Advertise on podcast: Christmas Cousins

When you get the chance to sit down for a one-on-one interview with America's greatest living writer, you take it. We sat down with Brian to learn about his life, his new book, and what it feels like to be the darling of the literati. We also discuss Seth skateboarding his way into his college's newspaper, Joe wearing sunglasses inside and so much more... Enjoy!

Well, it’s that time of year again—Christmas movie season! Yes, the time of year when we all cuddle up, get cozy, and wonder if Seth actually watched the movie he was supposed to watch. Well, this one takes place in Chicago, he’s in Chicago, should be an easy one for him…but is it ever as easy as it sounds with good old Cousin Seth? Find out today as Joe, Lee, and superfan Cousin Mary join Seth and Chad for an in-depth look at The Chicago Bears Holiday Touchdown. Bear down!

Wow, it is only October, but Cousin Seth's Christmas vibes are through the roof! Elves! Real Trees! Eggnog! Seasonal drinks! Horror walks! Frankenmuth trip! Opening Weekend Hallmark movie! and more...so much more...always so much more...

Seth was tasked with making a list to choose what Hallmark Christmas movies we will be covering this year. He showed up late. And listless (and, also, without a list). But we persevere with the help of the Christmas Aficionado and pick some great ones that we'll be covering (assuming Seth actually watches them)...stay tuned!

This is exactly what we were looking for. Seth comes to the table with a list of activities. Real activities. Christmas activities! Fall activities! That he will be doing to make his season merry and bright and to move up some grades from Kringle Kindergarten. And the episode ends with a much-needed update on the cast of the ’80s sitcom, “Small Wonder,” because why not. Of course, Joe @christmasaficionado knew everything about this show...

Cousin Seth loves a good challenge but hates most pumpkin items. Cousin Chad loves watching Seth eat items he hates. We go through some intriguing new TJs fall finds in hopes of finding ones we like...and hopefully some that Seth finds disgusting...join us for the fun!

It is September. Autumn is basically here. It is time: Pumpkin. Beer. Tasting. We did it live on Christmas Aficionado's channel with Seth, Joe and Lee (and surprise guest Bran)!

Season 31 is here , Christmas Cousins (yes, 31, Seth even triple checked out math)!  We arrived with an agenda, an outline and the almost-professional intention of previewing our upcoming fall episodes while laying out Cousin Seth’s next seasonal semester: what exactly must our former Jolly Junior accomplish to advance from Kringle Kindergarten to Festive First Grade on his long and winding road toward Christmas High School? It was an excellent plan. It lasted approximately three minutes...until Cousin Seth started talking. One life update led to another, and suddenly our carefully constructed fall preview was tossed aside as we discussed Seth's love life. And because this is the Christmas Cousins and apparently boundaries are merely suggestions, before long we were meeting Lindsay herself—live on the show. So forget the syllabus. Forget the lesson plan. Today we’re talking Seth, Lindsay, life updates, love and whatever else happened once we completely surrendered control of the episode. It’s the quintessential Christmas Cousins show: we came prepared with a topic and discovered reality was considerably more entertaining. We promise the fall festivities, seasonal education and Cousin Seth’s matriculation toward Festive First Grade will resume shortly. But some breaking Cousin news simply demands the floor.

Well, we were supposed to be on hiatus. But then we realized something important: this journey was never just about helping Cousin Seth discover Christmas. It's become something much bigger. The mission now is to help Seth embrace all the seasons and find joy year-round. And what says summer more than cole slaw? Unfortunately, we've uncovered a serious problem. Cousin Seth does not like cole slaw. Naturally, this has become our latest emergency intervention. So we're taking a hiatus from our hiatus for a very special Summer Spectacular. After a few months away, the Christmas Cousins return with enough updates, loose ends, and deeply questionable food decisions to fill several episodes—but good judgment has never been our brand. We begin, naturally, with Cousin Seth: life in South Haven, the latest developments in his burgeoning coffee empire, and the obligatory love-life update the international community has been demanding. Then Joe the Christmas Aficionado checks in with tales of high-end whiskey acquisitions, new toys, fresh memorabilia, and other completely essential investments. Meanwhile, the Prince of Pittsburgh Cousin Lee would simply like to know why Seth apparently refuses to sell him coffee. But Lee has brought leverage: a container of coleslaw delivered to Seth’s house for the long-awaited Christmas Cousins Coleslaw Challenge. Unfortunately, it then sat outside in the summer heat for roughly five hours. Cousin Seth already considers fresh coleslaw an affront to human dignity. Will he now eat the warm, possibly sentient version? Absolutely not—probably. But this is Cousin Seth, so no one knows until the cameras roll. It’s an overflowing return episode packed with coffee, romance, whiskey, consumerism, simmering merchandise grievances, and one tub of cabbage that may now qualify as a biological weapon.

