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Said the night wind to the Festive Fan

"Want to go where I go?"

An island in the sea, Festive Fan

"Want to go where I go?"

Witness Christmas, where it’s communist

They just keep it hidden from sight

They just keep it hidden from sight

Wow. Spring has sprung. The weather is warmer, the grass is greener, and two hairy bears have emerged from hibernation. Yes, Mark and Bob are back and awake. They are ready to travel on an empty stomach, but this podcast better serve up a location with some decent cuisine. Well, the Gods have delivered, as we are off to a place with bold flavors from its Spanish, African, and Caribbean influences, and known for a famous sandwich filled with savory ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard … yes, we are off to Cuba!

Did you know that this little island was the inspiration for the song Do You Hear What I Hear? It may sound like an old classic carol, but it was inspired by the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. At the time, the United States and the Soviet Union were locked in a dangerous confrontation over nuclear missiles discovered in Cuba. The world feared that the conflict could lead to a nuclear war, and the song was a written as a plea for peace. In the song, the night wind tells a lamb about a star, the lamb tells a shepherd, and eventually a king learns about a child who will bring “goodness and light.” It reflects on the Nativity, but this is a real example of how Cuba has played a central role in shaping world history.

So, the Festive Fans are off this tiny communist nation to understand how it celebrates the holiday. Cuba has strong Catholic roots, but after the revolution in 1959, public celebrations of Christmas were prohibited. Only after Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1998, Christmas was officially reinstated and Cubans were finally able to embrace the holiday again. We also view the documentary Revolution Rent to explore modern-day Cuba through the journey of Cuban-American theater director Andy Señor Jr. He returns to the country where his parents were exiled to stage the Broadway musical Rent on Christmas Eve. The film follows putting on the stage production from auditions to opening night and offers a nuanced portrait of contemporary Cuban society.

Cuba. So close and yet so far away. We have experienced so much together -- the Revolution, the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Mariel Boatlift, and Elián González – and yet we still behave like two lovers in a spat, slamming our collective doors shut. Our breakup was loud and public, full of accusations and hurt feelings, and both sides walking away angry. Now, with our long, shared history, we have to settle with anguished glances and pining away for a nostalgic past. In fact, as we write this, we are contemplating another ill-timed attempt to get back together, convinced that if we just push hard enough, everything will somehow go back to the way it was. We still have a lingering sense that somehow our story as a couple isn’t finished. The passion may have cooled, but that jealousy, it still simmers.

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As we kick off the second half today, you might be thinking that it is nearly the end of February and we are still not done with the Christmas celebration. We know it’s been a little bit of time, but we really wanted to share the recording with those who weren’t able to attend. There was something electric about this year’s live show — the space, the stage, the lights, the crowd, the music — but what really transformed the night into something unforgettable was our special guests. We invited them to appear because of their celebrity status. We thought it would add excitement and prestige to our event. We hoped that their presence would attract fans, but the moment they stepped on stage, everything changed.

What we didn’t expect was that their celebrity glow would fade into genuine warmth. The night became no longer about hosting celebrities. When you listen to the interviews, you realize we that were connecting with some remarkable human beings. We think you should know more about them:

• Jackie Kostek is an anchor and reporter at CBS Chicago, covering a variety of topics for the CBS News Chicago morning show. She has had a lot of fun on the live Jump Start with Jackie segments – log rolling, roller-coaster riding, eating, drinking, dancing, skating, and getting to know many of the city’s new businesses and festivals. She also worked as the in-arena and digital host for the Chicago Blackhawks and was the weekend anchor and reporter at KTNV in Las Vegas. Jackie also produced episodes of PBS' national travel show, Family Travel with Colleen Kelly, and served as the Director of Photography for an independent documentary about online harassment. She received a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Columbia University in New York and a Bachelor’s in Journalism and American Studies from the University of Kansas.

• Darryl Postelnick is better known for his TikTok segments — “Cooking with Darryl” — where he is a social media influencer with more than 3 million followers. Darryl always enjoyed cooking, so his young daughter thought it would be fun to film him after he retired. Even though he is not a chef or never went to culinary school, his second video reached viral status. He became very popular with Gen Z and some attribute it to his dad energy and his approachable cooking style and vibrant online presence. Whatever the attraction, it has provided a second career for him. He's got a cookbook called R U Kidding Me and even collaborated with Saugatuck Brewing Company on a beer called “Saugatuck R. U. Kidding Me IPA”, which just might be the reason the Festive Fans follow him.

