Cringe or Festive: Judging Your Holiday Traditions

Today, we're either co-signing your favorite holiday traditions or mildly judging them. Tis the season. It feels like a lot of effort in a season to get nothing out of it. Wow. I guess except for joy. Let's talk about Elf on the Shelf. Our elf is Sprinkles. Sometimes she is so tired. We're going to get roasted for this one. I'm going cringe. Shoot, George, I was too. Are we the same person? Hey guys, I'm Rachel Cruz. I'm George Camel. And this is Smart Money Happy Hour. Cheers, George. Cheers. And Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. Merry Christmas. I do feel like my effort towards your clinking these days. You noticed it finally? I did actually just now because you did. You were reaching far. I'm going to have the team create a montage of every time you clink. Can I reach? Yeah, listen, you got it. Cheers, George. To show you just how little effort you go. Like, I think my arm is actually elongated just by doing the show. I think I end up doing this and, like, making you. Well, honestly, I just think maybe she has an arm situation where she can't extend it that far. I think I'm just like a clinking princess. That's what I'm going to call myself. Well, honestly, I don't want to make Rachel do too much work. Little effort. That's always my concern. Little effort. Well, this is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about. So everything from pop culture, current events, and money. And today we're sipping on a Cran Raspberry Martini Mocktail. That is a mouthful. And so is this drink. Yeah. Very tart, very delicious. I like it. You like tart drinks, right? I do. I like to just be punched in the face. with a little bit of tartness. I deserve it. Merry Christmas. So stick around until the end of the episode. We're going to give you our rating and reveal the cost per glass. All right, Rachel. Fa, and I cannot stress this enough. La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. Merry Christmas. Y'all, we're like a week out. Grace. How are you feeling? Stressed? Anxious? What's the status? I feel whelmed. I'm not overwhelmed. I'm not underwhelmed. I'm just, I'm trying to keep it chill this Christmas because usually around the holidays, is things get crazier, especially as it ramps into a holiday break. Yep. And I feel like I just need to chill. I got a newborn. I got a toddler. Let's just enjoy the chaos of the season. Yes. That's good, George. I appreciate that. That's on growth. How about you? How are you feeling? I'm feeling like, woo! Like that. Christmas gives me like the woo's. I just feel great. Are you traveling? I love it. Are you in town? Everybody wants to know. We're traveling some, yes. Knoxville? Yep. heading to Knoxville for the cruise Christmas. Buddy cruise. Yes. One of my favorite cruises. Buddy and Helen. And the whole family. We got, how many? It's five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11 grandkids on that side. Wow. I know. Seven, eighth grade and under. We got one per year. Do you guys do the gifts all at once with the kids? Yes. Yeah. Oh, that's fun. I know. It's so great. His parents are so generous. They're like, I mean, that's a lot of grandkids to buy for. Yeah. I know. But we're doing that. Come and do our cruise Christmas. We do. And then go to mom and dad's. And then we always go to Mexico with the Ramseys. I can't wait to be a part of that tradition. I'm hoping one day it's like a make a wish. You guys say, let's bring George along. Just let him one time. Just Uncle George. It's so fun. The kids would love it if you came. I'd love a Cabo Christmas. And bring Mia and Whitney and everyone. Just show up. You should just show up one day. That feels like a lot of work. I don't even have the address. Yeah, it'd be a lot. But it's great. But yeah, I love it. So if you are feeling a little stressed, though, if you're traveling, maybe you are. Hopefully this is a little comic relief for you on this Christmas episode because it's so fun. A little reprieve. Yeah. Well, we're all about disrupting toxic culture. And sometimes this includes holiday traditions that need to be gently reexamined, shall we say. Yeah. And we got a little festive red and green paddle. Thumb down, thumb up. We'll be the judges. Of these holiday traditions. So we're going to rate them and tell you what we think and comment below if you have a different opinion. So we're going to play a little round of cringe or festive when it comes to Christmas and money traditions. Play along in the comments. I can't wait to see what people, because people have very strong opinions about this stuff. I know, and I love it. Okay, so we're going to go high level here. All right. Christmas lights. Yeah, I think now that's a broad statement. Okay, yeah. So we're going to go blue lights. Oh, blue lights. I'm out on blue. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Me too, George. The other one I'm out on? What? The super bright white LED. Like, give me a warm white. Oh, no, that doesn't bother me. Give me a nice Kelvin. Give me a Kelvin. Yeah, that's the color. There's a rating, like 2,500 Kelvin, 3,000 Kelvin. Wow. From warm to bright white. Wow. Okay. You got to know your Kelvin. Well, I know my color noises, brown noise, white noise. Oh, good. I know those, but I don't know the colors. See, and you know what doesn't bother me? They're colored lights, you know? A colored light tree in a specific like, I don't know. See, trees, I was thinking the outside of a house. Well, that too. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But trees are very specific. I can do colored lights. Yeah. Okay. How about this one? Holiday tradition. Flocked trees. Love. We own one, so I have to be pro. I love it. But left to my own devices, would not own one because of the mess. I know. It's a nightmare. Okay, I'm about to say this is super bougie. Bougie Rachel comes out every now and then. So we have our big Christmas tree in our living room. And then two years ago, I bought a smaller flocked tree that I'm putting in our kitchen. Love it. We have two trees and I kind of want more. No, that's very normal. I kind of want more. It's addictive. Once you pop, you don't stop though. I'm not kidding. Yes, and I look at the outside of our house and I'm like, oh my gosh, we could have a run like right in the center in our foyer. How beautiful would that be? And then when like off to the side here, oh, I could keep going. And here, I got another one. I'm just going off the cuff here. Christmas village houses. I don't want to be for it. I'll say that. It feels like an addictive hobby to where I'm like, you need to be seen for whatever deeper issue is going on. Mine's growing. I went on eBay. I just don't think you're old enough. Oh, it feels like a midlife crisis. Can I tell you? Menopausal Rachel, sure. Get the Christmas village. Can I tell you what just gives me that like feeling like I was saying earlier? They're just kind of, all the lights are out. Okay, because our kitchen and living room meets. It's like one big room, you know? Yes. Okay, lights are out. Christmas tree on in my Kelvin lighting. Flocked tree on, beautiful white. And in the Christmas village homes across my kitchen counters, lights on. Oh, that's nice. Oh, my cheese. You sold me on the village. I take it back. I'm pro-village now. It literally does something inside my soul of warmth and goodness. And then like a 75% way puzzle on the kitchen table. Oh, like almost done. And the children's hot chocolate cups in the sink. Oh my gosh. Give me everything. I love it so much. Wow. I love it so much. You really painted a beautiful picture. So happy. Anyways, I'm all for Christmas. That's great. Okay. We'll see how for this you are. Yard inflatables, projectors, like the aggressive yard ornaments. I'm so sorry. Don't judge me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Yeah, I'm out on this one. Okay, let's do it. Now here's my caveat. Would love to take the kids by a house that is fully decked out. Yes. That went all in. So I'm not mad at it. I just personally wouldn't do it. Here's the thing with it. If you do it, you have to go all out. Yes. You can't be the yard with one. It needs to be an HOA violation. Yeah, you have to be like, we are all in, all in on this whole thing. And if you are, I could go more here. But just the one, I can't do it. I can't just do like the one inflatable. Yeah. But that feels like a big investment. So personally, like on a financial level, I'm like, I'm not willing to sink in four grand to make this yard. What it is. You know what I mean? Yeah. So I respect those that do. Okay. How about this? Any yard decor, meaning like a nativity or the reindeer and Santa, I'm thinking Christmas vacation, but like anything. Oh, you're not for it? I do. Here's what we do. I know. I'll green light this one. we do the uh like our little reindeer it's tasteful and little like gift boxes that are lit up okay cute yeah they're like tasteful they're not like yeah hokey looking they're they're classy i got it yeah yeah yeah that's all we have out there and a wreath on the door i love a door wreath oh we have wreaths on our windows oh that's it's my it was my dream we did it like probably three years ago we've done it every year since it literally makes my heart so happy wow yeah i know i just That's something I need to look into. All right, next up, matching PJs. Oh, don't hate me. I'm going cringe. Festive. For the family, I'm going cringe. For the kids, I'll give it a pass. Okay, George, that's what I was going to kind of say. It feels like Crocs to me. It's like if you're a child and you want to do that, great, good for you, so cute. But you're an adult that you want to be part of this trend. I know. I'm with you. Cringe on the whole family. And I'm the same in the summer with like, I'm sorry, people are going to get so mad. matching swimsuits with your kids, like when all the family matches their swimsuit. Is that a thing? Yes, where the dad's swim trunks and the mom's swimsuit and the kids swimsuit. I don't know. I just don't, I don't like it. I don't like it. It's too monochromatic for me, if you will. But the kids matching PJs, I'm 100% festive. Yeah, that's cute. I like that. I don't care who you are, what you did, where you're from. All right, tacky Christmas sweater parties. Ooh, I think those are out. I know. I'm going cringe. I'm going cringe too. That feels like it was a bygone era. Yeah, it was like really fun. Like we all went to that party. 15 years ago and now we're like, we get it. Okay, everyone has a tacky Christmas sweater or vest or whatever. But like, can we just, you know what I want? I want like a fancy. A classy. Yes, dress up. We don't dress up anymore. Like a dressed up Christmas party. Now that I'm all for. I'm going festive on that one. That would be fun. I just think anything tacky on purpose is just tacky. Tacky plus tacky just equals tacky. What's the Christmas gift exchange where people get you like weird silly gifts? Like a white elephant thing? Is that white elephant? Yeah. Are those silly gifts, like stupid gifts? They can be if you decide it is. We do one. Our friends throw this every year and it has to be stuff you already own that like you is just stupid stuff Okay I don like those parties The stupider the better That a boo for me And we have a good time I will say that. It is fun to see what people