November 27, 2025 • 48 mins
Four chairs, one feast, and a lot of opinions. We sat down for our annual Thanksgiving roundtable to tackle the choices that make or break the day: where to spend it, when to eat, which sides survive, and whether the Macy’s Parade is better in person or from the couch. What starts as a friendly debate about gummy bears and toothpaste quickly shifts into a real conversation about how couples and families merge holiday traditions without losing what feels like home.
We dig into the logistics that quietly run the day—timing meals around football, planning for naps and travel windows, and the art of double dinners. The table talk gets lively as we eliminate one side between cranberry sauce, applesauce, and salad, then crown the essentials: stuffing with gravy, old-school mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes built for leftovers. We break down turkey tactics, from brining to frying, and why white meat often wins the sandwich wars while dark meat delivers flavor on the bone.
The debate widens to big-picture choices: Is a holiday about the big-city spectacle or cozy traditions? Would you actually spend Thanksgiving in New York to catch the balloons up close? We also rank the big four holidays—Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and New Year’s—and the results might surprise you. Mixed in are practical tips like the overlooked value of New Year’s Day sales and the no-waste approach to post-feast turkey stew.
If you’re juggling multiple households, optimizing the menu, or simply deciding when to carve, this conversation will feel like your own living room—warm, honest, and a little competitive. Subscribe for more candid roundtables, share with a friend who hosts, and drop your rankings of the big four. Which side would you cut, and what’s the one dish you refuse to skip?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_03 (09:04):
Welcome everybody to another episode of the Ride Home
Rants Podcast.
This is your special guest host,Fiddy, filling in today for Mike
Bono.
And today we bring you ourannual Thanksgiving episode, but
this year, of course, for 2025.
Before we dive into theThanksgiving episode this year
and our great round table ofguests that we have on with us,
(09:25):
make sure you peep all of oursponsors in the pre-roll and the
post-roll, as they're all smallbusiness owners and they're
great supporters of the show.
Speaking of supporters of theshow, make sure you peep all of
our guests over these past fiveseasons, as they are all
supporters of the show andthey've been on individually,
and a lot have been on withroundtables.
So make sure you go back throughour 280 or so episodes and check
(09:48):
out the shows that definitelyinterest you.
All of our guests today havebeen on at least one time
before, uh, if not multipletimes between their individual
show and roundtables.
So make sure you peep them aswell.
We can't do it without theguests, and we can't do without
you fans and listeners outthere.
So, with that being said, webring you the all things 2025
(10:10):
Thanksgiving episode.
This is going to air, of course,the day before Thanksgiving.
We do pre-record.
Uh, so we're gonna talk aboutall things Thanksgiving,
bringing in another turkey dayuh here in uh, you know, Ohio,
where we all are uh at this timeum with the round table.
So we didn't get any otherguests from any other states
this time.
(10:30):
We all were up in Ohio here.
So um I got three great guests.
They're gonna introducethemselves.
And guys, when you introduceyourself, then we're gonna go
over your favorite flavor ofgummy bear and then what's your
preferred brand of toothpaste?
I know I kind of contradictmyself there with like candy and
then a toothpaste, but hey,we're gonna go with it.
(10:51):
Uh, Chris, let's start with you.
SPEAKER_02 (10:53):
Uh, favorite gummy bear is cherry.
Big cherry guy.
If I had to go with theartificial flavors, I'm always
going red, I'm going cherry.
And then uh toothpaste, uh, Ilike the crest with the little
um strips in it, like the breadstrips, it kind of wakes your
mouth up.
That's what I like to go with.
SPEAKER_00 (11:12):
Okay, Steve, how about you?
All right, so listen, uh if I'mgoing gummy beer, first let's
talk hairbo, right?
It's gotta be that brand.
Um, and then I'm thinkingpineapple because it's just in
the mix, and you don't recognizewhat you're eating until you've
already eaten it.
And if we're talking toothpaste,due to my wife's uh uh
(11:35):
influence, it's Tom's, man.
I'm I'm I'm it's a lot of youknow sulfates and other things
out here, so I'm I'm going Tom'sbrand right now.
But I do like crap as a backup.
SPEAKER_03 (11:45):
Okay, okay.
Matt, how Matt, how about you?
SPEAKER_01 (11:49):
Um, well, if we're talking gummy bears, uh boy, I'm
gonna at the risk of soundboring, anything sour.
Uh, I just kind of like the sourcandy.
I don't really distinguish anyother, it's either sweet or
sour.
So I'm gonna go with sour gummybears.
And uh honestly, I don't want tosound boring either, but
(12:09):
basically, toothpaste, it'sanything my wife buys.
So, whatever's in the medicinecabinet that my wife purchases,
and that's that's my favoritetoothpaste.
SPEAKER_03 (12:19):
Okay, okay.
So, my favorite um flavor gummybear.
I don't know if this sounds goodor bad, but I'm like the the
clear gummy bear, right?
That clear one.
I'm just a fan of that.
Whatever that flavor is, I'mjust a fan of clear.
SPEAKER_00 (12:33):
Uh, so that's and I hope I'm not wrong, but that
might be pineapple, my guy.
I was just gonna say, I thinkthat's the pineapple.
That's the pineapple one.
SPEAKER_03 (12:41):
I don't know if it's pineapple, it doesn't taste like
anything, it just tastes likeair.
Um like I'm I'm just eatinggummy air.
I don't know.
Um, and then my favorite brandof toothpaste.
Um, I'm definitely a Colgatetype of guy, but honestly, I'll
use crest, I'll use you know,Pepsodyne.
(13:01):
I'll basically use whatever.
Um, but I'm I'm a fan of uh ofColgate if I if I got to pick.
But we're not here to talk abouttoothpaste, although that
probably could be a pretty goodepisode with round tables.
I think it'd be good.
We're talking about toothpasteand mouthwash and use some
Listerine and bring the mouth upand you know dry it all out.
It could be could be a goodepisode.
(13:22):
We're here to talk about allthings Thanksgiving, which
probably though will lead topeople then brushing their teeth
probably more from all thesweets that they have, right?
So, guys, we're gonna um go,we're gonna go Chris and we're
gonna go Steve and then we'regonna go Matt in the order here,
and then I'll answer, of course,last.
But let's kind of kick this offwith where are you spending uh
uh Thanksgiving at this year,Chris?
SPEAKER_02 (13:43):
Oh, now that I'm married, you know, got to split
things up equitably.
We always started uh my mom'shouse, my side of the family,
watch the football games, kindof do a lunch ordeal, stay there
till about four o'clock, then wego to my in-laws house.
Uh normally it's grandpa's, butit's in my in-laws this year,
(14:03):
and you know, do it all again,act like I haven't eaten yet.
New group of people, so nojudgments passed.
Really relishing in that as I'mstarting to figure out how to
play the game a little bitbetter.
And yeah, and then wraps upabout eight o'clock, take the
kids home.
Everyone passes out.
It's a great day.
Okay.
Food.
SPEAKER_00 (14:24):
So uh this year my mother came and grabbed my
grandmother and took her back toMaryland with her.
Um, so I won't be traveling toMaryland this year, nor will my
grandmother be here to give usthat that flavor.
Uh, so I'll actually be heavilyreliant on my wife's side of the
family uh for a meal this year.
And so we'll be going over mymother-in-law's house um to
(14:46):
enjoy whatever vitals she cookedup.
Uh and to be honest with you,great.
You know, it's gonna be nodishes at my house when I return
home.
Uh, I will have trays full ofthings uh brought back for
leftovers, and uh that's justgonna be what it is.
And it's it's glorious.
It's glorious.
SPEAKER_01 (15:06):
Sounds like a good time.
Matt, how about you?
Um, we're we're just keeping itsimple, uh, like we have the
last few years.
Just go to my mother-in-law's,um, my wife's mom, uh, everybody
else in the family comes,including my parents.
Uh, I just gotta say I kind oflove it because once we had
kids, um, if anybody'sapproaching that or has that,
(15:27):
um, we kind of inherited everyholiday at our house.
So uh it's at our mother-in-law,mother-in-law's, which I love
Thanksgiving because nothinghere.
It's great.
I could come home to an emptyhouse with or without leftovers.
SPEAKER_03 (15:43):
Okay.
Yeah, that's fair.
Um, we're going to mymother-in-law's as well uh this
year.
And I think, you know, all of usaren't here married, and you
know, a couple um guys have kidsand stuff.
You know, I think one thing youdon't realize when you get
married, um, and we probably allrealize it once we got married,
is though, like, how do yousplit your holidays, right?
(16:03):
Because like you're single,you're single up to this certain
point in your life, and you'vealways done it your way, and
then your spouse is single theirwhole life and have always done
it a certain way.
And then you get together andit's like, well, I want to do
this.
Well, what do you mean?
I want to do this, and it'slike, wait, how we how do we
(16:24):
make this work?
And then you kind of make itwork when you date, but then you
get married and you're like,Well, we really need to figure
out these holidays, uh, whetherwe're going to both places in
the same day or whatever it maybe.
And if you got divorced parentsor parents that aren't together,
or whatever it may be, and yougot more holidays, or you got
grandparents, or whatever it is,you know.
(16:44):
I think that's something.
Um, I think that's somethingwhen you're when you're going
through the stages of engaged tomarry, people should talk about
more.
Is how do you split up yourholidays?
SPEAKER_00 (16:54):
I think yes, dear, is is born out of that having to
make the decision.
Yes.
I don't want to pick wallcolors, curtains, yes, dear.
And then and and you don't youdon't mean to be that guy, you
were never that guy, but youbecome that guy because you just
don't have the capacity.
You're just like, hey,whatever's flowing your boat,
(17:15):
let's do that.
SPEAKER_03 (17:17):
Yeah, that I mean that that is valid.
And then, you know, it's justit's it's so funny with that.
It's just something you younever really think about.
And we're gonna get off topichere real quick because this is
the ride home ran, I'm gonnatalk about this.
Um, many years ago, when DougGottlieb had his radio show
before he became a basketballcoach and did a radio show, when
(17:38):
he did the radio show, I waslistening to it driving one
time, and probably everyone onhere knows Doug Gottlieb's show.
But he said, he was talkingabout life.
He said the hardest thing inlife is when you have a
schedule, right?
And your schedule is when you'resingle, you get up on Sundays
and you go for a run, and thenat two o'clock, you go get a
coffee at the coffee shop andyou read the newspaper.
(18:00):
He said, The next thing youknow, you're dating someone, and
then on Sundays at two o'clock,they want to go to the coffee
shop and read the newspaper withyou, and you're like, wait,
wait, wait, wait, wait.
This is my thing, you know.
And he said, the hardest thingis trying to merge two lives
into one.
And I always remember him sayingthat.
Um, and you know, then when youget married, of course, you do
you do see that, you know, it'sjust uh things you you go
(18:22):
through in life, right?
So just the Doug Gottlieb thingalways popped up in my mind with
that, but we're not here to talkabout Doug Gottlieb.
So next thing we want to talkabout here, guys, Chris, we're
gonna go back to you on this.