• The Maeberries are a Chicago-based music group that specializes in 50s, 60s, and 70s music. The group loves soul and folk music and enjoys playing well-known songs with a funky jazzy twist. They play at local bars and other events. Kaylee Mae Hofman is the lead singer for the band.

In the end, we had our own Linus moment. It wasn’t about the star power. What matters is the heart behind it. We experienced some real holiday magic at this year’s show. Because of our guests, this D

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Another two-part episode? What’s next - a crossover podcast with “Deck Hallmark”?

Nope, we decided to start 2026 with big things. First, we kicked off January with our super-stuffed England episodes filled with extras and special guests. Now we are presenting our recent live Christmas event in audio form. We don’t want you to experience it secondhand, so we are trying to convey the gestures, reactions, and energy that you can’t see or feel. Since we can’t come over to your homes to pantomime the chaos of a live environment, we are going to inject some comments through the show to help you know what’s happening.

Imagine the ideal holiday event location. The Festive Foreign Film Fans Live Show unfolds in a nightclub where the air is buzzing with laughter and conversation. The stage glows in saturated reds and greens. At the center is a giant 4F logo and standing in front of it are your two seasoned hosts — looking a bit more weathered than their cartoon alter egos. Behind us are the Maeberries, a jazz band that swings through festive holiday standards. Off to one side sits a Santa throne — decked in Christmas lights — but a ready hot seat for our really popular and charming guests. The whole scene feels intimate yet electric, blending holiday hysteria with nightclub cool.

Our Live Show is not like our podcast but more like a variety show. We don’t cover any movies or songs, although we do test the audience on information only gleaned from our past episodes. The whole thing has the feel of a fever dream turned into a public spectacle. On this night, we’re incredibly lucky to welcome two guests who aren’t just hugely popular, but fun and normal. They show up and share some incredible Christmas stories. Jackie Kostek, a television news anchor, stays for the whole evening, appearing in another skit and joining us for a sing-a-long at the end of the show. Darryl Postelnick has an amazing background and brings several of his books for prizes and personally signs each one for the winners. They both made the night memorable. It’s rare to find celebrities who are so generous with their time, especially at the busy holiday season. We don’t take for granted how their presence elevated the entire show.

This night features trivia and prizes, a surprise dance routine, and, along with the real music, some goofy songs, jingling bells, and two hosts whose material falls flat in the best way possible. The whole room is in on the joke, creating a rare kind of holiday magic meets playful nonsense. We just wish the world could be a little more like this more of the time.

This show is the highlight of our Festive Fans year, and we hope you enjoy it and much as we did!

(Is Cousin Chad is still talking? … )

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Hey, Festive Fans, let nothing ye dismay, we’re back with Part Two of our super-sized Festive Foreign Film Fans Special Royal English Christmas/New Year's Triple-Stuffed Podcast Episode Extravaganza! Phew, if you think that’s a lot to say, just consider the exciting, action-packed show we’re describing. It is a two-part journey across England and, along the way, we unwrap traditions old and new, share some of their Christmas music, eat Latvian piragi, and listen as our guests recall their own Christmas memories. This episode is filled with real tidings of comfort and joy! It is more stuffed than the man with the bag, and you know that’s what everybody’s talking about. England has so much Yule merriment and festive atmosphere that we couldn’t fit it all into one show!

Come all ye faithful! We have brought in some incredible people to create our audio content, so we don’t have to. And, as loyal listeners know, we don’t give up the microphone lightly -- you have to pry it out of our chubby little fingers. We’ve already heard from Adam Parker Sibun from the “Merry Britsmas” podcast. He gave us some of the unique details we crave (thanks to his Nan for her crazy gift-giving ideas), but we’ve only just begun to appreciate the story of Christmas in England. For today’s journey, we have Jack Ford, from the “Total Christmas” podcast. Jack and his show are the inspiration for the “Festive Foreign Film Fans”, so you can blame him. He has, well, a total knowledge of British Christmas and is excellent at creating a fun holiday agenda. We also talk to Matt Fitzpatrick, who is currently the 22nd top ranked golfer in the world and one of the Top 5 golfers from England. So what does Matt know about Christmas? Enough to recognize that “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie. Plus, he is a Sheffield United fan.

