December 24, 2025 • 49 mins
What makes a Christmas tradition stick—the flavor, the place, or the story you tell about it? We gathered five friends from across the map to trade brutally honest eggnog takes, map out Christmas Eve and Day rituals, and argue for the movies that still make us feel like kids. From beach fires in North Carolina to church services and the Feast of the Seven Fishes, the thread running through it all is simple: small moments, strong memories.
We dive into the comfort classics—Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation, the original cartoon Grinch, both Home Alones, Polar Express, and the underappreciated Charlie Brown specials—and shout out favorite characters like Buddy the Elf, Ralphie, Yukon Cornelius, and the Heat Miser vs. Snow Miser duo. Then we hop towns to find real places that look like movie sets: Chagrin Falls and Hudson in Ohio, Carmel’s rink and German market in Indiana, Sugarcreek’s Amish charm, and West Virginia’s Berkeley Springs with its storybook main street. If you’re building a holiday road trip, we’ve got a ready-made list: Oglebay Festival of Lights, Pittsburgh’s PPG Place rink and the Point, Cleveland’s Zoo Lights, downtown Willoughby’s Light Up Night, and the A Christmas Story House.
Food gets personal fast. Ham and scalloped potatoes, beef tenderloin, and an avalanche of Christmas cookies take center stage, with regional favorites like Sarris chocolate adding bite. We also take on the live-sports-on-Christmas question (most of us say stay home unless it’s a great NBA matchup) and rank gifts—dinner out tops the list, edging gift cards, with candy a distant third. The why is clear: shared experiences beat stuff when the goal is connection.
If you’re craving ideas for holiday fun, movie nostalgia, or new traditions that actually fit your life, this co
Subscribe for exclusive content: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1530455/support
Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREE
Tactical Brotherhood
The Tactical Brotherhood is a movement to support America.
Dubby Energy
FROM GAMERS TO GYM JUNKIES TO ENTREPRENEURS, OUR PRODUCT IS FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BE BETTER.
Shankitgolf
Our goal here at Shankitgolf is for everyone to have a great time on and off the golf course
Sweet Hands Sports
Elevate your game with Sweet Hands Sports! Our sports gloves are designed for champions,
Buddy's Beard Care
Buddy's Beard Care provides premium men's grooming products at an affordable price.
Deemed Fit
Be a part of our movement to instill confidence motivation and a willingness to keep pushing forward
Webb Western
Webb Western is for those who roll up their sleeves and do what it takes to get the job done.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Follow us on all social media
X: @mikebonocomedy
Instagram: @mikebonocomedy
@tiktok: @mikebono_comedian
Facebook: @mikebonocomedy
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (04:32):
Welcome, everybody, to another episode of the Ride
Home Rants podcast.
And happy holidays and MerryChristmas as we bring you the
All Things Christmas episode.
And we're also going to talk alittle bit about the holidays as
well.
But the All Things Christmasepisode 2025, this is Fiddy on
the ones and twos for you today,taking the taking the place of
(04:52):
Mike Bono as he has awell-deserved rest from his very
busy, busy life with his comicuh job and also his full-time
job.
So, guys, today we have afantastic show with four former
individual guests who have beenon with us and also a couple
guys who have been on for otherroundtables.
So uh the fearsome foursome ison with us.
(05:12):
Quote to the uh Los Angeles Ramsback in the day, right there,
the Fearsome Forsome of uhMerrill Olson and Deacon Jones
and two other guys that can'tremember their names at all.
But we got our own fearsomefoursome on here today.
Um, they come from a couple ofdifferent uh states.
So they're gonna talk abouttheir experiences also being in
their states and growing up andnow being transplanted to some
(05:33):
different areas.
So it's gonna give a very uniqueuh take on this Christmas
episode.
So, guys, without further ado,we're gonna have you introduce
yourself.
You're gonna give your name.
If you could be a zoo animal,what zoo animal would you pick?
And then the best state youvisited.
And as you're thinking aboutthat, I'll start off.
Of course, everybody knows me.
This is Fitti, the manager ofthe Ride Home Rans podcast and
(05:53):
sometimes host.
The zoo animal I would probablybe is a red panda, because
everybody loves the red panda atthe zoo.
And the best state I evervisited, I'm gonna go with the
great state of Hawaii.
And since this is the Christmasepisode, make sure you're
peeping the Hawaii Bowl tonight.
Cal in Hawaii squaring off inthe Hawaii Bowl in the 80-degree
weather on the on the beaches ofHonolulu.
(06:16):
So make sure you're checkingthat out.
But Tony, you're the mostseasoned veteran of the ride
home rants on the round table.
So let's start with you.
SPEAKER_01 (06:22):
Hello, everybody.
As Fitty said, my name is Tonyand I live in Baffer Heights.
If I could be any zoo animal, Iwould probably have to be a
toucan.
I'd be a toucan.
I just go flying aroundeverywhere.
Okay.
And then Tony, the best stateyou ever visited was Michigan.
(06:45):
I know a lot of people, somepeople aren't gonna like that
because of the rivalry, butMichigan's a very nice state.
SPEAKER_00 (06:51):
It is a very nice state.
Ann Arbor's a great, greatplace.
And I'm not even a Michigan fanby any means, but Michigan's
really cool.
Jordan, let's go to New Next.
Excuse me.
SPEAKER_02 (07:02):
Oh my god.
Joking up.
Jordan DeBarco.
I uh live in Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania.
Best state I ever visited iswhere I used to live in North
Carolina, Outer Banks.
Uh calm, cool, easy going vibes.
You got the beach, fairly nicetemperature all year round.
(07:23):
Uh so I would say NorthCarolina, love it there.
Could be there all four seasons,no problem.
And then what a zoo animal wouldyou be?
Definitely a penguin.
You have no fear of dying, nopolar bears to eat you, no seals
to eat you, nothing like that.
You're swimming if you want,you're on dry rocks if you want,
you're getting fed all the time.
(07:43):
No fear of dying, penguin.
SPEAKER_04 (07:46):
Okay, Luke, let's go to you next.
Uh my name's Luke Secrets.
I'm from Fallonsby, WestVirginia.
Um, I think if I had to be a zooanimal, I would also go with the
penguin.
I feel like it's just all funall the time.
Yeah.
Not a care in the world.
Yeah.
And then uh my favorite stateI've visited was Wyoming.
Um, I went out there on ahunting trip a couple years ago
(08:06):
and it was uh it's awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (08:09):
I'm I'm sure it would be definitely incredible
and probably incredibly coldright now, too.
Uh they're built definitely outin Wyoming in December.
And then uh Quinn, let's finishup with you.
SPEAKER_03 (08:20):
What's up, everyone?
Um, my name's Quinn Flospolerfrom Oxford, Ohio.
Um, but yeah, living inCleveland right now.
Uh, if I were to be a zooanimal, such a good question.
I'd probably go with a gorilla,to be honest.
Like you just you've got all theeyes on you, you're just a beast
24-7.
So yeah, silverback.
(08:43):
Um, and then greatest state I'vevisited, I'd say Colorado.
I went there the summer, went toPagosa Springs, Durango, Golden,
a bunch of different areas.
And um, I think seasonally, youknow, you can ski in the
winters, and then the summersare are spectacular, not too
hot, and then you're close to somany different, you know, big
cities, other states to travelto and whatnot.
(09:04):
So I'm going with Colorado.
SPEAKER_00 (09:05):
Okay.
And for anybody that's neverbeen to Wyoming or North
Carolina or Michigan or Coloradoor Hawaii, please go, right?
That's only five of the 50states, but please go and you
can see a lot of other states uhthrough the drive-through there.
So depending on where you'recoming from, we're not here to
talk about all things states,but I did count earlier.
I've actually visited 21 statesin the country.
(09:26):
So I'm actually kind of proud ofthat.
It's like 40% or so of thecountry.
But guys, we're here to talkabout all things Christmas,
bringing in the 2025 Christmasseason, right?
Celebrating the holidays with alot of uh family and friends and
doing a lot of different things.
But guys, let's start the showoff here with a very uh
controversial but yet fun topic,right?
Eggnog.
(09:46):
Do you like eggnog?
And I'm talking any type ofeggnog.
This doesn't have to be regulareggnog, it can be custard eggnog
if you want to do spiked eggnog.
Not that I would like that atall, because that'd probably be
gross.
But any type of eggnog.
Tony, let's start with you.
Are you a fan?
SPEAKER_01 (10:01):
No.
I don't like the taste of it.
I don't like the smell of it.
No.
SPEAKER_00 (10:07):
That was very emphatic, Tony.
Okay.
Uh Luke, let's go to you next.
SPEAKER_04 (10:12):
Absolutely not.
Uh the taste, the texture, allof it.
No.
I can't do it.
No.
SPEAKER_00 (10:19):
Okay.
Uh Quinn, any shot on theeggnog?
SPEAKER_03 (10:23):
Yeah, I don't think it's, I think it's like okay,
like once a year.
Like you kind of have to forceyourself to try it.
Like, I don't think it's thatbad, honestly.
But I'm not drinking it all thetime.
So my take is it's decent.
It's in the middle.
SPEAKER_00 (10:37):
Okay.
Okay, Jordan.
How about you?
SPEAKER_02 (10:41):
Yeah, you're talking to the guy that we eat eggs
anyway, doesn't matter, loveeggs.
Can't do the eggnog.
Terrible invention, terribleidea to do that.
Just absolutely disgusting.
I get the one time of year forChristmas, but why does that
have to be incorporated withChristmas?
Absolutely not.
I know you can make the funcocktails out of it, and people
(11:03):
do that maybe then, maybe, butabsolutely not.
SPEAKER_00 (11:09):
It's interesting because like when I was younger,
um, and I'm definitely theoldest guy by far, of course,
here on the podcast.
Um, but when when I was youngerand McDonald's used to sell
eggnog, like with uh the theiruh meals, I used to try it and I
hated it, right?
And then I like never reallydrank it until I moved um into
like my adult life and thensettled up here in the greater
(11:31):
Cleveland area.
And then like I tried it and I'mlike, okay, I can get down with
this.
And I was just saying the otherday, like, man, I should buy
like multiple cartons of eggnogthat because it doesn't go bad
for a while and just save it forafter the holidays and just keep
drinking it.
But I had this custard eggnog,man.
It was awesome.
And for anybody uh who likeseggnog, though, the best eggnog,
(11:52):
if you're in the Cleveland area,go to Heinan's best eggnog out
there.
But I'm the one out of five.
The fearsome foursome turned medown on the eggnog question to
kick this party off.
Well, hopefully this one's alittle bit better then, and it's
a little bit easier.
So, um, what are your guys'plans for Christmas Eve and or
Christmas Day?
Jordan, let's start with you.
SPEAKER_02 (12:12):
Yeah, my parents just recently retired.
They bought a house down on thebeach in North Carolina.
So it's kind of been since theydid that, it's kind of been our
getaway for me and my wife to godown there for Christmas.
Um, so if we don't get snow thisyear and we can actually travel,
um, we'll head down there.
And usually what we've beendoing the last two years down
there is Christmas Eve.
(12:32):
We're on a boat ride, we pull upthis little island and have like
a Christmas Eve night with afire on the beach there.
Um, and then Christmas Day, justthe usual, trying to act like
you're a kid, even though I'm27, waking up, excited to open a
maybe a few gifts, a stocking,and just kind of kicking it um
on Christmas Day.
The only real tradition we haveis we've been doing this
(12:54):
forever, is instead of cookingon Christmas, we always go out
to Chinese.
It's the only thing open.
So we'll go out to a Chineserestaurant on Christmas Day and
eat there, and that'll be ourkind of Christmas feast.
SPEAKER_00 (13:05):
Okay.
Is it like the end of theChristmas story?
Uh Chinese restaurant.
SPEAKER_02 (13:10):
It has been before.
We've kind of ramped up a littlebit in the world now, trying to
get to a little bit more bougiespots.
Um, but for a while there it wasa little bit like that.
SPEAKER_00 (13:21):
Okay, okay.
Quinn, how about you?
What are your plans forChristmas Eve?
Uh, you know, here on ChristmasDay.
SPEAKER_03 (13:29):
Classic.
Yeah, classic.
Just heading down to thegrandparents uh for Christmas
Eve, which is down inCincinnati.
And then Christmas Day, I'llhead to Indianapolis and do the
traditional kind of like Jordansaid, you know, acting like
you're still a kid and wakingup, opening a couple things and
(13:51):
hanging out with the family, andthen doing a nice dinner in the
evening, but we'll probably cookfor ourselves no no Chinese
dinner this year.
unknown (13:59):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (14:00):
Luke, how about you, man?
SPEAKER_04 (14:03):
Uh yeah, so Christmas Eve, uh, we usually
just do like a Christmas Eveservice at church.
And then I'll come back andwe'll have uh like on its
Italian thing, like Feast of theSeven Fishes on Christmas Eve.
And uh it's also my grandma'sbirthday, it's Christmas Eve, so
we'll kind of celebrate that andhang out, and you know, I'll
have a couple little presentsthere, like just a little
Christmas party, I guess, andthen Christmas Day, uh, you
(14:25):
know, I'm still I'm like rightat the teetering age, I feel
like of 22, where like I'm stillgetting like I'm still young
enough where I'm getting somedecent gifts, but I'm on the
breaking point, I feel like,where it's gonna get cut down
every year.
But yeah, just enjoy uhChristmas morning, family and
whatnot, and then we'll have abig uh Christmas dinner.
SPEAKER_00 (14:44):
Okay, awesome.
And Tony, round us out on thisone.
SPEAKER_01 (14:47):
Christmas Eve, I usually spend time with my mom,
my sister, my stepdad.
I'm probably gonna go visit mydad and watch the Cavs game
since they play on ChristmasDay.
So I'll just be watching somebasketball and football and just
relaxing and spending time withfamily because that's what
Christmas is all about.
SPEAKER_00 (15:07):
Absolutely.
You know, and it's sointeresting, you know, um,
especially when you get intolike adulthood, right?
And like you guys are, you know,all adults in your 20s and 30s,
and you know, me of almost 40.
It's always interesting when youtalk to people like what they do
on their on their holidays ingeneral, right?
But especially like Christmas,because like there's four of
(15:28):
you, and you just gave four verydifferent like answers of what
you're gonna do on yourChristmas Eve and Christmas Day.
And it's always so new unique.
Like, hey, I'm gonna go watchsports, or I'm gonna go to a
sporting event, I'm gonna go tochurch, I'm gonna travel, I'm
gonna go on a boat ride, I'mgonna make a fire, I'm gonna be
in the cold weather, I'm gonnabe in the warm weather.
You know, so it's always just sogreat and interesting to hear
everybody's like diverseperspectives um and what they do
(15:50):
on the holidays, because youknow, no one I think is is truly
um the same with that.
Like we're all superindividualized with with our
interest and stuff.
So it's really cool just to hearthat um from what people do,
right?
It's just uh it's just a cool,cool thing.
Um, and I think that you wouldfind the more people you talk
to, um, you know, the morediverse they really get with
(16:11):
their Christmases.
So it's it's a it's a very, veryawesome thing to know what
people do out there.
Um, Christmas Eve, we'll bespending it with my
mother-in-law and her family,and then Christmas Day, I'd just
be hanging out um at home, andthen we'll do uh Christmas with
our um our other parts of ourfamily on the 26th and 27th.
(16:33):
So instead of like two days, wehave to do it over like uh three
days.
So because Christmas Day, mywife does uh work with her job.
So, all right, guys, one reallyfun question here favorite
holiday movie or movies?
It could be a couple.
So I'll let you kind of thinkabout this.
I'm gonna answer it first.
So Christmas Vacation uh withChevy Chase, I think is is
(16:55):
probably the best one, um, in myopinion.
I also love the original Grinchcartoon with um uh what was the
guy that did the voice?
Thuralbert, I think was his hisuh last name.
But um love that cartoon,probably my second favorite one.
But Christmas Vacation, ChevyChase definitely takes the cake
(17:16):
as probably the best one.
Tony, what are your uh favoriteChristmas movies?
SPEAKER_01 (17:21):
I honestly like Home Alone 2, Lost in New York.
It's an absolute classic.
You can never ever go wrong withit.
And as far as a second Christmasmovie, I will say Friday After
Next with Ice Cube and MikeEpps.
It's a hilarious Christmasmovie.
Terry with also Terry Cruz, CatWilliams.
(17:45):
It's a really hilariousChristmas movie.
SPEAKER_00 (17:47):
We were just talking about this, and somebody was
like, Why is that a Christmasmovie?
I was like, because you hadSanta still in presence in it.
I was like, and it took placelike around Christmas, and they
were like uh the security guardsand stuff.
I was like, it's it's it is ahilarious, hilarious movie.
So um Luke, let's go to younext.
SPEAKER_04 (18:06):
Uh yeah, I definitely have to agree with
you.
I mean, the all-time classicwith Chevy Chase uh Christmas
Vacations probably my numberone, but number two probably the
Jim Carrey Grinch.
I think that one I actually justwatched it today.
I had some pretty competition inbetween finals, and I was like,
yeah, I'm watching this, but no,it's just always such a good
(18:28):
never gets out.
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (18:30):
All right, awesome answer.
So very similar on that, we justdiffer a little bit on which
Grinch we prefer.
So, but that's okay, but greatmovies.
Um, Quinn, how about you?
SPEAKER_03 (18:39):
I was gonna say I agree with the Grinch cartoon.
I think that's that's probablyup there.
Um, I'd also throw in HomeAlone, number one or two, I
don't really care.
Um, they're both great.
And then I'd also throw in onethat I don't think most people
like, but I think the PolarExpress is nostalgic.
(19:00):
So I I give it up there withwith my list.
But yeah, that's that's thethree.
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (19:06):
And I was just talking about that as well as
like Tom Hanks' range as anactor to like do the Polar
Express and Toy Story and thenbe able to go do like Forrest
Gump and Captain Phillips and uhBig and Road to Perdition and
all the other great movies thatyou know he's done over time.
So Polar Express is definitelygreat.
Um, one of my favorite books,uh, actually, especially as a
(19:28):
young kid.
So, but Jordan, how about you onthe Christmas movies?
SPEAKER_02 (19:31):
Yeah, I'm a firm believer that the cartoon Grinch
is better than the Jim CarreyGrinch, even though the Jim
Carrey Grinch was more of um Iguess my generation, but I love
the cartoon Grinch.
But you can't go wrong with theHome Alones, man.
Like they're just they're soclassic, they're nostalgic.
You grew up watching themlaughing your butt off.
You still do today.
(19:52):
I I love the Home Alones.
Um, I appreciate Quinn coming inwith the uh Polar Express
because that's a nostalgic one,too.
I think you know, we wereprobably both fairly young when
that came out and saw it when itcame out, and it kind of hits
home.
Um, and I'll give one that notas many people, I don't think
any of us have said, but aroundholiday times, the Charlie
Browns, man.
(20:13):
Like the Charlie Browns, theyhit different.
I'm telling you.
I used to have them on VHS,chuck them in the VHS, uh VHS
VHS VHS tape in there and watchthem.
Like, I wish I still had them.
I still have a VHS playeractually sitting right here.
Don't know where the CharlieBrowns are, but I love those
movies.
They don't get enough credit,good meanings behind it, just
(20:33):
classic vibes.
SPEAKER_03 (20:35):
That's a fantastic take.
I just have to put that outthere.
SPEAKER_00 (20:39):
Pretty never never even thought of that.
So good hot take right there,but a good take, Jordan.
All right, guys.
Probably one of the more funnytopics we're gonna talk about
here, but you gotta let me kindof get through this.
People either love or hateHallmark Christmas movies.
Now, you ever watch a HallmarkChristmas movie, and everyone
looks perfect.
Everyone's hair is always done.
Every guy has a perfect beard,way more perfect than me.
(21:02):
And Jordan's is pretty perfectif you're tuning in and watching
this, but it's even better thanJordan's.
Everybody's hair is perfect, thewind's never blowing, snow's
coming down, no one looks cold,there's never slush or or uh
snow plowed into the road 10feet high.
You know, somehow people are ata coffee shop at two in the
afternoon and they meet the loveof their life.
(21:23):
I don't know who's at a coffeeshop at two in the afternoon and
who's not miserable because youjust walked in from the cold.
But you know, you walk in, youmeet the love of your life, and
you get invited to Christmas Evedinner the very next day.
Now, Hallmark movies are veryfar-fetched, but they are a
feel-good, um, I guess, type ofstory for people.
So I'm a sucker for a goodHallmark movie.
But guys, in your opinion, andyou're gonna have to think about
(21:46):
this.
What is the closest town thatyou could say that resembles a
Hallmark movie that you haveever been in?
So you gotta think about this.
What is the town that you'veever, the closest Hallmark movie
of a town that you could eversay that you've been in?
Now, I'll go first.
I will say it's Chagrin Fallshere in Cleveland, is probably
(22:08):
the closest thing to a Hallmarktown with their decorations and
the street lights and thewaterfall, and everyone's always
dapper dressed up andeverything.
So that is probably the closestthing I would say uh to a
Hallmark movie.
Now, Tony, we're gonna kick itoff with you on this.
What would you say is the townthat resembles a Hallmark movie
the closest?
SPEAKER_01 (22:27):
There are two and within the same like area:
Chagrin Falls and Hudson.
Because being in the Hudson TownSquare, it just screams.
Insert generic hallmark moviehere.
Same with Chagrin Falls, they'reliterally one in the same,
(22:50):
except Hudson's bigger.
SPEAKER_00 (22:52):
I I would agree.
Hudson's right there, too, forsure.
A couple years ago, we went downthe Hudson like around Christmas
time, and they did have like theGrinch walking around.
So I got a picture with theGrinch, so it was pretty cool.
Um, but yeah, Hudson'sdefinitely that.
Um, Luke, let's go to you next.
What is that one town thatyou've been to that closely
resembles the Hallmark movie?
SPEAKER_04 (23:12):
Um this one's ticked on my brain.
I don't I want to say I wouldlove to say like Sugar Creek,
Ohio, like the Amish country.
Yeah, just because like there'sso many different shops, and
like you got the Amish peoplecoming in on their horse and
buggy, and like I don't know, Ifeel like that can be very like
(23:32):
I could see a Hallmark moviebeing there, but like I know
I've been to other towns whereI've been like yes, like this
this would be it, like this is aChristmas town.
I just forget, it's not clickingin my head.
So I would definitely want tosay uh Sugar Creek, Ohio.
SPEAKER_00 (23:46):
Okay, and if people don't know, Sugar Creek has the
world's largest cuckoo clockthere.
SPEAKER_04 (23:51):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (23:51):
So fun fact, um, they're and uh usually pretty
good high school football aswell, with uh with Garraway.
So um Quinn, let's go to younext.
What is that one town thatyou've been to that closely
resembles a Hallmark movie?
SPEAKER_03 (24:05):
So my pick is Carmel, Indiana.
Not sure if any of you haveheard of it, but they they've
hosted this like huge marketlike every year, um, which is
like really close to the likethe center of the town.