What is your ideal weather onThanksgiving?
SPEAKER_02 (18:37):
Oh, so I I appreciate the seasons we get up
here in Ohio and just kind ofwhere we live in the region in
the U.S.
So my perfect November weather,I'd say it's about five, 10
miles an hour breeze.
It's about 50 degrees, sun,light clouds sprinkled through
there, but nice crisp fallweather, you know, peaks kind of
(19:02):
about 50, and then we dip down,it's about 40, 35 when you start
heading home.
And you know, it's almostDecember.
It's time for the Ohio State,Michigan game.
It's cold out.
SPEAKER_00 (19:14):
All right, Steve, how about you?
I mean, no, no, yeah, nodiscrepancy here, man.
That that that's a perfect day.
I mean, honestly, the thebackdrop, the landscape, it
could be uh fried turkey, right?
Anything goes when it's nice 50degrees, still crisp, you know.
You still want to know it's coldout.
You want to put that fall andslash winter gear on, but you
(19:36):
still want to be able to standoutside and enjoy some sun if
somebody's doing something off aback deck or something.
So, yeah, that's that's goodstuff.
SPEAKER_01 (19:43):
Okay, Matt, how about you?
Well, I'm gonna agree with bothboth the guys, but like I do
have to disagree with one thingChris said, though.
It's a perfect day, like hesaid, 50-52 degrees, but can't
have a breeze because when thatDetroit Lions game is inevitably
uh not a good game, or peopleare sick of watching football,
they look outside and see justmaybe five, six total leaves
(20:08):
blowing in the wind.
And the older gentlemen thatwe're sitting on the couch with
are always looking to have everyleaf picked up by Thanksgiving.
And uh uh just trying to avoidthat conversation.
SPEAKER_03 (20:21):
No, that's valid.
I think, you know, I think forme, um, I'm probably more of
like our warmer Thanksgivings.
I've know we've had them overthe past few years when they're
like between 65, maybe 70 onthose really warm, sunny days,
and you're like honestly wearinglike a very light hoodie or a
long sleeve shirt or even at-shirt.
So I'm always a fan of that justbecause I also hate bitter cold.
(20:42):
And if it's 50, that's closer to20 than it is 70.
So it's a 20.
So I'm more of the uh warmweather type of guy.
I'll never forget back in theThanksgiving of I want to say
2016, maybe it was like 71degrees that day.
Um, and it was awesome.
(21:02):
Um, I do, I think that was theyear, the 2015, maybe, but it
was awesome.
So I'm definitely on the warmerside of things, sunny and warm.
Maybe not sunny in 75, like JoeNichols and the country song,
but I'm more about that thatsunny in 68 on Thanksgiving.
All right, guys, we have a bigchoice here on this next one.
If you had to get rid of one ofthese three sides people have
(21:25):
for Thanksgiving dinner, whatare you getting rid of?
Cranberry sauce, applesauce, orthe salad?
Chris, let's start with you.
SPEAKER_02 (21:36):
I'm getting rid of the applesauce.
I feel like applesauce isflexible enough.
You could, I mean, that that's anice little snack on a Tuesday
evening if you don't want to goto the ice cream.
So I I I I'm cool cutting outthe applesauce because I don't I
don't get Thanksgiving vibesfrom it.
SPEAKER_00 (21:51):
Okay.
Steve, what are you saying?
I'm not even knowing about theapplesauce, but I'm gonna tell
you now, get that salad out ofhere.
What are we doing?
I don't need a warm-up.
I got on my eating pants.
It's time.
So, you know, uh, yeah, get thatsalad out of here.
We got vegetables over there.
SPEAKER_01 (22:11):
All right, all right, Matt, what are you saying
here?
Gotta go with the cranberries,then.
Uh, gotta get a different answerfor everyone.
But realistically, cranberries Idon't like, and also leads to a
stain somewhere in some shape orform.
So that's why I stay away fromit.
SPEAKER_03 (22:27):
I I I would agree.
Like, I like applesauce, I'm abig salad guy, and I don't like
straight up cranberry sauce orjust cranberries in general,
unless it's in a bagel.
The only thing I like is a agiant eagle bagel that's
cranberry.
That is the only thing cranberrythat I like.
I mean, I do like a cranberryjuice.
(22:48):
I mean, don't get me wrong.
But if we're talking abouteating something that's
cranberries, just use thecranberry juice.
SPEAKER_00 (22:53):
Wildly specific.
That bagel is 100% the bagelthat you chose.
Nobody, I feel like you don'tstumble upon that bagel.
SPEAKER_03 (23:02):
Oh no, you have to know it's there, you have to
know it's there.
Yeah, you like when you go,you're like, all right, they got
the cinnamon like toast crunchone, they got the plain one, the
multi-grain, the blueberry.
Oh, yeah, they got the they gotthe cranberry one.
SPEAKER_02 (23:18):
They know it's like fitty and like a handful of
other people.
They keep a small batch, halfdozen.
SPEAKER_00 (23:24):
A small batch bagel is wow.
I love it.
SPEAKER_03 (23:27):
Yeah.
I was just at the store theother night picking up a few
things, and I'm like, oh yes,cranberry bagels.
This is great.
And there was like two left, andI took one.
SPEAKER_01 (23:36):
Never had a bag.
SPEAKER_03 (23:38):
Yeah, never had a bagel.
SPEAKER_02 (23:39):
I do love cranberry.
I mean, it might be my newthing.
You gotta get the cranberrybagel.
SPEAKER_03 (23:44):
It's not as good as the blueberry bagel, but the
cranberry bagel, it it's it'ssolid.
The only thing about bad about abagel though, like I ate it, I
had some butter on it, I hadsome coffee, and about 20
minutes later, I think I washungrier then than before I had
the bagel.
Because I'm pretty sure I chewedmore calories than I actually
ingested more calories on that.
(24:04):
Straight up fiber.
Pretty much, pretty much.
All right, the big one here, I'malways curious on this too,
because people do this at somany different times of the day.
But what time do you normallyhave your Thanksgiving dinner?
Now, Chris, you kind of hintedon this, but you can even talk
about even growing up when youwere with your when you're all
(24:26):
with your parents as well,compared to even being now as
you know, men with um kids andand a wife and uh you know other
parts of your family that couldtie into this.
But what time was uh normallyyour dinner before, I guess, and
you know, compared to now?
SPEAKER_02 (24:40):
Chris, what do you think?
I was kind of fortunate withthis because we always we're a
big football family, I mean, topto bottom, even the girls in the
family real up on their footballknowledge.
So when those games kick off, wewere already locked in and
already had the appetizers out,the dips and all that.
So we were kind of always anearly slot family, so it worked
(25:03):
out good with my wife becausethey were always used to doing
Thanksgiving dinner.
So it's kind of always been thesame uh early window with my
family and then marrying it upwith hers.
Uh I'm honestly very blessedbecause we'd always nap around
three, four o'clock when thatthat first game was finishing up
anyway.
And that normally still rollsright into when we got to leave
(25:25):
and go to her family's and youknow, get to eat again.
So I'm very blessed.
This is the one holiday wherethere didn't need to be much
negotiating.
We just kind of pushedeverything together.
We're like, ah, sweet, let's go.
Let's go enjoy it.
So yeah, I've been very luckywith that.
Other holidays can't say thesame with Thanksgiving.
Maybe that's what adds the joyof it.
(25:46):
It's a nice smooth one.
SPEAKER_03 (25:48):
Okay.
Steve, how about you on this?
SPEAKER_00 (25:51):
So my family's very small, my immediate family is
very small, so we would alwaysdo something kind of earlier
because we knew like family,friends, so on and so forth.
We had some house hopping to do.
Um, so we probably you knowstart around two, three o'clock,
um, eat something light uhbecause we want to be able to
enjoy the food that we cook themost when we get back home.
(26:13):
And then we go and just kind oflike sample stuff.
You know, we got I mean, andthings are a lot different now
with respect to people whoaren't, you know, in a position
to have as much.
So um, you know, we just kind oftried to centralize, and since
we're going over one house thisyear, we would just eat whatever
time her mom's done cooking.
And then, you know, of coursewe'll help and stuff.
(26:33):
So it's just like that.
SPEAKER_01 (26:35):
Okay, okay.
Matt, how about you?
Um, didn't matter if I wasgrowing up when I was single,
and then once I got married, uhI've been fortunate.
It's been probably about 1230for about almost all my life.
And I don't know, I guess I gotlucky on that too.
But yeah, it's uh from when mymom cooked and then when my
mother-in-law cooks, it's alwaysbeen about 12:30.
(26:57):
So it's perfect.
SPEAKER_03 (26:59):
Okay, okay.
So growing up, my um my parentsare divorced are divorced, both
remarried, but uh we wouldalways do both families on um
Thanksgiving, my sister and I.
So growing up, my mom was alwayslike at noon, we'd always do
Thanksgiving there at noon, andthen my dad, we would eat about
5:30.
Uh so we had a little bit of abreak in there.
(27:19):
Um, now being like married andand being with my wife for the
past um, you know, uh fewholidays since 2021 was really
our first Thanksgiving.
Um, you know, we it it depends,right?
Like if I'm going to my parents,it's gonna be that's those same
times because we still would dothe split.
If I'm with like mymother-in-law, they're usually
around like two or three.
(27:41):
So, you know, we're between that1230 to 5.
But I'll tell you what, man,you're trying to eat
Thanksgiving at 12:30 and againat five, 5:30.
It's uh it's tough, right?
You gotta be careful on thedesserts in between.
That's the that's the key rightthere, man.
Let me tell you.
So, even bigger question in thelast one, Chris, and we're gonna
(28:01):
kick it off with you now.
What is the best side dish thatyou cannot go without for your
Thanksgiving?
SPEAKER_02 (28:09):
See, this is a question I knew you were gonna
ask me, and I I I I had You knowwhat?
SPEAKER_03 (28:14):
We asked we asked the tough questions here on the
ride home rants.
SPEAKER_02 (28:17):
Um, I knew it was coming, and I'm still not
prepared.
I don't like it.
Um I'd have to go with myBubby's stuffing.
I just think it's a real solidone.
I you don't I just don't eatstuffing much else throughout
the year.
I kind of associate it heavilywith the turkey.
I gravy it up with the turkeygravy.
(28:38):
Um it's the stuffing for me.
And I know some people hate it,and some people call it
dressing.
And to each his own, you callwhatever you want, but it's
good.
And I'd like some.
SPEAKER_03 (28:51):
Okay, Steve, what are you saying here?
SPEAKER_00 (28:53):
I'm going mac and cheese off top.
Uh, we're talking Bubbies, we'retalking Mimas, we're talking
grandmothers.
I'm I'm going my grandmother'smac and cheese.
It is top tier.
I won't get it this year, butguess what?
I'm a great grandson, and sheshared the recipe.
I will be making it myself.
It's absolutely delicious.
SPEAKER_03 (29:10):
All right, Matt, what are you rounding out on
this one?
SPEAKER_01 (29:13):
Boy, as long as mashed potatoes count as a side,
I guess that's what I'm gonna gowith.
Uh my meal is mostly mostlymashed potatoes and turkey
anyway.
And I guess maybe you couldcount gravy as a side.
I don't know.
I love the gravy, and I just putit on the corn, everything else,
green beans, everything else.
I put the gravy everywhere.
SPEAKER_03 (29:32):
Okay.
You know what?
I'm gonna agree with you, Matt.
I would say the probably the oneside dish I can't go without is
probably mashed potatoes aswell.
Because I just feel like it'sit's turkey and mashed potatoes,
like it just goes hand in hand,like it's one and one A of the
importance of Thanksgiving.
You know, uh, I don't know, it'slike it just goes hand in hand
(29:53):
the most.
So next one I'm kind of curiousbecause I feel like this is
maybe like a preference, ormaybe your location in the
country, or maybe just somethingwith your palate, or really
maybe how you cook it.
You know, do you like uh darkmeat or white meat or both from
the turkey?
Um, so what are you saying,Chris?
SPEAKER_02 (30:14):
I'm a big white meat guy uh with the turkey, but I am
a firm believer also it's howyou cook it.
Uh turkey dries out quick.
So if you if you fool aroundwith it and you don't time it up
right, or uh, you know, youdon't juice it up or you know,
put the butter in there orinject it, or you there are a
bunch of different trickseveryone does, but when you cook
(30:35):
white meat on the turkey theright way and it's nice and
juicy, I don't even eat itthroughout the year.
I'm probably one of the fewpeople that eats turkey maybe
handful, two handfuls a timethroughout the year, not just at
Thanksgiving, but I'm a whitemeat guy, big big uh deep fried
guy, though.
It's really good when you deepfried.
I'm a firm believer in that.
SPEAKER_03 (30:56):
Okay.
Chris, uh not Chris, sorry,Steve, what are you saying on
this?
SPEAKER_00 (30:59):
No, it's all good.
Um turkey wings, man.
I do like a good turkey wing.
So, you know, the wing of thebird is awesome, but the turkey
breasts, top tier.
If it's done well, it's doneright, and it's the best
leftover part of the turkey forthe sandwiches.
Um yeah, so I'm there.
That's that's it.
(31:20):
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (31:20):
Matt, what are you saying about this this dark meat
or white meat or both?
What are you what are youthinking?
SPEAKER_01 (31:25):
Well, I'm a little weird because like I said, I
like a little turkey with mygravy.
So I really don't care if it'swhite or dark uh when it's warm
right out of the oven or orwhatever, but uh I gotta go with
white meat for leftovers.
You have that turkey sandwichthe next three days at lunch
when we go back to school here.
Um, it's gotta be white meat.
I don't know why, but it doesn'tmatter during the day, but
(31:48):
Friday through Wednesday, thenext week has got to be white
meat.
SPEAKER_03 (31:52):
Sure.
And I think when you when I'veasked people this too, like in
the places I've worked and wherethey've come from, everybody has
like a different answer.
And I really do think like it'syour location within the country
of like where you've been andhow you've grown up with the
Thanksgiving.
Like, I like white meat and Ithink it's probably better for
leftovers, but like I don't minddark meat, but like if it's like
(32:13):
a leg of the turkey or somethinglike that, like I just also
can't just sit there and eatlike strips of dark turkey.
But if it's like a leg orsomething, I could do that.
And but I I would prefer thewhite meat for leftovers, but
either one, you know what?
I'm not I'm okay with becauseI'm not making a turkey, so I
want to be grateful for theturkey.
Um, because if someone was like,hey, what would you make for
(32:35):
Thanksgiving?
I'd be like, steak and the BobEvans mashed potato drop the
packet because those things aregreat.
SPEAKER_00 (32:43):
Yo, I'm making turkey stew after it's done,
too.
Like, I'm so all of thatleftover turkey meat that's not
going toward sandwiches, we'rethrowing that in a pot with some
veggies, it's getting boileddown.
It's just something else to eatwhen to keep you warm.
Don't let no parts of the birdgo to waste.
SPEAKER_03 (33:01):
Steve speaking the truth right there, man.
He's speaking the truth.
Okay.
All right, next one.
Tough one.
Chris, what are you gonna say tothis?
Now, it's kind of two parts, soyou gotta think about this in
two phases.
Would you ever go see the Macy'sDay parade in person on
Thanksgiving and spend the dayin New York City?
SPEAKER_02 (33:26):
Yeah, you do gotta kind of think about that
together.
SPEAKER_03 (33:29):
Because you you gotta see the parade, but spend
your Thanksgiving in New YorkCity.
SPEAKER_02 (33:35):
I feel like I'm the person that if I am going to the
parade, that would be like apackage deal in my mind.
So I the pairing of it matcheswell in my head.
I I'd say yes, but I'm alsogonna say I have a window for
this.
Like I don't, if I if I get toprobably, you know, 45, 50 years
old and haven't been to theMacy's Day parade yet.
(33:57):
It's probably not happening forme.
Kids will be a little bit olderlike that.
My window might be closed, butI'd leave it open.
I think that'd be cool to gosee, especially seeing it on TV
all these years.
Um, you know, the older I get,the more appreciative I get for
experiences in life.
Uh you know, sometimes you don'tappreciate those as much when
you're younger.
(34:17):
So I'm gonna say yeah to both ofthose because I feel like if you
do the Macy's winning Rome,right?
We're gonna do Thanksgivingthere too.
SPEAKER_03 (34:25):
So well, wouldn't it be better though, if you did it
when you were like 45 or 50,because your kids would be
teenagers or they would be outof the house so you can enjoy it
more with them when you'rethere.
SPEAKER_02 (34:36):
I need to go see uh Spongebob's balloon.
You know what I mean?
Like I feel like it's not quitelike going to Disney, but I feel
like bringing the kids adds alayer of enjoyment, not only for
them, but me too.
You know, I that's another thingI'm starting to appreciate.
I get a lot of enjoyment out ofseeing my kids happy.
So, you know, that that bringsout a different side of you.
(34:56):
So I feel like they gotta bepart of the bargain.
They're part of the okay, okay.
SPEAKER_03 (35:01):
Steve, what are you saying here?
Would you go see the Macy's Dayparade and spend the day in New
York City for Thanksgiving?
SPEAKER_00 (35:07):
You're gonna have to you're gonna have to stop me
from becoming Ferris Bueller.
I'm on the float.
I'm I'm I'm really trying to getinvolved.
I need that to be known.
So, like, yeah, the closer I canget, the better.
Um, New York is actually one ofmy favorite cities on the
planet.
So don't threaten me with goodtime, okay?
This is this is great.
This is my dream.
We've done um New Year's Eve acouple times in New York, and
(35:30):
it's way colder, I'm assuming,during that time.
So, yeah, I Macy's ThanksgivingDay parade.
That's a breeze.
Yeah, I'm looking forward tothat.
SPEAKER_03 (35:39):
Okay, okay.
Matt, what are you saying here?
SPEAKER_01 (35:42):
An emphatic no to both.
Yeah, an emphatic no to both.
Uh, like Chris said, I am in thedemographic of 45 to 50, and uh,
I have no desire to drive atnight, get stuck in traffic, get
stuck in crowds, um, spend halfmy day looking for somewhere to
go to the bathroom.
(36:03):
Uh there's nothing you couldoffer me that would entice me to
do that.
So a very emphatic no.
My kids be damned.
My kids be damned.
I don't care if they want to go,heck with that.
SPEAKER_02 (36:17):
I mean, that ship is sail.
SPEAKER_01 (36:19):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (36:23):
So if we're still doing this in about 15 more
years, this show to be likeepisode or like season 20 of
this.
I really hope we're doing that.
And I hope you guys are stillhere with us doing this episode
again.
But Chris, we're gonna bringthis back and be like, hey,
remember like 15 years ago whenMatt said he was in the
demographic of like 45 to 50 andhe didn't want to go.
(36:43):
Chris, did you ever make it tothe Macy's Day parade now that
you're 45?
SPEAKER_02 (36:47):
Come on on the Macy's Day sure.
Like, I I gotta I gotta I gottabe an artifact at that point.
SPEAKER_03 (36:54):
I I I would agree with Matt on this.
I'd probably say no.
Like, I think if I if I'm gonnago anywhere on Thanksgiving,
it's not New York City.
Like, I want to be like inanother country on a resort,
enjoying the beach in Hawaii, afield Ford Field for Laifield?
SPEAKER_02 (37:16):
Is that a bucket list for you?
Is it football game?
SPEAKER_03 (37:19):
I mean, maybe I don't know if John Madden was
alive and if John Madden wasalive and the Treduncan was a
thing being announced by JohnMadden, I they would it would be
it would be more on my bucketlist.
Um, because I would want to meetJohn Madden.
He'd be like, any whims, anybams, any blah, blah, blah, and
then I ate the Terduncan.
He'd be like, okay, what'd youjust say?
But it's nice to meet you too.
(37:39):
But like, it's that's great.
Um, but I don't know, maybe, butif I'm gonna do like somewhere
on Thanksgiving, I want it to belike tropical resort, warm.
Um, but you know, Macy's DayParade's pretty cool watching it
from the comfort of my warmliving room.
All right, two questions left,guys.
If you had to rank the big fourholidays in the US, so
(38:03):
Christmas, New Year's,Thanksgiving, and Easter, how
would you rank them in yourpersonal opinion from your
favorite holiday to leastfavorite holiday?
So favorite holiday first,second, third, and least holiday
fourth, least favorite holidayfourth.
Christmas, New Year's,Thanksgiving, Easter.
(38:23):
I will go first to let you guysponder this because it looks
like you're all pondering it.
Uh as I said that.
SPEAKER_02 (38:29):
We go with New Year's Eve or Halloween is the
fourth.
SPEAKER_03 (38:33):
No, it changes things.
No, New Year's.
It's New Year's.
Okay, it's New Year's,Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter.
So I will go.
My personal favorite, I'm gonnago Easter, then Thanksgiving,
then Christmas, then New Year's.
I just love Easter.
It's like the birth of summerstarting, of course, the
(38:57):
religious aspect of things too.
But it's like the birth ofsummer starting, birds are
chirping, spring's my favoriteseason.
So I'm just I just have to gowith that.
Um, I've always lovedThanksgiving too, and then I
would say probably Christmas.
I mean, I love Christmas, butChristmas three and then New
Year's four.
So, Chris, how are you rankingthem?
Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas,and New Year's, your favorite to
(39:19):
least favorite.
SPEAKER_02 (39:20):
Before I answer, I want to point out how the answer
to this changes over the courseof your life.
If you ask me as a kid, I'd havean answer.
If you asked me when I was incollege, I'd have an answer.
And I got a probably completelydifferent answer now.
So this is a great questionbecause there is no wrong
answer.
Because I think they're allgreat.
You take the religious aspectsout of it.
(39:42):
Because I'm very religious.
I really do love Easter forthat.
But it just religious aspectsout of it.
I'm going to go Christmas,Thanksgiving, Easter, New Year's
Eve.