If you didn’t listen to Part One, let nothing ye dismay. What we explored last episode only built the foundation and set the stage for Part Two, where we now dive deeper into the sounds, customs, and curious details that bring an English Christmas to life. These Three Guests with Accents Are pretty special, providing us their own personal reflections. Through their stories, it’s no Silent Night as we hear how Christmas is experienced, remembered, and felt across the pond. We even find time to fit in our own choice for best British Christmas song and some royal trivia that may surprise even the most devoted Anglophile.

So don’t un-deck the halls or pack away the holly just yet. Welcome back to the next chapter of our cozy, classic English Christmas tale.

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Wait, don’t think the holidays are over! They don’t have to be. It may be the end of the 12 Days of the Christmas, but the Festive Fans want to keep the party going, all year! We are starting off 2026 with a visit to jolly old England, the granddaddy of the Christmas holiday. It is so merry, we needed an expanded two-part episode, with special guests, extra movies, and more general celebration. Just what we need for our post-Christmas blues!

Can we think of an international location more Christmas cozy than Great Britain? When we think of an idyllic holiday vision of carolers, crackling fires, and snow tapping at the window, what we are picturing is Victorian England. We wanted to start the new year off here, because we consider it one of the preeminent Christmas places in the world. It is picturesque, with its candlelit churches, village greens, frost-softened mornings, and the pubs glowing with warmth. And while it may be the ideal backdrop to set the holiday mood, it is not without meaning, which lingers well beyond the parties, gifts, and meals.

More importantly, it is Dickens, and his native land, who are mostly responsible for not only adding ghosts to the holiday (which we appreciate!), but also reimaging Christmas as a season of warmth, generosity, and redemption. Ebenezer Scrooge showed us that moral responsibility to mankind is essential to a just society. We saw this same spirit reflected again in England through the charitable efforts of Band Aid, when local musicians mobilized global attention in the 1980s to raise millions of dollars to combat world hunger during the Ethiopian famine. Like Scrooge’s experience, the efforts of Band Aid demonstrated how empathy can spark actual change. These examples show how the English don’t just express the Christmas spirit; they personify it.

Recall how Dickens encouraged readers to carry the spirit of compassion forward beyond the holidays. He reminds us that generosity is not limited to a single season. Focusing on these charitable lessons and their real-world impact is a powerful way to begin a new year. As 2025 transitions into 2026, it provides us a valuable opportunity for personal reflection and motivation.

Starting the new year with a renewed commitment to purpose and social responsibility, sets a hopeful tone and can make the new year feel more purposeful and full of possibility. So come join the Festive Fans over the next two episodes to celebrate and appreciate how England embodies the true spirit of Christmas through its history, literature, traditions and emphasis on compassion and goodwill. No other place can deliver Christmas and bring it to life with such timeless charm.

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Better late than never. We missed our episode drop date by 10 days. That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown. It’s so much fun packed into a few short weeks. Plus, the way the Festive Fans pine away for this holiday all year, we have to squeeze the most out of our season. We’ve barely had time to make our Christmas lists. You know that anticipation can sometimes make things better by building excitement before the event actually arrives. So now that this episode is finally dropping, it carries the weight of all that expectation, which should make it feel more rewarding and memorable. However, that’s not the case here.

The Festive Fans visit Georgia this episode. No, not that Peach State. We are talking about the country that is framed by the snowcapped Caucasus Mountains and the warm shores of the Black Sea. It is a place known for being at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. We view only our second documentary in three years. It explores another aspect of the Christmas commercial trade -- the transnational Christmas tree industry. Despite it being the holiday season, we are still left at the end with the same feeling of angst.

This film is framed in the shadow of a child’s murder who we meet in the documentary. It also tackles the socio-economic conditions between the working-class Georgians who risk their lives climbing trees to harvest pinecones and the upper-class Danes who buy them. This financial dichotomy over the production of Christmas trees creates a strong sense of emotional overload. When the world outside is glowing with lights and songs about hope and joy, this stream of real-life drama is raw and cuts more deeply. In this way, a sad documentary during Christmas doesn’t just tell a story—it intertwines with the season’s emotions.

Above all, this movie carries emotional depth, especially at this time of year. While not pleasant or festive, it still is deeply human and part of the shared Christmas experience. When the season is stripped down to its true essence, it can still be deeply spiritual and meaningful. So it is important during our celebrations, that we recognize that understanding, gratitude, and humility always lie at the heart of Christmas.

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Working in Alaska in the 1980s was no place for the fainthearted. It demanded perseverance and fortitude. Work began before dawn. The tasks were repetitive, backbreaking, and physical. Bears wandered close enough that you could hear their breath in the dark, or if the boom on the ship knocked you overboard, they weren’t coming back for you. A seasonal job in the Alaskan wilderness reshaped you in ways that you couldn’t anticipate. It was raw, demanding, and difficult. But you also learned what it meant to be strong—and to be truly, vibrantly alive.