like collect from their house that they decide to give away. So it's not meant to be like, oh, am I going to get the cool thing? Okay. That's true. I guess that's true. It's meant more to be like. It feels like a lot of effort in a season to get nothing out of it. Wow. I guess except for joy. is what you're telling me. Joy mattered. Rachel wants the Amazon gift card, guys. Make sure she gets that. I like a gift exchange. I think that's fun. Where you like steal. What is that? Dirty Santa, I guess? Yes. Yeah, I'm going festive on that. Festive on Dirty Santa? Yeah, I think those are fun. I think those are fun. I think we should do more of that. Yep. All right. You know what else is fun? When your data is not stolen from the internet. Now that is festive. That is festive. Always in style. Never going out of trend. And that's why we love Delete Me because Delete Me goes in and removes your data from data broker websites because those data broker websites then sell your data to other companies and that puts you at risk for scams and fraud and robocalls and spam texts. We don't want any of that. Yeah, especially during the holidays. Think about every like promo, discount wheel, email, sign up. You're basically handing out your personal info like candy canes. Yes, your data is out there even more because of it. Yes, because of all these signups. So Delete Me goes in and helps, yep, get that information out of here. Clean it up. That's the most festive thing you can do. And you'll get 20% off their annual plans when you go to joindeleteme.com slash smart money or use the link in the description below. That'll get you there just fine. And you know what? Makes a great Christmas gift. Yes, and they send you a report and tell you everything. And it's actual people in there going and finding your data and removing it. So we love that. We love Delete Me. And we're thankful. Thankful for them. Yep. And speaking of protecting your family, you may want to turn down the volume on the next two. If you have little ears nearby, you've been warned. Let's talk about Elf on the Shelf. Our elf is Sprinkles. And Sprinkles is not adventurous. Sprinkles is not creative. of sprinkles just goes from the kitchen lights hanging to a knob in the kitchen to the christmas tree to the fireplace she she just ends up moving around okay yeah she just moves around but she's not having elaborate situations if you will um and i appreciate that about her so because of that, I'm giving Elf on the Shelf a green, a festive. If you do it in a minimalist way. Because that is what Sprinkles' capacity is. Emotionally. During a busy, chaotic holiday time. Yes. And maybe Sprinkles' trip to the North Pole is very fast. Or delayed. Or delayed. Sometimes she is so tired. She didn't make it out that night. She's doing the most. So if that is my sprinkles off on the shelf, I go festive. Anything else is exhausting to me and no. Okay, here's my, I'm going cringe if it's posted on social media. I think it should be a private sprinkles should be kept in the family. We don't need to know about it. Whatever sprinkles adventures are, let that be your little thing. Don't tell me. You will be blocked. That's how I feel about it. And again, I have very young children. We haven't, Sprinkles has not entered into our home yet. Will an elf come to the camel household or no? I don't know. I need to Google it to find out if it's okay, if my mom's going to be okay with it. She's very Arabic Baptist. I don't know where elves fall. You know what I mean? So it's up to your mom? Yeah, I'm going to let my mom decide. Wait, what? You're a grown man. I know, but I don't want her to come over for the holidays and go, what's this doing here? And I go, it's an elf. And she goes, is that kosher? Is your mom, how is her feelings towards St. Nicholas? Big fan. Well, then she would be a big fan of the elves that help Santa, correct? Yeah, I would say so. I'll say this. I wasn't, she didn't like us reading Harry Potter growing up. So I just don't know how she feels about elves. Feels like a similar category of whimsical woodland creatures, if you will. TBD on the elf on the shelf. Oh my gosh. That's funny. Okay, let's move on to eggnog and fruitcakes. Okay, it feels rude to put those in the same category. I'm going cringe. I don't like either of them. I'm going festive on the eggnog if it's made fresh. Yes, you've said that in a different episode. Fruitcake, I've never had fresh fruitcake. Fruitcake feels like it's always existed in that same packaging. Yes, and it's being shipped around. If the expiration date is like 2028 on that fruitcake, I'm out. That's cringe for me. 2028. But eggnog fresh, festive. Eggnog from a carton, risky. Yeah. Yeah, I'm going cringe on both. Wow. I'm going apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar. Listen to me. What am I talking about? Wow. Apple cider. What is it? Apple cider, right? Warm apple cider. No, apple cider vinegar is a thing. So sorry, not apple cider vinegar. I'm saying apple cider. I like apple cider. On the stove, warm it up with cinnamon sticks. And skip the fruitcake. Just bring cookies. Yeah, that's fair. Okay. How about this? Gingerbread housemaking. We're going to get roasted for this one. I'm going cringe. Shoot, George. I was too. Are we the same person? Well, here's my take. You tell me if you agree. It's a nightmare of an experience. Nobody's looks good. So if it's a competition, I'm out. I'm like just, no one's eating it. The stuff you put on it after everyone's put their hands on it, disgusting and vile. Sure. I wouldn't give it to my dogs. Oh my gosh. And then you've got a mess to clean up and you're like, that was fun. Now, while the children are