I think the having Christmaswith the snow, the time of year,
the emphasis everyone puts on itkind of adds to how special it
(40:03):
is.
Um Thanksgiving for me, I'vekind of gushed about already,
but I appreciate Thanksgivingprobably more than anyone I
know.
I think it's a hidden gem of aholiday for what it represents
and where it's at in thecalendar.
And, you know, Easter's still alittle chilly.
You could have bad weather forEaster.
And at this point, if I seemidnight on New Year's Eve, I
mean, I do it a little bit, butI I've been very lame.
(40:26):
I tell you what, the end of my20s was uh polar opposite to
beginning of my 20s.
I didn't, I can't wait for it tohit so I go to bed.
So yeah, interesting question.
Good one.
SPEAKER_03 (40:38):
Okay, okay.
Steve, how are you ranking thesefour?
SPEAKER_00 (40:40):
That is a solid question.
Um I'm going, you know what?
My dad's one of my dad'sfavorite holidays was
Thanksgiving, and I know why heliked it.
You know, regardless of anyone'sstance politically, history, you
know, all of these things areimportant and culminate.
You know where I work.
So you you already know.
So um not ignoring any of thosethings, but understanding that
(41:03):
when it comes to like people,people want to be around their
family.
It's the first time of year thatyou can really think you can get
like a few days off, kids areout of school, everybody's kind
of in the house, it's gettingcolder.
Uh, you get to share thosestories, you get to have the
conversation, you get the goodfood, you're warm, and you can
be thankful.
You can truly be thankful forwhat's in front of you and who's
(41:25):
on the left and right of you.
So it's a time of reflection,and it's a good time, it feels
good.
Um for me, I love New Year'sEve.
I think New Year's Eve is supercool.
And with me being married now,I'm guaranteed to kiss.
You know, can't ignore that.
So that's a vibe.
Um, and you know, I got myplaylist, I'm watching New
Year's Rock and Eve.
(41:45):
I'm I'm I'm doing a lot.
And if I can travel or if I canbe somewhere cooler than my
house, I will absolutely bethere.
I would love to do New Year'sEve in Vegas at some point too.
Uh Easter is a a vibe, you knowwhat I mean?
It's great Bible study, it'sgood conversation.
I'm not gonna take the religionout of it, it's just good
conversation and it's revisitingsome stories that you shouldn't
forget for reasons why youshouldn't forget them.
(42:08):
Um, and it's pointing out howhow kind you you kind of got to
the blessing towards the end ofthe year.
Excuse me for kind of fumblingthat.
But yeah, so um Easter isdefinitely gonna be part of the
big three, and then Christmasgets the last slot, man.
It's number four, it'sstressful.
You know, people arguing overTVs and parking lots.
You can't run your normalerrands because everything's a
(42:28):
traffic jam all of a sudden,because now the same TV that was
on sale at Walmart last week ison sale this week, and it's more
of a special sale.
I don't know.
So if you take if I can get ridof the commercialism and we
could just make it a Hallmarkmovie, I vote Christmas, it's
beautiful.
The music's great, thesoundtrack is fire, but the
(42:49):
stress and the money spent iscrazy.
SPEAKER_01 (42:53):
So yeah, okay, okay, Matt, how are you ranking the
big four here in your opinion?
Uh to take the religious aspectsout, but still you really can't.
But uh, number one's got to beChristmas because you know, my
kids, that's just where a lot ofthe memory good memories,
memories that I actually stillcan remember, according to my
wife, you know, are made inChristmas.
(43:14):
And you know, that that's whatit's all about.
Uh, because I think my kidsenjoy Christmas, number one, so
therefore I do.
And uh one thing, you know,we're all getting older, but we
still uh observe all the Italiantraditions.
Um we've kept that throughthroughout uh Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day.
So I enjoy that.
Uh number two, Easter, um, justbecause it's wrapped around uh
(43:39):
days off school.
Uh, you know, if we're takingthe religious aspect out.
Uh number three, Thanksgiving.
I mean, it is what it is.
You got football, you got daysoff school, but uh uh deep, deep
number four would be New Year's.
Um it's it is what it is.
I mean, I hate to keep talkingabout it, it seems like I'm the
old guy that's yelling, get offmy lawn here in this podcast,
(44:02):
but you know, uh heck, I can't Ican't tell you if I ever got a
kiss on New Year's Eve.
There's and I can't tell you thelast time I saw the ball drop.
So uh really never had muchsuccess with New Year's anyway.
So um, but I did like I did likeNew Year's when I was younger
before got too commercialized.
(44:23):
I loved waking up and watchingcollege football and watching
Big Ten teams play and all theteams you've been following, but
you couldn't see them more thanone or two times a year because
you didn't have cable.
Um, I do miss that aspect of NewYear's Eve or New Year's Day.
Sure, sure.
SPEAKER_03 (44:41):
Oh, it's that's a great it is some great points
and you compare those two.
SPEAKER_02 (44:46):
Like I'd pick New Year's Day over New Year's Eve.
I mean, that's a football fans'holiday.
SPEAKER_03 (44:51):
I mean it used to be better, especially in the old
days, man.
Especially in the old days.
So I want to I want to bring upa couple things here that to
Steve's point.
You know, um, he talked aboutpeople fighting over stuff for
Christmas.
We were just talking about thisat work, and it's like seems
like like the Black Friday saleshave like kind of toned down,
(45:12):
right?
Because people are more closedand not everyone's open.
You buy more stuff online, butsomebody was just like, Man, I
miss like watching the news andwatching like two women fight
over Windex in the parking lotat 5 a.m.
Because they got it for like$3.99 instead of like$2.99, and
they're out there hitting eachother with shopping carts, or
like the two dads like fightingover one video game console that
(45:37):
because it's it's two o'clock inthe morning, and it the cell
kicked in at like 1 58 a.m.
and they're on their fistfighting in Walmart both getting
arrested.
So let me like I just I misslike I missed seeing that, but
let me give everybody someadvice.
And people never thought aboutthis, and I and I just figured
this out when I was like 18years old, so it's been a long
(45:58):
time.
Some of the best sales ofanything, cars, furniture,
clothes, whatever, are on NewYear's Day because they're
pushing out the old year's stockfor the New Year's stock.
So if anyone ever wants to getgood sales on stuff, books,
(46:19):
cars, furniture, appliances,clothes, whatever, go on New
Year's Day.
There is a ton of sales.
If you can wait pastThanksgiving and do some
shopping, you can always get agreat, great deal on stuff.
And a lot of people don'trealize that, but it's one of
the most discounted holidays ofthe year.
And then it gets discounted evenmore because a lot of places are
(46:42):
pushing out their oldmerchandise.
If you think about it, right?
Come January, a lot of placesare still are are getting rid of
their Christmas stuff and bulksales, right?
Nobody wants it.
People are getting rid of theirwinter jackets because it's
turning the springtime, youknow, in the marketing cells of
like real uh of customerservice.
So just something to to thinkabout there.
SPEAKER_00 (47:04):
All right, man.
That's great.
Because I think uh I'm I wasthinking private jets, right?
And I was thinking about whenthe best time to get one would
be.
And uh I think, yeah, I thinkI'm gonna wait till I do here.
It's time to count the PJ, guys.
SPEAKER_03 (47:19):
Right, right.
All right, guys.
One last question for you here,men.
So one word to describeThanksgiving is Chris.
Not Chris describingThanksgiving.
That's not my word, but Chris,what's your one word to describe
Thanksgiving?
Wholesome, wholesome.
Steve, what do you got?
(47:39):
Family, family, Matt?
SPEAKER_01 (47:43):
Boy, uh, they they took them all.
Man, they're being all nicehere.
I don't know.
Uh, football there.
SPEAKER_03 (47:49):
Football.
Okay, we got wholesome, family,and football.
All right, guys.
Thank you so much for being onthis uh this year's episode of
the Ride Home Rants Thanksgivingpreview.
But before everybody goes, let'spause for a second because we
got a big 54 questionnaire hereto go today.
Not the fast 55, but we got thebig 54 questionnaire.
(48:13):
Now, guys, you're each gonna getone question, and then the other
question, everybody gets at thesame, well, everybody can get an
answer.
Okay, so we're gonna go Chris,Steve, and Matt, with your
questions, and then we're gonnago right back through for the
next question.
Now, for the new listeners outthere, we typically have the
fast 55 for any individual showswhere I've asked five random
(48:34):
questions to the guests, or Mikewill ask five random questions
to the guests that I'll sendover.
They usually have nothing to dowith the show.
And basically, these havenothing to do with the
Thanksgiving show, but we'regonna have a little bit of fun
here to end the show on.
So, Chris, your question (48:47):
if you had to pick one of these three
guys to narrate your life everyday, would you pick James Earl
Jones, Sam Elliott, or MorganFreeman?
SPEAKER_02 (49:04):
James Earl Jones, baby.
Go blue.
SPEAKER_03 (49:08):
You know, James Earl Jones, you know, rest in peace,
was a fantastic, fantasticactor, voice of Darth Vader, but
all three of them have thegreatest voices, probably of all
time when it came to the city.
SPEAKER_02 (49:22):
John Facenda from Gold NFL films.
SPEAKER_03 (49:25):
Yes, the voice of God.
So voice of God.
Yeah.
Um, but man, but James EarlJones narrating your life would
be pretty great.
Same thing with Sam Elliott andMorgan Freeman.
Okay, Steve, we're going to you.
Steve, if you could be an emoji,what emoji would you be?
SPEAKER_00 (49:43):
Man.
The thumbs up emoji.
That's like it's all right.
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (49:53):
Okay.
Matt, your question is Dasani orAquafina bottled water better?
SPEAKER_01 (50:01):
Dasani, because I like the bottles better.
Aquafina or two.
I got these short Italian stubbyfingers, and the Dasani's just
fit my stubby Italian fingersmuch better.
Yep, that's it.
SPEAKER_03 (50:17):
Okay, so that's three questions out of the four.
Last question, everybody's gonnaget the answer.
We're gonna go with you, Marsco,on this.
If you could live in any othercountry for the rest of your
life and never return toAmerica, what country are you
picking?
Italy.
Italy.
Good pick.
Steve, what are you picking?
SPEAKER_00 (50:37):
I gotta go.
Come back to give me a second.
I want to say Jamaica.
I really do.
It's nice.
SPEAKER_03 (50:53):
Are we going with Jamaica final answer?
Let's go with Jamaica.
Okay.
Go on Jamaica final answer.
Matt, where would you pick?
Gotta be Italy.
Gotta be Italy.
Gotta be Italy.
Okay.
I gotta see what the hype'sabout.
Yeah, you gotta go to Italy.
See what the hype's about.
I would probably I would pickCosta Rica.
(51:15):
I absolutely love Costa Rica.
It's great, it's awesome.
It's a vibe, pure Vita.
You know, it's just a wholething.
No, maybe have to do an episodeone time on all the countries we
would want to live in and talkabout visiting other countries.
It could be the all thingsinternational show, which could
be a pretty good time.
Talk about all the things.
(51:37):
I think we just got a new ideafor uh season six in 2026.
