Raise a glass and join the fun on Big Blend Radio’s Annual Holiday Happy Hour Party 2025, a festive roundtable celebration filled with cocktails, travel tales, holiday foods, music, and meaningful conversations about gift-giving and community.

In this spirited holiday episode, an all-star lineup of Big Blend Radio guest experts share their favorite holiday traditions, memorable travels, and seasonal culinary delights. The conversation also explores sustainable celebrations, thoughtful gift-giving (including the art of re-gifting), and why experiences and connections often matter more than material gifts.

The episode wraps up with a joyful and creative collaboration as everyone comes together to design the perfect Christmas card — a heartfelt reflection of shared experiences, gratitude, and community during the holiday season.

Featured Big Blend Radio Friends: * Author & Food Writer Jeff Spear: https://spearwrites.com/ * Travel Writer & Photographer Sharon K. Kurtz: https://sharonkkurtz.com/ * Author & Editor Cliff Garstang: https://cliffordgarstang.com/ * Writer & Book Industry Expert Eva Eldridge: https://evaeldridge.com/ * Singer-Songwriter Johnny Schaefer: https://hearjohnny.com/ * Author & Environmental Activist Cheryl Leutjen: https://cherylleutjen.com/

🍸 Cheers to holiday happy hours, shared stories, and celebrating the season together!

Chef Ivan Flowers—5-Star Chef and Culinary Instructor—returns to Big Blend Radio’s “Eat, Drink & Be Merry” Show to share a festive, crowd-pleasing appetizer: Holiday Ham Spirals. Perfect for entertaining, this recipe highlights how simple techniques and creative flavor combinations can elevate holiday cooking.

In this episode, Chef Ivan breaks down the versatility of roulades, the role of pickling in enhancing flavor and texture, and how using unexpected ingredients can make a dish memorable. The conversation also explores cultural influences in cooking, budget-friendly meal planning, sustainable kitchen practices, and the joy of cooking together during the holidays.

Whether you’re hosting a holiday gathering or looking for an easy appetizer with wow factor, this episode proves that anyone can cook—and have fun doing it.

Holiday Ham Spirals Recipe (Substack): https://open.substack.com/pub/bigblendfooddrink/p/holiday-ham-spirals

In this special Winter Solstice episode of Big Blend Radio, we celebrate the birthday of award-winning singer-songwriter Johnny Schaefer, cohost of the Big Daily Blend Podcast (airs every 1st Sunday), along with the season’s spirit of reflection, gratitude, and togetherness.

The conversation explores the meaning of the Winter Solstice, cherished holiday traditions, and the joy of gathering with friends and family. Johnny shares stories behind his Christmas music—including his newest single “Pictures of Christmas”—and discusses the art of storytelling through song, vocal expression, and the role of instruments in creating timeless holiday music. From Advent hymns to eclectic seasonal favorites, this episode highlights how music connects generations and cultures while offering comfort, joy, and inspiration during the holidays.

🎶 Learn more about Johnny Schaefer: https://hearjohnny.com/

🎄 Johnny Schaefer – Christmas Songs: * Pictures of Christmas – https://youtu.be/B9Fe3w1DT9M?si=8tbwd2MpHhOcLBCk * Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella – https://youtu.be/sSW7-lf5-W4?si=DWx6-qx5VcLvAwfI * O Come, O Come, Emmanuel – https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=C7bTYvC2Om8oHJsH&v=eKCjm0OYwFo&feature=youtu.be * Joseph's Prayer – https://youtu.be/5UFwqoY5ZEo?si=h73PoXeeKXeJO-Uw * Proclamation of the Birth of Christ – https://youtu.be/sSW7-lf5-W4?si=sbLViGId5hPOWoZ7 * The Bach-Gounod Ave Maria – https://youtu.be/qlzJCMai1so?si=UQWvSaXl6XHJNguT * People Look East – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqG5Vammou0 * All the Babes on Christmas Born – https://youtu.be/ZB2hNDbHn8o?si=y4ycCE12h08f4ET5 * Finlandia Brasileira – https://youtu.be/8M_LlEhUH7c?si=zNM3Ee5NYtXQjaU3 * The Friendly Beasts and Away in a Manger – https://youtu.be/eg3-eZAOx9A?si=DCQqULcp73jN2Stw

🎼 Johnny’s Christmas Playlists: * Advent: A Musical Journey – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj6NTFiUTbxEGsz9QP4eDmYGmLeJrkEdB&si=9DwY9TfntZfAJd3b * Eclectic Christmas Playlist – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj6NTFiUTbxETSCjjnsbwmOqBKtkt_MEW&si=v9PIN4Vwad3j8a8L * From Here to Nativity Album – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj6NTFiUTbxFAt6UC2Fvzn6PHdGCgTj9M&si=3i2OPmuAFMlOFevd

Explore Big Blend Radio's Network of Shows: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork