My Gingerbread House Bakers - Susan Halme and Melissa Redell

Summary

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Tosh Show – My Gingerbread House Bakers: Susan Halme and Melissa Redell

Podcast Host: Daniel Tosh
Guests: Susan Halme & Melissa Redell (Solvang Bakery)
Episode Date: December 2, 2025

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Episode Overview

This festive episode centers on mother-daughter team Susan Halme and Melissa Redell, owners of the famed Solvang Bakery in California. Daniel Tosh dives into the world of extravagant gingerbread houses, Christmas traditions, running a family business, and the realities (and absurdities) of baking under pressure. Blending Tosh's signature irreverence with genuine curiosity, the conversation moves from lighthearted roasting to deep-dives into the bakery's 40-year journey and reputation as America’s gingerbread house royalty.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Podcast Announcements and Banter

• [02:10] Daniel Tosh announces the Tosh Show Patreon, promising unedited interviews, outtakes, and bonus content for $5 a month.

  “You cannot cancel it once you sign up. Not only can you not cancel, but it gets passed on to future generations.” – Daniel ([05:11])

• Eddie Gosling (co-host) plugs his upcoming animated Christmas musical and shares playful banter with Daniel about creative holiday projects and Malibu “mom gossip” songs.

2. Introducing the Guests: Building a Gingerbread Empire

• [14:21] Daniel welcomes Susan and Melissa, jokingly asking, “How long have you two been married? Oh, mother, daughter.”
• Susan started Solvang Bakery in 1981 with no business background, taking over as a last-minute adventure during a busy summer in Solvang.

  “I was just thrown into it...I had never had a business. I was baking my own bread...and I was just thrown into it.” – Susan ([20:34])

3. Family, Solvang, and Scandinavian Rivalry

• Susan and Melissa talk about relocating for family (“Dream to have the kids come back,” Susan [14:44]), and how the bakery evolved from a homemaker's hobby to a thriving business.
• Their family is Finnish, not Danish, living in Solvang, a Danish-themed town:

  “Are you at odds with the community?” – Daniel
  “No, everybody’s happy to have us there...You have to keep it quiet.” – Susan ([17:54]-[18:20])

4. Bakery Operations and Gingerbread Boom

• Full-service bakery with Danish butter cookies as a hallmark.
• Gingerbread houses are the mainstay—so popular they outpaced bread and cake sales:

  “It kind of pays for the whole everything all year.” – Melissa ([22:07])

• They stopped wholesale and wedding cakes during “gingerbread season,” which starts October 15th and runs through Christmas.

5. Making and Selling Gingerbread Houses

• All houses hand-assembled—clients can decorate or buy finished. Kits start at $129, “estates” go up to $3,600. Some manors reach 2 feet wide and up to 16 inches high ([25:56]).
• 60+ seasonal employees, most return annually.

  “We're working pretty much 24 hours a day at that time of year. Crazy.” – Melissa ([24:44])

• Annual production maxes out around 4,000 gingerbread houses, with orders beginning as early as July.

6. Customization, Shipping, and Celebrity Clients

• Custom homes: Up to one per year, including scaled Texas mansions hand-delivered due to fragility.
• Shipping costs: Overnight is $500–$1,000 due to delicacy.
• Longevity: “It's like a centerpiece,” says Melissa; edible up to two months, but most serve as display pieces ([29:05]).
• Famous fans:

  “Kelly Ripa...Neil Patrick Harris...the Kardashians have been really nice about posting about us.” – Melissa ([36:03])

  • Most celebrities pay full price, though Kelly Ripa gets a family house as a gift.

7. Inside the Gingerbread Workshop

• Candy selection is meticulous—gumdrops don’t bleed, and gingerbread for the houses needs to be sturdy.
• Decor ranges from classic snowy cottages to Malibu beaches (complete with custom details).
• They have made occasional specialty houses: Airstreams, sports logos, Palm Springs mid-century, and even dog houses (in response to dogs eating the regular ones).
• Refuse to make “mature content” or bachelorette cakes:

  “All the penis stuff is too much. We don't want a part of it in our kitchen.” – Melissa ([33:24])

• Proudly inclusive—would sell to anyone, even referencing past wedding cake controversies:

  “Will you sell a gingerbread house to a gay married couple?” – Daniel
  “Of course.” – Susan ([33:52])

8. Life in Solvang and Running a Small-Town Business

• Residents proud of their “real” friendliness; tourist traffic is manageable.
• Five bakeries coexist in town; competition is collegial, not cutthroat.
• Yelp reviews aren’t trusted, but they use feedback constructively.

9. Family Legacy and Future

• Next-gen succession is uncertain; none of the kids have committed to carrying on the gingerbread empire.
• Possible daughter-in-law-in-waiting: “Our son’s marrying a baker, and she’s making her own cookies.” – Melissa ([38:49])

10. Gingerbread Gifting & Tosh’s Mother

• Daniel muses about sending half-houses to his mother, who famously eschews clutter:

  “Now the idea of sending them a gingerbread every year and watching my mom saw it in half...is just the greatest thing I could do.” ([37:19])

• Tosh later calls his mom; she’s delighted with her house but admits: “I’m not big on eating gingerbread.” – Carol, Daniel’s Mom ([52:58])

11. Gift Exchange & Closing Festivities

• Daniel showers the guests with miscellaneous house gifts (17: gifts segment), joking about their randomness:

  “This is an orchid...I just walk around the morning of and I just start grabbing stuff.” – Daniel ([43:13])

• The guests bring Daniel a personalized Malibu-themed gingerbread house, complete with family, pig, and chickens:

  “This is like the most—the prettiest thing I've ever had.” – Daniel ([48:59])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On gingerbread pricing:

  “What's the price range? What's the cheapest gingerbread house we can get to? The most expensive?” – Daniel ([25:41])
  “The kits start, like $129, and the estate is $3,600.” – Melissa ([25:47])

• On holiday busyness:

  “We’re working pretty much 24 hours a day at that time of year. Crazy.” – Melissa ([24:44])

• On career satisfaction:

  “Which was more fulfilling, being a stay at home mother or a thriving business?” – Daniel ([37:33])
  “I like being home with the children and I was perfectly happy doing that.” – Susan ([37:38])

• On inclusivity:

  “Will you sell a gingerbread house to a gay married couple?” – Daniel ([33:52])
  “Of course.” – Susan ([33:53])

• On family legacy:

  “Who is next in line to run the ginberbread empire? Is there a game of succession going on in your family?” – Daniel ([38:32])

• Gift exchange, topped with signature Tosh self-deprecation:

  “This is like the most—the prettiest thing I've ever had.” – Daniel, upon receiving the Malibu gingerbread ([48:59])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:10-05:31] – Patreon announcement & holiday music banter
• [14:21-18:20] – Introduction to Susan & Melissa; Solvang and Scandinavian culture
• [20:23-24:44] – Origins of Solvang Bakery and peak gingerbread season
• [25:41-27:46] – Gingerbread house pricing, designs, and shipping challenges
• [33:00-34:01] – Boundaries for custom designs and social issues
• [35:04-36:26] – Celebrity shout-outs (Kelly Ripa, Kardashians)
• [37:19-39:01] – Daniel ponders gifting and family reactions
• [43:13-46:45] – Tosh’s idiosyncratic gift exchange
• [47:08-50:30] – Malibu house reveal and edible details
• [52:11-53:18] – Tosh calls his mom about the gingerbread house
• [54:54-56:39] – Post-show jokes/voicemails (not content-focused, but notable for Tosh’s tone)

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Conclusion & Takeaways

This heartwarming (and hilarious) holiday episode showcases the craftsmanship, legacy, and quirks of small-town, family-run American business. Susan and Melissa offer an inside look at their gingerbread operation, complete with obsessive attention to detail (fresh gumdrops only), celebrity anecdotes, and honest talk about seasonal chaos. Daniel Tosh’s comedic probing leads to both playful and poignant revelations, making this a must-listen for anyone looking for stories sweeter than the houses themselves.

If you crave more behind-the-scenes gingerbread action—or just want to see Daniel’s Malibu house in edible form—head to the Solvang Bakery or support their continued perfectionism on Instagram. And as Tosh coins it, may we all avoid the “gingerbread season crunch!”

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Transcript

[A]

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[C]

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[D]

Forget that.

[C]

Aunt Liz will be jealous.

[A]

Like my family drama.

[C]

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[D]

Hey, where are you going?

[B]

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[A]

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[E]

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[B]

Hey guys, thanks for listening. Please like and subscribe. Rate and review. All good stuff, positive. Miss you. Brody. What's the price range? What's the cheapest gingerbread house we can get to? The most expensive.

[D]

The kits start like 1:29 and the estate is 3,600.

[B]

Posh show. Posh show. Tosh show from show. Welcome to Tosh Show. I'm your host, Daniel Tosh. Eddie Gosling is here.

[F]

Hello, Daniel Tosh, how are you? Good, how are you?

[B]

Well, I'm excited.

[F]

Okay. I can feel it. I feel the energy.

[B]

I'm excited because we have a huge, huge announcement to make this week. I just recently found out that we edit this podcast, okay? I was unaware. I thought I came in here, sat down, talked to someone lovely, walked out, and then you guys put it on the Internet.

[F]

Just goes right up.

[B]

That's what I thought happened.

[F]

Right.

[B]

Well, then it turns out you guys have been cutting my words, piecing them together, you know, making me say God knows what. So guess what? Well, no, no, no. Guess what. I am suing you guys for $1 billion.

[F]

Man. It's gonna really put me in the hole.

[B]

Well, let that be a lesson. Did you know about this, Eddie?

[F]

Yeah, I did.

[B]

And how long has it been going on?

[F]

I think since the interview won.

[B]

Since day one. Day one. You've been cutting all of my seamless rants. My banter. Why? For what? What do you guys get out of that? Well, I ask. I ask. I go, well, where is all this footage? And they said, it's just eating up space on expensive hard drives. Well, I said, well, then we got to fix that. We have to find a way to mine that for the gold. The nuggets that are in there. Okay, now, most podcasts, I'm told, are between like, an hour and three hours long, which is why I always said, well, let's make ours 30 to 45 minutes. Now, in the history of our show, only three episodes have ever gone longer than one hour. And I would like to point out that all three of those were female guests.

[F]

There you go.

[B]

Okay, so that. That's not sexist. All I'm saying is that women talk way too long.

[F]

That's a fact.

[B]

That's a fact. So here's what we're doing. Okay? We're starting a Patreon page. That'll be nice. The fans will love this. What all is going to be on there? Extended interviews, outtakes. Will there be, you know, ad reads where I went completely off book, and the company said you can definitely not air that eventually, once their chat clears. Sure, I'll put that on there.

[F]

All right.

[B]

Will there be any bn. Bn Brief. Brief nudity? Oh, yeah, possibly. Matter of fact, there is. This is for people that just can't get enough. They want to see how the sausage is made, and they're going to find out. Are we going to go back to episode one? Probably. Oh, my goodness.

[F]

Why wouldn't we?

[B]

There is going to be so much gold. I mean, we got. We leave a lot of meat on the bone. How much will it cost? $5. Now, what's included with $5? Well, you get ESPN. Okay, thank you. So you'll get the Manning cast.

[F]

Thank You.

[B]

I would like to point out that you cannot cancel it once you sign up. This is. We're given an opportunity for people to. Not only can they not cancel, but it gets passed on to future generations.

[F]

Generational.

[B]

Uh huh. It's like having like floor seats to the Lakers.

[F]

Oh, it's cool. I like this. Yeah, you'll be happy.

[B]

You gotta go to patreon.com tossshow you won't be disappointed. I say that jokingly because I know that my fans will always find something to be disappointed by. They'll be like, oh my goodness. This unedited footage feels edited. Well, that's the big news, Ed. We're doing a patreon patreon.com tosshow. You got big news too.

[F]

I heard I got some news.

[B]

Eddie, as a lot of people know in his family, and maybe slightly outside of his family, is that he tinkers in the music world around the holiday times, always putting out funny Christmas songs. I think you can order them or download them or. They're available someplace.

[F]

They're on itunes.

[B]

They're on itunes. There you go. Remember when you used to pay 99 cents for a song?

[F]

Oh my God. Yeah.

[B]

Wow. Anyway, you know, I deliberately put out an album once where there was only like four tracks because I wanted them. But then they, they fought me like, we have to make it at least 10 tracks. And I'm like, why? And I made like one track, like 17 minutes. It doesn't matter. This is not about the goodwill that I've done in the past. Especially coming off the heels of me telling people to go to our Patreon page and spend $5. Right, but they may like it. Okay, we weren't talking about that. We were talking about your. Your Christmas. So you have a new Christmas song coming out or. Or you're animating all of your old Christmas songs.

[F]

Animating the old Christmas songs. There's also going to be a new Christmas song and it's all going to be like a stop motion animation called the Eddie G. Christmas Spectacular variety extravaganza.

[B]

And then people, people just order it.

[F]

Let's go to my website, Eddie Gosling.

[B]

And then you can just see it.

[F]

Yeah, you just watch it.

[B]

Oh, so it's free.

[F]

I think it's going to be around 23, 24 minutes. Maybe I'll put something where you can buy me a cup of coffee.

[B]

Well, what if everybody did that? And then you'd have so much fucking coffee.

[F]

I'll just, I'll use it for something else.

[B]

Yeah, but the coffee's gonna get cold.

[F]

Well, you're right. I haven't thought about the entire infrastructure of the payments and everything, but.

[B]

Okay, so this isn't a money play.

[F]

Not a money play.

[B]

Well, why don't we just put it on the Patreon page?

[F]

We could put it on the Patreon.

[B]

Page in addition to your website.

[F]

Yeah.

[B]

Well, that's good that you're gonna put that out there. I actually want to put out a song.

[F]

Okay.

[B]

A funny song. I haven't written it.

[F]

Okay.

[B]

You know, but I want to do it in the style of Ed Sheeran, you know, but about just what my son goes through and gossip about all the parents here in Malibu. Yeah. You know Ed Sheeran sings those songs.

[F]

Yeah, absolutely.

[B]

I want to do, like, a song like Ed Sheeran, just about the gossip of. Of Malibu. My son's 6 years old, and he had a play date with one of his friends, and their parents were going to leave Malibu, and they said they're going to sell everything in their house. And I was like, okay, that's fine, but I don't want to buy anything. And they're like, well, what about some of this artwork? And I was like, yeah, yeah, that's just a tight shot of your wife's nipple. I don't want to pay for that.

[F]

Give it to me.

[B]

It's just a song I'm working on.

[F]

Yeah, it's already got that Ed Sheeran feel.

[B]

And then we decided to go to the playground, but Trankus was having the field worked on, so we went to fire truck playground instead. And fire truck playground's fun, except for on the weekends when all the people from Calabasas are over there. We hate them. I don't know. I'm just gonna write a song. You gotta do it about my son.

[A]

Feels like you're writing it.

[B]

There's one lady that I'm pretty sure bad stuff happens to her, but everyone talks about it, but no one will address it.

[A]

Another verse of that one.

[B]

There's a few. Few women that are definitely in relationships that are starting to go south. Whatever. I'm in the. I'm in the. Are you. Is your house fully decorated, Eddie?

[F]

Fully decorated.

[B]

Good. Well, as you know, I've been deep into Christmas mode for a month now.

[F]

Yeah.

[B]

But I couldn't be more excited about today's guests. Do you hear that?

[F]

Guests?

[B]

Guests. Plural.

[F]

Plural.

[B]

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[G]

Yes.

[B]

And you work together?

[D]

Yes.

[B]

How long has that been a thing?

[D]

She started the bakery in the 80s and I was 12 years old and started working as dishwashing and waitressing. So now after we had kids, we decided to move near grandma and then she could help raise our kids. And then we partnered with the bakery.

[B]

Isn't that your dream, to have the kids come back?

[G]

Absolute dream.

[B]

My parents couldn't have been happier pushing me away, honest to goodness, just as far as I could go. They're like, okay, they're in Florida. They're like, california seems perfect for you.

[D]

Now me, that's opposite of mine.

[B]

My nightmare is to think of my kids away from me. I tell my wife every day, why are we sending them to school? That's right. Let's just let them hang out.

[D]

Totally.

[B]

Now, you worked in a bakery at 12 years old, which technically might be illegal.

[D]

Not when it's your parents owning it.

[B]

Well, see that's. I don't know, it's a gray area because my father worked in his father's bakery. They owned. Yes. My grandfather owned a few bakeries in St. Louis, Missouri. And now my dad had to pound out like donuts at 4am, like every day before school. And I'm always like, eh, you don't seem like the happiest of fathers. You probably missed a few key hours of sleep.

[D]

Yep.

[B]

Does your family come from a long line of bakers?

[G]

No, my father was in the restaurant business. And so I vowed that I would never, ever do that. And it didn't last too long.

[B]

I haven't even started the interview yet. Okay, let's go. Do you believe in ghosts?

[G]

Oh, no, I don't.

[B]

Neither one of you?

[H]

No.

[B]

I love what I'm hearing. Solvang. How did you end up in Solvang?

[G]

Actually, my husband's an attorney. We knew we wanted to live outside of Los Angeles somehow. And there was an ad in the law journal that somebody wanted an attorney in Solvang. And so we came up that day in March. And he interviewed and said, yes, I'll be your partner, if that sounds good. And there we've been ever since.

[B]

And you love it.

[G]

And we love it.

[B]

I know nothing about Solvang. And then recently I went there like a week ago.

[D]

Oh, my God.

[G]

Oh, really?

[B]

Yeah. Like, I just took the family we had a birthday party for. I got my wife's cousin, she's a weird horse person. And I'm like, we'll go to Alisol Ranch. And I'm like, this place is amazing. I ran to rave. But my one gripe on the Alisol, you get assigned a table for your stay. Now, I've never been on a cruise ship, but this is what I'm feeling like.

[D]

It's like dirty dancing. What do you call that? Dude ranch kind of thing.

[B]

Right. I'm not into that. All of a sudden I got like, I gotta be friends with the table next to me. Like, hey, what are you guys doing today? That's weird. I only did two meals. But after that I was like, oh, I can't do this, guys.

[D]

I need a new table.

[B]

I have to have a new table. I'm looking for a trade.

[D]

Well, since we're local, we don't. Do we go on the other side of the room. Like for the one day we're not staying there, we just go there for the dinner.

[B]

I felt the town, everybody was so nice that I thought it wasn't real. Like, they were just overly. Hello. How are you? Like, people just driving. I mean, you can just drive your car past me. I'm walking. And yet still they're like rolling windows down to say hello. Is that just something you guys do for tourists?

[G]

No, no, it's A real town, Small town. Everybody is so happy that they live there.

[B]

Yeah, Yeah. I mean, it's a different place for sure. But you're not. It's a Danish town and you're Finnish. Is this what I'm learning?

[D]

Yes.

[B]

Okay, how does that work? Are you at odds with the community?

[G]

No, everybody's happy to have us there.

[B]

Do the Finnish and Danes get along?

[D]

Historically, I think the Danes are the ones that founded the town, so they feel like it's their place. But they're nice that we're there and we're Scandinavian and I don't think we.

[G]

Say much about being Finnish.

[B]

Yeah, you don't advertise it. You have to keep it quiet.

[G]

Yes, you do.

[B]

My apologies. My apologies.

[D]

Get out.

[B]

Oh, man. I'm starting a baking war. What do you think of that? They're dumb little pancakes.

[D]

Oh, the able Skeeverskie love. Did you try em? I mean, sure, you have to try them. Yes, but it is a pancake. Yeah, yeah.

[B]

Do you hate that your town is so touristy?

[G]

I don't, no. It actually still works fine. We have a great small community that we're all involved in and we know how to avoid the traffic on the weekends if we don't want to become part of that.

[B]

I mean, it's not that bad a traffic. Are you kidding me? I mean, you got like one roundabout. What are you off to Chumash?

[D]

Sometimes.

[B]

You ever yank the levers?

[G]

No, I don't.

[B]

You don't? You've never you? We don't gamble at all. How about you? You ever gamble? Yes. You do?

[D]

Not regularly.

[B]

Where do most of your tourists come from?

[D]

Lots of Los Angeles, Bay area. We're kind of like a sweet spot between them. A lot of the tour buses will. Wherever they come from. They go from us to Hearst Castle to San Francisco.

[B]

You ever been on one of those bus tours?

[G]

I haven't not.

[B]

Neither have I.

[G]

No.

[B]

I just. It terrifies me to think that's what I'm gonna do on the final stretch.