How about that?
All right.
I gotta I gotta I gotta throwBono at Bono that one.
Now I gotta find people thoughwho have actually traveled out
of the country, and then alsopeople who have ambitions to
travel out of the country so wecan talk about all those things.
So uh, but that's gonna do itfor this week's episode of the
(51:58):
Ride Home Rants podcast.
As always, if you enjoyed theshow, be a friend and tell a
friend.
And if you didn't, tell themanyways.
They may like it just becauseyou did it.
This is Fitty signing off, andfrom everyone at Ride Home
Rants, we wish you a very, veryhappy Thanksgiving.
Talk to you all soon.
Thanks so much.
SPEAKER_00 (52:16):
Thank you.
Thank you, appreciate it.
Welcome everybody to another episode of the Ride Home
Rants Podcast.
This is your special guest host,Fiddy, filling in today for Mike
Bono.
And today we bring you ourannual Thanksgiving episode, but
this year, of course, for 2025.
Before we dive into theThanksgiving episode this year
and our great round table ofguests that we have on with us,
(09:25):
make sure you peep all of oursponsors in the pre-roll and the
post-roll, as they're all smallbusiness owners and they're
great supporters of the show.
Speaking of supporters of theshow, make sure you peep all of
our guests over these past fiveseasons, as they are all
supporters of the show andthey've been on individually,
and a lot have been on withroundtables.
So make sure you go back throughour 280 or so episodes and check
(09:48):
out the shows that definitelyinterest you.
All of our guests today havebeen on at least one time
before, uh, if not multipletimes between their individual
show and roundtables.
So make sure you peep them aswell.
We can't do it without theguests, and we can't do without
you fans and listeners outthere.
So, with that being said, webring you the all things 2025
(10:10):
Thanksgiving episode.
This is going to air, of course,the day before Thanksgiving.
We do pre-record.
Uh, so we're gonna talk aboutall things Thanksgiving,
bringing in another turkey dayuh here in uh, you know, Ohio,
where we all are uh at this timeum with the round table.
So we didn't get any otherguests from any other states
this time.
(10:30):
We all were up in Ohio here.
So um I got three great guests.
They're gonna introducethemselves.
And guys, when you introduceyourself, then we're gonna go
over your favorite flavor ofgummy bear and then what's your
preferred brand of toothpaste?
I know I kind of contradictmyself there with like candy and
then a toothpaste, but hey,we're gonna go with it.
(10:51):
Uh, Chris, let's start with you.
SPEAKER_02 (10:53):
Uh, favorite gummy bear is cherry.
Big cherry guy.
If I had to go with theartificial flavors, I'm always
going red, I'm going cherry.
And then uh toothpaste, uh, Ilike the crest with the little
um strips in it, like the breadstrips, it kind of wakes your
mouth up.
That's what I like to go with.
SPEAKER_00 (11:12):
Okay, Steve, how about you?
All right, so listen, uh if I'mgoing gummy beer, first let's
talk hairbo, right?
It's gotta be that brand.
Um, and then I'm thinkingpineapple because it's just in
the mix, and you don't recognizewhat you're eating until you've
already eaten it.
And if we're talking toothpaste,due to my wife's uh uh
(11:35):
influence, it's Tom's, man.
I'm I'm I'm it's a lot of youknow sulfates and other things
out here, so I'm I'm going Tom'sbrand right now.
But I do like crap as a backup.
SPEAKER_03 (11:45):
Okay, okay.
Matt, how Matt, how about you?
SPEAKER_01 (11:49):
Um, well, if we're talking gummy bears, uh boy, I'm
gonna at the risk of soundboring, anything sour.
Uh, I just kind of like the sourcandy.
I don't really distinguish anyother, it's either sweet or
sour.
So I'm gonna go with sour gummybears.
And uh honestly, I don't want tosound boring either, but
(12:09):
basically, toothpaste, it'sanything my wife buys.
So, whatever's in the medicinecabinet that my wife purchases,
and that's that's my favoritetoothpaste.
SPEAKER_03 (12:19):
Okay, okay.
So, my favorite um flavor gummybear.
I don't know if this sounds goodor bad, but I'm like the the
clear gummy bear, right?
That clear one.
I'm just a fan of that.
Whatever that flavor is, I'mjust a fan of clear.
SPEAKER_00 (12:33):
Uh, so that's and I hope I'm not wrong, but that
might be pineapple, my guy.
I was just gonna say, I thinkthat's the pineapple.
That's the pineapple one.
SPEAKER_03 (12:41):
I don't know if it's pineapple, it doesn't taste like
anything, it just tastes likeair.
Um like I'm I'm just eatinggummy air.
I don't know.
Um, and then my favorite brandof toothpaste.
Um, I'm definitely a Colgatetype of guy, but honestly, I'll
use crest, I'll use you know,Pepsodyne.
(13:01):
I'll basically use whatever.
Um, but I'm I'm a fan of uh ofColgate if I if I got to pick.
But we're not here to talk abouttoothpaste, although that
probably could be a pretty goodepisode with round tables.
I think it'd be good.
We're talking about toothpasteand mouthwash and use some
Listerine and bring the mouth upand you know dry it all out.
It could be could be a goodepisode.
(13:22):
We're here to talk about allthings Thanksgiving, which
probably though will lead topeople then brushing their teeth
probably more from all thesweets that they have, right?
So, guys, we're gonna um go,we're gonna go Chris and we're
gonna go Steve and then we'regonna go Matt in the order here,
and then I'll answer, of course,last.
But let's kind of kick this offwith where are you spending uh
uh Thanksgiving at this year,Chris?
SPEAKER_02 (13:43):
Oh, now that I'm married, you know, got to split
things up equitably.
We always started uh my mom'shouse, my side of the family,
watch the football games, kindof do a lunch ordeal, stay there
till about four o'clock, then wego to my in-laws house.
Uh normally it's grandpa's, butit's in my in-laws this year,
(14:03):
and you know, do it all again,act like I haven't eaten yet.
New group of people, so nojudgments passed.
Really relishing in that as I'mstarting to figure out how to
play the game a little bitbetter.
And yeah, and then wraps upabout eight o'clock, take the
kids home.
Everyone passes out.
It's a great day.
Okay.
Food.
SPEAKER_00 (14:24):
So uh this year my mother came and grabbed my
grandmother and took her back toMaryland with her.
Um, so I won't be traveling toMaryland this year, nor will my
grandmother be here to give usthat that flavor.
Uh, so I'll actually be heavilyreliant on my wife's side of the
family uh for a meal this year.
And so we'll be going over mymother-in-law's house um to
(14:46):
enjoy whatever vitals she cookedup.
Uh and to be honest with you,great.
You know, it's gonna be nodishes at my house when I return
home.
Uh, I will have trays full ofthings uh brought back for
leftovers, and uh that's justgonna be what it is.
And it's it's glorious.
It's glorious.
SPEAKER_01 (15:06):
Sounds like a good time.
Matt, how about you?
Um, we're we're just keeping itsimple, uh, like we have the
last few years.
Just go to my mother-in-law's,um, my wife's mom, uh, everybody
else in the family comes,including my parents.
Uh, I just gotta say I kind oflove it because once we had
kids, um, if anybody'sapproaching that or has that,
(15:27):
um, we kind of inherited everyholiday at our house.
So uh it's at our mother-in-law,mother-in-law's, which I love
Thanksgiving because nothinghere.
It's great.
I could come home to an emptyhouse with or without leftovers.
SPEAKER_03 (15:43):
Okay.
Yeah, that's fair.
Um, we're going to mymother-in-law's as well uh this
year.
And I think, you know, all of usaren't here married, and you
know, a couple um guys have kidsand stuff.
You know, I think one thing youdon't realize when you get
married, um, and we probably allrealize it once we got married,
is though, like, how do yousplit your holidays, right?
(16:03):
Because like you're single,you're single up to this certain
point in your life, and you'vealways done it your way, and
then your spouse is single theirwhole life and have always done
it a certain way.
And then you get together andit's like, well, I want to do
this.
Well, what do you mean?
I want to do this, and it'slike, wait, how we how do we
(16:24):
make this work?
And then you kind of make itwork when you date, but then you
get married and you're like,Well, we really need to figure
out these holidays, uh, whetherwe're going to both places in
the same day or whatever it maybe.
And if you got divorced parentsor parents that aren't together,
or whatever it may be, and yougot more holidays, or you got
grandparents, or whatever it is,you know.
(16:44):
I think that's something.
Um, I think that's somethingwhen you're when you're going
through the stages of engaged tomarry, people should talk about
more.
Is how do you split up yourholidays?
SPEAKER_00 (16:54):
I think yes, dear, is is born out of that having to
make the decision.
Yes.
I don't want to pick wallcolors, curtains, yes, dear.
And then and and you don't youdon't mean to be that guy, you
were never that guy, but youbecome that guy because you just
don't have the capacity.
You're just like, hey,whatever's flowing your boat,
(17:15):
let's do that.
SPEAKER_03 (17:17):
Yeah, that I mean that that is valid.
And then, you know, it's justit's it's so funny with that.
It's just something you younever really think about.
And we're gonna get off topichere real quick because this is
the ride home ran, I'm gonnatalk about this.
Um, many years ago, when DougGottlieb had his radio show
before he became a basketballcoach and did a radio show, when
(17:38):
he did the radio show, I waslistening to it driving one
time, and probably everyone onhere knows Doug Gottlieb's show.
But he said, he was talkingabout life.
He said the hardest thing inlife is when you have a
schedule, right?
And your schedule is when you'resingle, you get up on Sundays
and you go for a run, and thenat two o'clock, you go get a
coffee at the coffee shop andyou read the newspaper.
(18:00):
He said, The next thing youknow, you're dating someone, and
then on Sundays at two o'clock,they want to go to the coffee
shop and read the newspaper withyou, and you're like, wait,
wait, wait, wait, wait.
This is my thing, you know.
And he said, the hardest thingis trying to merge two lives
into one.
And I always remember him sayingthat.
Um, and you know, then when youget married, of course, you do
you do see that, you know, it'sjust uh things you you go
(18:22):
through in life, right?
So just the Doug Gottlieb thingalways popped up in my mind with
that, but we're not here to talkabout Doug Gottlieb.
So next thing we want to talkabout here, guys, Chris, we're
gonna go back to you on this.
What is your ideal weather onThanksgiving?
SPEAKER_02 (18:37):
Oh, so I I appreciate the seasons we get up
here in Ohio and just kind ofwhere we live in the region in
the U.S.
So my perfect November weather,I'd say it's about five, 10
miles an hour breeze.
It's about 50 degrees, sun,light clouds sprinkled through
there, but nice crisp fallweather, you know, peaks kind of
(19:02):
about 50, and then we dip down,it's about 40, 35 when you start
heading home.
And you know, it's almostDecember.
It's time for the Ohio State,Michigan game.
It's cold out.
SPEAKER_00 (19:14):
All right, Steve, how about you?
I mean, no, no, yeah, nodiscrepancy here, man.
That that that's a perfect day.