And there's this massive youknow, ice rink there where you
can s uh you know skate, butthen there's like a Germanic
(24:27):
kind of market, and there'sclose kind of resemblance to The
markets in Germany, which areyou know highly celebrated
during Christmas time as well.
So it's just like perfect, likedrawn up, like you know, ice
skating, you know, Germanmarkets, food, all that stuff.
So I'm going with caramel.
SPEAKER_00 (24:47):
And it's probably you know never windy, and
everyone has hot chocolate, andyou meet the love of your life
on the skating rink becausesomebody fell, and next thing
you know, you're married twoweeks later, and you have the
most beautiful wedding in theworld, and it doesn't cost
anything, and you know, you rideoff into the sunset.
SPEAKER_02 (25:02):
Um, how about you on this?
I would like to say, first off,what makes a good Hallmark town
is the name.
Luke said Sugar Creek.
That sounds like a Hallmarktown.
Sugar Creek is oh, where are youfrom?
I'm from Sugar Creek.
That's Hallmark-esque.
Yeah, you gotta have a cornysort of name to go with it,
(25:26):
which leads me to my place inWest Virginia, Berkeley Springs.
Uh, if you've ever traveled likeon the I-68 corridor and you're
going through Maryland and thenyou peep into West Virginia,
there's a little town calledBerkeley Springs.
They got little bed andbreakfasts there.
They have this tiny littledowntown front that's just old
(25:46):
buildings, but they dress themup for Christmas.
There's a little pavilion with agiant Christmas tree.
I mean, you don't get much moreHallmark-esque than Sugar Creek
or Berkeley Springs.
Uh, that just sounds like amade-up name of a town.
And Berkeley Springs definitelylives up to that Hallmark vibe.
SPEAKER_00 (26:05):
Berkeley Springs is a vibe.
Um, if people don't knowanything about Berkeley Springs,
George Washington used to gothere to bathe in the springs
because it thought it would helpwith his uh with his body and
sickness and things like that.
Berkeley Springs is a very, veryhistoric town.
SPEAKER_04 (26:23):
Super cool.
SPEAKER_00 (26:24):
I've been I've been through there um probably like
four times um as well.
Uh has a really great sheets,though, if you need to stop
somewhere when you're goingthrough there.
They're not that's not historic,and that's probably not
homework-esque, but it has agreat sheets there if you need
to stop.
But they do have a very, verycool little downtown Jordan is
right in the summers.
(26:45):
They do do a farmer's market.
So, Jordan, great shout out onBerkeley Springs there.
Great shout out.
Um, all right, guys.
What is your favorite holidayfood uh that comes out, you
know, really around Christmastime, or what's your go-to
holiday food?
Um, you know, if you want tospeak about that a little bit
more.
So um I'm a big ham guy.
(27:06):
I love ham.
Um, of course, pasta, you know,being Italian and uh my family
used to do this the seven fishesway back in the day.
So that was always fun.
But now um I probably lookforward to ham the most during
um probably the Christmas time,even though it's probably not
the healthiest thing to eat.
I do look forward to ham andscallop potatoes.
(27:26):
Uh Jordan, let's start with youon this.
SPEAKER_02 (27:29):
Gotta be the cookies.
It's gotta be.
It just has to be.
If you have an old grandma, orlike for me, it's my aunt, she's
pretty much a stay-at-home aunt.
And when it comes to Christmastime, I she bakes about 2,000
cookies for the whole family.
And you you just can't go wrong.
Like as a kid, she used to havethem stored in the back.
I remember waking up at 2 a.m.,sneaking back there in the
(27:52):
Tupperware containers andlifting the lid and just
grabbing like two handfuls of asmort of cookies.
Um, when the house startssmelling like someone's baking,
you're doing something right.
And it's gotta be the cookiesfor me.
SPEAKER_00 (28:06):
Okay.
You know, I don't know why Ijust thought this earnings.
You're talking about likegrandmas and stuff like that.
So, you know, my grandparentshave passed away um a couple
more recently, but my uhgrandma, my dad's I passed away
back in '97.
But when we were little, wealways have Christmas down
there, right?
So we'd go visit before theholidays.
And for the listeners on herewho do the seven fishes or have
(28:27):
done the seven fishes with theirfamily, my grandpa was very into
that.
So when we were little though,my grandma would be like making
cookies or getting somethingready for Christmas.
And my grandpa had this old,like those that deep freeze,
freeze, deep freeze freezer, butthe one that had the door on it
you can open that probablywasted so much electricity, it
wasn't even funny.
But anyway, so they would haveto go get the eel for the the
(28:50):
the buccal sauce before um, youknow, the holidays.
So he'd be like, Gate, go lookat the eel in the in the
freezer.
So we'd have to go downstairsinto the basement.
Everybody's grandparents' houseis scary in the basement.
I don't care what house it is.
You go down there and you haveto look at a frozen eel looking
back at you uh in the freezer aslike a seven-year-old.
(29:10):
Instead of having cookies, I hadto go look at the eel, and then
you could have a cookie afterthat.
So I don't know why that justcame into my mind.
No, um, but for anyone who'sever seen a frozen eel, it's
disgusting.
SPEAKER_02 (29:20):
That would ruin cookies for me.
If I had to think about a deadeel every time, I probably
wouldn't touch a cookie again.
SPEAKER_03 (29:25):
Well, Johnny, so is eel your favorite Christmas meal
uh food?
SPEAKER_00 (29:30):
No, man.
Once I found out this the thesauce that we ate, the eel or we
the sauce we had was with fromthe eel.
No way, man.
No way.
Um, I love seafood, but not eelanything.
It was disgusting.
Ugh.
But Quinn, since you jumped inon that, let's go to you next.
SPEAKER_03 (29:52):
Yeah, I feel like unlike Thanksgiving, I feel like
for for me at least, Christmasdoesn't have kind of uh, at
least with my family, uh atraditional dish.
Like we we tend to do the samething, but we can mix it up.
So I always love a good beeftenderloin as like kind of the
main kind of entree.
(30:14):
Um, but then I'd probably secondthat with what Jordan said.
I think Christmas, myassociation is always with
cookies, like and sweets, right?
Like it's just that's justChristmas cookies, it's part and
parcel.
So um, and specifically whatcookies, like I'm a big you
know, the like snickerdoodleswith like the Hershey kiss on
them.
(30:35):
Oh god.
Oh god.
As long as they're right out ofthe oven, yeah.
All right, I'm good.
I'm good.
Real problem.
It's over.
Those are the two for me.
SPEAKER_00 (30:47):
All right, Luke, what do you what do you got for
us on this?
SPEAKER_04 (30:50):
Um, yeah, so kind of what uh Quinn said, we kind of
have like the same dinner,Thanksgiving and Christmas.
So I definitely think thedeciding factor would have to be
cookies, the Christmas cookiesand sweets for sure.
SPEAKER_00 (31:02):
Okay.
Tony, how about you?
SPEAKER_01 (31:05):
Yeah, I go with Christmas cookies and honestly,
Christmas cookies or or goodturkey or ham, because eating
good turkey and ham will put meout like a light for a couple
hours.
SPEAKER_00 (31:19):
You know, it's like always like funny too when you
when you get the ham, like it'sit just tastes different at
Christmas.
I don't know why.
Like, I don't know if I can justsit there and eat a regular ham
in July, but I can sure eat aham at uh at Christmas.
You know, I mean it's just itjust hits different.
What's up, Jordan?
SPEAKER_02 (31:35):
Quick quick shout out to all my Pittsburgh
listeners.
Another thing I associate with,and it was in my stocking every
year growing up, CeresChocolate.
I used to get Ceres chocolate inmy stockings like crazy.
The chocolate-covered pretzelsor the peanut butter chocolate
pretzels to die for.
Just had to get that out therebecause I completely forgot, and
that's bad on my Pittsburghpart.
SPEAKER_00 (31:57):
Luke knows about that.
He's pretty close to Pittsburghfrom where he uh he grew up, so
he knows about the Cereschocolate for sure.
Oh, yeah.
All right, guys.
So, next one is gonna be kind ofa funny one.
I want to get into who is orwhat is your favorite Christmas
character that is not SantaClaus?
Out of all the Christmascharacters out there, who is
(32:19):
your favorite one?
And you cannot say Santa Claus.
Now I'll start this off.
Huge Grinch fan, love theGrinch, got all types of Grinch
decorations.
Um, so I've had that over theyears.
So I love the Grinch.
That's my favorite uh character.
Um, Tony, let's start with you.
SPEAKER_01 (32:38):
I'm gonna say Buddy the Elf from Elf.
Kind of reminds me of me as akid, just um, you know, gets
excited and messes stuff up, buthas a good heart nonetheless.
So he kind of reminds me of me.
And he's playing by Wolf Girl,one of my favorite comedians.
So I'm gonna go Buddy the Elf.
SPEAKER_00 (33:00):
Okay, all right.
Uh, how about you, Luke?
Who would you say?
SPEAKER_04 (33:05):
Uh the first one that come to mind I can't the
talk about like old um likeolder movies, Rudolph and Red
Nosed Reindeer, like the classicthe uh the miner.
UConn Yukon Cornelius?
Yes, yeah, it was like the firstone that popped into my head.
I it's just I don't know.
(33:26):
Every I remember watching as akid and I every time he'd come
on it, it was always so funny.
I don't know why.
SPEAKER_00 (33:31):
Yeah, I like I like Yukon Cornelius, probably my
second favorite uh Christmascharacter.
Um he was like that burlymountain guy, right?
Like big beard and like youknow, his his sack and his hat.
Like he was just ready, he wasready to take on winter.
Um Quinn, Quinn, how about youon this though?
SPEAKER_03 (33:50):
I'm going with uh Ralphie from a Christmas story.
Um just because when I wasyounger, I looked like just like
him.
Like I had the hair, the blondehair, um, and obviously like
that scene when he beats upthose two bullies in the snow.
Oh, come on.
That that's just like that'scemented in the brain.
(34:12):
So yeah, Ralphie's my pick.
SPEAKER_00 (34:14):
You know, Quinn, I could probably say that I can
see you as like seven years oldand kind of resembling Ralphie
from knowing you.
So um, but that's a good thing,right?
People, you you could have saidyou were like you are Ralphie,
you could just say that.
SPEAKER_03 (34:29):
I could, I could, you know, but but you know what,
like that's not me, but youknow, I'm glad that he was uh he
had like a good kind ofturnaround story, like bad
start, but then you know heended up kind of prevailing,
getting his his red rider,beating up those two bullies,
(34:51):
all that stuff.
SPEAKER_00 (34:53):
It is a good story, and uh, you know, shout out uh
Ralphie's house uh here in uh uhCleveland.
Make sure you come uh come visitit during the holiday season
here.
Now, Jordan, who's your favoritenon-Santa Claus Christmas
character?
SPEAKER_02 (35:07):
Luke kind of hinted at the claymation movies.
I was big on the claymationswhen I'm a kid, I still am.
Uh Heat miser and Snow Miser.
Uh I can't remember that.
Is that the Year Without a SantaClaus?
I think that's what that's thename of that one.
Uh with the Heat Miser and SnowMiser when they started singing
their songs and they're battlingbetween each other with their
mother nature.
Um, I just I love those twocharacters.
(35:28):
That's one I have to watch everyyear.
Um the the classics are so good,they're so good.
And uh those two come to mindimmediately when I think about
Christmas characters that I lovethat aren't Santa.
SPEAKER_00 (35:41):
Okay, that's a good one.
Definitely a good one.
All right, guys, a couplequestions left here.
So, um, you know, in yourpersonal opinion, and maybe you
have and maybe you haven't overthe years, but would you um
think you'd want to attend likean NBA or NHL or NFL game on
Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Um, you know, in your ownopinion.