[D]

Oh my gosh. If you don't wanna sit at a table next to somebody I know, do not get on a tour bus.

[B]

I don't have a problem sitting at a table next to. I don't want to do it multiple nights in a row. That's a term of us Now I'm judging wardrobes. I don't like it anyways. That's what I think I loved the most about Solvang. I say that, oh, it's so touristy, but I didn't know about it. And then I go up there, I'm like, this is delight. But I love my life of saying no to everything and not doing things. And then when I do something like, this is great. It's just neat that there's these places in California that are so drastically different from what most people think California is. But you're still California. Like, you're still California. You're cool. You've got necklaces on, your shirt. Looks good. Walk me through the history of the Solvang Bakery, from your humble beginnings to building a gingerbread house empire.

[G]

It started out in the middle of summer when town was very busy and my husband had a client who had to sell it immediately and leave.

[B]

Why?

[G]

He was getting a divorce and wanted out of town.

[B]

Wanted to hide his assets.

[G]

Yeah, I don't know that part. All I know is you gotta steal. I had four kids at home, and it was the middle of summer, it was July, and town was very busy. And I had never had a business. And I was baking my own bread. And, you know, I was a homemaker. Definitely Mom. And I was just thrown into it.

[B]

When did you start it?

[G]

1981.

[B]

1981.

[D]

She was raising us on a little farm. They moved from la. Four kids. And we had a totally different life. And then the bakery came as an option that one of my dad's clients was selling. And she thought it would be a fun hobby that turned into now our life.

[B]

Talk to me about the other stuff. Pastries that are in this bakery. Cause that's what I'm gonna really care about. What do we got? Run the game. You do cakes?

[G]

We're a full line bakery cookies. So we. Oh, absolutely. You can't leave Solvang without your tub of cookies.

[B]

What kind of cookies?

[G]

Danish butter cookies.

[B]

Danish. Oh, how dare you.

[G]

And we did bring you some.

[B]

Oh, even better.

[D]

Yep.

[B]

Do you do traditional cookies?

[G]

Absolutely. Oh, what does that mean?

[B]

You mean chocolate chip?

[G]

Yes.

[B]

Okay. Isn't that traditional?

[D]

We do a lot of Danish. Danish cookies, but we also do a lot of American style.

[B]

Would you ever consider stop making the gingerbread houses and just focus on just the bakery? Oh, no, it's both.

[D]

It kind of pays for the whole everything all year.

[B]

What about stopping the bakery? Part of it.

[D]

We've thought about doing that.

[G]

We've stopped baking bread. We've stopped baking wholesale. Yeah.

[D]

We don't do any of the things we used to do before the gingerbread business, like sending things to restaurants and grocery stores. We don't do any of that. We don't do any wedding cakes during gingerbread season?

[B]

I like that it's called gingerbread season. That makes me happy.

[D]

Oh, yeah.

[G]

It's like.

[D]

It's a verb. In our town now. We're gingerbreading.

[B]

Did you make a gingerbread house growing up before you had the bakery and go, oh, my goodness. I really have a knack for this.

[G]

No, I didn't. I knew of them. I don't think we ever had a gingerbread house in our house. And I love making them now.

[B]

I despise the kits.

[D]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Despise them.

[G]

You need to have one of our kits.

[B]

Yeah, well, okay. I'd rather pay the extra money to have it finished. I'm more of a. Like, I wanna see the beauty. I don't wanna be a part of it. I love baking, but I can't stand icing.

[G]

Oh, okay.

[B]

It's too much.

[D]

Oh, the taste or the.

[B]

No, just doing it.

[D]

Yeah.

[G]

Oh.

[B]

That's when I pass off the duties to the kids and my wife. I'm like, okay, now you guys are in charge.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Also, the kits that you buy from wherever, they never adhere properly.

[D]

We discovered that a long time ago and started selling ours already assembled. So it has everything. And you just decorate it instead of having to wait for the walls to dry because. Who wants to do that?

[B]

No, none of us.

[D]

The kids want to just start decorating or eating the candy.

[B]

You got any A frames in there?

[G]

Yes, it is an A frame, actually.

[B]

Okay, well, no, just a straight A.

[G]

No, the kid is an A frame.

[B]

I love an A frame. It's the cutest. Cutest of the cottages. You ever set up shop in, like, little mountain ski towns at all? No, I don't know my idea here. I just want you guys to have, like, a place in Tahoe that you just build out. How large of a operation are you running here? How many elves are in the workshop?

[D]

Well, during Christmas time, we can get up to about 60 people helping.

[B]

What do you call Christmas time? Just out of curiosity, when do you guys say, okay, now we're in the season.

[D]

Octo.

[B]

October 15th's your start.

[D]

Some people love to decorate the day after Halloween. We found out. Okay.

[B]

I don't. Well, I don't care about decorating, but that's when I'm like, now we focus on Christmas, kids.

[D]

So we have to send some of the Christmas houses, like, end of October, and then November's the busiest. Busiest. And then most people want them the day after Thanksgiving.

[B]

And what do you tell these people that come to work for you? So Seasonally. They just know that this is a seasonal job that they can do every year.

[D]

Right. We've been doing it so long now that they just say, put me on the list. Next year they get their extra money. I mean, we're working pretty much 24 hours a day at that time of year. Crazy.

[B]

Do you just outsource it all at this point, or are you still hands on in there?

[G]

No, we're absolutely hands on. Yeah.

[B]

So much work.

[D]

Which is why we end up selling out. Because we're still so little that we can only do a certain amount. So that's why people start ordering in July.

[B]

Would you want to get huge? Would you want, like, numbers to triple?

[D]

I mean, we would need a whole different operation, like warehouses. And maybe it just. We. We've got a lot of the Same people for 40 years that we started with, so.

[B]

Well, they can still be a part of it.

[D]

Right.

[B]

Well, quit being so selfish. Yeah. Right. Out. New people.

[D]

I mean, yes, we've thought about expanding.

[B]

Okay, let's talk about the price. That's always exciting to hear. I mean, because they're not cheap.

[G]

No.

[B]

What's the price range? What's the cheapest gingerbread house we can get to? The most expensive.

[D]

The kits start, like 129, and the estate is 3,600.

[B]

The estate is 36. How big in dimensions is the estate?

[G]

It's like it's on a 24 by.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Is 24 the height or the width?

[G]

The width.

[B]

Okay. Two feet.

[G]

Yeah.

[D]

It's like a full sheen board. Cake board.

[G]

And they're still probably 15, 16 inches high.

[D]

Yeah.

[G]

Is that right?

[B]

Could you charge more? And really upset people?

[D]

We try to charge what we have to charge to kind of pay everybody and make it worth it for us to, you know, be there 24 hours a day in November and December.

[B]

Do people complain and say, like, I. I remember when your houses used to cost $380?

[D]

No. We kind of went from not charging enough to, like, a whole nother sphere of clients that we just thought, okay, if they're not going to pay, then we don't want to have a business because it's too much work for nothing. And so we kind of just got into this new realm where it's affordable to them.