children, sure, festive, let them do it a few times. But it's not something that I'm going to do out of my own volition. I don't want to be a part of it. Okay. So I follow this influencer. She lives in Salt Lake City. Hashtag. As they all do. Are they all from Salt Lake City? Rachel Parcell. A lot of them are from Salt Lake City, yes. But Rachel Parcell, I have followed her for like 10 years. And every year I follow her during Christmas because her and her husband put on, I guess it's at their house. I can't remember. This elaborate adult gingerbread making contest. And the table of like ingredients is like, I mean, it's like a dining room table. It is full and all the adults come and it's like this whole thing. And so that's fun to watch via my phone. But I don't know if I would participate. Because it's like the most excessive, craziest, coolest version of it. Yes, which is great for them. Like it's not bad. But I'm like, I just am not creative. Like, I don't even know architecturally where I would begin to make a gingerbread house on my own. You know, Winston would be good at that, though. Yeah, he can build things. So, yeah, maybe if he was my partner in it. But I'm going to go cringe all the way around. I don't know. I don't like it. I just, I don't know. It's too much. I don't want to do it if it's at a party and they're like, we're doing gingerbread houses. I'm like, I'll pass. I'll be out on the back porch drinking my. Your eggnog. My martini. All right. Next up on the list, Cringer Festive, Christmas-themed restaurants. restaurants. Ooh, so festive. Yes. I'm going festive, but I'm also going overrated and too crowded. The ones I've been to, there is a line out the door and you're standing there for an hour to look at Christmas lights inside of a restaurant. And it's cool. True. But it's like, do I want to spend a whole night waiting in a line? For it, yeah. No line, 100% festive. Otherwise, it's cringe if it's like a tourist hotspot that I have to wait a long time. Okay, that's fair. That's fair. there's actually a place in nashville called santa's pub i've not been there but it's a year round like trailer bar that's that's very popular among the locals yeah it's so fun i've been there so fun i know and the owner you know um i think he has passed away but he used to look like santa oh that's a beard red shirt the whole thing yes but it was like in like a trailer basically uh but it was so fun yeah great spot there's other like trendy like you can reserve an igloo on top of a hotel in downtown Nashville. Yes, yes. And you're like, you're in a little plastic bubble with like a little fire. Again, I'm halfway on those. It feels like a thing you want to post on your Instagram versus like we're actually having a good time. See, I feel like it would be an experience for a group. I think it'd be more fun with like a double date or like doing it with people, you know? I hear you. And if there's no crowds. I just feel like once there's crowds involved, I go cringe. Yeah, no, I hear you. I know. We like no wait times, George. Yeah. Well, I can tell you one thing I am confident in this season. It is festive restaurants and banking with a financial institution that is working for you, not against you. That's why we love and are big fans of Fairwinds Credit Union, because they have come alongside Ramsey Solutions. And I mean, I've done an incredible job. They've partnered with us because we've been looking for a bank or credit union who is for the consumer. And they are. They are for you guys and for the Ramsey Plan. and they actually created a bundle specifically for our Ramsey audience called the Smart Checking and Savings Bundle. And with it, you get a high-yield savings account, you get a checking account, and a Ramsey debit card that says, Debt is Normal, Be Weird on the debit card. It's blue, it's beautiful, so fun. It's got to chip everything. It's a new and improved debit card, and I love it. And what's cool, when we talk about credit unions, usually it's local, but they've now gone national, and they have 33,000 ATMs that are fee-free and 5,000 credit union partners. So there's likely one right in your neck of the woods. Yes. So go check them out, fairwinds.org slash Ramsey. Get the smart bundle, get the debit card that's Ramsey branded to make it clear, this is what I'm all about. Yeah. You can get the link in the show notes as well. All right, next up, George, modern remixes of classic songs. In general, as a category, I'm going to say festive. I'm going to say cringe. Why do you hate Joy? I don't like a remake always. You've never put on Michael Buble's Christmas album? Mm-hmm. Amy Grant? Kelly Clarkson? Josh Groban? Okay. Mariah? Okay, so you know, too much, too much, too much. Frank Sinatra? Love. Okay. His Christmas? So good. He didn't write those songs. Yeah, but that feels classic to me. Okay. If we're going like, I don't know. I don't know why this person's name came to my mind Like a Kelsey Ballerini or something I don know I don want to listen to her Christmas music I don even know if she has a Christmas album I don like people my age putting out Christmas music Your age All right Hey if you in your 30s don even think about putting out Christmas music 20s, 40s, go for it. Yes, if you lived in the 20s. No, I'm saying if you're in your 20s. Amy Grant is an exception. She is a classic of the Christmas world. Oh, so you have to be like, you've been around for a long time. I want, yeah. Like Dolly Parton, put out that Christmas music. Yes. Kelsey Ballerini? Wait 20 years. Kelsey, I'm so sorry. I don't even know why I thought of you. I just thought of like someone hip and cool. Or who's the girl with the blondes? Okay, where is she