The goop Podcast – "Gwyneth Paltrow: Holiday AMA"

Host: Gwyneth Paltrow
Episode Date: December 2, 2025

Episode Overview

In this special Holiday Ask Me Anything (AMA) episode, Gwyneth Paltrow opens up to listener questions about the challenges, joys, and unique traditions she navigates during the holiday season. In her signature candid and warm style, Gwyneth dives into everything from managing stress and burnout to her favorite holiday recipes, family dynamics post-divorce, meaningful gift ideas, and the wellness routines she keeps—even when life gets chaotic. The episode is rich with personal anecdotes, honesty about anxieties, and practical, heartfelt advice.

Key Topics, Insights, and Memorable Moments

1. Managing Holiday Stress and Burnout

• Volume of Responsibilities: Gwyneth discusses the "sheer volume of things" she must juggle during the holidays, including running goop, organizing family events, and a new movie release.
  • "What stresses me out most during the holidays is kind of the volume of things that have to get accomplished before the end of the year..." (02:37)
• Burnout Reality:
  • "I'm already burnt out. I'm so freaking burnt out right now, I can't barely see straight." (03:34)
• Her Coping Strategies:
  • Prepping gifts and lists early
  • Ensuring sleep and downtime
  • Setting "really early bedtimes" and avoiding alcohol until she officially clocks off

2. Savoring the Holiday Season

• Enjoy the Little Things:
  • "I love it when everybody's together, and I try to really savor the moments and build time to take long walks or to cook things together... really just letting time slow down." (04:02)
• Handling Complicated Family Dynamics:
  • Acknowledges that every family has its issues, and the holidays can intensify them.
  • Her technique: self-talk, empathy, and seeing the "whole person" beyond triggers.
    • "If something happens that makes me feel frustrated or annoyed, I literally just will talk to myself through it... just breathe. It's not a big deal. Don't be triggered." (04:30)

3. Hosting, Presence, and Family Traditions

• Staying Present While Hosting:
  • Recognizes it's hard to be both the host and be fully present, but finds prep work helps.
    • "It's hard to host and be totally chill and present. Like I have not mastered how to do that yet..." (06:00)
• Evolving Traditions:
  • Her family celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah, keeps old traditions like pajamas, long beach walks, and "Boxing Day" gluttony and board games. (06:43)
• Wellness Routines:
  • Sticks to exercise and sauna, even during chaotic times. "It keeps me very grounded." (07:30)

4. Advice for Young Adults Returning Home

• Ways to Contribute:
  • Simple contributions like making a side dish or baked good, or bringing conversation card decks ("The And: Family Edition") to facilitate meaningful connections. (08:09)

5. Heritage, Decorations, and Post-Divorce Holidays

• Relishes Both Jewish and Christian Traditions:
  • Loves Hanukkah candle-lighting and classic Christmas, including music and traditional dishes (Martha Stewart’s roast turkey, family stuffing, etc.) (09:07)
• Decorating Timeline:
  • Tree goes up first week of December; her grandmother (humorously) kept it up until Easter. (10:19)
• Navigating Post-Divorce Holidays:
  • Recommends an honest, individual approach—considering personal comfort vs. family unity
    • "You have to really think about, is it gonna cost you a sense of integrity to do it... and focusing on kind of love and forgiveness and togetherness..." (10:59)

6. Beloved Holiday Recipes

• Favorite Dish:
  • "Stuffing is my favorite food." She prefers a classic with stale white bread, onions, celery, and herbs—no sourdough. Loves making stuffing waffles with leftovers.
    • "I like to do this thing where I take some leftover stuffing, mix it with a beaten egg, and then put it in a waffle iron... Oh my God, it's so good. And you get all the crispy edges and then put a poached egg on top." (16:07)
• Vegan/Gluten Free:
  • Suggests baked sweet potato w/ maple syrup & pecans, cornbread stuffing (gluten free), spiced rice, and crispy garlic greens. Recommends asking AI for recipes. (13:23)