Um I've never attended on aChristmas Eve or Christmas Day
(36:05):
for um a sporting event.
I would probably say if I wantedto go, I would probably do NBA
just because you're not in theelements outside when it's like
brutal cold, unless you're inthe south, of course.
Um, but I just don't know if Iwould want to spend Christmas,
you know, watching an NFL gamein the brutal cold, maybe an NBA
matinee game.
But um, you know, that wouldprobably be if one thing I would
(36:25):
do if I was gonna do it.
But Tony, have you ever went toa sporting event on uh um
Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Or would you ever think aboutgoing on going to one?
SPEAKER_01 (36:33):
I have not, but if I did go to one, it would more
likely be a Cavaliers game.
SPEAKER_04 (36:39):
Okay, okay.
Um, Luke, how about you on this?
Uh I've not been to any sportingevent, but probably any NFL or
hockey game or NHL game.
unknown (36:49):
Okay.
SPEAKER_04 (36:50):
Okay.
Okay, Quinn.
SPEAKER_03 (36:53):
I've not been to a game on Christmas Day, but I
mean I'd absolutely go to any ofthe three.
Why not?
If I was offered the chance, I'dprobably pick NBA just because
my association with Christmas islike NBA Christmas Day.
I don't know why, but uh as longas the two teams that are
playing are you know it'd be agood game.
(37:13):
I don't want to waste myChristmas Day watching a
blowout.
Sure.
SPEAKER_02 (37:19):
Okay, Jordan, how about you?
Uh as big of a sports guy as Iam, I would not want to go see
anything on Christmas Day.
Um I some about being home atChristmas all day and and going
maybe going out to eat like wedo or or just staying home and
eating.
I don't know.
I I just it seems wrong to me toleave the house on Christmas Day
(37:40):
unless you're going to seefamily.
Um so I would say I don't care.
I mean, it's kind of what Quinnsaid.
If you got free ticketssomewhere, it'd be hard to pass
up, but I don't think I'mleaving.
I just don't think I am.
Even if the Steelers wereplaying or anything like that, I
just don't think I'm leaving thehouse.
SPEAKER_00 (37:58):
Okay.
You know, and it's fair, and Ithink that's like just such a
personal preference thing, too,right?
And I think it again, itinvolves the weather and your
location, right?
Like if you're down the streetfrom the Cavs and are playing at
12:30 on Christmas Day, youknow, it hits a little bit
different than having to godrive two hours in the elements
to go watch someone at a 7 p.m.
tip-off, or you know, what likewhen people went to the Browns
(38:21):
game the two or three years agoand the Steelers games and all
those, when that polar vortexlike engulfed the entire country
and people were sitting outthere in negative 20-degree
weather, you know, watching thegames.
I'm sure everyone remembers thatbecause the games are so brutal
they couldn't even get people togo to the games because it was
uh such an issue out there.
So, you know, I think it'sreally all your preference on
(38:43):
that.
And of course, um, but you knowwhat?
Hey, if somebody wants to go anddo it, that's great.
You know, if somebody doesn'twant to do it, that's great too.
That's why we have TVs to watchthem on, or at least a radio to
listen, right?
All right, guys, two questionsleft.
Now I want to get your opinionon this because these are pretty
big gifts.
Um, I think at Christmas time,at least two of them.
So rate these presents as bestto worst.
(39:05):
And there's three of them, okay?
So rate these from best toworst, in your opinion.
Getting a gift card forwherever, okay, getting candy or
chocolate, okay, from wherever,or being taken out to dinner
wherever it may be.
So being taken out to dinner,receiving chocolate or some type
(39:25):
of candy, or getting a gift cardto whatever.
Rank them from best to worst.
Let's start with you, Jordan.
SPEAKER_02 (39:32):
I'm a sucker for dinner.
I'd go dinner first.
Anytime I'm getting taken outfor free food, I'm I'm I'm all
there for it.
Um, and then I would probably gogift card and then candy or
chocolate.
I've been trying to lay off thesweets now my age, but it is
hard to pass it up aroundChristmas time.
So dinner, gift card, candy orchocolate, and that's my order.
(39:54):
Okay.
How about you, Luke?
SPEAKER_04 (39:56):
Uh yeah, I agree with Jordan.
Definitely uh dinner, gift card,and uh candy, some type of
sweet.
SPEAKER_00 (40:02):
Okay, okay, Quinn, what are you saying?
SPEAKER_03 (40:06):
Yeah, my my order is the exact same.
I'm not even gonna try to switchit.
SPEAKER_01 (40:11):
Okay, Tony?
I would say dinner, then giftcards, then candy.
Okay, everybody, everybody hiton that.
SPEAKER_00 (40:20):
So I would say probably receiving chocolate or
candy for me is definitelynumber three.
Um, just because I think, Imean, it's like a good gift, but
if someone's giving me like$50worth of chocolate for a gift,
like that's a lot of chocolate,right?
Like that's that's a lot.
It's not like someone got me agift card in like a box of like,
I don't know, likechocolate-covered Oreos.
(40:43):
It's a little bit different,right?
So, like getting a huge gift ofcandy is it's probably a
different type of gift.
Um, and I would probably say,uh, because I love gift cards,
that probably would be numberone, but probably one A would be
getting taken to dinner.
Um, I'm not sure how many peoplehave ever taken someone to
dinner for their Christmas gift,but it's a good idea uh to do,
(41:06):
you know, and then you don'thave to like fret over what do I
get them or what gift card do Iget them.
Just take them out for you knowfor a dinner.
Probably what you get them in agift is probably what the dinner
would cost.
So very interesting on that one.
SPEAKER_03 (41:17):
Go ahead, Claim.
I was gonna say I've not heardof that as a Christmas gift, but
I do like the idea of it becauseI think it's it's a true
experience, like compared to agift card at least, if those are
the two best options, which weall mentioned, like going out to
dinner with someone is it's amore lived experience versus
just getting a gift card.
Although I like, I mean, whodoesn't like gift cards?
SPEAKER_02 (41:39):
Especially if you're going out somewhere, like when
it's not like you're going outsomewhere nice.
Like, I'm not one to go droppingbands somewhere for dinner, but
like if you go somewhere thatyou've never been before and you
know they got options and you'recommitted to spending that
money, that's an experience forsure.
Then you just start feeling likeyou're the man, you're getting
(42:00):
this, you're getting that forthe table.
Like, that's a good time.
SPEAKER_00 (42:03):
Yeah, and I think like you know, you got to look
at it too.
Like, what let's say, you know,your parents a little bit older,
right?
Let's say they're in their 60sor maybe 70s, you know, and and
people may have everything theywant, right?
And they may say, nah, get me agift, right?
I don't need I don't needclothes, I don't need a new
(42:24):
whatever microwave or an airfryer, whatever it is.
So why not take them out to to adinner then, right?
Maybe it doesn't have to breakthe bank.
Maybe you want to break thebank, but you're not going to
BW3s, but maybe it's not quitethe Marble Room in Cleveland,
one of the most expensiverestaurants in the country, but
something in between.
I think it can go a long way,right?
You know, but when you're alittle bit younger, you know,
(42:45):
maybe you need stuff or whateverit may be.
But hey, you know what, guys?
I think it just gave you allideas for what your Christmas
gift could be uh next year fromyour families.
Hey, what do you want?
Hey, take me out to dinner.
You could probably get somethinggood out of it.
So it could be a good story andlive the experience.
But for all the other listenersout there, there's your uh
tidbit of 2025 going in 2026.
(43:05):
What do you want for Christmas?
I want nothing but a uh place togo to dinner to.
So um just a thought out there.
All right, guys.
Last question as we round outthe 2025 Christmas show here.
What is the one thing in thearea that you live in or where
you have moved from, becausewe're all from different places,
that you would recommend forsomeone coming from out of town
(43:27):
to do for Christmas?
So, what is that one thing thatyou would recommend for someone
coming to your area that youcurrently live in or prior uh
your prior um livingarrangements, wherever that was,
that you would recommend forthem to do?
Now, I'm going to start withLuke because he's the first one
that came off mute on this.
So I'm gonna I'm gonna throw itover to him.
(43:48):
Luke, what's that one place youwould recommend for somebody to
uh experience uh where you'vebeen at?
SPEAKER_04 (43:54):
Uh the Ogleby Light Show for sure, down there in
Wheeling.
I mean, I love going now at 22years old, just as much as I
love going whenever I was six.
I mean, it's I don't know, itjust brings so much joy every
time you go.
You get to put the Christmasradio station on your car, you
know, with your family or yourgirlfriends, or you know, if you
got kids or something, it's justan awesome experience.
(44:16):
You know, at the beginning ofit, uh, they have like hot cocoa
and whatnot, and you guys canpick up and just take a stroll
through.
Uh definitely, definitely myfavorite from where I grew up.
SPEAKER_00 (44:27):
Luke fired that off right away and came out with the
Ogle B lights on the on.
The hot blog he stole it fromme.
Well, we got to go to Jordannext so he can piggyback off of
it or give something else new.
SPEAKER_02 (44:41):
Yeah.
Um, I went to Ogleby when I wasa kid, man, and it's an
experience for sure.
And it doesn't get old, kind oflike what Luke's saying, even
now.
Um, it's about an hour drivefrom where I live out in
Pittsburgh, but it's awesome.
It it really is really cool.
And it's one of those thingsthat probably only gets better
as you get older, especiallywhen you have kids, like he was
kind of talking about and stuff.
(45:02):
Um, taking your kids out thereone day and and taking them
through that experience isawesome.
And then the only other thing Ican say is, you know, I love my
city, I love Pittsburgh so much.
Um, you know, PVG place with theice rink and the giant Christmas
tree is a cool place to go to.
They got the markets down there,the Christmas shops set up, and
then um going to the point inPittsburgh where the big
Christmas tree as well.
(45:23):
Um, that's where I got engaged,right in front of that Christmas
tree at the point.
So it's a special place for me.
Um, but it's a cool, cool spotto go to as well.
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (45:32):
Tony, how about you on this one?
SPEAKER_01 (45:34):
I would probably have to say um unfortunately
they didn't do it this year, buttaking a drive down the
Cleveland Heights, EastCleveland, and looking at the
Christmas lights in Neila Park,that's like that.
And I'd have to say going to oneof the probably I'd say going
anywhere doing Christmasshopping or something, like
(45:55):
doing anything like takingpictures with Santa.
I'd probably have to say ChagrinFalls, because it's been a while
since I've done anything likestrictly Christmas related.
SPEAKER_00 (46:06):
So Okay, okay, Quinn, round us out on this.
SPEAKER_03 (46:11):
Yeah, I would say for me going down to Fountain
Square, downtown Cincinnati, bigice rink down there, huge
Christmas tree, kind of similarto I mean, probably not as good
as the Ogle Ogle.
Is it Ogleby?
Is that what you guys say?
Ogleby.
Yeah, it's probably not as goodas that one.
Yeah, probably not as good asthat one from what I've heard,
but uh very classic, and youknow, a lot of people tend to go
(46:33):
there, so good crowd.
SPEAKER_00 (46:35):
Okay.
Now, of course, I'll round thisout with a couple different
ideas for people because I'velived a lot of different places,
but I would say the Oglebylights is a great one to go see.
Um, if you're doing that, go toNutcracker Village and
Steubenville, see the see thesix-foot nutcrackers lined up um
all around downtown umSteubenville there.
So if you're gonna do both or soclose, I would definitely
(46:57):
recommend that.
Go see the Christmas tree and goice skating in Pittsburgh.
Uh, it's a really cool thing.
Go visit Chagrin Falls, theHallmark town.