[B]

Yeah. Listen, you know, Christmas makes me happy, so I got no issues. Why are the lights so much more expensive?

[D]

It's a really big process to do it. I mean, it's so.

[B]

I mean, it really changes the. The value of the home.

[D]

Yep, it does.

[B]

You live off grid.

[D]

It's the top notch.

[B]

Things are acceptable because then you look.

[D]

Inside and there's like a fireplace and furniture and Santa and the whole thing.

[B]

How long does it take to complete a 1700 gingerbread manor from start to finish?

[D]

It's hard to say because we're not making one at a time. So we'll make like 100 doors and like thousands of windows and all the different pieces first. So we start that really early, like in the summer. Then the baking part, we'll bake all the pieces too, and then we'll assemble those. So there's kind of a system. So you don't really know exactly, but if you had to do one, it would probably take you a week.

[G]

Oh, absolutely. Yeah.

[B]

You got an auto plant basically going on.

[G]

Yes, it is.

[D]

We're by hand with. Yes.

[B]

You ever consider putting real glass in them?

[G]

We have done that. Oh, no, not real.

[D]

No, it wasn't real. It was a sugar glass.

[G]

But that's.

[B]

No, I'm a nice real glass. You get a window sponsor, you know. Yeah, there you go. Offset some money. Ain't nothing better than kids having a snack that had go to the windows.

[G]

Oh, gosh.

[B]

Has anyone ever ordered the most expensive manner that you guys sell and ate it on the spot.

[D]

Ate it on the spot, ate it on the spot.

[B]

That's what I gotta do. That would just open it up and just start eating. Has anyone really ate the whole house?

[G]

Well, we don't really know. We just don't.

[B]

There's no follow up in 40 years you haven't talked to a friend?

[D]

Well, no, People say no. Some people say they let their kids eat it after the holiday and like get hot cocoa to dip it in because it's probably too hard. But all the candy all around it is really good candy. So the kids, like we did have.

[G]

That one client that she ordered it at Thanksgiving because that's when all her grandchildren came and she let them.

[D]

Oh, she let them smash it.

[G]

Just do whatever they wanted.

[D]

That was a smash. I said, you're seriously paying this to smash?

[G]

She bought the big manor.

[B]

How long will these things last? You said two months.

[D]

Yep.

[G]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

That's not true. Eating after two months.

[G]

It's up to you.

[D]

Well, it's kind of like a centerpiece. Really? Truly. It's like a centerpiece.

[B]

By the way, do you like gingerbread?

[G]

Yes.

[B]

To eat?

[F]

Yes.

[B]

I don't know where I'm at on this.

[D]

I like the chewy gingerbread, but you have to use kind of the harder gingerbread. To make the house sturdy, do you.

[B]

Use jelly beans or gumdrops for exterior illumination?

[D]

Illumination?

[B]

I don't know. That's what the question is.

[D]

Well, we use gumdrops and jelly beans.

[B]

Oh, you do? Yeah, gumdrops. I'm not a fan. Are they new gumdrops? Are they still the old ones that are just wrapped around your teeth?

[G]

Oh, no, they're fresh.

[B]

No, I meant.

[D]

No, they're the same gumdrops.

[G]

No, they haven't reinvented them. The beauty is they don't bleed because we have to have candy that sits on snow white snow that won't bleed. And there's very little on the market.

[D]

We've been all around with all these candies that other people do when they're doing a kit and they look really cute for a couple days, but they don't last all season. And to ship, how much does a.

[B]

Gingerbread manor weigh and what does it.

[D]

Cost to ship the manors with lights? We have to do overnight. So that's like $500 to ship on top of the.

[B]

Oh man, that's a good number.

[D]

And $1,000 if you're getting the estate. But we'll send it to Florida. Where did we send one? The Bahamas once. And it's got to get on some private thing. You're basically buying a plane ticket for the house. Because it has to a last minute plane ticket. It needs to get there. No point in sending it if it's going to break.

[B]

It doesn't have to. It's not a kidney.

[D]

Yeah. No, I'm saying if they're spending this much like you don't send it ground to be tossed around a few times. It's. We require them to send it overnight.

[B]

What percentage get damaged in shipping?

[D]

I mean like 1%.

[G]

Not. Yeah, not.

[D]

Maybe a little candy thing will fall off and you know.

[B]

Right.

[D]

But do people for like real damage. They'll send us a picture and we don't know what happened differently from another one. If it got thrown or.

[B]

Okay. But if they send you a photo of it damage, how do you remedy it?

[D]

We send them a new one right away.

[G]

Yep.

[B]

So you can move more.

[D]

It's because it's not. There's a little cushion. We save a few that we have to. You know, we know we're gonna have to make for that reason. But it doesn't happen very often. Otherwise we wouldn't be in business.

[B]

Do you make custom gingerbread houses?

[G]

Yes.

[B]

Like just if somebody can send you a photo of their house and you'll just do it.

[D]

But now we do maybe one a year because it takes so long. We did this one of this home in Texas and my sister and her husband had to drive it there because we were so scared to ship it and.

[G]

Well, it was too big.

[D]

Yeah. I mean, it was really. To scale the bricks, the whole thing. It was amazing. And that took, I don't know, it took you guys a month. And so we have to make 4,000 of these in two months.

[B]

Is that the number? Around 4,000 a season?

[D]

That's pretty much our max.

[B]

I got a new market for you. Maybe. Maybe you've already thought of it, but I feel like these people would spend the money because they care about architecture so much and they're probably easy to build in that mid century modern Palm Springs. There's your market for you.

[D]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

You've done those.

[D]

Well, we should make one as one of our line, as that style.

[B]

Yep, that's what I'm thinking.

[G]

Yep.

[B]

Oh, man. I'm just workshopping over here.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

This is good stuff. This is good stuff. You do like Airstreams or trailers.

[D]

Any of that stuff we have done, but it's.

[B]

Airstreams would be tricky.

[D]

Yeah, it's hard to do that shape. Yeah.

[F]

Trailer park. One time I get the bleeding. My stuff started to like melt into the water.

[B]

You tried to make a trailer park Eddie?

[D]

I did.

[B]

Oh, man.

[F]

Eagles logo on it.

[B]

You do sports teams?

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

I think the NFL could shut you down.

[D]

Oh, wow.

[G]

Well, take it back.

[D]

We do a few logos for people. It's not enough.

[B]

I think they can come at you. Is there anything that you guys won't do or put on your gingerbread? Do you guys have a code of conduct over there?

[D]

Yes.

[B]

Does anybody try to sneak things by? Because I can get pretty creative with embroideries where people don't know what I'm writing. And then when I get it, it says something pretty horrible. And my wife's like, ha, ha. That's funny.

[D]

We'll have to do the Daniel Tosh line of gingerbread and then you can have your own brand.

[B]

A little, you know, pretty good mature content.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Gingerbread.

[D]

We don't even do bachelorette party cakes.

[B]

You won't? No. All the penis stuff is too much.