dancing? Sabrina Carpenter. Oh. No. I'll say cringe to this. I think capitalizing on Christmas to like put out an album because you can make money around the holidays when you clearly phoned it in, that's cringe to me. But if you really brought something unique and special and made a modern classic. Exception, that one song, exception. You want to do the first? I have another exception. Oh, okay. Yeah, maybe it is festive. Martina McBride's Silver Bells. Oh. Oh. Man, that's a good one. That's a good one. And that's it. That's it. I draw the line. Ooh, Do You Hear What I Hear? That's one of my favorite Christmas songs. Really? Do you like that one? That's a real snooze fest. No. Like, that's on your top 10. Yeah, if I could sing, I'd sing it. Gosh, Christmas music is so great. I'm guessing you love Mary Did You Know. That's got to be in your top 10. No, that was a newer one. That was in like the 90s was written. Okay, that's when like we were children. So I figured that's a classic to you. No, I'm saying like old songs. Okay, but you're festive all the way. I'm picking. I don't love them all, but I respect the artistry to try to bring something to an old song. Okay, what an artist you are, George. Thank you. all right next up die hard as a christmas movie cringe or festive cringe here's why i'm saying cringe you can make the argument that it is a christmas movie because it takes place around christmas time there's some visuals that make it christmasy but the people who say this are uninteresting people they're always like die hard as a christmas movie fight me i'm like dude nobody wants to fight you don't like to let it go you know what i mean okay how about the holiday The Holiday Because that was a story Not about Christmas But around Christmas time I wouldn't say it's a Christmas movie But it's a great movie to watch around Christmas Around Christmas, yes Is that fair? Yep, that's fair That's fair Okay Hallmark Channel I mean, to me As a grown man, I'm going cringe Yeah I know I mean, any I know, I hate to say I'm going to say cringe I don't enjoy those kind of movies Well, like people that enjoy it enjoy it in spite of the cringe and because of the cringe. True. It's like kind of a thing. Yeah. But like, it's so bad. It's good. Like that crowd. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. I just get it, but then why not just watch something good? I get bored of them, I think. And I lose interest. I start scrolling. So I need my classic Christmas vacation. It's a wonderful life. Home Alone. Four Christmases? Funny. That is one of the funniest Christmas. Yes. Reese Witherspoon, Vince Vaughn. Santa Claus. My gosh. Home Alone. Yeah. Home Alone. So good. Home Alone 1 or 2. Oh, man. I mean, it's hard to beat one. Now, 2 held up. As far as sequels go, it was impressive. I think 2 was better. I kind of think it was better. Plaza Hotel? Yeah. Oh, my gosh. But I know I memorized the whole movie. Oh, wow. Here's your very large cheese pizza. He smells it and gets in the limo. It's so fun. It's so good. I need to watch it. I don't watch enough Christmas movies, I realize. Yeah, you need to watch it. All right, next up on the list, Cringer Festive, Christmas parties at the office. Okay, I can say this. If it's the Ramsey Christmas party, insanely epic and festive all the way. Always fun. But like the break room, we're going to get some cupcakes and hang out. That's cringe to me. Yeah, feels cringe. So it depends on your workplace. It reminds me of The Office, like the TV show. Yes. Michael Scott, what a great show. So good. Really represented the worst of all workplaces. Now, I don't know. I don't want to judge everybody's workplace because, you know, You don't have to be a giant company to have a great Christmas party. Yeah, I do think so. We'll have really fun Christmas parties. Oh, yeah, for sure. If you ran a company, what would your Christmas party be? If it was like, you know, 50 people. Oh, my gosh. That's fun. I'd probably rent out a fun restaurant somewhere and have everyone come. I like it. Yeah. I would go to like a dinner. I like a dinner. Give me like some food and drink. Like a restaurant buyout? Yes, I think that is fun. And then afterwards, everyone decides like where we're going to go after. Oh, if you want to join after, you're welcome to. Or you can go home. And then you'd have another rented space somewhere with like couches and stuff. But you can like listen to live music in Nashville and all of it. Are you a fan of silent disco? Yes. That's a Ramsey Christmas party favorite. Oh my gosh. If you've never done silent disco, I highly recommend it. You know, I thought about doing that for like my 40th birthday party. That's a great idea. And inviting like everyone I know. Because you got to have a lot of people to make it fun. Yeah. You need like a hundred people on the dance floor minimum. I think it's because a lot of people have not experienced silent disco. And the only reason I have is because of, um, you know what I'm thinking? Why don't they do that at every wedding? Just make it a silent disco. That would be a fun reception. If you're getting married, there's, there's an idea. And actually it might be cheaper. I don't know. Then like a band and stuff. Like that's true. Yeah. Okay. We'll have to do it. We have to do this with weddings. You're welcome. Our whole episode on that. Let us know in the comments if you want that episode. Yep. Now, if you are going to a wedding, uh, a great gift you can give is anything cozy earth. You know what? That's the gift that might not be on the registry because they weren't thinking of it, but it's what they really need. It's what they want. Christmas gifts, wedding gifts, gift to