Um, definitely check that outand you know, check out Berkeley
Springs.
I'm sure it's fantastic looking,you know, in the wintertime um
with the tranquility and youknow, the ambiance of like the
rolling hills of West Virginia,you know, as well.
(47:19):
Visit visit Hudson, Ohio.
You may find the Grinch justrandomly walking around.
Um, I would say a couple otherones that I would um, you know,
recommend.
Visit the Christmas story houseuh in Cleveland if you're gonna
do anything for Christmas,right?
Visit the Christmas story house,which is really cool.
Um, I would also uh recommendgoing to the um the zoo lights,
(47:40):
the Cleveland Zoo lights, or areally cool experience uh to
walk around the zoo and seethat, um, you know, and and
check out everything that theyhave going on.
And then, you know, if you everget a chance to visit downtown
Willoughby on Light Up Night,that's a really cool experience,
another uh really, really cooluh town.
But that is gonna do it for thisweek's episode of the Ride Home
(48:00):
Rants podcast.
I'd like to thank the fearsomeforesome of Tony, Quinn, Jordan,
and Luke breaking down allthings Christmas 2025.
On behalf of everyone here atRide Home Rants, we wish you a
very safe, happy, and blessedholiday season.
Merry Christmas, and we willtalk to you all soon.
Welcome, everybody, to another episode of the Ride
Home Rants podcast.
And happy holidays and MerryChristmas as we bring you the
All Things Christmas episode.
And we're also going to talk alittle bit about the holidays as
well.
But the All Things Christmasepisode 2025, this is Fiddy on
the ones and twos for you today,taking the taking the place of
(04:52):
Mike Bono as he has awell-deserved rest from his very
busy, busy life with his comicuh job and also his full-time
job.
So, guys, today we have afantastic show with four former
individual guests who have beenon with us and also a couple
guys who have been on for otherroundtables.
So uh the fearsome foursome ison with us.
(05:12):
Quote to the uh Los Angeles Ramsback in the day, right there,
the Fearsome Forsome of uhMerrill Olson and Deacon Jones
and two other guys that can'tremember their names at all.
But we got our own fearsomefoursome on here today.
Um, they come from a couple ofdifferent uh states.
So they're gonna talk abouttheir experiences also being in
their states and growing up andnow being transplanted to some
(05:33):
different areas.
So it's gonna give a very uniqueuh take on this Christmas
episode.
So, guys, without further ado,we're gonna have you introduce
yourself.
You're gonna give your name.
If you could be a zoo animal,what zoo animal would you pick?
And then the best state youvisited.
And as you're thinking aboutthat, I'll start off.
Of course, everybody knows me.
This is Fitti, the manager ofthe Ride Home Rans podcast and
(05:53):
sometimes host.
The zoo animal I would probablybe is a red panda, because
everybody loves the red panda atthe zoo.
And the best state I evervisited, I'm gonna go with the
great state of Hawaii.
And since this is the Christmasepisode, make sure you're
peeping the Hawaii Bowl tonight.
Cal in Hawaii squaring off inthe Hawaii Bowl in the 80-degree
weather on the on the beaches ofHonolulu.
(06:16):
So make sure you're checkingthat out.
But Tony, you're the mostseasoned veteran of the ride
home rants on the round table.
So let's start with you.
SPEAKER_01 (06:22):
Hello, everybody.
As Fitty said, my name is Tonyand I live in Baffer Heights.
If I could be any zoo animal, Iwould probably have to be a
toucan.
I'd be a toucan.
I just go flying aroundeverywhere.
Okay.
And then Tony, the best stateyou ever visited was Michigan.
(06:45):
I know a lot of people, somepeople aren't gonna like that
because of the rivalry, butMichigan's a very nice state.
SPEAKER_00 (06:51):
It is a very nice state.
Ann Arbor's a great, greatplace.
And I'm not even a Michigan fanby any means, but Michigan's
really cool.
Jordan, let's go to New Next.
Excuse me.
SPEAKER_02 (07:02):
Oh my god.
Joking up.
Jordan DeBarco.
I uh live in Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania.
Best state I ever visited iswhere I used to live in North
Carolina, Outer Banks.
Uh calm, cool, easy going vibes.
You got the beach, fairly nicetemperature all year round.
(07:23):
Uh so I would say NorthCarolina, love it there.
Could be there all four seasons,no problem.
And then what a zoo animal wouldyou be?
Definitely a penguin.
You have no fear of dying, nopolar bears to eat you, no seals
to eat you, nothing like that.
You're swimming if you want,you're on dry rocks if you want,
you're getting fed all the time.
(07:43):
No fear of dying, penguin.
SPEAKER_04 (07:46):
Okay, Luke, let's go to you next.
Uh my name's Luke Secrets.
I'm from Fallonsby, WestVirginia.
Um, I think if I had to be a zooanimal, I would also go with the
penguin.
I feel like it's just all funall the time.
Yeah.
Not a care in the world.
Yeah.
And then uh my favorite stateI've visited was Wyoming.
Um, I went out there on ahunting trip a couple years ago
(08:06):
and it was uh it's awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (08:09):
I'm I'm sure it would be definitely incredible
and probably incredibly coldright now, too.
Uh they're built definitely outin Wyoming in December.
And then uh Quinn, let's finishup with you.
SPEAKER_03 (08:20):
What's up, everyone?
Um, my name's Quinn Flospolerfrom Oxford, Ohio.
Um, but yeah, living inCleveland right now.
Uh, if I were to be a zooanimal, such a good question.
I'd probably go with a gorilla,to be honest.
Like you just you've got all theeyes on you, you're just a beast
24-7.
So yeah, silverback.
(08:43):
Um, and then greatest state I'vevisited, I'd say Colorado.
I went there the summer, went toPagosa Springs, Durango, Golden,
a bunch of different areas.
And um, I think seasonally, youknow, you can ski in the
winters, and then the summersare are spectacular, not too
hot, and then you're close to somany different, you know, big
cities, other states to travelto and whatnot.
(09:04):
So I'm going with Colorado.
SPEAKER_00 (09:05):
Okay.
And for anybody that's neverbeen to Wyoming or North
Carolina or Michigan or Coloradoor Hawaii, please go, right?
That's only five of the 50states, but please go and you
can see a lot of other states uhthrough the drive-through there.
So depending on where you'recoming from, we're not here to
talk about all things states,but I did count earlier.
I've actually visited 21 statesin the country.
(09:26):
So I'm actually kind of proud ofthat.
It's like 40% or so of thecountry.
But guys, we're here to talkabout all things Christmas,
bringing in the 2025 Christmasseason, right?
Celebrating the holidays with alot of uh family and friends and
doing a lot of different things.
But guys, let's start the showoff here with a very uh
controversial but yet fun topic,right?
Eggnog.
(09:46):
Do you like eggnog?
And I'm talking any type ofeggnog.
This doesn't have to be regulareggnog, it can be custard eggnog
if you want to do spiked eggnog.
Not that I would like that atall, because that'd probably be
gross.
But any type of eggnog.
Tony, let's start with you.
Are you a fan?
SPEAKER_01 (10:01):
No.
I don't like the taste of it.
I don't like the smell of it.
No.
SPEAKER_00 (10:07):
That was very emphatic, Tony.
Okay.
Uh Luke, let's go to you next.
SPEAKER_04 (10:12):
Absolutely not.
Uh the taste, the texture, allof it.
No.
I can't do it.
No.
SPEAKER_00 (10:19):
Okay.
Uh Quinn, any shot on theeggnog?
SPEAKER_03 (10:23):
Yeah, I don't think it's, I think it's like okay,
like once a year.
Like you kind of have to forceyourself to try it.
Like, I don't think it's thatbad, honestly.
But I'm not drinking it all thetime.
So my take is it's decent.
It's in the middle.
SPEAKER_00 (10:37):
Okay.
Okay, Jordan.
How about you?
SPEAKER_02 (10:41):
Yeah, you're talking to the guy that we eat eggs
anyway, doesn't matter, loveeggs.
Can't do the eggnog.
Terrible invention, terribleidea to do that.
Just absolutely disgusting.
I get the one time of year forChristmas, but why does that
have to be incorporated withChristmas?
Absolutely not.
I know you can make the funcocktails out of it, and people
(11:03):
do that maybe then, maybe, butabsolutely not.
SPEAKER_00 (11:09):
It's interesting because like when I was younger,
um, and I'm definitely theoldest guy by far, of course,
here on the podcast.
Um, but when when I was youngerand McDonald's used to sell
eggnog, like with uh the theiruh meals, I used to try it and I
hated it, right?
And then I like never reallydrank it until I moved um into
like my adult life and thensettled up here in the greater
(11:31):
Cleveland area.
And then like I tried it and I'mlike, okay, I can get down with
this.
And I was just saying the otherday, like, man, I should buy
like multiple cartons of eggnogthat because it doesn't go bad
for a while and just save it forafter the holidays and just keep
drinking it.
But I had this custard eggnog,man.
It was awesome.
And for anybody uh who likeseggnog, though, the best eggnog,
(11:52):
if you're in the Cleveland area,go to Heinan's best eggnog out
there.
But I'm the one out of five.
The fearsome foursome turned medown on the eggnog question to
kick this party off.
Well, hopefully this one's alittle bit better then, and it's
a little bit easier.
So, um, what are your guys'plans for Christmas Eve and or
Christmas Day?
Jordan, let's start with you.
SPEAKER_02 (12:12):
Yeah, my parents just recently retired.
They bought a house down on thebeach in North Carolina.
So it's kind of been since theydid that, it's kind of been our
getaway for me and my wife to godown there for Christmas.
Um, so if we don't get snow thisyear and we can actually travel,
um, we'll head down there.
And usually what we've beendoing the last two years down
there is Christmas Eve.
(12:32):
We're on a boat ride, we pull upthis little island and have like
a Christmas Eve night with afire on the beach there.
Um, and then Christmas Day, justthe usual, trying to act like
you're a kid, even though I'm27, waking up, excited to open a
maybe a few gifts, a stocking,and just kind of kicking it um
on Christmas Day.
The only real tradition we haveis we've been doing this
(12:54):
forever, is instead of cookingon Christmas, we always go out
to Chinese.
It's the only thing open.
So we'll go out to a Chineserestaurant on Christmas Day and
eat there, and that'll be ourkind of Christmas feast.
SPEAKER_00 (13:05):
Okay.
Is it like the end of theChristmas story?
Uh Chinese restaurant.
SPEAKER_02 (13:10):
It has been before.
We've kind of ramped up a littlebit in the world now, trying to
get to a little bit more bougiespots.
Um, but for a while there it wasa little bit like that.
SPEAKER_00 (13:21):
Okay, okay.
Quinn, how about you?
What are your plans forChristmas Eve?
Uh, you know, here on ChristmasDay.
SPEAKER_03 (13:29):
Classic.
Yeah, classic.
Just heading down to thegrandparents uh for Christmas
Eve, which is down inCincinnati.
And then Christmas Day, I'llhead to Indianapolis and do the
traditional kind of like Jordansaid, you know, acting like
you're still a kid and wakingup, opening a couple things and
(13:51):
hanging out with the family, andthen doing a nice dinner in the
evening, but we'll probably cookfor ourselves no no Chinese
dinner this year.
unknown (13:59):
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (14:00):
Luke, how about you, man?
SPEAKER_04 (14:03):
Uh yeah, so Christmas Eve, uh, we usually
just do like a Christmas Eveservice at church.
And then I'll come back andwe'll have uh like on its
Italian thing, like Feast of theSeven Fishes on Christmas Eve.