[D]

It's not. We don't want our be part of our kitchen.

[B]

I can't imagine that day in the factory when you're having to pump out a conveyor belt of gingerbread.

[D]

I think we did one. And our men and women working together, we're like, we don't need this.

[B]

Good for you. You're a lot like Chick Fil A. Will you sell a gingerbread house to a gay married couple?

[G]

Of course.

[B]

Oh, good to know. Wasn't that always. That was always a hot button issue. That was a wedding cake. Okay, so you won't do wedding cake.

[D]

No, we do.

[B]

Oh, you will. Good. Good to know. I didn't know. Do you guys smell of gingerbread at all times?

[G]

Probably does.

[B]

The smell of smells good. It does, but I meant anything that smells good after, you know, day in and day out. You're like, enough already.

[G]

Well, you can't smell it after a while. Really need to go away to come.

[D]

But anyone that walks in that isn't in there every day says, oh, my gosh, it smells so great.

[B]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Well, they don't have to live in it.

[D]

So true.

[B]

Do you inspect every house before it gets delivered or.

[G]

No, they actually have to be because of the names and the people and the dogs and all of the personalization that we do. So before they go even get wrapped to be shipped, they have to look at the order and make sure that all the names and people are correct and line up.

[B]

Does Kelly Ripa get free gingerbread houses for life?

[D]

No. She's so nice and pays for all of them. We give her one for her family, but she's been so amazing promoting us.

[B]

Tell me that story. How did that happen?

[D]

Somebody that was our client just buying some of our Danish pastries had a friend that was looking to give her a gift. And so he said, I bet Solvay and Bakery could do a gingerbread house. And so we did one for her. My mom made her first one and she loved it so much she started giving to all her friends, and then the people she gave them to started giving to their friends, and then it just kind of went like that.

[B]

I was always a Kathie Lee fan.

[D]

We like them both, but Callie's a gingerbread saint to us.

[B]

Exactly. Regis. Oh, who didn't love Regis? Regis was just delightful. I miss Regis.

[D]

We got to meet them once. They were so nice.

[B]

You met Regis?

[D]

Well, they invited us on their show when they came to LA one year. Man, you got to meet them.

[B]

You made the rounds.

[D]

Oh, boy.

[B]

Who are some celebrities that have purchased one of your gingerbread houses that you can mention? And was it an all cash offer?

[D]

Well, Kelly Ripa, as we've said, and then Neil Patrick Harris was one of her first recipients, and then he and David Bertka, then they started giving gifts so we can mention Them because they've posted about us and then the Kardashians have been really nice about posting about us.

[B]

Oh, man. All it takes is one post by them, huh? And things just skyrocket.

[G]

That's extraordinary.

[B]

Yeah, you won't get that type of bump from being on this show, let me tell you right now. Although, although in my head now I'm like, now I'm going to have to order one of these every year. But the, the funny thing about what I wanna do with it is I wanna order one for my mother every year. Because my mother, she lives in a. They live in a small guest house on my sister's property. And she's like, we don't have room for anything. That's always what she said. If I send her a photo of the grandkids, she's like, where am I gonna put this? So I just love the. And then if I send her flowers, it's always, it's too many. I had to take em in half and give half to your sister Missy. And so now the idea of sending them a ging every year and watching my mom saw it in half so that my sister can have half is just the greatest thing I could do. I eat this thing.

[F]

So we'll go away.

[B]

We can't have a full gingerbread house, honey. That's too much. Can we leave the price tags on them when we deliver them? Is that possible?

[D]

We don't put price tags on them.

[B]

Which was more fulfilling, being a stay at home mother or a thriving business?

[G]

I like being home with the children and I was perfectly happy doing that. And then having a little side something, I was weaving and spinning and doing those kinds of things. That was good. And then I could really be more devoted this way. We all went to work and it was all a little crazy.

[B]

I get overwhelmed when I have to do two things in one day. I'm just like, oh, it's a bad day. Like my wife knows. Like, oh, it's Tuesday. That means I have to come here. That's a big one. And I don't, you know, and I might have to drop a box off at the post office. I don't know what I'm gonna do. She's like, you'll get through it. Who is next in line to run the gingerbread empire? Is there a game of succession going on in your family?

[D]

Have you seen the knot it game? No. I think we would love for somebody to want to do that in our kids, but they're all kind of doing other things, so.

[B]

Yeah. But wait till all that stuff fails.

[G]

We have one possible candidate in the new wedding.

[D]

Our son's marrying a baker and she's making her own cookies.

[B]

I don't. She's not the bloodline, so that bothers me.

[D]

But she's really talented and she could do it great.

[B]

She could.

[D]

They just live out of state.

[B]

So where do they live?

[D]

In Tennessee.

[B]

Tennessee is really having a moment since the pandemic. A lot of people live in there.

[D]

Yeah.

[G]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Do you set up your home for Christmas?

[D]

A little bit less than we used to. I start doing it in October.

[G]

Now you have a husband that loves Christmas so much. He decorates the tree and everything.

[D]

Because our poor kids. Though, after this started getting rolling, it was like, hard to be home decorating.

[B]

And you guys are little scrooges at home, aren't you?

[D]

No, we love it. We can't wait for Christmas. Cause we're.

[B]

Cause you're working.

[D]

No, we're closed. Yeah, we're closed on Christmas. And we go to the Alisol for dinner and they make us dinner and it's amazing.

[B]

How's your relationship with that candy shop there in Solvang?

[D]

Great.

[B]

Oh, you ever go in there?

[G]

Sure.

[B]

Everywhere with all the barrels.

[D]

Well, I was thinking of the chocolate shop.

[B]

Oh, you're thinking chocolate shop. Mm. I don't consider chocolate candy.

[D]

Oh, really?

[B]

No, it's chocolate. And he said it's a food group.

[D]

It is.

[B]

I love chocolate.

[D]

Okay.

[B]

Candy. I'm always. But anyway, they were a little strict with me in there in that candy shop.

[D]

In the barrel shop.

[B]

Yeah. My kids were grabbing something. I'm like, okay, we're not. Talk a little trash about your arch nemesis. The Brick Homes Bakery.

[D]

They're all great.

[B]

Oh, they're good for you.

[G]

Yes.

[B]

That's how you have to be. You have to just be nice to all your competition.

[D]

There's five bakeries in Solvang.

[B]

Five? Uh huh.

[D]

Yes. And we all have something different. Great. There's enough room for everybody.

[B]

So you don't ever start stuff. Things don't ever get heated?

[G]

No.

[B]

Okay.

[G]

No.

[B]

You don't ever jump on your keyboard at night and write some sour reviews? Do you guys read your Yelp reviews?

[D]

Sometimes.

[B]

Okay.

[D]

I don't trust that.

[B]

I don't trust it either. But I still use Yelp. It's still a necessary evil.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

I need to look at photos. I need to see what things look like.

[D]

If something ever has gone wrong in our business, I feel like people will tell us. And then we're able to make it right instead of publicly.

[B]

You know, social media's ruined everything. Let's be clear.