I mean, honestly, the thebackdrop, the landscape, it
could be uh fried turkey, right?
Anything goes when it's nice 50degrees, still crisp, you know.
You still want to know it's coldout.
You want to put that fall andslash winter gear on, but you
(19:36):
still want to be able to standoutside and enjoy some sun if
somebody's doing something off aback deck or something.
So, yeah, that's that's goodstuff.
SPEAKER_01 (19:43):
Okay, Matt, how about you?
Well, I'm gonna agree with bothboth the guys, but like I do
have to disagree with one thingChris said, though.
It's a perfect day, like hesaid, 50-52 degrees, but can't
have a breeze because when thatDetroit Lions game is inevitably
uh not a good game, or peopleare sick of watching football,
they look outside and see justmaybe five, six total leaves
(20:08):
blowing in the wind.
And the older gentlemen thatwe're sitting on the couch with
are always looking to have everyleaf picked up by Thanksgiving.
And uh uh just trying to avoidthat conversation.
SPEAKER_03 (20:21):
No, that's valid.
I think, you know, I think forme, um, I'm probably more of
like our warmer Thanksgivings.
I've know we've had them overthe past few years when they're
like between 65, maybe 70 onthose really warm, sunny days,
and you're like honestly wearinglike a very light hoodie or a
long sleeve shirt or even at-shirt.
So I'm always a fan of that justbecause I also hate bitter cold.
(20:42):
And if it's 50, that's closer to20 than it is 70.
So it's a 20.
So I'm more of the uh warmweather type of guy.
I'll never forget back in theThanksgiving of I want to say
2016, maybe it was like 71degrees that day.
Um, and it was awesome.
(21:02):
Um, I do, I think that was theyear, the 2015, maybe, but it
was awesome.
So I'm definitely on the warmerside of things, sunny and warm.
Maybe not sunny in 75, like JoeNichols and the country song,
but I'm more about that thatsunny in 68 on Thanksgiving.
All right, guys, we have a bigchoice here on this next one.
If you had to get rid of one ofthese three sides people have
(21:25):
for Thanksgiving dinner, whatare you getting rid of?
Cranberry sauce, applesauce, orthe salad?
Chris, let's start with you.
SPEAKER_02 (21:36):
I'm getting rid of the applesauce.
I feel like applesauce isflexible enough.
You could, I mean, that that's anice little snack on a Tuesday
evening if you don't want to goto the ice cream.
So I I I I'm cool cutting outthe applesauce because I don't I
don't get Thanksgiving vibesfrom it.
SPEAKER_00 (21:51):
Okay.
Steve, what are you saying?
I'm not even knowing about theapplesauce, but I'm gonna tell
you now, get that salad out ofhere.
What are we doing?
I don't need a warm-up.
I got on my eating pants.
It's time.
So, you know, uh, yeah, get thatsalad out of here.
We got vegetables over there.
SPEAKER_01 (22:11):
All right, all right, Matt, what are you saying
here?
Gotta go with the cranberries,then.
Uh, gotta get a different answerfor everyone.
But realistically, cranberries Idon't like, and also leads to a
stain somewhere in some shape orform.
So that's why I stay away fromit.
SPEAKER_03 (22:27):
I I I would agree.
Like, I like applesauce, I'm abig salad guy, and I don't like
straight up cranberry sauce orjust cranberries in general,
unless it's in a bagel.
The only thing I like is a agiant eagle bagel that's
cranberry.
That is the only thing cranberrythat I like.
I mean, I do like a cranberryjuice.
(22:48):
I mean, don't get me wrong.
But if we're talking abouteating something that's
cranberries, just use thecranberry juice.
SPEAKER_00 (22:53):
Wildly specific.
That bagel is 100% the bagelthat you chose.
Nobody, I feel like you don'tstumble upon that bagel.
SPEAKER_03 (23:02):
Oh no, you have to know it's there, you have to
know it's there.
Yeah, you like when you go,you're like, all right, they got
the cinnamon like toast crunchone, they got the plain one, the
multi-grain, the blueberry.
Oh, yeah, they got the they gotthe cranberry one.
SPEAKER_02 (23:18):
They know it's like fitty and like a handful of
other people.
They keep a small batch, halfdozen.
SPEAKER_00 (23:24):
A small batch bagel is wow.
I love it.
SPEAKER_03 (23:27):
Yeah.
I was just at the store theother night picking up a few
things, and I'm like, oh yes,cranberry bagels.
This is great.
And there was like two left, andI took one.
SPEAKER_01 (23:36):
Never had a bag.
SPEAKER_03 (23:38):
Yeah, never had a bagel.
SPEAKER_02 (23:39):
I do love cranberry.
I mean, it might be my newthing.
You gotta get the cranberrybagel.
SPEAKER_03 (23:44):
It's not as good as the blueberry bagel, but the
cranberry bagel, it it's it'ssolid.
The only thing about bad about abagel though, like I ate it, I
had some butter on it, I hadsome coffee, and about 20
minutes later, I think I washungrier then than before I had
the bagel.
Because I'm pretty sure I chewedmore calories than I actually
ingested more calories on that.
(24:04):
Straight up fiber.
Pretty much, pretty much.
All right, the big one here, I'malways curious on this too,
because people do this at somany different times of the day.
But what time do you normallyhave your Thanksgiving dinner?
Now, Chris, you kind of hintedon this, but you can even talk
about even growing up when youwere with your when you're all
(24:26):
with your parents as well,compared to even being now as
you know, men with um kids andand a wife and uh you know other
parts of your family that couldtie into this.
But what time was uh normallyyour dinner before, I guess, and
you know, compared to now?
SPEAKER_02 (24:40):
Chris, what do you think?
I was kind of fortunate withthis because we always we're a
big football family, I mean, topto bottom, even the girls in the
family real up on their footballknowledge.
So when those games kick off, wewere already locked in and
already had the appetizers out,the dips and all that.
So we were kind of always anearly slot family, so it worked
(25:03):
out good with my wife becausethey were always used to doing
Thanksgiving dinner.
So it's kind of always been thesame uh early window with my
family and then marrying it upwith hers.
Uh I'm honestly very blessedbecause we'd always nap around
three, four o'clock when thatthat first game was finishing up
anyway.
And that normally still rollsright into when we got to leave
(25:25):
and go to her family's and youknow, get to eat again.
So I'm very blessed.
This is the one holiday wherethere didn't need to be much
negotiating.
We just kind of pushedeverything together.
We're like, ah, sweet, let's go.
Let's go enjoy it.
So yeah, I've been very luckywith that.
Other holidays can't say thesame with Thanksgiving.
Maybe that's what adds the joyof it.
(25:46):
It's a nice smooth one.
SPEAKER_03 (25:48):
Okay.
Steve, how about you on this?
SPEAKER_00 (25:51):
So my family's very small, my immediate family is
very small, so we would alwaysdo something kind of earlier
because we knew like family,friends, so on and so forth.
We had some house hopping to do.
Um, so we probably you knowstart around two, three o'clock,
um, eat something light uhbecause we want to be able to
enjoy the food that we cook themost when we get back home.
(26:13):
And then we go and just kind oflike sample stuff.
You know, we got I mean, andthings are a lot different now
with respect to people whoaren't, you know, in a position
to have as much.
So um, you know, we just kind oftried to centralize, and since
we're going over one house thisyear, we would just eat whatever
time her mom's done cooking.
And then, you know, of coursewe'll help and stuff.
(26:33):
So it's just like that.
SPEAKER_01 (26:35):
Okay, okay.
Matt, how about you?
Um, didn't matter if I wasgrowing up when I was single,
and then once I got married, uhI've been fortunate.
It's been probably about 1230for about almost all my life.
And I don't know, I guess I gotlucky on that too.
But yeah, it's uh from when mymom cooked and then when my
mother-in-law cooks, it's alwaysbeen about 12:30.
(26:57):
So it's perfect.
SPEAKER_03 (26:59):
Okay, okay.
So growing up, my um my parentsare divorced are divorced, both
remarried, but uh we wouldalways do both families on um
Thanksgiving, my sister and I.
So growing up, my mom was alwayslike at noon, we'd always do
Thanksgiving there at noon, andthen my dad, we would eat about
5:30.
Uh so we had a little bit of abreak in there.
(27:19):
Um, now being like married andand being with my wife for the
past um, you know, uh fewholidays since 2021 was really
our first Thanksgiving.
Um, you know, we it it depends,right?
Like if I'm going to my parents,it's gonna be that's those same
times because we still would dothe split.
If I'm with like mymother-in-law, they're usually
around like two or three.
(27:41):
So, you know, we're between that1230 to 5.
But I'll tell you what, man,you're trying to eat
Thanksgiving at 12:30 and againat five, 5:30.
It's uh it's tough, right?
You gotta be careful on thedesserts in between.
That's the that's the key rightthere, man.
Let me tell you.
So, even bigger question in thelast one, Chris, and we're gonna
(28:01):
kick it off with you now.
What is the best side dish thatyou cannot go without for your
Thanksgiving?
SPEAKER_02 (28:09):
See, this is a question I knew you were gonna
ask me, and I I I I had You knowwhat?
SPEAKER_03 (28:14):
We asked we asked the tough questions here on the
ride home rants.
SPEAKER_02 (28:17):
Um, I knew it was coming, and I'm still not
prepared.
I don't like it.
Um I'd have to go with myBubby's stuffing.
I just think it's a real solidone.
I you don't I just don't eatstuffing much else throughout
the year.
I kind of associate it heavilywith the turkey.
I gravy it up with the turkeygravy.
(28:38):
Um it's the stuffing for me.
And I know some people hate it,and some people call it
dressing.
And to each his own, you callwhatever you want, but it's
good.
And I'd like some.
SPEAKER_03 (28:51):
Okay, Steve, what are you saying here?
SPEAKER_00 (28:53):
I'm going mac and cheese off top.
Uh, we're talking Bubbies, we'retalking Mimas, we're talking
grandmothers.
I'm I'm going my grandmother'smac and cheese.
It is top tier.
I won't get it this year, butguess what?
I'm a great grandson, and sheshared the recipe.
I will be making it myself.
It's absolutely delicious.
SPEAKER_03 (29:10):
All right, Matt, what are you rounding out on
this one?
SPEAKER_01 (29:13):
Boy, as long as mashed potatoes count as a side,
I guess that's what I'm gonna gowith.
Uh my meal is mostly mostlymashed potatoes and turkey
anyway.
And I guess maybe you couldcount gravy as a side.
I don't know.
I love the gravy, and I just putit on the corn, everything else,
green beans, everything else.
I put the gravy everywhere.
SPEAKER_03 (29:32):
Okay.
You know what?
I'm gonna agree with you, Matt.
I would say the probably the oneside dish I can't go without is
probably mashed potatoes aswell.
Because I just feel like it'sit's turkey and mashed potatoes,
like it just goes hand in hand,like it's one and one A of the
importance of Thanksgiving.
You know, uh, I don't know, it'slike it just goes hand in hand
(29:53):
the most.