yourself, whatever you want. Cozy Earth has the products. Everything from the blankets, the bedding, the athleisure, the slippers, George? You got the slippers? My lake house clogs. Oh, my gosh. They've held up wonderfully. How are they? Every time I put them on, I just go, I've made it. I've made it. That's how they make you feel. You know, it is one thing about coming into the colder season is I was excited to get all of my like joggers and my sweatshirts and the blankets, all of that back out with Cozy Earth because I'm like, oh, it's just like it's so wonderful. A warm hug from an old friend. It's so cozy. So wonderful. And they have a great deal going on for us. Oh, yeah. And for our listeners. Get this. The discount is now up to 20% off when you go to CozyEarth.com slash smart money and use the promo code smart money at checkout or you can use the link below. And they stand by their products. I mean, their bedding, 10-year warranty on their bedding. Yeah. That's amazing. Absolutely incredible. So check it all out. You can't go wrong with anything from Cozy Earth. All right, next up we got kids' pageants. I'm going festive. How do you hate a kids' pageant? Oh, my gosh. It's so cute. Just precious. And we're in Nashville, so the kids all there. A lot of pageantry. I know. We don't have any this year. That kind of makes me sad. Well, you know, the pageants in my world were at the Arabic Baptist Church. Oh, see, our church. We had our kids up there to sing the songs and we'd all practice and we were all like awkward. I know. You know what a really cute movie is? What is it? The Worst Christmas Pageant Ever? What's that called? I heard about this movie. It's the best. Is it the best worst Christmas pageant ever? I think the best Christmas pageant ever. The best Christmas pageant ever. Why did I think it was called Worst? Because I guess part of it was at its worst. It ended up being the best. But they redid the movie because it was a book and then like an old movie. And then they redid it recently. Have you seen it? No, I wanted to. It came out last year. I cried. Really? It's a really, really sweet story. And my kids loved it. And a great family movie, too. Oh, my gosh. I heard that. It's so good. I need to watch it this year. It's really good. But yeah, pageants, I feel like it's the best of us. Those kids up there, pure joy. They practice. They rehearse. They're doing their best. And yet, it's awkward and uncomfortable and hilarious all at the same time. George. It's funny. I watch old footage of like when we were kids doing it. I know. And they're just like, why was I doing that? Who's that kid picking his nose? Yeah, what are they doing over there? Waving at the parents. Exactly. Just so sweet. I love all of that. Okay, new cars with red bows. Oh, boy. I got to go cringe on this one. I think so, too. Here's my thing. Even if you could afford it, I think I would be a little bit like, you bought me a car? I didn't get to pick it out? And, like, the color I want and what I want, what if it's not exactly what I'd want? The context of this is you probably didn't tell the other person you were doing this. And it's y'all's money if you're married. And if you're not married, why are you buying another person a car unless it's for like, you know, someone in need and you want to do a really nice thing? That's fair. But then there's like the posting about it. That's also kind of cringe. Oh, sure. Totally. Yeah. If you're the spouse and you post and you're like, oh my gosh, he got me the Lexus. Yes. Which this, you need to go watch. Everybody watching this needs to go see the SNL sketch. Oh, it's so funny. Her husband surprises his wife with a car and she's mortified because they're broke. Yes. And she's like, you haven't been working. You haven't had a job. You're unemployed. We can't afford the payment. We can't afford this. But as long as it's with cash and you're not like flaunting it, I think that's cool. Yeah. Good for you. Christmas cards. Oh, no. I'm going festive. I do think it's festive, but then here's my dilemma. I don't know what to do with it after. I know. Because I collect it. Yeah. And then a year later, I go. January hits. I know. You got to throw them out. Well, here's the funny thing. The reason I think people did them is that you can update and show everyone your family year to year because no one sees them. But now that we have the internet. That's true. We see the families all the time. And here's the other thing. I love getting them. I do too. I don't think it's cringe to do them. No. I just don't know what to do with the stack that I get at the end of the year. I just think that they're unnecessary nowadays. where before it'd be like, oh, let's send the Clarks in Minneapolis our Christmas card to show how the kids are growing up because we never see the Clarks, you know. But now, yeah, you open up Instagram or Facebook, there they are. We see them. But do I still expect one from the Cruz family every year? Yes. And if I don't get one, I'll think we're not friends anymore. Hey, you changed your address. You need to let me know. New address. That's how I avoid getting future Christmas cards. Oh, I went to the wrong address. Don't know what to do. But here's what I do, and this might be- Do you all do Christmas cards? we haven't but not because we don't want to it's just because it sneaks up on us then you got to schedule the photo shoot yeah get it printed at the walgreens or get them online get them in time get everyone's addresses it's just so much work it's a lot and i respect those that go through the effort i just don have it in me yep in a busy christmas season yep i agree but don stop sending them to me we love to see them we