7. Food, Cocktails, and Hosting Favorites

• Latkes Are a Family Favorite:
  • Served with applesauce or crème fraîche and caviar. (17:22)
• Favorite Holiday Cocktail:
  • "Spiked eggnog. Eggnog with brandy. I like mulled wine too." (23:47)
• Cranberry Sauce:
  • Admits secret love for canned Ocean Spray (vs "goop approved" homemade). (20:57)
• Leftovers Enthusiast:
  • "I love leftovers. I love a turkey sandwich... with cranberry and with stuffing and gravy on it..." (20:39)
• Holiday Work Party Outfit:
  • Points to her own new "Gwyn Collection" black dress, describes an upcoming bow-back style. (17:45)

8. Holiday Gift Giving Philosophy and Inspiration

• Thoughtful, Personalized Gifts Are Best:
  • Enjoys picking out items friends and coworkers have mentioned throughout the year (e.g., boots, mugs).
• Favorite Gifts for Different Groups:
  • Oura ring (for health-focused friends, 27:48)
  • “The Find” secret curation page on Goop for unique ideas (24:33)
  • Monogrammed items, LL Bean totes, personalized ornaments for generic/last-minute gifts (28:45–29:28)
• Experiential Gifts:
  • Values experiences and subscriptions for people who dislike material gifts (26:44–26:56)
• College-Age Kids:
  • Honestly, they want money, but she tries to get something they've mentioned, like rare Adidas merch (27:02)

Memorable Quote:

"What is such a great, inexpensive gift?... The L.L. bean boat and totes with a word or the person's name or an initial. I think those are so great... you can't go wrong with something that's personalized or monogrammed." (28:45)

9. Self-Reflection, Mental Health, and 2026 Intentions

• Lessons from 2025:
  • Discovered a new tendency toward anxiety, which was previously unfamiliar to her. (32:10)
• Coping with Anxiety:
  • Meditation, body scans, and evening baths: "I feel like the water takes off the energy of the day... you can feel your heart beat in a hot bath... there's something about it that really grounds me." (33:14)
• Priorities for Next Year:
  • Letting go of anxiety, practicing more grace, and working "smarter, not harder." (34:32–35:16)
• Gratitude:
  • Grateful for the film community’s warm response to her new movie, which genuinely surprised her. (34:57)

Notable Timestamps

• 02:37 – Holiday stress and time-saving strategies
• 03:34 – Burnout honesty
• 04:02 – Savoring moments, slowing down
• 04:30 – Handling family conflict and triggers
• 06:00 – Balancing hosting with being present
• 09:07 – Jewish and Christian holiday traditions
• 10:59 – Co-parenting and navigating holidays post-divorce
• 13:23 – Vegan/gluten-free holiday recipes and using AI for help
• 16:07 – Stuffing (her favorite food) and the stuffing waffle trick
• 17:22 – Family-favorite latkes
• 20:57 – Canned vs. homemade cranberry sauce confession
• 23:47 – Favorite holiday cocktails
• 24:33 – Goop's secret "Find" curation page for special gifts
• 27:02 – Gift ideas for college-age kids
• 28:45 – Monogrammed and personalized gifts
• 32:10 – Newfound anxiety, mental health reflections
• 33:14 – Bath as grounding ritual
• 34:32 – Health priorities and resolutions for new year
• 34:57 – Surprising gratitude: film community support
• 35:16 – “Work smarter, not harder” as a 2026 intention

Additional Lighthearted Moments

• Gwyneth jokes about her husband Brad being "the worst" for holiday cheer—a self-aware, gently teasing moment: "Brad is like, he hates Christmas music, he hates Christmas decorations... He looks forward to it being over." (12:49)
• On pie baking: "I'm a bad baker. My crust is so fucked up, it always falls apart or it's like dry... I just, I'm a cook, not a baker." (31:18)

Overall Tone

Warm, personal, and relatable, Gwyneth creates room for the honest messiness of holiday life—balancing tradition, togetherness, modern pressures, and self-care with moments of vulnerability, good humor, and practical wisdom.

For Listeners

This AMA episode is an inviting listen for anyone looking for authentic advice, clever holiday ideas, and comfort that even Gwyneth Paltrow is human and finds the holiday season as delightful, stressful, and occasionally overwhelming as the rest of us.