Podcast Summary: The Nikki & Brie Show – "Holiday Curious Convos"
Date: December 18, 2025
Hosts: Nikki & Brie Garcia
Episode Theme: Holiday Curious Conversations
Overview
In this festive “Holiday Curious Convos” episode, Nikki and Brie Garcia (formerly Bella Twins) kick back with a glass of wine to dive into quirky, thoughtful, and sometimes hilarious questions about the holiday season. The sisters reflect on holiday nostalgia, messy family dynamics, why Christmas feels so special, viral headlines, and what really makes the season memorable. Sprinkled with heartfelt memories, lighthearted debates, and their signature banter, this episode captures the highs and lows of holiday life—from childhood expectations to mom pressures and the importance of small acts of kindness.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Holiday Vibes and Curious Combos
- Setting the Scene: The sisters open with a toast to their friend Ed’s Labrie wine, setting a cozy, celebratory tone. They announce a special “curious conversations” holiday edition, admitting upfront that Brie’s questions aren’t all holiday-themed (01:33–02:07).
- Curious Questions Concept:
- These are the deep (or not-so-deep) questions people wonder about the holidays but rarely ask out loud. Nikki promises: “None of this is scientific, which I wish it was, but it’ll be fun, festive, and probably a little wild.” (02:32)
2. The Emotional Pull of Holiday Music
- Core Question: Why do holiday songs feel more emotional than regular songs? (03:00)
- Brie’s Take: Holiday music is tightly linked to memories, tradition, and the rarity of being played only during the season. She recalls, "It reminds me of when I was a kid and Pop up would do special things for us...laughing with Nana." (03:13)
- Nikki’s Perspective: The emotional impact runs even deeper—connected to faith and soul. “Sometimes even people who don’t have faith get emotional...it’s like their soul reaching out to them of belief and faith and God.” (04:09)
3. Childhood Holiday Expectations vs. Reality
- 10-Year-Old Self Reflection: Are the holidays what their younger selves expected? (05:33)
- Nikki: “Yes. Because I didn’t think I’d be doing it as a single mom.” She pictured Home Alone chaos—big family vibes, baking, and full mom immersion. (05:51)
- Home Alone House Rant: The sisters lament how designers ruined the iconic Home Alone set: “You took down the iconic wallpaper, the colors, the coziness, the hominess of that house…to all of us 90s kids, that is not okay. You made it feel like a mental hospital!” (06:53)
4. Holiday Movie Opinions
- Movie Recap: Nikki and Brie critique the film “Secret Santa”—“Awful. I’m not wasting brain cells… I’m going to bed,” Brie jokes. (07:35)
- Meaningfulness of Christmas Movies: Even when the script lets them down, they note the hidden, impactful messages that holiday films often hold.
5. The Speed of December
- Why Does December Fly By? (08:40)
- Brie’s Wisdom: “Time goes fast when you’re having fun…Take a step back and be like, ‘Oh, I really love that.’” (09:01)
- Nikki’s Reflection: Themes and traditions, like ugly sweater parties or family dinner themes, add to the joy and sensation of time flying. (09:42)
- Memorable Quote: “I’ve realized themes really bring a lot of joy to people.” (09:43)
6. Family Drama & Holiday Nostalgia
- Why do families get dramatic at the holidays? (18:33)
- Nikki: “People have barely seen each other...there’s a lot of pent up stuff. So they either get a little buzzed or finally find the right moment and just let it go.” (19:26)
- Brie: Their family avoids major drama by being direct: “We just tell each other off...especially now, send you a text with ten emojis.” (20:38)
7. Communal Eating: What Makes Holiday Meals Special?
- Is there science to food tasting better together? (23:28)
- Brie: It’s all about love and energy—homemade meals shared among people pouring care into their dishes.