love putting them on the fridge We display them Yes I know I think they fun All right Christmas Eve church services Wow how can you call this one cringe That feels wild. Okay, can I say this? This throws off my church calendar, love. But our church, we got the same one in Nashville, and it's so big that they spread out their services. Over like a week. So we will sometimes do a Christmas Eve service on the 23rd Oh, love that And honestly, I'm not mad about it Now, the Christmas calendar in me My church history love right now in life I kind of die inside a little bit, you know Because you're doing it wrong? Yes It's out of order Yeah, yeah And I'm like Do you do like the Advent calendars and all that? That seems to be We don't All the rage I know Especially the women People love them I never know We don't do them But then like Costco will have like the Advent calendar but like with beer? You know, I feel like we've lost the reason for the season at this point, guys. Like crack open a new can every day. You know, we did get two years ago and we love is an advent puzzle. I love puzzles. So it is every day you take out a little box and it has like probably six pieces and you put them together. The next day is the next box, six pieces. And it creates a puzzle throughout the 25 days. So we do that. That's cool. I know. It was like one of my favorite ideas. Someone on Instagram, I think, messaged me telling me I love puzzles. White Mountain Puzzles. It's the only brand I do. Oh, that's a brand. They are great, wonderful. They're kind of like thicker pieces. They don't peel. And when you hit it in the right spot, it's perfect. You know sometimes how like two puzzles, you're like, I'm not really sure. You get a lot of satisfaction when it clicks in. Beautiful pictures, White Mountain Puzzles. Not a sponsor, but I guess they should be at this point. Look on Amazon. They're my favorite puzzles. I can name zero puzzle brands off the top of my head. I love a puzzle. That's really fun. Oh, this one's very, this is probably the most controversial one in here. Okay. Cringe or festive, real trees versus fake trees. Okay. Let's just pick one and go cringe or festive. Okay. Let's go real, real tree. Real tree, I think is very festive. Yes. I wouldn't say it's cringe. Well, I'm going to have to say cringe. I don't do it because it's just too much work. Yes. I'm going fake. Similar to the Christmas cards. It's so much effort to go down to the Christmas tree farm, get it chopped, throw it on the car, get it back home. Yeah. Pine needles everywhere. It's dying. And then you got to dispose of it. Yes. I have time for it. Leave it outside for three months until the town takes it away. It's just like, what are we doing, guys? What are we doing? I know. And then it's like poisonous if my dog eats it. I'm like, I can't handle this right now. I think those are poinsettias that are poisonous, right? Either way, I've told my wife that are poisonous to dogs so that we don't get one. So you don't have to do the cleanup. It's true. I think it's fun when people have them, but I can't. I don't have time. I can't do it. But here's the cringe part about real trees. People who think they're better than the fake tree people. Oh, that's true. There's a pride there. That's what's cringe. Will you humble yourselves, people, before the Lord? That is, don't be judging. In the Advent season, may we all humble ourselves before baby Jesus. Just as Jesus did coming to earth. Fake trees, though, I'm saying festive. I think it's all about the decor. Yes. It's what you put on the tree that matters. Yep. Yep. A little sad Charlie Brown tree can be cute in the right spot with the right vibe. Yes, 100%. Love it, George. Well. I feel like I'm more in the spirit now, so thank you for this episode. I needed it. So great. I was a little bit bah humbug. Yeah. A little Scrooge, if you will. Even Scrooge McDuck. I'm glad you're in a better season. Okay, so as we end, you guys, a few tips for you this holiday season. Number one, you know, Santa had a great example of writing things down. Making a list. And so do it, yes. Check it twice. So write down things in this moment that have been fun for you this Christmas season. Write down things that were not fun for you and stressful. So that way when next year comes, you can look at the list and remember, okay, we're not doing that. We're not overbooking this or this, but we are going to do X, Y, and Z because it was actually fun and enjoyable. So I love that. That's a great reminder. Another reminder, Christmas movies are scripted and your real life is messy and doesn't always have a perfect ending. It's loud. It's emotional. It's imperfect. And that's okay. I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves around the holiday time, especially the moms and the women. I'm just like, it has to be, everything has to be perfect. I want everyone to be happy, having a good time, no fights, no food burn. Merry Christmas, everyone. Inevitably something happens and it's chaotic. And so just give yourself some grace, especially moms. And to the guys, step it up. All right. The women have a lot of mental load happening this season and the guys are checked out. Yeah. Step up. Step up. Step up, man. That's all I'm going to say. Oh, my gosh. Okay. Lastly, remember that even if all of your wishes weren't checked off this Christmas, we have time. Sometimes different, you know, Christmases, depending on the year, depending on your financial journey or season, all of it, things are going to look different. But, you know, we all pray that, you know, there'll be a next Christmas and a next. And so have patience. It's okay to have some delayed gratification. if not