The holidays are supposed to feel magical… so why do they sometimes feel like pure chaos?

In this Brains Gone Bold: Holiday Edition, Maria and Jeanine keep it real about what the season actually looks like as adults. You know - the stress, the money, the “what do I buy my teenager?” spiral, and the pressure to have a picture-perfect holiday that doesn’t exist.

They talk about what does bring joy, though:
✨ experience gifts instead of “stuff”
✨ Christmas lights and nostalgia
✨ baking cookies (and freezing them… even if you can taste it)
✨ gingerbread house competitions with secret weapons
✨ and the core memories we all wish we could bottle up and keep forever

Jeanine shares a hilarious (and very real) take on why there’s “no such thing as a Hallmark Christmas” and how the smell of fish can totally hijack Christmas. Maria admits she sometimes wants to strip away gift-giving entirely, just to get back to the actual spirit of the season.

They also end with a warm call to action:
What holiday traditions still work when kids are older and how do you create new core memories? Jeanine says she’s “chasing” that feeling, and they want your ideas.

If you’re looking for a holiday episode that’s funny, honest, and comforting - this one’s for you.

👉 Drop your favorite holiday tradition in the comments.
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