- Nikki: It’s primal: “Since Adam and Eve days...our body is our temple...the time of eating, it meant something.” Sitting together activates that ancient, communal meaning. (24:40–25:14)
8. Christmas Past: Childhood Memories
- If they could relive one Christmas: Both agree—Christmases spent with Nana and Pop up in Brawley are the cherished ones. “I’d go back to that in a heartbeat.” (27:42)
9. Acting Nicer During the Holidays—Genuine or Temporary?
- Brie: Some of it’s real, some of it’s phony, but energy is contagious: “Acts of kindness start to happen, but it’s contagious…that’s the energy going around.” (28:24)
- Nikki: “Holidays force some deep down feeling; whether this person’s a Grinch, there’s still that magical person deep down.” (29:16)
10. Pressures for the 'Perfect' Holiday
- Nikki: “Why do we expect a perfect holiday even though it never exists?” (32:24)
- Brie: It’s a “mom thing”—wanting everyone to walk away having had ‘the best time,’ just as movies and traditions suggest. (33:31–34:12)
11. Sister Traditions and Red Flag/Green Flag Holiday Game
- Possible Sister Tradition: They chat about starting a holiday "Sister Sunday" or a festive, active day together—something that sticks even as life gets busier. (36:51–37:09)
- Red Flag/Green Flag Audience Game: Hilarious take on vetting new family significant others at drummer boy dinner. (37:16)
- Examples:
- Offers to help clean: “Green flag.” (38:07)
- Tells kids Santa isn’t real: “Big red flag…he’d be kicked out.” (38:48)
- Brings only one bottle of non-Bonita Bonita wine for himself: “Red flag.” (39:21)
- Takes great family photo: “Green, green, green.” (39:49)
- Examples:
12. Inspiration and Affirmation
- Brie’s Quote: "If you only knew how much those little moments with you mattered to me." (41:01)
- Reminded to give moments to others, especially those alone or grieving: “Just the little things. It goes so far... give time as little or as much as you can to people who are alone this holiday season.” (41:03–41:40)
- Both advocate for neighborly acts, kids making cookies, writing cards, and opening doors to others in need. (41:55–42:43)
- Nikki: “It’s not always about your memories and your moments, but you’re going to leave them with other people too. So think about that this holiday season.” (42:50)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “None of this is scientific, which I wish it was, but it'll be fun, festive, and probably a little wild. And you maybe might feel uneducated after this.” – Nikki (02:32)
- “It reminds me of when I was a kid and Pop up would do certain like special things for us.” – Brie (03:53)
- “I think it's faith...it’s like their soul reaching out to them of like belief and faith and God.” – Nikki (04:09)
- “You took down the iconic wallpaper, the colors, the coziness...to all of us 90s kids, that is not okay.” – Brie (06:53)
- “Time goes fast when you're having fun. Boom.” – Brie (09:01)
- “We've had a dramatic childhood. So we've been...You know what it is with our family? We don't hold it in.” – Brie (20:36)
- “Body is my temple. Say it with me. Body is my temple.” – Nikki (26:26)
- “Holidays force some deep down feeling of like, there's still that magical person deep down.” – Nikki (29:16)
- “If you only knew how much those little moments with you mattered to me.” – Brie (41:01)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Introduction & Holiday Wine Toast: 01:05–01:33
- Curious Combos Concept: 02:32
- Holiday Song Emotions: 03:00–05:00
- Childhood Christmas Reflection: 05:33–06:53
- Home Alone House Rant: 06:53–07:14
- Holiday Movie Discussion: 07:35–07:52
- Why December Flies By: 08:40–09:42
- Family Drama Explainer: 18:33–20:38
- Communal Eating Science: 23:28–25:14
- Favorite Childhood Christmas: 27:02–27:42
- Acting Nicer at Holidays: 28:08–29:41
- Perfect Holiday Pressures: 32:24–34:12
- Red Flag/Green Flag Game: 37:16–40:10
- Inspiration & Affirmation: 41:01–42:50
Overall Tone
Playful, honest, sisterly, and peppered with both deep insights and playful jabs—Nikki and Brie move seamlessly between nostalgia, real-life struggles, tongue-in-cheek scandal, and heartfelt encouragement.
Conclusion
“Holiday Curious Convos” is a delightful, real-life peek into the Garcia twins’ holiday hearts and homes. Between laughs and longings, they explore why this time of year feels different, sharing both scientific guesses and soulful wisdom. Their message: cherish the small moments, embrace the messiness, and remember that a little kindness goes a long way—holiday season or not.