share the free thing first. So you know, Maddie and I just renovated our house and we always seem to have like a big project going on. So we just tell each other like, hey, let's not do presents. Both of our birthdays are in December and Christmas is in December. So we just don't get each other anything. But something that I started for Maddie and I actually started this year for my kids as well is For Maddie, I went to Target and bought a notebook. And inside the notebook I wrote, like, dad's great big book of letters or something like that. And on his birthday, on Father's Day, and on Christmas, and if there's any other, like, special occasions that occur, I write him a letter. And I've like, had the kids, like, I like, put Sloan's footprint in it, like when drew a Christmas tree around it. And I like, had James, like, color and something, and I taped it in there. And Maddie and I, since when we first.
Kelly
Had.
Liz
He was deployed for 13 months. So, like, letters have been such a big part of our relationship. And the thing with letters is they're great and like, I have them saved somewhere, but it's hard to, like, keep them all in one place. So I was like, we're already writing each other letters. Let me get you a notebook. And through the years, you can easily access all letters I've written you. And you can see as the years go on how the kids have been able to draw or have been able to write. And it's all in one place and it's in a nice little book and we can put it on the shelf.
Mary Chrysler
I love that.
Liz
So we do that. That's just important to us. I know letters aren't like, for everyone, but, like, that checks our box. What I did for the kids is I kind of went a little bit, took an extra step, and I ordered on Etsy custom notebooks, like, with their names on them. So.
I want to, like, write a little letter to them each year and just sort of capture like my. My thoughts for them as at 2 and 1. And I don't know if they'll ever read it or not, but if they do like it, then that will be something really special for them to have. And if they don't, then it's a fun exercise for me to just like, gush on my kids and just like, love and just share my love in like that letter writing way. So that's sort of like the free thing that I'm. I'm free. Like, you buy the notebook, but then it's free. Every year, the not free thing that me and my girlfriends are doing, we are every year going to do like a brunch or a dinner. Just Little girls day. It's just three of us.
And we were like, should we do gifts? Like, should we do Secret Santa? Like, what do we want to do? And my friend had the idea, she was like, why don't we just, like, get each other an ornament? Or some sort of Christmas decoration, because we all are new households. Like, we, we don't have this grand collection of Christmas decor. I'm not going to go out and spend $500 every year on Christmas decorations. Like, I want to slowly build up my Christmas collection. And so that's what we're doing. So that's the theme is it's Christmas decor or Christmas ornament. And every year we're going to do this and we will slowly build up our Christmas decor.
Kelly
I love. See, I want to do something like that. Just like, you just go out to like a nice brunch or a nice Christmas dinner, and it's the holidays. Like, you wear your sweater. Oh, we even talk about the most obvious free one ever. It's the. It's the holidays.
So anything, any. You just like, whatever you're wearing, you add an earring to.
Liz
Yeah.
Kelly
Like the. Just like constantly dressing up is the holidays.
Liz
Constantly dressing up. So I just love that. Like, I. If my friends got me like a lip gloss, I would, like, love it and I would use it and then I would forget about it. And every year, I don't know what they got me at. We haven't had it yet. But I know what I got them every year. Like, they're gonna. I don't know if they listen to the podcast or not.
Kelly
Well, just tell us. And if you're listening, don't listen. Okay.
Liz
I got. Honestly, I feel like my friends probably don't listen to the podcast because, like, who needs to hear me talk more? I got them a. Some tea. Some, like, tea towels, like some candy cane tea towels, and then like a gingerbread light up house.
Kelly
Oh.
Liz
So I kind of did like a little. I kind of did like, a little bit more.
I spent like 45 on both of them. Okay. But they were really cute. And so now when they pull that gingerbread light up house out, they're gonna think of me every year and not just like the flash in the pan lip gloss that I could have gotten them.
Kelly
That's sweet. That's sweet. Okay. I have another Christmas tip. Not even tip. A way that I'm spreading cheer. I've talked about this before, but let's go back to tipping culture for a second and how, like, you know, it's so crazy that we're asked to tip. I. I think it's crazy that you're asked to tip, like, every time you get a coffee, every time, like, you order food up at a kiosk. Like, they're always asking for tips. And I Feel like everyone's kind of, like it's kind of over, like, because now we're just, like, so used to it. But. And I still will tip, like, here and there.
Mary Chrysler
What do you do?
Kelly
Do you tip every time or.
Liz
No, I tip most of the time.
Kelly
Most of the time you tip? I tip sometimes, but I make sure the month of December and the month of June, I tip the full 25%.
That's just like. And I just like. So I actually don't really tip outside of those months, but during those months, every time I get a coffee, I'm tipping 25. Because it's like, it's the holidays I want, like, it's. I'm happy to spread a little cheer. So that's another thing that I do in December.
Liz
Okay, that's a good one. Definitely not free.
Kelly
Definitely not free. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Liz
But no, it's a good rule of thumb. Like, okay, yeah, I'm not going to tip you in July for this. Like, come December, you're gonna get. You're gonna get an extra tip.
Kelly
Well, and I don't know, I've been. I'm getting less offended by it the more I see it. Also, like, the coffee shops. The thing is, it's like, I go to the same coffee shops a lot, so I actually like when I go to, like, when I go to my guy Hank. Like, no, Hank gets a tip every time. Like, I would never not tip Hank because, like, I need Hank to be same business at all costs. But if it's like, I'm going to a Starbucks on, like, a random Tuesday, like, I don't know this barista from Adam, like, I'm sorry it's not December. Sorry I'm not giving you a tip. Yeah, like my ride or dies. I tip every time. Okay. Okay. Are you ready for industry news where I spill the hot tea going on in the auto industry?
Liz
I sure am.
Mary Chrysler
Wait.
Kelly
Well, first of all, our press car this week. Liz, you're going to be gooped and gagged over it when you see it.
Liz
I know you keep talking about it.
Kelly
Because it's the Subaru Outback, but she's been redesigned in such a way that's like.
You know the saying, like, that's what makes a Subaru a Subaru. Yeah, this is not a Subaru. Like, it's not giving Subaru. It's way more comparable to, like, it's giving. Like, it's kind of giving like a better looking, like, Ford Bronco Sport. If you can kind of imagine that it's like less of a wagon style, more of like a boxier mid size suv.
I think you're gonna like it.
Liz
So is this just a full blown redesign or have we just not seen it?
Kelly
No, it's a redesign.
Sorry. Sam wrote me. Oh, my gosh. I have my notes from Sam before the tour and she wants me to try to do three across. She says 55 inch, second row, hip room, large, but. But has side bolsters and rigid buckles and weird variable seat height. What does any of those words mean?
No, I know what they mean, but this is why it's so confusing. This is why you can't just be like. Like, this is why you can't just. This is why you just need experts. I mean, this is one of those things you just need experts for. She goes, I suspect a poplar gray co peg will fit, but I'd like to see a Myfit Graco poplar. I'd also like to see a peg Graco poplar. Like, she's giving me all the. It's 19 degrees outside and she wants all these combinations.
Liz
Sorry, Sam. You're gonna get one.
Kelly
No, she'll get more than one. I need to bring it into my garage.
Liz
Okay.
Kelly
That wasn't like the hard hit. That. That wasn't our holiday story, though.
Liz
Okay.
Kelly
Have you seen Chevy's 2025 holiday commercial?
Mary Chrysler
I have.
Liz
I have.
Kelly
Memory Lane.
Liz
Yeah, I'm not prepared for that.
Kelly
Chevrolet has developed a reputation for producing holiday commercials that can bring tears to even the toughest wrench turning gearheads. The 2025 Christmas commercial continues the tradition with precision. This year's spot, titled Memory Lane, leans heavily into nostalgia, family bonds, and the passage of time in a way that feels grounded and relatable. The 2025 memory lane ad centers on an older couple taking their 1987 Chevy Suburban on their annual holiday drive to the family cot. Throughout the commercial, the Suburban transforms from a winter beater into a time capsule. As the couple drives, the video flashes between decades of memories. The holiday commercial seamlessly transitions between eras, and Chevy's creative team utilizes the familiar shape of the Suburban as an emotional anchor in every scene.
It's worth looking up.
Liz
Nothing makes you like. It makes you so thankful for the phase of life that you're in right now because you're like, okay, I will take the blowout in the back seat. Like, yeah, it's.
Kelly
You're gonna cry?
Liz
No, but did get me. It's just like, I. I love it, but I also, like, hate things that remind me that this isn't forever.
Kelly
Well, that's what I'm saying.
I need more. The best is yet to come. I just feel like I'm in the part of my life and this is what I. And I just think this is. Maybe I am, and maybe I just need to learn with that reality. But just. You go your whole life being like, just wait, like, the best is yet to come. And then everyone's like, you're gonna want these days back. And I'm like, well, I thought the best was yet to come. And now is this the best? Because it sucks.
Liz
You know, I do think someone who.
Mary Chrysler
Who.
Liz
Someone who can tell you that the best is yet to come is mom. Because I do think she is thriving, and I do think that she has a. Like, the other day, I FaceTimed her, and I was just, like, in the basement with. With my kids, and, you know, they were just playing, and she goes, oh, I remember the basement days. Janice and I would just spend so long in each other's basements. It sucked.
Mary Chrysler
Okay, Mom.
Liz
Well, it's not that bad. I'm not having, like, that terrible of a time spending time with my kids.
Kelly
Yeah.
Well, you know, you just gotta get what you can. You just have to not take moments for granted. But you have to be able to. You have to have the.
The moments are going to pass, and you have to, I don't know, in a way, get over it. I don't know.
Liz
I mean, that's what mom says. She's like, I did that, like, and I loved it, and it was great. And, like, you just. That's just not the light. That's just not how life works. Like, I think if you. I think it's important when you are older and you, like, your kids are out of the house to, like, have hobbies and to have friends and to have things to do. Because I think if you don't have those things, then you're gonna forever be like, oh, well, my life was so much better back then. And it's like it was. It was just different. But luckily, like, mom and dad have, like, so many hobbies. They have a wonderful relationship. They have a ton of friends, and that fills their cup.
Kelly
Well, and I think it goes back to. It's. I think when you. When you're a parent to young kids, you have such purpose.
Mary Chrysler
Yeah.
Kelly
And, like, even if other aspects of your life, you don't feel like you have purpose, like, even if you, like, you don't have a ton of friends or you don't have a great career, you don't have any of these things. You have the kids and like, the kids are your purpose. And I do think you have to be mindful about not totally setting your life up to solely revolve around your kids.
And that's, that's a hard, that's a hard truth I think to hear sometimes. And I fall victim to it a lot. But when they're grown, what are you gonna like, who are you going to be?
Mary Chrysler
Maddie?
Liz
And I say that a lot. I mean, and I know we only have two kids and everything, but like, we've always said that it's important that even when we have kids that we both have hobbies. And so if he needs to go play rugby or if he needs to do like, wants to remain in the Marine Corps, or I want to go do yoga or I need to do go see, hang out with my girlfriends, like, we really try and prioritize that for each other because we don't want to wake. And our kids are grown and we're like, we have nothing that fills our cup. Like, we want to have some constant. And for him it's like, oh, it's cons. Well, he won't be able to play rugby forever. But for me, oh, I can still go do my yoga. Like, I've been doing that for so long. Or I can spake or whatever. It's just, it's important to have hobbies and it's important to prioritize each other's.
Kelly
Hobbies the best way. And those hobby and those hobbies can be micro hobbies. Like that is okay. They don't have to be these like big full blown, like you're into fishing. Yeah. But keep doing the things that you enjoy. And I think, I also do think, I think young married couples or married couples with young kids, you always get the advice, like, make sure you're getting in a date night. And it's. Yes. Also make sure to your point, you're getting some time to go work on something that you want to do. Because I actually think that is something that gets forgot about. And then these couples just like try to put the band out of like, well, let's just go to dinner. If we, if we go to dinner every week, things are going to be fine. And it's like, well, no offense, what are you gonna talk about? So I, I actually think it could be better to like not put so much pressure on like the weekly date nights, but put more pressure on like the weekly.
Hobbies, the weekly things that you want to do.
And then you Know, still. Still try to get in the date nights, but I just. I don't know, I think there's sometimes too much pressure on that or find a hobby to do together.
Mary Chrysler
Yeah.
Kelly
Sometimes I just feel like Tyler and I will, like, I, like, schedule a date night and we'll go to dinner, and it's like, this sounds bad, but, like, it didn't really do much for me because it's like, we just talk. Like, I. I don't know. We talked. I want to go do something, you know? Well, we.
Mary Chrysler
We've talked.
Liz
We've. We've talked about this a long time ago, but, like, it's creating new memories. Like, if you just go out to dinner, you're not necessarily creating a new memory, but, like, if you do something different, if you try something new, if you, like, do something together, there's a higher chance you're going to create a memory and you're not just going to remember, like, having a cocktail and sharing an appetizer and, like, talking about your kids the entire time.
Kelly
Yeah. Like, stretch yourself. Go out of your comfort zone. Tyler and I, this weekend are actually doing this because we are playing something called dart ball tomorrow.
Liz
Oh, I don't know what this is.
Kelly
I don't know what it is, but we're in a dartball tournament for our church, and.
Okay, I don't. I'm friends with this girl, and she's very much. If you're friends with her, she keeps you busy. You know what I'm saying? Like, she's actually the perfect friend to have because it's like she's signing you up for committees you didn't even know existed. You know, you're like, oh, okay, yeah, I know. I'm a part of that. And she. We're on her dartball team, and it's adults only, and I guess it's kind of like washers.
Mary Chrysler
I need to.
Kelly
Actually, if you don't mind, I'm just gonna do a quick Google, because I do think it's kind of crazy.
Liz
I do think it's important for you to look it up before you get there.
You're doing that tomorrow?
Kelly
Well, I'm doing it Saturday, but, yeah, by the time this podcast comes out, it'll be tomorrow. So it's kind of like baseball.
And. Okay, so it's like baseball.
It's like baseball, but with darts. So this is what, like, the board looks like, and then you throw a giant dart at it.
Mary Chrysler
Okay, sure. Okay.
Kelly
Anyway, so I'm hoping we make a fun memory from that. Stay tuned.
Mary Chrysler
Okay. I love that.
Kelly
Okay, are you ready for a ditch of the drive through now where we.
Liz
Give you an easy dinner recipe to mix it up to get you out of your dinner rut? That dish of the drive thru.
Yeah, I'm ready.
Kelly
Okay. Well, you heard it. I teased it a bit.
Ramen bowls now. I think it's important. Speaking of cheap, I think I like ramen noodles. Like, first of all, my kids love them, and they're so fun to have every once in a while. I'm sure they have a ton of sodium. That's not the point of this recipe. But I have to have meat with every meal. Like, we just need more protein in my life. So last year for Christmas, I made sassy ramen bowls, and now they weren't very sassy because my kids are, like, so kiddie still. But I had a chuck roast. I had beef ramen, and so we just put, like, some of the beef in the ramen bowls. And then I could take mine up a notch. I add mushrooms. I could do a chili oil. I could do green onions. I could add a soft boiled egg. Throw some extra soy sauce in there. And it was just like a fun. It kind of felt lighter in a way because it's just like a soupy broth, like, with some meat in it. The kids loved it. I. It was together in minutes because I already had the chuck rope chuck roast made, and I think it'd be a great or for some reason, I just feel like any Asian inspired food on Christmas is fine. Also, Asian restaurants are normally open on Christmas, so if you don't even want to, like, cook.
Mary Chrysler
Yeah.