[D]

Let's be clear.

[B]

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[B]

Car show. Everybody that's on the show gets gifts. Oh, man. I just give things in my house. I just walk around the morning of and I just start grabbing stuff. Okay. Now the first thing I'm giving you here is this. This is an orchid. Now, let me tell you. No, it's not. There's one person in my life that I can't be mean to. My housekeeper. I just love her to death. And she always, like whenever I travel a lot and when we come home, she always brings us an orchid. And they don't die. So anyway, I want you to have this.

[E]

Thank you.

[B]

Take that orchid. Hold on. There's more stuff. There's also this vase.

[D]

Oh, wow.

[B]

Yeah, I don't like this vase. That was. I saw this vase in my vase cabin this morning. I was like, why is. We have never put flowers in this? So you're gonna like that. Go ahead. Yeah, you can just set that on the floor. Okay. This is nice. You're gonna love this. You just give this to somebody. Don't worry about that. I didn't know how cool you were as, you know, an older lady, but a stack of frames now, most of these frames still have, like, photos of my family in them. But you don't have to. You can keep those up if you'd like. Or there's my son when he was little. No, that's my wife and her mom. You'll love these. They were just in a drawer. That's my wife's wedding.

[D]

Wait, are you serious?

[B]

Yeah, she was. Well, I guess it's my wedding too, but I didn't really care.

[D]

That's a special picture.

[B]

Not if it was shoved in a drawer that never was going to get touched. Here, you're going to want these frames.

[D]

We love them. These are very special.

[B]

You can do stuff them with them. That's not one of them. With them. Oh, come on. Here's a puzzle. Everybody loves a puzzle.

[F]

Oh, my God.

[B]

It's astrology. I'm not gonna do it, but I think I lied. I actually already did that puzzle once. This is. What is this flavor? Oh, pumpkin, ginger and clove.

[D]

Oh, nice.

[B]

Yeah, disgusting. Go ahead and you guys can. You'll have a place for that. This is a book that all women read, apparently. But my wife got this far into it and it's like, I am out. She bailed on it. Have you read it? You've already read it?

[D]

I read it a long time ago, though.

[B]

Did you like it?

[D]

I'm trying to remember that one.

[B]

Oh, she couldn't she couldn't finish it. You'll love it again.

[D]

I'll love it again.

[B]

This. Nobody wants this cookbook. But everybody has this cookbook. I don't know. I didn't like it, so we don't need it.

[G]

Oh, my gosh.

[D]

You had a good time cleaning.

[B]

This recipe, though, is from my friend from Spain. He's been on the show. Sergio. And this is his paella.

[G]

Oh, so that's good.

[B]

Yeah, you'll love it. I've already taken a photo of it. I don't need a hard copy.

[D]

You're right.

[B]

Why would. I don't know why he spent 10 days writing.

[G]

Useful handwriting.

[B]

I mean, I appreciate the penmanship, but whatever.

[G]

Yes.

[B]

You get this stuff and we'll get rid of that.

[D]

Sergio's paella.

[B]

What is it? Oh, this. This is funny.

[G]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

My son had to dress up for school and my son's a bit of a. I guess the right word is a nerd. And he wanted to dress up as the library, so I ordered something on Amazon, but it didn't come in time. But I think you'll like it.

[D]

You haven't even opened it yet.

[B]

No, I haven't. It came late. Yeah, it came late from after the dress update. It's a stack of books. Hair clip.

[D]

That is so cute.

[G]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

Well, he has really long hair. Anyway, sorry for opening it, but I wanted to make sure it was. That it was.

[D]

He won't want that.

[B]

No, no, he doesn't want. The costume's over. This is like. Here you go. Here's some popcorn. I don't ever. I just do microwave popcorn. Do you guys ever get. Well, you'll love that.

[D]

That's so great.

[B]

Every woman loves an ugly toast.

[D]

Oh, my gosh. My daughter in law just had a mob wife themed bachelorette party.

[B]

Perfect.

[D]

She would have loved that.

[B]

Would have been great.

[G]

Begged for her, right?

[B]

Let's get all this. Can we get all of this on the floor? Be careful. That bag seems like it's dripping.

[D]

We actually brought you some presents as well.

[B]

Okay.

[D]

Okay.

[B]

This is exciting.

[D]

Yeah. Since you love Christmas.

[B]

I do.

[D]

This is a little Malibu Christmas beach gingerbread house.

[B]

Hold on. Can we unwrap it?

[D]

I mean, I mean, it'll show better on the camera. Probably unwrapped.

[B]

Well, hold on, hold on. This part gets hard. Do I. You cut. Is that the better move?

[D]

If you don't want to save this bag, we can just rip it.

[B]

I don't trust that you're not going to knock over My trees.

[D]

No, I got you way more durable.

[B]

Than I was anticipating. Let me have this.

[D]

She worked hard on this one for you. She's got your family here in your bathing suits and your little pig.

[B]

Oh, look at this.

[D]

And these are the yummy chocolates. We brought you some extra ones, though, so you don't have to take them off the house. You got your little Christmas tree and then your dog.

[B]

It would have been cute if you had, like, a little bit of fire in the background.

[D]

That's really cute.

[B]

Traditional Malibu beach. Have my pig. Oh, look, a potato made it. Look at the grill.

[F]

You got a grill?

[B]

I got a grill. That's edible, you say?

[D]

No, not that part.

[F]

Eat the grill.

[D]

Of course, I'm just. Not the trees or the toys, but everything else. Is that glued onto this with royal icing.

[B]

You use icing for glue for things that aren't edible to begin with?

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

What's the point?

[D]

It's glue for everything.

[B]

What is this? Tree base.

[D]

That's in chocolate fondant.

[B]

So I can eat the base?

[D]

Yeah, if you want to.

[B]

Cause that looks decent. You got my chickens. Now I have Silky. Well, this one's kind of like a silky.

[D]

We did our best.

[B]

Well, I'm just. I'm just. Okay. Somebody doesn't like criticism. Even if it's constructed, you can put a wreath on the back. No one's gonna see the back of it. They've got a back wreath, and people just start eating this. Huh? This roof. What's on top of this? What makes it blue color? It's just. But it's just plain gingerbread.

[D]

It's colored gingerbread.

[G]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

It actually looks more edible blue. This is like the most. The prettiest thing I've ever had.

[D]

But it'll last at your house on display if you want it to.

[B]

I have to put everything so high because Carl, anything that's not, like, at the five and a half foot mark, he's taken.

[D]

You want to know one of the best stories of one of our new products was because the dogs were eating the gingerbread houses.

[B]

Okay.

[D]

So we started making a dog house that they could eat if they wanted to. And so now everyone buys it just for the dog. And it has no chocolate and was approved by a vet.

[B]

I'm actually told that milk chocolate's not bad for dogs. It's the dark chocolate that gets them, but.

[D]

Well, they shouldn't have it on their house.

[B]

No.

[D]

But anyway, we've had some frantic calls from people that have spent a lot, and the dog jumped up because it smells.