It’s time once again for the annual Christmas Cousins summer hiatus episode. Yes—even the Christmas Cousins occasionally step away from the microphones, drink something cold, attempt to touch grass, and try to remember what life is like outside the holiday season. Before we disappear for a little summer break, Cousin Chad and Cousin Seth sit down for one final seasonal check-in: How’s Seth doing?How’s life at Recharge Coffee?Any big summer plans?What’s coming next for the podcast?And perhaps most importantly… how long until we’re talking Christmas again?It’s a relaxed catch-up episode full of updates, laughs, mild chaos, and the comforting realization that no matter how warm it gets outside, Christmas is never actually that far away around here. We’ll miss you all—but don’t worry. Christmas in July will be here before you know it, and the cousins will return rested, refreshed, and probably still deeply concerned about Seth’s progress. See you soon, everybody. 🎄☀️

Kringle Kindergarten Part II: Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas...This One Has To Go Right. Right? The first official round of Kringle Kindergarten has concluded… and the results can only be described as SETHACULAR. The assignments seemed simple enough: Send out three Christmas cards (he sent one)Color a Christmas mug (unfinished)Complete a Christmas word search (shockingly excellent — genuine A+ work)Watch and explain a Bluey Christmas episodeNow, technically, Seth may have watched the Bluey episode. Or possibly the wrong one. Or perhaps part of one. At this time, MIT scientists, physicists, and several Christmas-adjacent engineers are still reviewing the evidence. No definitive conclusions have been reached. So after what many are calling a “challenging” kindergarten debut, Seth has been assigned a new task: the beloved classic Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. Surely this one is foolproof, right? Simple. Cozy. Charming. Manageable. …Right? Join the cousins as Seth gives his thoughts, reports back on what he learned, attempts to absorb the Christmas vibes, and fights to prove he’s finally ready to move on to Grade One.

It’s a question people around the world have quietly wondered: What is Cousin Seth actually like in person? What would it be like to actually meet him? In this very special episode, Cousin Lee—aka the Prince of Pittsburgh—and his better half, Maria, take the ultimate holiday-adjacent journey: a full-on pilgrimage to South Haven, Michigan, home of the one and only Recharge Coffee… and, of course, Cousin Seth himself. They surprise Seth, spend an evening and morning with him, and return with a full field report: What’s South Haven really like?What’s Recharge Coffee like in real life?And most importantly… what is Seth actually like when the microphones aren’t on?This is Embedded with Cousin Seth—a boots-on-the-ground investigation into the man, the myth, the barista. The results may surprise you. Or confirm everything you already suspected. Either way… the report is in.

Welcome to a new chapter in Cousin Seth’s journey: Kringle Kindergarten. Yes, after the events of the now-infamous trial, Seth begins his next phase of seasonal education the only way the Cousins know how—by assigning him a Bluey Christmas episode to watch, study, and review in his own… unmistakable style. What follows is a full breakdown of the episode as only Seth can deliver: thoughtful, unpredictable, and occasionally veering into places no one saw coming. And in a true “miracle of miracles” moment, Seth has also completed a long-awaited task—he has finally sent Cousin Mary her Christmas card. In April. Is he extremely late for 2025?Or somehow early for 2026?At this point, we’re just asking questions. It’s a fun, slightly chaotic episode marking the beginning of Seth’s Kindergarten era—with lessons, progress, and just enough confusion to suggest we’re exactly where we’re supposed to be. Class is officially in session.

In the aftermath of what experts are already calling the most significant broadcast event of our time, the Christmas Cousins return to do the only thing left to do: Try to understand what just happened. Yes, we’re talking about The Trial of Cousin Seth—the so-called trial of the century, a proceeding so consequential, so emotionally charged, so thoroughly overanalyzed… that we’re still not entirely sure what the verdict actually means. Now that the decision has been rendered (and possibly appealed in the court of public opinion), Cousin Chad and Cousin Seth are joined by Joe the Christmas Aficionado and Brian Herald aka "F. Scott FitzHerald" from Deck The Hallmark podcast to unpack it all: What exactly happened in that courtroom?Did justice prevail… or did Christmas?What does this mean for Seth’s future—his status, his journey, his standing in the seasonal hierarchy?And perhaps most importantly… what happens next? This is less a recap and more a post-verdict summit—a gathering of minds attempting to process the unprocessable. Because when something this historic occurs, you don’t move on.

All rise. It’s that time of year again—the most important proceeding on the Christmas Cousins calendar: The Trial of Cousin Seth. After completing Year Three of his journey to embrace Christmas—and, more ambitiously, all seasons—the question now stands before the court: did he do enough? Last year, Seth earned a hard-fought promotion from Seasonal Sophomore to Jolly Junior. But this year, the stakes are higher. Will he rise to the rank of Santa Senior? Or will the court find cause for demotion… back to Jolly Junior, Seasonal Sophomore, Festive Freshman—or, in the most extreme scenario, a full reset to Kringle Kindergarten? To ensure a fair and balanced hearing, we’ve assembled a truly formidable bench: Judge Bran (returning), of Deck The Hallmark and Gilmore the MerrierSupreme Court Justice Dan, brought in to maintain order should things spiral (they will)Representing the case: Prosecutor: Joe the Christmas AficionadoDefense Counsel: Festive Cousin Bob of Festive Four Film Fans...a last minute no-show...hmmm???Voice of the People / Bailiff: Cousin Lee, King of All SuperfansPlus, a surprise witness!!!And at the center of it all… the defendant himself: Cousin Seth. Evidence will be presented. Arguments will be made. Emotions may run high. The Christmas spirit will be tested. This isn’t just an episode—it’s a verdict. And it’s one you won’t want to miss.