Kelly
Or maybe make it the tradition. Like, go get the Trader Joe's orange chicken and fried rice. I just think it's kind of like a fun and different flavor profile, at least for me. Like, I've eaten so much, like, American homegrown, like, like, hams and turkeys throughout the last month that it's like, I'm ready for just, like, something totally different. Like, if I could somehow figure out how to get sushi in my life, I would.
So, yeah, that's my dish to drive.
Liz
That's a good idea. I would love to do that. That sounds delicious. Now your chuck roast, or how are you, mate? How are you, like, seasoning it? Or is it just like a Mississippi roast? Like, what are you doing?
Kelly
No, I just do, like, a salt pep.
Liz
Okay.
Kelly
Because then I kind of like, yeah, sure. Butter in the crock pot. Oh, I'm sorry. I do the aju gravy. Gravy mix, but I didn't do the ranch.
Liz
Okay, okay, okay.
Mary Chrysler
Okay.
Liz
Got it. Yeah, that sounds really good. I want to make a roast.
Kelly
I just think it's important to have a chuck roast. Like, make a chocolate. Just plant a chuck roast around the Christmas season. It's so versatile, to be honest with you.
Liz
Yeah. Yeah, it is. Okay, well, guys, that's gonna be our episode. So thank you so much for listening to the Carpool Podcast. Hope that there were a lot of tangible takeaways. We'll talk to you next time.
Kelly
Mary Chrysler, thank you for listening to the Carpool Podcast with Kelly and Liz. Make sure you're subscribed so you never miss an episode. And if you enjoyed riding with us, tell everybody you know, there's room in the car for everyone.
Liz
Ra.
Episode Title: SHOW US YOUR #UGLYSIMMERPOT
Release Date: December 5, 2025
Hosts: Kelly Stumpe & Lizz St. John
Theme: A practical, lighthearted Christmas edition packed with nostalgia, “free or cheap” festive ideas, and playful car-based holiday stereotypes.
In this lively Christmas special, Kelly and Lizz blend humor, practicality, and personal tradition to inspire listeners to cultivate festive joy without overspending. The episode spotlights nostalgic Christmas experiences, resourceful mom tips, and witty family banter—perfect for millennial parents looking to make the most of the season. The show features warm, actionable ideas for creating magic at home and fun “assumptions” about listeners based on the cars they drive—Christmas edition.
Timestamps: 02:28–06:20
Timestamps: 06:21–18:40, 22:23–26:44
Timestamps: 22:23–26:53
Timestamps: 27:35–34:26
Kelly and Lizz’s hilarious assumptions spark listener laughs and highlight the ways vehicles can reflect holiday habits.
Timestamps: 37:17–42:00
Timestamps: 42:00–43:20
Timestamps: 43:56–47:01
Timestamps: 47:01–52:59
Timestamps: 53:07–55:46
| Segment | Time | |------------------------------------------------------------|----------| | Reflecting on Past Christmases & “Brain Dump” Tradition | 02:28–06:20 | | Realistic, Cheap/FREE Christmas Activities | 06:21–18:40 | | Paper Snowflakes & Cookie Traditions | 12:30–16:10 | | The #UglySimmerPot Movement | 17:02–18:40 | | Wearing the Sweater/Thriftmas/Books | 22:23–26:44 | | Christmas Car Stereotypes | 27:35–34:26 | | Personalized Family & Friends Traditions | 37:17–42:00 | | Tipping Philosophy | 42:00–43:20 | | Industry News—Subaru & Chevy Ad | 43:56–47:01 | | Appreciating Every Life Phase, Hobbies for Sanity | 47:01–52:59 | | Ditch the Drive Thru: Ramen Bowls | 53:07–55:46 |
This episode is a festive handbook for every busy, budget-conscious—or just Christmas-loving—parent. Blending practical wisdom, nostalgia, family-centered values, and gentle humor, Kelly and Lizz prove that you don’t need a perfect home, endless resources, or Instagram-worthy décor to create genuine holiday magic. Just grab some orange peels, dust off that Christmas sweater, write down your highs and lows—and don’t forget to show off your #uglysimmerpot!