So next one I'm kind of curiousbecause I feel like this is
maybe like a preference, ormaybe your location in the
country, or maybe just somethingwith your palate, or really
maybe how you cook it.
You know, do you like uh darkmeat or white meat or both from
the turkey?
Um, so what are you saying,Chris?
SPEAKER_02 (30:14):
I'm a big white meat guy uh with the turkey, but I am
a firm believer also it's howyou cook it.
Uh turkey dries out quick.
So if you if you fool aroundwith it and you don't time it up
right, or uh, you know, youdon't juice it up or you know,
put the butter in there orinject it, or you there are a
bunch of different trickseveryone does, but when you cook
(30:35):
white meat on the turkey theright way and it's nice and
juicy, I don't even eat itthroughout the year.
I'm probably one of the fewpeople that eats turkey maybe
handful, two handfuls a timethroughout the year, not just at
Thanksgiving, but I'm a whitemeat guy, big big uh deep fried
guy, though.
It's really good when you deepfried.
I'm a firm believer in that.
SPEAKER_03 (30:56):
Okay.
Chris, uh not Chris, sorry,Steve, what are you saying on
this?
SPEAKER_00 (30:59):
No, it's all good.
Um turkey wings, man.
I do like a good turkey wing.
So, you know, the wing of thebird is awesome, but the turkey
breasts, top tier.
If it's done well, it's doneright, and it's the best
leftover part of the turkey forthe sandwiches.
Um yeah, so I'm there.
That's that's it.
(31:20):
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (31:20):
Matt, what are you saying about this this dark meat
or white meat or both?
What are you what are youthinking?
SPEAKER_01 (31:25):
Well, I'm a little weird because like I said, I
like a little turkey with mygravy.
So I really don't care if it'swhite or dark uh when it's warm
right out of the oven or orwhatever, but uh I gotta go with
white meat for leftovers.
You have that turkey sandwichthe next three days at lunch
when we go back to school here.
Um, it's gotta be white meat.
I don't know why, but it doesn'tmatter during the day, but
(31:48):
Friday through Wednesday, thenext week has got to be white
meat.
SPEAKER_03 (31:52):
Sure.
And I think when you when I'veasked people this too, like in
the places I've worked and wherethey've come from, everybody has
like a different answer.
And I really do think like it'syour location within the country
of like where you've been andhow you've grown up with the
Thanksgiving.
Like, I like white meat and Ithink it's probably better for
leftovers, but like I don't minddark meat, but like if it's like
(32:13):
a leg of the turkey or somethinglike that, like I just also
can't just sit there and eatlike strips of dark turkey.
But if it's like a leg orsomething, I could do that.
And but I I would prefer thewhite meat for leftovers, but
either one, you know what?
I'm not I'm okay with becauseI'm not making a turkey, so I
want to be grateful for theturkey.
Um, because if someone was like,hey, what would you make for
(32:35):
Thanksgiving?
I'd be like, steak and the BobEvans mashed potato drop the
packet because those things aregreat.
SPEAKER_00 (32:43):
Yo, I'm making turkey stew after it's done,
too.
Like, I'm so all of thatleftover turkey meat that's not
going toward sandwiches, we'rethrowing that in a pot with some
veggies, it's getting boileddown.
It's just something else to eatwhen to keep you warm.
Don't let no parts of the birdgo to waste.
SPEAKER_03 (33:01):
Steve speaking the truth right there, man.
He's speaking the truth.
Okay.
All right, next one.
Tough one.
Chris, what are you gonna say tothis?
Now, it's kind of two parts, soyou gotta think about this in
two phases.
Would you ever go see the Macy'sDay parade in person on
Thanksgiving and spend the dayin New York City?
SPEAKER_02 (33:26):
Yeah, you do gotta kind of think about that
together.
SPEAKER_03 (33:29):
Because you you gotta see the parade, but spend
your Thanksgiving in New YorkCity.
SPEAKER_02 (33:35):
I feel like I'm the person that if I am going to the
parade, that would be like apackage deal in my mind.
So I the pairing of it matcheswell in my head.
I I'd say yes, but I'm alsogonna say I have a window for
this.
Like I don't, if I if I get toprobably, you know, 45, 50 years
old and haven't been to theMacy's Day parade yet.
(33:57):
It's probably not happening forme.
Kids will be a little bit olderlike that.
My window might be closed, butI'd leave it open.
I think that'd be cool to gosee, especially seeing it on TV
all these years.
Um, you know, the older I get,the more appreciative I get for
experiences in life.
Uh you know, sometimes you don'tappreciate those as much when
you're younger.
(34:17):
So I'm gonna say yeah to both ofthose because I feel like if you
do the Macy's winning Rome,right?
We're gonna do Thanksgivingthere too.
SPEAKER_03 (34:25):
So well, wouldn't it be better though, if you did it
when you were like 45 or 50,because your kids would be
teenagers or they would be outof the house so you can enjoy it
more with them when you'rethere.
SPEAKER_02 (34:36):
I need to go see uh Spongebob's balloon.
You know what I mean?
Like I feel like it's not quitelike going to Disney, but I feel
like bringing the kids adds alayer of enjoyment, not only for
them, but me too.
You know, I that's another thingI'm starting to appreciate.
I get a lot of enjoyment out ofseeing my kids happy.
So, you know, that that bringsout a different side of you.
(34:56):
So I feel like they gotta bepart of the bargain.
They're part of the okay, okay.
SPEAKER_03 (35:01):
Steve, what are you saying here?
Would you go see the Macy's Dayparade and spend the day in New
York City for Thanksgiving?
SPEAKER_00 (35:07):
You're gonna have to you're gonna have to stop me
from becoming Ferris Bueller.
I'm on the float.
I'm I'm I'm really trying to getinvolved.
I need that to be known.
So, like, yeah, the closer I canget, the better.
Um, New York is actually one ofmy favorite cities on the
planet.
So don't threaten me with goodtime, okay?
This is this is great.
This is my dream.
We've done um New Year's Eve acouple times in New York, and
(35:30):
it's way colder, I'm assuming,during that time.
So, yeah, I Macy's ThanksgivingDay parade.
That's a breeze.
Yeah, I'm looking forward tothat.
SPEAKER_03 (35:39):
Okay, okay.
Matt, what are you saying here?
SPEAKER_01 (35:42):
An emphatic no to both.
Yeah, an emphatic no to both.
Uh, like Chris said, I am in thedemographic of 45 to 50, and uh,
I have no desire to drive atnight, get stuck in traffic, get
stuck in crowds, um, spend halfmy day looking for somewhere to
go to the bathroom.
(36:03):
Uh there's nothing you couldoffer me that would entice me to
do that.
So a very emphatic no.
My kids be damned.
My kids be damned.
I don't care if they want to go,heck with that.
SPEAKER_02 (36:17):
I mean, that ship is sail.
SPEAKER_01 (36:19):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (36:23):
So if we're still doing this in about 15 more
years, this show to be likeepisode or like season 20 of
this.
I really hope we're doing that.
And I hope you guys are stillhere with us doing this episode
again.
But Chris, we're gonna bringthis back and be like, hey,
remember like 15 years ago whenMatt said he was in the
demographic of like 45 to 50 andhe didn't want to go.
(36:43):
Chris, did you ever make it tothe Macy's Day parade now that
you're 45?
SPEAKER_02 (36:47):
Come on on the Macy's Day sure.
Like, I I gotta I gotta I gottabe an artifact at that point.
SPEAKER_03 (36:54):
I I I would agree with Matt on this.
I'd probably say no.
Like, I think if I if I'm gonnago anywhere on Thanksgiving,
it's not New York City.
Like, I want to be like inanother country on a resort,
enjoying the beach in Hawaii, afield Ford Field for Laifield?
SPEAKER_02 (37:16):
Is that a bucket list for you?
Is it football game?
SPEAKER_03 (37:19):
I mean, maybe I don't know if John Madden was
alive and if John Madden wasalive and the Treduncan was a
thing being announced by JohnMadden, I they would it would be
it would be more on my bucketlist.
Um, because I would want to meetJohn Madden.
He'd be like, any whims, anybams, any blah, blah, blah, and
then I ate the Terduncan.
He'd be like, okay, what'd youjust say?
But it's nice to meet you too.
(37:39):
But like, it's that's great.
Um, but I don't know, maybe, butif I'm gonna do like somewhere
on Thanksgiving, I want it to belike tropical resort, warm.
Um, but you know, Macy's DayParade's pretty cool watching it
from the comfort of my warmliving room.
All right, two questions left,guys.
If you had to rank the big fourholidays in the US, so
(38:03):
Christmas, New Year's,Thanksgiving, and Easter, how
would you rank them in yourpersonal opinion from your
favorite holiday to leastfavorite holiday?
So favorite holiday first,second, third, and least holiday
fourth, least favorite holidayfourth.
Christmas, New Year's,Thanksgiving, Easter.
(38:23):
I will go first to let you guysponder this because it looks
like you're all pondering it.
Uh as I said that.
SPEAKER_02 (38:29):
We go with New Year's Eve or Halloween is the
fourth.
SPEAKER_03 (38:33):
No, it changes things.
No, New Year's.
It's New Year's.
Okay, it's New Year's,Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter.
So I will go.
My personal favorite, I'm gonnago Easter, then Thanksgiving,
then Christmas, then New Year's.
I just love Easter.
It's like the birth of summerstarting, of course, the
(38:57):
religious aspect of things too.
But it's like the birth ofsummer starting, birds are
chirping, spring's my favoriteseason.
So I'm just I just have to gowith that.
Um, I've always lovedThanksgiving too, and then I
would say probably Christmas.
I mean, I love Christmas, butChristmas three and then New
Year's four.
So, Chris, how are you rankingthem?
Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas,and New Year's, your favorite to
(39:19):
least favorite.
SPEAKER_02 (39:20):
Before I answer, I want to point out how the answer
to this changes over the courseof your life.
If you ask me as a kid, I'd havean answer.
If you asked me when I was incollege, I'd have an answer.
And I got a probably completelydifferent answer now.
So this is a great questionbecause there is no wrong
answer.
Because I think they're allgreat.
You take the religious aspectsout of it.
(39:42):
Because I'm very religious.
I really do love Easter forthat.
But it just religious aspectsout of it.
I'm going to go Christmas,Thanksgiving, Easter, New Year's
Eve.
I think the having Christmaswith the snow, the time of year,
the emphasis everyone puts on itkind of adds to how special it
(40:03):
is.
Um Thanksgiving for me, I'vekind of gushed about already,
but I appreciate Thanksgivingprobably more than anyone I
know.
I think it's a hidden gem of aholiday for what it represents
and where it's at in thecalendar.
And, you know, Easter's still alittle chilly.
You could have bad weather forEaster.
And at this point, if I seemidnight on New Year's Eve, I
mean, I do it a little bit, butI I've been very lame.
(40:26):
I tell you what, the end of my20s was uh polar opposite to
beginning of my 20s.
I didn't, I can't wait for it tohit so I go to bed.
So yeah, interesting question.
Good one.
SPEAKER_03 (40:38):
Okay, okay.
Steve, how are you ranking thesefour?
SPEAKER_00 (40:40):
That is a solid question.
Um I'm going, you know what?
My dad's one of my dad'sfavorite holidays was
Thanksgiving, and I know why heliked it.
You know, regardless of anyone'sstance politically, history, you
know, all of these things areimportant and culminate.
You know where I work.
So you you already know.
So um not ignoring any of thosethings, but understanding that
(41:03):
when it comes to like people,people want to be around their
family.
It's the first time of year thatyou can really think you can get
like a few days off, kids areout of school, everybody's kind
of in the house, it's gettingcolder.
Uh, you get to share thosestories, you get to have the
conversation, you get the goodfood, you're warm, and you can
be thankful.
You can truly be thankful forwhat's in front of you and who's
(41:25):
on the left and right of you.
So it's a time of reflection,and it's a good time, it feels
good.
Um for me, I love New Year'sEve.
I think New Year's Eve is supercool.
And with me being married now,I'm guaranteed to kiss.
You know, can't ignore that.
So that's a vibe.
Um, and you know, I got myplaylist, I'm watching New
Year's Rock and Eve.
(41:45):
I'm I'm I'm doing a lot.
And if I can travel or if I canbe somewhere cooler than my
house, I will absolutely bethere.
I would love to do New Year'sEve in Vegas at some point too.
Uh Easter is a a vibe, you knowwhat I mean?
It's great Bible study, it'sgood conversation.
I'm not gonna take the religionout of it, it's just good
conversation and it's revisitingsome stories that you shouldn't
forget for reasons why youshouldn't forget them.
(42:08):
Um, and it's pointing out howhow kind you you kind of got to
the blessing towards the end ofthe year.
Excuse me for kind of fumblingthat.
But yeah, so um Easter isdefinitely gonna be part of the
big three, and then Christmasgets the last slot, man.
It's number four, it'sstressful.
You know, people arguing overTVs and parking lots.
You can't run your normalerrands because everything's a
(42:28):
traffic jam all of a sudden,because now the same TV that was
on sale at Walmart last week ison sale this week, and it's more
of a special sale.
I don't know.
So if you take if I can get ridof the commercialism and we
could just make it a Hallmarkmovie, I vote Christmas, it's
beautiful.
The music's great, thesoundtrack is fire, but the
(42:49):
stress and the money spent iscrazy.
SPEAKER_01 (42:53):
So yeah, okay, okay, Matt, how are you ranking the
big four here in your opinion?
Uh to take the religious aspectsout, but still you really can't.
But uh, number one's got to beChristmas because you know, my
kids, that's just where a lot ofthe memory good memories,
memories that I actually stillcan remember, according to my
wife, you know, are made inChristmas.
(43:14):
And you know, that that's whatit's all about.
Uh, because I think my kidsenjoy Christmas, number one, so
therefore I do.
And uh one thing, you know,we're all getting older, but we
still uh observe all the Italiantraditions.
Um we've kept that throughthroughout uh Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day.
So I enjoy that.
Uh number two, Easter, um, justbecause it's wrapped around uh
(43:39):
days off school.
Uh, you know, if we're takingthe religious aspect out.
Uh number three, Thanksgiving.
I mean, it is what it is.
You got football, you got daysoff school, but uh uh deep, deep
number four would be New Year's.
Um it's it is what it is.
I mean, I hate to keep talkingabout it, it seems like I'm the
old guy that's yelling, get offmy lawn here in this podcast,
(44:02):
but you know, uh heck, I can't Ican't tell you if I ever got a
kiss on New Year's Eve.
There's and I can't tell you thelast time I saw the ball drop.
So uh really never had muchsuccess with New Year's anyway.
So um, but I did like I did likeNew Year's when I was younger
before got too commercialized.
(44:23):
I loved waking up and watchingcollege football and watching
Big Ten teams play and all theteams you've been following, but
you couldn't see them more thanone or two times a year because
you didn't have cable.
Um, I do miss that aspect of NewYear's Eve or New Year's Day.
Sure, sure.
SPEAKER_03 (44:41):
Oh, it's that's a great it is some great points
and you compare those two.
SPEAKER_02 (44:46):
Like I'd pick New Year's Day over New Year's Eve.
I mean, that's a football fans'holiday.
SPEAKER_03 (44:51):
I mean it used to be better, especially in the old
days, man.
Especially in the old days.
So I want to I want to bring upa couple things here that to
Steve's point.
You know, um, he talked aboutpeople fighting over stuff for
Christmas.
We were just talking about thisat work, and it's like seems
like like the Black Friday saleshave like kind of toned down,
(45:12):
right?
Because people are more closedand not everyone's open.
You buy more stuff online, butsomebody was just like, Man, I
miss like watching the news andwatching like two women fight
over Windex in the parking lotat 5 a.m.
Because they got it for like$3.99 instead of like$2.99, and
they're out there hitting eachother with shopping carts, or
like the two dads like fightingover one video game console that
(45:37):
because it's it's two o'clock inthe morning, and it the cell
kicked in at like 1 58 a.m.
and they're on their fistfighting in Walmart both getting
arrested.
So let me like I just I misslike I missed seeing that, but
let me give everybody someadvice.
And people never thought aboutthis, and I and I just figured
this out when I was like 18years old, so it's been a long
(45:58):
time.
Some of the best sales ofanything, cars, furniture,
clothes, whatever, are on NewYear's Day because they're
pushing out the old year's stockfor the New Year's stock.
So if anyone ever wants to getgood sales on stuff, books,
(46:19):
cars, furniture, appliances,clothes, whatever, go on New
Year's Day.
There is a ton of sales.
If you can wait pastThanksgiving and do some
shopping, you can always get agreat, great deal on stuff.
And a lot of people don'trealize that, but it's one of
the most discounted holidays ofthe year.
And then it gets discounted evenmore because a lot of places are
(46:42):
pushing out their oldmerchandise.
If you think about it, right?
Come January, a lot of placesare still are are getting rid of
their Christmas stuff and bulksales, right?
Nobody wants it.
People are getting rid of theirwinter jackets because it's
turning the springtime, youknow, in the marketing cells of
like real uh of customerservice.
So just something to to thinkabout there.
SPEAKER_00 (47:04):
All right, man.
That's great.
Because I think uh I'm I wasthinking private jets, right?
And I was thinking about whenthe best time to get one would
be.
And uh I think, yeah, I thinkI'm gonna wait till I do here.
It's time to count the PJ, guys.
SPEAKER_03 (47:19):
Right, right.
All right, guys.
One last question for you here,men.
So one word to describeThanksgiving is Chris.
Not Chris describingThanksgiving.
That's not my word, but Chris,what's your one word to describe
Thanksgiving?
Wholesome, wholesome.
Steve, what do you got?
(47:39):
Family, family, Matt?
SPEAKER_01 (47:43):
Boy, uh, they they took them all.
Man, they're being all nicehere.
I don't know.
Uh, football there.
SPEAKER_03 (47:49):
Football.
Okay, we got wholesome, family,and football.
All right, guys.
Thank you so much for being onthis uh this year's episode of
the Ride Home Rants Thanksgivingpreview.
But before everybody goes, let'spause for a second because we
got a big 54 questionnaire hereto go today.
Not the fast 55, but we got thebig 54 questionnaire.
(48:13):
Now, guys, you're each gonna getone question, and then the other
question, everybody gets at thesame, well, everybody can get an
answer.
Okay, so we're gonna go Chris,Steve, and Matt, with your
questions, and then we're gonnago right back through for the
next question.
Now, for the new listeners outthere, we typically have the
fast 55 for any individual showswhere I've asked five random
(48:34):
questions to the guests, or Mikewill ask five random questions
to the guests that I'll sendover.
They usually have nothing to dowith the show.
And basically, these havenothing to do with the
Thanksgiving show, but we'regonna have a little bit of fun
here to end the show on.
So, Chris, your question (48:47):
if you had to pick one of these three
guys to narrate your life everyday, would you pick James Earl
Jones, Sam Elliott, or MorganFreeman?
SPEAKER_02 (49:04):
James Earl Jones, baby.
Go blue.
SPEAKER_03 (49:08):
You know, James Earl Jones, you know, rest in peace,
was a fantastic, fantasticactor, voice of Darth Vader, but
all three of them have thegreatest voices, probably of all
time when it came to the city.
SPEAKER_02 (49:22):
John Facenda from Gold NFL films.
SPEAKER_03 (49:25):
Yes, the voice of God.
So voice of God.
Yeah.
Um, but man, but James EarlJones narrating your life would
be pretty great.
Same thing with Sam Elliott andMorgan Freeman.
Okay, Steve, we're going to you.
Steve, if you could be an emoji,what emoji would you be?
SPEAKER_00 (49:43):
Man.
The thumbs up emoji.
That's like it's all right.
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (49:53):
Okay.
Matt, your question is Dasani orAquafina bottled water better?
SPEAKER_01 (50:01):
Dasani, because I like the bottles better.
Aquafina or two.
I got these short Italian stubbyfingers, and the Dasani's just
fit my stubby Italian fingersmuch better.
Yep, that's it.
SPEAKER_03 (50:17):
Okay, so that's three questions out of the four.
Last question, everybody's gonnaget the answer.
We're gonna go with you, Marsco,on this.
If you could live in any othercountry for the rest of your
life and never return toAmerica, what country are you
picking?
Italy.
Italy.
Good pick.
Steve, what are you picking?
SPEAKER_00 (50:37):
I gotta go.
Come back to give me a second.
I want to say Jamaica.
I really do.
It's nice.
SPEAKER_03 (50:53):
Are we going with Jamaica final answer?
Let's go with Jamaica.
Okay.
Go on Jamaica final answer.
Matt, where would you pick?
Gotta be Italy.
Gotta be Italy.
Gotta be Italy.
Okay.
I gotta see what the hype'sabout.
Yeah, you gotta go to Italy.
See what the hype's about.
I would probably I would pickCosta Rica.
(51:15):
I absolutely love Costa Rica.
It's great, it's awesome.
It's a vibe, pure Vita.
You know, it's just a wholething.
No, maybe have to do an episodeone time on all the countries we
would want to live in and talkabout visiting other countries.
It could be the all thingsinternational show, which could
be a pretty good time.
Talk about all the things.
(51:37):
I think we just got a new ideafor uh season six in 2026.
How about that?
All right.
I gotta I gotta I gotta throwBono at Bono that one.
Now I gotta find people thoughwho have actually traveled out
of the country, and then alsopeople who have ambitions to
travel out of the country so wecan talk about all those things.
So uh, but that's gonna do itfor this week's episode of the
(51:58):
Ride Home Rants podcast.
As always, if you enjoyed theshow, be a friend and tell a
friend.
And if you didn't, tell themanyways.
They may like it just becauseyou did it.
This is Fitty signing off, andfrom everyone at Ride Home
Rants, we wish you a very, veryhappy Thanksgiving.
Talk to you all soon.
Thanks so much.
SPEAKER_00 (52:16):
Thank you.
Thank you, appreciate it.
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