[G]

It's food.

[D]

And they ate their house. And they have to quickly buy one.

[B]

Before you ever put anything inside just to see if somebody will, like, open it to look.

[D]

Well, we actually did one last year that was. Purposefully had makeup inside for a while. Campaign for Kim Kardashian. And so she was sending it to all her influencers, and there was makeup inside the house. So then we were thinking. Because we had to think about how to do that and not have it in the mess of the icing. And so we're thinking to do one maybe, like, with candy or something inside instead.

[B]

Is that everything?

[D]

No, we have. Well, we heard you have another place you like to spend Christmas.

[B]

This one is so much nicer.

[D]

We weren't sure how much space you have. That's more traditional.

[B]

Then. Now this one. Now this is. This has got Santa. I mean, it just couldn't be prettier. This is beautiful. And you got one for everyone else here, too.

[D]

We brought pastries for everyone.

[B]

Pastry pastries. The best ever. Guys, look at this. Cinnamon rolls.

[D]

These are cinnamon.

[B]

You know what I was upset about? We don't have a microwave in this office. I like a warmed up cinnamon roll.

[G]

Oh.

[F]

I love the advocate. He's Campbell.

[B]

This is so beautif. You guys are the best. Ah, you're the best. I wish you nothing but more success. How long are you gonna keep doing this, Susan? You gonna stay in that kitchen for another 20 years?

[G]

Oh, that would be wonderful if I could.

[B]

Sure. I mean, I don't think there's any law preventing it. Keep on doing it.

[G]

That's right.

[B]

Guys are the best. Thank you for being on the show.

[G]

Oh, my gosh, thank you.

[D]

Thanks for having us.

[G]

This was fun.

[B]

Can't wait to come to Solvang. Is there a brick and mortar store that I can just knock on to say hi?

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Okay. And you're never in there, though.

[G]

No. Once in a while. Yeah.

[B]

Paw show. I want to thank Susan and Melissa for being on the show. I mean, that was a delight. And those two gingerbread houses that they gave me. I mean, holy cow.

[F]

Massive.

[B]

Carl, you gonna take a bite out of one of those? That's easy. $1,500. Well, I felt guilty. I felt guilty them giving me two beautiful gingerbread houses. So I had ordered. Carl, I ordered one for grandma. My mother.

[F]

Nice.

[B]

Yeah. You think she liked it?

[F]

Everything I've heard, maybe, but maybe not.

[B]

Let's see. Carol, why are you laughing?

[I]

I'm watching your show. You just talked about how you were Completely bald.

[B]

That's tickling. Did you get the gingerbread house?

[I]

Yes, we did. And Mike keeps telling us we should eat it. But we're not going to. But we're going to keep it. We'll keep it. We'll keep it for a couple months. It's beautiful. Something. It's incredible. And it's all food. I might eat the little chocolate things afterwards that are wrapped than that. But I don't. You know, I. I don't. I'm not a big on gingerbread anyway, eating gingerbread.

[D]

But.

[I]

No, I wouldn't eat it. But I guess you can eat it all.

[B]

Yeah, you can eat it all. Of course you can. You know how much that thing cost?

[I]

Too much? Probably 500 or so.

[B]

All right.

[G]

Yeah.

[I]

Hey, but you should. That's it for Christmas. That's our nice, nice Christmas thing. That's nice. Thank you.

[B]

You don't want me to send you something else?

[I]

No, I don't want you to send us anything.

[B]

What about edible panties? Any interest?

[I]

Oh, Daniel, you are so bad.

[B]

Did you watch. Are you watching some Hallmark Christmas movies right now?

[I]

No, I kind of quit watching them. They're kind of all the same. I haven't watched any this year.

[B]

I watched one last night.

[I]

Are they good?

[B]

Some are better than others. The three wise men guys, they kind of found a new form. These three guys that they're.

[I]

I've seen them. I've seen them in the first two. They wrote another.

[B]

They wrote another one for them. Yeah, it's pretty good. All right. Good stuff. Well, I'm glad you like your gingerbread house.

[I]

Thank you very much. I love you.

[B]

Love you. Bye. That's sweet.

[F]

There you go. She loved it.

[B]

She loved it. Anyway. All right, well, I'm happy. They're happy. We got the toss show, store, dot com. Guess what, Carl? There's a new Carl shirt. You want to see it? I got one. Look at this bad boy. You like it, Carl? Huh? It's cool, right? It seems kind of vintagey. All right, whatever. We got my first farewell tour. All dates are on sale. We're going everywhere, buddy. Oh, it's going to be fun. Give them back to the people. 20, 26. Get some tickets. Come out to see us, say hi. We can talk. Meet you at lunch, whatever. We still got to find love for Amanda. Also, I really need somebody to take this to the next level. Make it a TV show. Finding my new family member. All right, let's. You got voicemail for me today?

[F]

I do. Here you go.

[B]

Okay.

[H]

G', day, guys. Hamish Here. I'm interested in dating Panda. Look, I'm a long distance guy. I'm here in Australia, so I'd love for her to come over and hang out with me.

[B]

I don't think it's gonna work.

[F]

It's a big flight.

[B]

The flight is awful. The date line is horrible. To cross the date line. Yeah, like, if she lives there, then you're no longer part of my family.

[F]

Right. You're absolutely like.

[B]

I don't. I don't care. Oh, I have a family member in Australia. No, I don't.

[F]

You don't even want to zoom.

[B]

Once you. Once you pass a dateline, you're no longer family.

[F]

Too many options.

[B]

All right, what else we got?

[H]

Hey, Daniel. 35 years old. 6 4. Brown hair, blue eyes. Saw your picture of Amanda kissing a horse. Now, if she'd marry me, I've got a little family business south of the border. Couple stables, couple stages. She'd be fully employed. I mean, fully employed.

[B]

Okay. All right. Well, I. You know, I like that we got an international flavor here.

[F]

Yeah.

[B]

First guy, Australia. Second guy is running a donkey show. It sounds like in Mexico.

[G]

It does sound like that.

[B]

He's gonna want Panda to shoot ping pong balls out of her. Hoo. Ha.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

And I don't know what else she has to do to a donkey.

[F]

I don't like. They call it a show. Shouldn't call it a show anyways.

[B]

Well, it's a show.

[F]

Imagine it's something to see.

[B]

No, no, it's a show. I mean, you don't bring your kids to it, but it's a show. I've never been to a donkey show. I don't know how she would feel about being in one. I mean, I. I know that she loves animals and, you know, donkeys are. Are close to horses. Are they? Are donkeys close to horses?

[F]

Yeah.

[A]

Horse adjacent.

[B]

Yeah.

[F]

Well, if she was in a show, you'd support her, right?

[B]

No, I'd go to the show. You know, I'd probably stand in the back.

[F]

Right. Don't want to make her nervous.

[B]

No, you don't. Yeah, I'm not a fan of this week's picks. I don't think they're going to work, but thanks for trying, but there's always next week. See ya.