And uh it's also my grandma'sbirthday, it's Christmas Eve, so
we'll kind of celebrate that andhang out, and you know, I'll
have a couple little presentsthere, like just a little
Christmas party, I guess, andthen Christmas Day, uh, you
(14:25):
know, I'm still I'm like rightat the teetering age, I feel
like of 22, where like I'm stillgetting like I'm still young
enough where I'm getting somedecent gifts, but I'm on the
breaking point, I feel like,where it's gonna get cut down
every year.
But yeah, just enjoy uhChristmas morning, family and
whatnot, and then we'll have abig uh Christmas dinner.
SPEAKER_00 (14:44):
Okay, awesome.
And Tony, round us out on thisone.
SPEAKER_01 (14:47):
Christmas Eve, I usually spend time with my mom,
my sister, my stepdad.
I'm probably gonna go visit mydad and watch the Cavs game
since they play on ChristmasDay.
So I'll just be watching somebasketball and football and just
relaxing and spending time withfamily because that's what
Christmas is all about.
SPEAKER_00 (15:07):
Absolutely.
You know, and it's sointeresting, you know, um,
especially when you get intolike adulthood, right?
And like you guys are, you know,all adults in your 20s and 30s,
and you know, me of almost 40.
It's always interesting when youtalk to people like what they do
on their on their holidays ingeneral, right?
But especially like Christmas,because like there's four of
(15:28):
you, and you just gave four verydifferent like answers of what
you're gonna do on yourChristmas Eve and Christmas Day.
And it's always so new unique.
Like, hey, I'm gonna go watchsports, or I'm gonna go to a
sporting event, I'm gonna go tochurch, I'm gonna travel, I'm
gonna go on a boat ride, I'mgonna make a fire, I'm gonna be
in the cold weather, I'm gonnabe in the warm weather.
You know, so it's always just sogreat and interesting to hear
everybody's like diverseperspectives um and what they do
(15:50):
on the holidays, because youknow, no one I think is is truly
um the same with that.
Like we're all superindividualized with with our
interest and stuff.
So it's really cool just to hearthat um from what people do,
right?
It's just uh it's just a cool,cool thing.
Um, and I think that you wouldfind the more people you talk
to, um, you know, the morediverse they really get with
(16:11):
their Christmases.
So it's it's a it's a very, veryawesome thing to know what
people do out there.
Um, Christmas Eve, we'll bespending it with my
mother-in-law and her family,and then Christmas Day, I'd just
be hanging out um at home, andthen we'll do uh Christmas with
our um our other parts of ourfamily on the 26th and 27th.
(16:33):
So instead of like two days, wehave to do it over like uh three
days.
So because Christmas Day, mywife does uh work with her job.
So, all right, guys, one reallyfun question here favorite
holiday movie or movies?
It could be a couple.
So I'll let you kind of thinkabout this.
I'm gonna answer it first.
So Christmas Vacation uh withChevy Chase, I think is is
(16:55):
probably the best one, um, in myopinion.
I also love the original Grinchcartoon with um uh what was the
guy that did the voice?
Thuralbert, I think was his hisuh last name.
But um love that cartoon,probably my second favorite one.
But Christmas Vacation, ChevyChase definitely takes the cake
(17:16):
as probably the best one.
Tony, what are your uh favoriteChristmas movies?
SPEAKER_01 (17:21):
I honestly like Home Alone 2, Lost in New York.
It's an absolute classic.
You can never ever go wrong withit.
And as far as a second Christmasmovie, I will say Friday After
Next with Ice Cube and MikeEpps.
It's a hilarious Christmasmovie.
Terry with also Terry Cruz, CatWilliams.
(17:45):
It's a really hilariousChristmas movie.
SPEAKER_00 (17:47):
We were just talking about this, and somebody was
like, Why is that a Christmasmovie?
I was like, because you hadSanta still in presence in it.
I was like, and it took placelike around Christmas, and they
were like uh the security guardsand stuff.
I was like, it's it's it is ahilarious, hilarious movie.
So um Luke, let's go to younext.
SPEAKER_04 (18:06):
Uh yeah, I definitely have to agree with
you.
I mean, the all-time classicwith Chevy Chase uh Christmas
Vacations probably my numberone, but number two probably the
Jim Carrey Grinch.
I think that one I actually justwatched it today.
I had some pretty competition inbetween finals, and I was like,
yeah, I'm watching this, but no,it's just always such a good
(18:28):
never gets out.
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (18:30):
All right, awesome answer.
So very similar on that, we justdiffer a little bit on which
Grinch we prefer.
So, but that's okay, but greatmovies.
Um, Quinn, how about you?
SPEAKER_03 (18:39):
I was gonna say I agree with the Grinch cartoon.
I think that's that's probablyup there.
Um, I'd also throw in HomeAlone, number one or two, I
don't really care.
Um, they're both great.
And then I'd also throw in onethat I don't think most people
like, but I think the PolarExpress is nostalgic.
(19:00):
So I I give it up there withwith my list.
But yeah, that's that's thethree.
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (19:06):
And I was just talking about that as well as
like Tom Hanks' range as anactor to like do the Polar
Express and Toy Story and thenbe able to go do like Forrest
Gump and Captain Phillips and uhBig and Road to Perdition and
all the other great movies thatyou know he's done over time.
So Polar Express is definitelygreat.
Um, one of my favorite books,uh, actually, especially as a
(19:28):
young kid.
So, but Jordan, how about you onthe Christmas movies?
SPEAKER_02 (19:31):
Yeah, I'm a firm believer that the cartoon Grinch
is better than the Jim CarreyGrinch, even though the Jim
Carrey Grinch was more of um Iguess my generation, but I love
the cartoon Grinch.
But you can't go wrong with theHome Alones, man.
Like they're just they're soclassic, they're nostalgic.
You grew up watching themlaughing your butt off.
You still do today.
(19:52):
I I love the Home Alones.
Um, I appreciate Quinn coming inwith the uh Polar Express
because that's a nostalgic one,too.
I think you know, we wereprobably both fairly young when
that came out and saw it when itcame out, and it kind of hits
home.
Um, and I'll give one that notas many people, I don't think
any of us have said, but aroundholiday times, the Charlie
Browns, man.
(20:13):
Like the Charlie Browns, theyhit different.
I'm telling you.
I used to have them on VHS,chuck them in the VHS, uh VHS
VHS VHS tape in there and watchthem.
Like, I wish I still had them.
I still have a VHS playeractually sitting right here.
Don't know where the CharlieBrowns are, but I love those
movies.
They don't get enough credit,good meanings behind it, just
(20:33):
classic vibes.
SPEAKER_03 (20:35):
That's a fantastic take.
I just have to put that outthere.
SPEAKER_00 (20:39):
Pretty never never even thought of that.
So good hot take right there,but a good take, Jordan.
All right, guys.
Probably one of the more funnytopics we're gonna talk about
here, but you gotta let me kindof get through this.
People either love or hateHallmark Christmas movies.
Now, you ever watch a HallmarkChristmas movie, and everyone
looks perfect.
Everyone's hair is always done.
Every guy has a perfect beard,way more perfect than me.
(21:02):
And Jordan's is pretty perfectif you're tuning in and watching
this, but it's even better thanJordan's.
Everybody's hair is perfect, thewind's never blowing, snow's
coming down, no one looks cold,there's never slush or or uh
snow plowed into the road 10feet high.
You know, somehow people are ata coffee shop at two in the
afternoon and they meet the loveof their life.
(21:23):
I don't know who's at a coffeeshop at two in the afternoon and
who's not miserable because youjust walked in from the cold.
But you know, you walk in, youmeet the love of your life, and
you get invited to Christmas Evedinner the very next day.
Now, Hallmark movies are veryfar-fetched, but they are a
feel-good, um, I guess, type ofstory for people.
So I'm a sucker for a goodHallmark movie.
But guys, in your opinion, andyou're gonna have to think about
(21:46):
this.
What is the closest town thatyou could say that resembles a
Hallmark movie that you haveever been in?
So you gotta think about this.
What is the town that you'veever, the closest Hallmark movie
of a town that you could eversay that you've been in?
Now, I'll go first.
I will say it's Chagrin Fallshere in Cleveland, is probably
(22:08):
the closest thing to a Hallmarktown with their decorations and
the street lights and thewaterfall, and everyone's always
dapper dressed up andeverything.
So that is probably the closestthing I would say uh to a
Hallmark movie.
Now, Tony, we're gonna kick itoff with you on this.
What would you say is the townthat resembles a Hallmark movie
the closest?
SPEAKER_01 (22:27):
There are two and within the same like area:
Chagrin Falls and Hudson.
Because being in the Hudson TownSquare, it just screams.
Insert generic hallmark moviehere.
Same with Chagrin Falls, they'reliterally one in the same,
(22:50):
except Hudson's bigger.
SPEAKER_00 (22:52):
I I would agree.
Hudson's right there, too, forsure.
A couple years ago, we went downthe Hudson like around Christmas
time, and they did have like theGrinch walking around.
So I got a picture with theGrinch, so it was pretty cool.
Um, but yeah, Hudson'sdefinitely that.
Um, Luke, let's go to you next.
What is that one town thatyou've been to that closely
resembles the Hallmark movie?
SPEAKER_04 (23:12):
Um this one's ticked on my brain.
I don't I want to say I wouldlove to say like Sugar Creek,
Ohio, like the Amish country.
Yeah, just because like there'sso many different shops, and
like you got the Amish peoplecoming in on their horse and
buggy, and like I don't know, Ifeel like that can be very like
(23:32):
I could see a Hallmark moviebeing there, but like I know
I've been to other towns whereI've been like yes, like this
this would be it, like this is aChristmas town.
I just forget, it's not clickingin my head.
So I would definitely want tosay uh Sugar Creek, Ohio.
SPEAKER_00 (23:46):
Okay, and if people don't know, Sugar Creek has the
world's largest cuckoo clockthere.
SPEAKER_04 (23:51):
Yes.
SPEAKER_00 (23:51):
So fun fact, um, they're and uh usually pretty
good high school football aswell, with uh with Garraway.
So um Quinn, let's go to younext.
What is that one town thatyou've been to that closely
resembles a Hallmark movie?
SPEAKER_03 (24:05):
So my pick is Carmel, Indiana.
Not sure if any of you haveheard of it, but they they've
hosted this like huge marketlike every year, um, which is
like really close to the likethe center of the town.
And there's this massive youknow, ice rink there where you
can s uh you know skate, butthen there's like a Germanic
(24:27):
kind of market, and there'sclose kind of resemblance to The
markets in Germany, which areyou know highly celebrated
during Christmas time as well.
So it's just like perfect, likedrawn up, like you know, ice
skating, you know, Germanmarkets, food, all that stuff.
So I'm going with caramel.
SPEAKER_00 (24:47):
And it's probably you know never windy, and
everyone has hot chocolate, andyou meet the love of your life
on the skating rink becausesomebody fell, and next thing
you know, you're married twoweeks later, and you have the
most beautiful wedding in theworld, and it doesn't cost
anything, and you know, you rideoff into the sunset.
SPEAKER_02 (25:02):
Um, how about you on this?
I would like to say, first off,what makes a good Hallmark town
is the name.
Luke said Sugar Creek.
That sounds like a Hallmarktown.
Sugar Creek is oh, where are youfrom?
I'm from Sugar Creek.
That's Hallmark-esque.
Yeah, you gotta have a cornysort of name to go with it,
(25:26):
which leads me to my place inWest Virginia, Berkeley Springs.
Uh, if you've ever traveled likeon the I-68 corridor and you're
going through Maryland and thenyou peep into West Virginia,
there's a little town calledBerkeley Springs.
They got little bed andbreakfasts there.