everything was bought of what you want, gift wise or experiences, all of it. So just be present and be grateful. And I'm saying that to myself too. She's so good. No, I'm saying that to myself too. I have one more to throw in here. Okay. At the end of the year, it tends to be very reflective and you might be like grieving on the year that was, maybe you didn't make progress, maybe something terrible happened, reminders come up around the holidays, maybe you're anxious about the year to come. and so I want to give people a little dose of encouragement. We have a free live stream happening in January that I hope will encourage you as you enter the new year and so you can check it out and register for free. We'll drop a link in the description below and I hope you all can be there and maybe you'll see us in it. Who knows? Yeah, who knows? Who knows what's going to happen? All right, before we get to Guilty as Charged, again, what were we sipping on, George? We are sipping on a Cran Raspberry Martini Mocktail. Hmm. I like it. It hit the spot. Yes. What's your rating on this? I think I'm going to go 10 out of 10. Wow. Yeah. I mean, honestly, maybe like a drop or two of like some simple syrup, maybe like a tad sweeter. But for a mocktail martini, I think it's fun. I am 100% with you. It's a 10 out of 10 for me. I love the tartness. I just think it could have used a touch of sweetness to balance it. Yep. But I like tart. Again, I collect tart sour all day long. It kind of tastes like cran raspberry candy almost. Yes. It's got lime juice, raspberry sparkling water, cranberry juice, and crushed raspberries. And the team did a great job in this little cute martini glass and the raspberries on top. They always make it so beautiful. Thank you, guys. So good. So good. 10 out of 10 for effort and heart. And taste. And taste. I said taste. I was just making sure they knew that I appreciated the effort. And it comes out to $2.44, which is not cheap for a mocktail, but it's cheap overall in the land of going out and buying drinks. So make it for the whole family. The kids will love it. So give it a try this weekend. We'll drop the recipe in the show notes. This is fun and safe for the whole family. And you can spike it if you're of age. You have my permission. All right. Now it's time for Guilty as Charged. And this is where we ask each other a new Guilty as Charged question every week. And if we're guilty, we take a sip. All right, George, have you ever thrown something away and then needed to buy a new one shortly after? Oh, so the regret of going, shouldn't have thrown that away because I thought I'd never do it again. Yeah, I did that. I did that recently. What was it? I'm kind of a little upset about it. Okay, so I had these orange shorts that I wore almost every season for UT games, like with a white tank top or something. Okay, so Tennessee Vols. orange yes and they were super cute i don't know where i got them but i had them for probably like eight years but i wouldn't wear them a lot maybe like three times a year right for like games or if we went like and then i was cleaning out my closet trying to be a minimalist and i was like oh i probably don't need these we haven't been to a game you know in maybe two years i'll just buy some other ones if i need them so i gave them whatever gave them away and then this year just It was like two weeks ago we went to a UT game and I looked in my drawer for those orange shorts that I've had and I forgot that I like gave them away. And I was like, oh my gosh. And I was genuinely sad about it. So be careful when you clean out your closet next, trying to be all good and be all minimalist on all the things. Like I get it. But sometimes you give away something that you think I shouldn't have done that. And you can't find them again. No, because I think they were like banana repos. I mean it was like, again, it was like some random style at some random year of some random store. and they were gone forever. Wow. Makes me really sad. Because they were cute. They were like good mom shorts. Were they like in the trash? Are they like in a Goodwill? Like can we find them somewhere? That's a good question. Should we go on the hunt? Yeah, it would be a Goodwill. I mean, that's usually where I give a lot of my clothes away. So I know. All right. We'll see. I'll go to my local Goodwills. They have gold buttons. Yeah, I know. They were super cute. Wow. I know. How about you? You know, throwing something away, I did use, this sounds crazy. We had a baby gate and it was squeaky. Every time you open the gate, it was squeaking super loud. So I got this like little like oil you can put into it. Oh yeah, sure. To make it not squeak anymore. Yeah. So I did that and then I returned it on Amazon thinking I'll never need this again. George, you used it and then returned it? It was one drop. And I was like, I'm not going to need this again. You know what? You are so cheap. I know. And then we got another baby gate at the same issue. Because apparently you need him at both ends of the stairs to avoid the danger of stairs. Yeah. Yeah. So I had to rebuy it. Oh, my gosh. That's funny, George. So they got my money. There you go. They got it. You're welcome, Jeff Bezos. Fund his life. He needed the $8. Fund his life, George. Oh, well, if you have a great guilty charge question for us, make sure to DM us at Rachel Cruz and at George Camel. We love getting them and appreciate them. And if you loved this episode, you're going to love our episode, Unpacking Money Lessons from Your Favorite Christmas Movies. That is coming up. We'll link it for you. And make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an all-new episode of Smart Money Happy Hour.