It was in this environment that the Festive Fans forged their personalities and became the true Christmas fans they are today. For our special Thanksgiving episode, the boys return back to the Last Frontier to explore Christmas in this vast wilderness. Alaska is the largest U.S. state and not contiguous to the lower 48 states. It has impressive landscapes, towering mountain ranges, and expansive forests, tundra, and glaciers.

As our favorite season approaches, Mark and Bob take a trip down memory lane to revisit a pivotal time in their lives that they spent in the pristine wilds of Alaska. Although not a festive foreign place, it still has that untamed feel that makes it both unique and awe-inspiring. Alaska, with its breathtaking scenery, sweeping majestic mountains, ice-blue rivers, and dancing northern lights, is something sacred.

Come join us as we reminisce on our time spent in this favorite state and discuss the 2020 Mel Gibson film “Fatman”. At the same time that the lights begin to twinkle on our Christmas trees at home, we recall a place where the night sky was ablaze with stars illuminated by the midnight sun, no matter if you were watching from an oil rig or a fishing boat. Our wish for Christmas is that Alaska forever remains this beacon of hope and promise, with its deep Indigenous heritage. We want future generations to enjoy how we felt when we both stood on ground that seemed untouched, and embraced that fierce, unbroken, and wild freedom that Alaska offers to the young at heart.

It is Thanksgiving 2025 today, and Mark and I are so grateful not only for our fans, but also for our shared experience in the rugged landscape of the 49th state. This is another common element that we share in our soul, just like our love for movies and Christmas. Alaska deserves the special callout we give it here and we hope you enjoy it. Although not its own country, we still can honor its vastness and recognize how it serves as an irreplaceable gift to the world. Alaska is that rare reminder of how the Earth once was, and how it still should be allowed to be.

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For this episode, the Festive Fans start the show feeling a little down. Our current political landscape in the States has Bob upset with so many in the country living in a constant state of anger. Then we travel to Colombia, a country with a notorious reputation from a vicious drug trade. The 1980s and 1990s saw the rise of the infamous drug cartels, whose illicit activities have shaped perceptions of the nation worldwide for years. We also watch a film about a young man living in a homeless shelter in Bogotá at the holidays who cannot escape the violence of the streets around him. It all seems so depressing … and yet, it’s comforting.

This may be our most Christmas-y show of all. In the midst of all the sadness, adversity and conflict, a familiar light is still there. Focusing solely on Colombia’s negative past ignores its incredible transformation over the past three decades and its efforts to promote peace and stability. Today, Colombia is a symbol of recovery. It still has serious issues as we witness in Un Varon … and yet, it’s inspiring.

As the film portrays the poverty-stricken streets of Bogota, it reminds us of the pages of Dickens. As we watch the efforts of Carlos with his androgynous features, skinny body and high voice, face the day-to-day business of survival, he is neither strong nor threatening. We witness how much Carlos is hurting inside, and his sensitivity restores hope. Christmas looms and provides his only opportunity for happiness to spend the holiday with his sister and his incarcerated mother. It occupies his thoughts. The specter of the joyful holiday is a reminder of what eludes Carlos and the other homeless teens around him. It may seem cruel at first … and yet, it’s compassionate.

The Christmas season offers a rare sense of peace. Just at a time when the world feels so angry and fragmented, we realize how the extraordinary power of Christmas reminds us of our shared humanity. It’s one of the few times of year when people from different backgrounds, beliefs, and opinions will share a collective sense of goodwill. It distracts us from the harshness of the world. As we see with Carlos, Christmas provides a connection and belonging and a focus on what truly matters. The emphasis on togetherness allows the season to heal the wounds caused by alienation. It may seem temporary … and yet, it endures.

Christmas encourages us to imagine a better world. It invites us to reflect on the possibilities ahead. Compassion defines who we are and encourages forgiveness of others and of ourselves. The modern world may be defined by division, but Christmas offers us a real chance for union. It provides us a moment to reflect and to remember what unites us. In a time when hardship, poverty and anger may feel endless, Christmas reminds us that warmth and joy will return. In the end, the Fans realize that we must allow the spirit of Christmas to lift our hearts. It is the only way to rediscover the best parts of ourselves that we often let stay hidden underneath the surface.

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