They have this tiny littledowntown front that's just old
(25:46):
buildings, but they dress themup for Christmas.
There's a little pavilion with agiant Christmas tree.
I mean, you don't get much moreHallmark-esque than Sugar Creek
or Berkeley Springs.
Uh, that just sounds like amade-up name of a town.
And Berkeley Springs definitelylives up to that Hallmark vibe.
SPEAKER_00 (26:05):
Berkeley Springs is a vibe.
Um, if people don't knowanything about Berkeley Springs,
George Washington used to gothere to bathe in the springs
because it thought it would helpwith his uh with his body and
sickness and things like that.
Berkeley Springs is a very, veryhistoric town.
SPEAKER_04 (26:23):
Super cool.
SPEAKER_00 (26:24):
I've been I've been through there um probably like
four times um as well.
Uh has a really great sheets,though, if you need to stop
somewhere when you're goingthrough there.
They're not that's not historic,and that's probably not
homework-esque, but it has agreat sheets there if you need
to stop.
But they do have a very, verycool little downtown Jordan is
right in the summers.
(26:45):
They do do a farmer's market.
So, Jordan, great shout out onBerkeley Springs there.
Great shout out.
Um, all right, guys.
What is your favorite holidayfood uh that comes out, you
know, really around Christmastime, or what's your go-to
holiday food?
Um, you know, if you want tospeak about that a little bit
more.
So um I'm a big ham guy.
(27:06):
I love ham.
Um, of course, pasta, you know,being Italian and uh my family
used to do this the seven fishesway back in the day.
So that was always fun.
But now um I probably lookforward to ham the most during
um probably the Christmas time,even though it's probably not
the healthiest thing to eat.
I do look forward to ham andscallop potatoes.
(27:26):
Uh Jordan, let's start with youon this.
SPEAKER_02 (27:29):
Gotta be the cookies.
It's gotta be.
It just has to be.
If you have an old grandma, orlike for me, it's my aunt, she's
pretty much a stay-at-home aunt.
And when it comes to Christmastime, I she bakes about 2,000
cookies for the whole family.
And you you just can't go wrong.
Like as a kid, she used to havethem stored in the back.
I remember waking up at 2 a.m.,sneaking back there in the
(27:52):
Tupperware containers andlifting the lid and just
grabbing like two handfuls of asmort of cookies.
Um, when the house startssmelling like someone's baking,
you're doing something right.
And it's gotta be the cookiesfor me.
SPEAKER_00 (28:06):
Okay.
You know, I don't know why Ijust thought this earnings.
You're talking about likegrandmas and stuff like that.
So, you know, my grandparentshave passed away um a couple
more recently, but my uhgrandma, my dad's I passed away
back in '97.
But when we were little, wealways have Christmas down
there, right?
So we'd go visit before theholidays.
And for the listeners on herewho do the seven fishes or have
(28:27):
done the seven fishes with theirfamily, my grandpa was very into
that.
So when we were little though,my grandma would be like making
cookies or getting somethingready for Christmas.
And my grandpa had this old,like those that deep freeze,
freeze, deep freeze freezer, butthe one that had the door on it
you can open that probablywasted so much electricity, it
wasn't even funny.
But anyway, so they would haveto go get the eel for the the
(28:50):
the buccal sauce before um, youknow, the holidays.
So he'd be like, Gate, go lookat the eel in the in the
freezer.
So we'd have to go downstairsinto the basement.
Everybody's grandparents' houseis scary in the basement.
I don't care what house it is.
You go down there and you haveto look at a frozen eel looking
back at you uh in the freezer aslike a seven-year-old.
(29:10):
Instead of having cookies, I hadto go look at the eel, and then
you could have a cookie afterthat.
So I don't know why that justcame into my mind.
No, um, but for anyone who'sever seen a frozen eel, it's
disgusting.
SPEAKER_02 (29:20):
That would ruin cookies for me.
If I had to think about a deadeel every time, I probably
wouldn't touch a cookie again.
SPEAKER_03 (29:25):
Well, Johnny, so is eel your favorite Christmas meal
uh food?
SPEAKER_00 (29:30):
No, man.
Once I found out this the thesauce that we ate, the eel or we
the sauce we had was with fromthe eel.
No way, man.
No way.
Um, I love seafood, but not eelanything.
It was disgusting.
Ugh.
But Quinn, since you jumped inon that, let's go to you next.
SPEAKER_03 (29:52):
Yeah, I feel like unlike Thanksgiving, I feel like
for for me at least, Christmasdoesn't have kind of uh, at
least with my family, uh atraditional dish.
Like we we tend to do the samething, but we can mix it up.
So I always love a good beeftenderloin as like kind of the
main kind of entree.
(30:14):
Um, but then I'd probably secondthat with what Jordan said.
I think Christmas, myassociation is always with
cookies, like and sweets, right?
Like it's just that's justChristmas cookies, it's part and
parcel.
So um, and specifically whatcookies, like I'm a big you
know, the like snickerdoodleswith like the Hershey kiss on
them.
(30:35):
Oh god.
Oh god.
As long as they're right out ofthe oven, yeah.
All right, I'm good.
I'm good.
Real problem.
It's over.
Those are the two for me.
SPEAKER_00 (30:47):
All right, Luke, what do you what do you got for
us on this?
SPEAKER_04 (30:50):
Um, yeah, so kind of what uh Quinn said, we kind of
have like the same dinner,Thanksgiving and Christmas.
So I definitely think thedeciding factor would have to be
cookies, the Christmas cookiesand sweets for sure.
SPEAKER_00 (31:02):
Okay.
Tony, how about you?
SPEAKER_01 (31:05):
Yeah, I go with Christmas cookies and honestly,
Christmas cookies or or goodturkey or ham, because eating
good turkey and ham will put meout like a light for a couple
hours.
SPEAKER_00 (31:19):
You know, it's like always like funny too when you
when you get the ham, like it'sit just tastes different at
Christmas.
I don't know why.
Like, I don't know if I can justsit there and eat a regular ham
in July, but I can sure eat aham at uh at Christmas.
You know, I mean it's just itjust hits different.
What's up, Jordan?
SPEAKER_02 (31:35):
Quick quick shout out to all my Pittsburgh
listeners.
Another thing I associate with,and it was in my stocking every
year growing up, CeresChocolate.
I used to get Ceres chocolate inmy stockings like crazy.
The chocolate-covered pretzelsor the peanut butter chocolate
pretzels to die for.
Just had to get that out therebecause I completely forgot, and
that's bad on my Pittsburghpart.
SPEAKER_00 (31:57):
Luke knows about that.
He's pretty close to Pittsburghfrom where he uh he grew up, so
he knows about the Cereschocolate for sure.
Oh, yeah.
All right, guys.
So, next one is gonna be kind ofa funny one.
I want to get into who is orwhat is your favorite Christmas
character that is not SantaClaus?
Out of all the Christmascharacters out there, who is
(32:19):
your favorite one?
And you cannot say Santa Claus.
Now I'll start this off.
Huge Grinch fan, love theGrinch, got all types of Grinch
decorations.
Um, so I've had that over theyears.
So I love the Grinch.
That's my favorite uh character.
Um, Tony, let's start with you.
SPEAKER_01 (32:38):
I'm gonna say Buddy the Elf from Elf.
Kind of reminds me of me as akid, just um, you know, gets
excited and messes stuff up, buthas a good heart nonetheless.
So he kind of reminds me of me.
And he's playing by Wolf Girl,one of my favorite comedians.
So I'm gonna go Buddy the Elf.
SPEAKER_00 (33:00):
Okay, all right.
Uh, how about you, Luke?
Who would you say?
SPEAKER_04 (33:05):
Uh the first one that come to mind I can't the
talk about like old um likeolder movies, Rudolph and Red
Nosed Reindeer, like the classicthe uh the miner.
UConn Yukon Cornelius?
Yes, yeah, it was like the firstone that popped into my head.
I it's just I don't know.
(33:26):
Every I remember watching as akid and I every time he'd come
on it, it was always so funny.
I don't know why.
SPEAKER_00 (33:31):
Yeah, I like I like Yukon Cornelius, probably my
second favorite uh Christmascharacter.
Um he was like that burlymountain guy, right?
Like big beard and like youknow, his his sack and his hat.
Like he was just ready, he wasready to take on winter.
Um Quinn, Quinn, how about youon this though?
SPEAKER_03 (33:50):
I'm going with uh Ralphie from a Christmas story.
Um just because when I wasyounger, I looked like just like
him.
Like I had the hair, the blondehair, um, and obviously like
that scene when he beats upthose two bullies in the snow.
Oh, come on.
That that's just like that'scemented in the brain.
(34:12):
So yeah, Ralphie's my pick.
SPEAKER_00 (34:14):
You know, Quinn, I could probably say that I can
see you as like seven years oldand kind of resembling Ralphie
from knowing you.
So um, but that's a good thing,right?
People, you you could have saidyou were like you are Ralphie,
you could just say that.
SPEAKER_03 (34:29):
I could, I could, you know, but but you know what,
like that's not me, but youknow, I'm glad that he was uh he
had like a good kind ofturnaround story, like bad
start, but then you know heended up kind of prevailing,
getting his his red rider,beating up those two bullies,
(34:51):
all that stuff.
SPEAKER_00 (34:53):
It is a good story, and uh, you know, shout out uh
Ralphie's house uh here in uh uhCleveland.
Make sure you come uh come visitit during the holiday season
here.
Now, Jordan, who's your favoritenon-Santa Claus Christmas
character?
SPEAKER_02 (35:07):
Luke kind of hinted at the claymation movies.
I was big on the claymationswhen I'm a kid, I still am.
Uh Heat miser and Snow Miser.
Uh I can't remember that.
Is that the Year Without a SantaClaus?
I think that's what that's thename of that one.
Uh with the Heat Miser and SnowMiser when they started singing
their songs and they're battlingbetween each other with their
mother nature.
Um, I just I love those twocharacters.
(35:28):
That's one I have to watch everyyear.
Um the the classics are so good,they're so good.
And uh those two come to mindimmediately when I think about
Christmas characters that I lovethat aren't Santa.
SPEAKER_00 (35:41):
Okay, that's a good one.
Definitely a good one.
All right, guys, a couplequestions left here.
So, um, you know, in yourpersonal opinion, and maybe you
have and maybe you haven't overthe years, but would you um
think you'd want to attend likean NBA or NHL or NFL game on
Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Um, you know, in your ownopinion.
Um I've never attended on aChristmas Eve or Christmas Day
(36:05):
for um a sporting event.
I would probably say if I wantedto go, I would probably do NBA
just because you're not in theelements outside when it's like
brutal cold, unless you're inthe south, of course.
Um, but I just don't know if Iwould want to spend Christmas,
you know, watching an NFL gamein the brutal cold, maybe an NBA
matinee game.
But um, you know, that wouldprobably be if one thing I would
(36:25):
do if I was gonna do it.
But Tony, have you ever went toa sporting event on uh um
Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?
Or would you ever think aboutgoing on going to one?
SPEAKER_01 (36:33):
I have not, but if I did go to one, it would more
likely be a Cavaliers game.
SPEAKER_04 (36:39):
Okay, okay.
Um, Luke, how about you on this?
Uh I've not been to any sportingevent, but probably any NFL or
hockey game or NHL game.
unknown (36:49):
Okay.
SPEAKER_04 (36:50):
Okay.
Okay, Quinn.
SPEAKER_03 (36:53):
I've not been to a game on Christmas Day, but I
mean I'd absolutely go to any ofthe three.
Why not?
If I was offered the chance, I'dprobably pick NBA just because
my association with Christmas islike NBA Christmas Day.
I don't know why, but uh as longas the two teams that are
playing are you know it'd be agood game.
(37:13):
I don't want to waste myChristmas Day watching a
blowout.
Sure.
SPEAKER_02 (37:19):
Okay, Jordan, how about you?
Uh as big of a sports guy as Iam, I would not want to go see
anything on Christmas Day.
Um I some about being home atChristmas all day and and going
maybe going out to eat like wedo or or just staying home and
eating.
I don't know.
I I just it seems wrong to me toleave the house on Christmas Day
(37:40):
unless you're going to seefamily.
Um so I would say I don't care.
I mean, it's kind of what Quinnsaid.
If you got free ticketssomewhere, it'd be hard to pass
up, but I don't think I'mleaving.
I just don't think I am.
Even if the Steelers wereplaying or anything like that, I
just don't think I'm leaving thehouse.
SPEAKER_00 (37:58):
Okay.
You know, and it's fair, and Ithink that's like just such a
personal preference thing, too,right?
And I think it again, itinvolves the weather and your
location, right?
Like if you're down the streetfrom the Cavs and are playing at
12:30 on Christmas Day, youknow, it hits a little bit
different than having to godrive two hours in the elements
to go watch someone at a 7 p.m.
tip-off, or you know, what likewhen people went to the Browns
(38:21):
game the two or three years agoand the Steelers games and all
those, when that polar vortexlike engulfed the entire country
and people were sitting outthere in negative 20-degree
weather, you know, watching thegames.
I'm sure everyone remembers thatbecause the games are so brutal
they couldn't even get people togo to the games because it was
uh such an issue out there.
So, you know, I think it'sreally all your preference on
(38:43):
that.
And of course, um, but you knowwhat?
Hey, if somebody wants to go anddo it, that's great.
You know, if somebody doesn'twant to do it, that's great too.
That's why we have TVs to watchthem on, or at least a radio to
listen, right?
All right, guys, two questionsleft.
Now I want to get your opinionon this because these are pretty
big gifts.
Um, I think at Christmas time,at least two of them.
So rate these presents as bestto worst.
(39:05):
And there's three of them, okay?
So rate these from best toworst, in your opinion.
Getting a gift card forwherever, okay, getting candy or
chocolate, okay, from wherever,or being taken out to dinner
wherever it may be.
So being taken out to dinner,receiving chocolate or some type
(39:25):
of candy, or getting a gift cardto whatever.
Rank them from best to worst.
Let's start with you, Jordan.
SPEAKER_02 (39:32):
I'm a sucker for dinner.
I'd go dinner first.
Anytime I'm getting taken outfor free food, I'm I'm I'm all
there for it.
Um, and then I would probably gogift card and then candy or
chocolate.
I've been trying to lay off thesweets now my age, but it is
hard to pass it up aroundChristmas time.
So dinner, gift card, candy orchocolate, and that's my order.
(39:54):
Okay.
How about you, Luke?
SPEAKER_04 (39:56):
Uh yeah, I agree with Jordan.
Definitely uh dinner, gift card,and uh candy, some type of
sweet.
SPEAKER_00 (40:02):
Okay, okay, Quinn, what are you saying?
SPEAKER_03 (40:06):
Yeah, my my order is the exact same.
I'm not even gonna try to switchit.
SPEAKER_01 (40:11):
Okay, Tony?
I would say dinner, then giftcards, then candy.
Okay, everybody, everybody hiton that.
SPEAKER_00 (40:20):
So I would say probably receiving chocolate or
candy for me is definitelynumber three.
Um, just because I think, Imean, it's like a good gift, but
if someone's giving me like$50worth of chocolate for a gift,
like that's a lot of chocolate,right?
Like that's that's a lot.
It's not like someone got me agift card in like a box of like,
I don't know, likechocolate-covered Oreos.
(40:43):
It's a little bit different,right?
So, like getting a huge gift ofcandy is it's probably a
different type of gift.
Um, and I would probably say,uh, because I love gift cards,
that probably would be numberone, but probably one A would be
getting taken to dinner.
Um, I'm not sure how many peoplehave ever taken someone to
dinner for their Christmas gift,but it's a good idea uh to do,
(41:06):
you know, and then you don'thave to like fret over what do I
get them or what gift card do Iget them.
Just take them out for you knowfor a dinner.
Probably what you get them in agift is probably what the dinner
would cost.
So very interesting on that one.
SPEAKER_03 (41:17):
Go ahead, Claim.
I was gonna say I've not heardof that as a Christmas gift, but
I do like the idea of it becauseI think it's it's a true
experience, like compared to agift card at least, if those are
the two best options, which weall mentioned, like going out to
dinner with someone is it's amore lived experience versus
just getting a gift card.
Although I like, I mean, whodoesn't like gift cards?
SPEAKER_02 (41:39):
Especially if you're going out somewhere, like when
it's not like you're going outsomewhere nice.
Like, I'm not one to go droppingbands somewhere for dinner, but
like if you go somewhere thatyou've never been before and you
know they got options and you'recommitted to spending that
money, that's an experience forsure.
Then you just start feeling likeyou're the man, you're getting
(42:00):
this, you're getting that forthe table.
Like, that's a good time.
SPEAKER_00 (42:03):
Yeah, and I think like you know, you got to look
at it too.
Like, what let's say, you know,your parents a little bit older,
right?
Let's say they're in their 60sor maybe 70s, you know, and and
people may have everything theywant, right?
And they may say, nah, get me agift, right?
I don't need I don't needclothes, I don't need a new
(42:24):
whatever microwave or an airfryer, whatever it is.
So why not take them out to to adinner then, right?
Maybe it doesn't have to breakthe bank.
Maybe you want to break thebank, but you're not going to
BW3s, but maybe it's not quitethe Marble Room in Cleveland,
one of the most expensiverestaurants in the country, but
something in between.
I think it can go a long way,right?
You know, but when you're alittle bit younger, you know,
(42:45):
maybe you need stuff or whateverit may be.
But hey, you know what, guys?
I think it just gave you allideas for what your Christmas
gift could be uh next year fromyour families.
Hey, what do you want?
Hey, take me out to dinner.
You could probably get somethinggood out of it.
So it could be a good story andlive the experience.
But for all the other listenersout there, there's your uh
tidbit of 2025 going in 2026.
(43:05):
What do you want for Christmas?
I want nothing but a uh place togo to dinner to.
So um just a thought out there.
All right, guys.
Last question as we round outthe 2025 Christmas show here.
What is the one thing in thearea that you live in or where
you have moved from, becausewe're all from different places,
that you would recommend forsomeone coming from out of town
(43:27):
to do for Christmas?
So, what is that one thing thatyou would recommend for someone
coming to your area that youcurrently live in or prior uh
your prior um livingarrangements, wherever that was,
that you would recommend forthem to do?
Now, I'm going to start withLuke because he's the first one
that came off mute on this.
So I'm gonna I'm gonna throw itover to him.
(43:48):
Luke, what's that one place youwould recommend for somebody to
uh experience uh where you'vebeen at?
SPEAKER_04 (43:54):
Uh the Ogleby Light Show for sure, down there in
Wheeling.
I mean, I love going now at 22years old, just as much as I
love going whenever I was six.
I mean, it's I don't know, itjust brings so much joy every
time you go.
You get to put the Christmasradio station on your car, you
know, with your family or yourgirlfriends, or you know, if you
got kids or something, it's justan awesome experience.
(44:16):
You know, at the beginning ofit, uh, they have like hot cocoa
and whatnot, and you guys canpick up and just take a stroll
through.
Uh definitely, definitely myfavorite from where I grew up.
SPEAKER_00 (44:27):
Luke fired that off right away and came out with the
Ogle B lights on the on.
The hot blog he stole it fromme.
Well, we got to go to Jordannext so he can piggyback off of
it or give something else new.
SPEAKER_02 (44:41):
Yeah.
Um, I went to Ogleby when I wasa kid, man, and it's an
experience for sure.
And it doesn't get old, kind oflike what Luke's saying, even
now.
Um, it's about an hour drivefrom where I live out in
Pittsburgh, but it's awesome.
It it really is really cool.
And it's one of those thingsthat probably only gets better
as you get older, especiallywhen you have kids, like he was
kind of talking about and stuff.
(45:02):
Um, taking your kids out thereone day and and taking them
through that experience isawesome.
And then the only other thing Ican say is, you know, I love my
city, I love Pittsburgh so much.
Um, you know, PVG place with theice rink and the giant Christmas
tree is a cool place to go to.
They got the markets down there,the Christmas shops set up, and
then um going to the point inPittsburgh where the big
Christmas tree as well.
(45:23):
Um, that's where I got engaged,right in front of that Christmas
tree at the point.
So it's a special place for me.
Um, but it's a cool, cool spotto go to as well.
Okay.
SPEAKER_00 (45:32):
Tony, how about you on this one?
SPEAKER_01 (45:34):
I would probably have to say um unfortunately
they didn't do it this year, buttaking a drive down the
Cleveland Heights, EastCleveland, and looking at the
Christmas lights in Neila Park,that's like that.
And I'd have to say going to oneof the probably I'd say going
anywhere doing Christmasshopping or something, like
(45:55):
doing anything like takingpictures with Santa.
I'd probably have to say ChagrinFalls, because it's been a while
since I've done anything likestrictly Christmas related.
SPEAKER_00 (46:06):
So Okay, okay, Quinn, round us out on this.
SPEAKER_03 (46:11):
Yeah, I would say for me going down to Fountain
Square, downtown Cincinnati, bigice rink down there, huge
Christmas tree, kind of similarto I mean, probably not as good
as the Ogle Ogle.
Is it Ogleby?
Is that what you guys say?
Ogleby.
Yeah, it's probably not as goodas that one.
Yeah, probably not as good asthat one from what I've heard,
but uh very classic, and youknow, a lot of people tend to go
(46:33):
there, so good crowd.
SPEAKER_00 (46:35):
Okay.
Now, of course, I'll round thisout with a couple different
ideas for people because I'velived a lot of different places,
but I would say the Oglebylights is a great one to go see.
Um, if you're doing that, go toNutcracker Village and
Steubenville, see the see thesix-foot nutcrackers lined up um
all around downtown umSteubenville there.
So if you're gonna do both or soclose, I would definitely
(46:57):
recommend that.
Go see the Christmas tree and goice skating in Pittsburgh.
Uh, it's a really cool thing.
Go visit Chagrin Falls, theHallmark town.
Um, definitely check that outand you know, check out Berkeley
Springs.
I'm sure it's fantastic looking,you know, in the wintertime um
with the tranquility and youknow, the ambiance of like the
rolling hills of West Virginia,you know, as well.
(47:19):
Visit visit Hudson, Ohio.
You may find the Grinch justrandomly walking around.
Um, I would say a couple otherones that I would um, you know,
recommend.
Visit the Christmas story houseuh in Cleveland if you're gonna
do anything for Christmas,right?
Visit the Christmas story house,which is really cool.
Um, I would also uh recommendgoing to the um the zoo lights,
(47:40):
the Cleveland Zoo lights, or areally cool experience uh to
walk around the zoo and seethat, um, you know, and and
check out everything that theyhave going on.
And then, you know, if you everget a chance to visit downtown
Willoughby on Light Up Night,that's a really cool experience,
another uh really, really cooluh town.
But that is gonna do it for thisweek's episode of the Ride Home
(48:00):
Rants podcast.
I'd like to thank the fearsomeforesome of Tony, Quinn, Jordan,
and Luke breaking down allthings Christmas 2025.
On behalf of everyone here atRide Home Rants, we wish you a
very safe, happy, and blessedholiday season.
Merry Christmas, and we willtalk to you all soon.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Burden
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.