There are very few things in life that are universally beloved: puppies, ice cream, and—above all else—Cousin Seth.

 

Yes, it’s finally here. A party that’s literally been half a century in the making. This episode is the official Sethstravaganza, celebrating Cousin Seth’s 50th anniversary on planet Earth. Fifty years. Five decades. An era.

 

We’re marking the occasion the only way we know how—with a star-studded lineup of guests, live video surprises, heartfelt moments, playful roasting, and the kind of loving chaos that only a Seth-sized milestone deserves.

 

This isn’t just a birthday episode. It’s a once-every-half-century event.

 

Watch the live video over on Joe the Christmas Aficionado’s YouTube channel, or listen right here wherever great podcasts are found!

Cousin Seth’s 50th Birthday Sethstravaganza!!!

New year, same questions—did Cousin Seth survive the holidays, or did the holidays finally survive him?

 

We’re kicking off Season 11 by wrapping up everything Seth thought his Christmas was going to be… and everything it actually turned into. Joined by Cousin Chad, Joe the Christmas Aficionado, and Cousin Lee (King of All Superfans), we dig into the real story behind Seth’s Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

 

Was it calm? Was it chaotic? Was it secretly magical? Or was it exactly as uneventful as Seth predicted—and if so, why does everyone else remember it differently?

 

This is the full holiday debrief: expectations vs. reality, surprises no one saw coming, and the moments Seth can’t walk back now that the season is officially over. It’s the first episode of the year, the official launch of Season 11, and the perfect reset before we do it all again.

 

The holidays are done. The verdict is in. And Seth is back on the record.

Season 11 Premier: Seth’s Christmas Was…Something. Full Wrap-up!

Last week, we got Joe ready for Christmas Con — the fits, the confidence, the pre-Con glow-up, and the mental prep for being seen by thousands of people who already think they know you.

 

This week… we find out what actually happened.

 

Joe is back from Christmas Con in New Jersey, and we’re breaking down the full experience — from the moment he hit the convention floor to the last “wait… are you Joe?” interaction.

 

Did the glow-up deliver?

Who recognized him first?

Who did he meet?

What surprised him the most?

And what’s it really like when people finally see you in person, not through a screen?

 

We talk:

 

• Celebrity encounters and behind-the-scenes moments
• Fan reactions — the good, the awkward, and the unexpected
• How often people said, “You look exactly like your videos”
• What felt different once the Con actually started
• And whether he’d do it all again… or needs a recovery week first

 

 

This episode is the real-world follow-up to last week’s pre-Con glow-up — no filters, no prep, just the honest post-Con breakdown of what Christmas Con is actually like when you’re in it.

This week, Cousin Chad is flying solo—well, as “solo” as one can be when joined by the unstoppable Joe the Christmas Aficionado, who has more Yuletide credentials than Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the entire North Pole HR department combined.

 

With Cousin Seth out on assignment (or possibly hiding from eggnog), Chad and Joe dive into three of the most consequential events of the season:

 

Christmas Con 2025 Preview:

Joe reveals his plans, appearances, potential meet-and-greets, and whether he’ll be signing autographs for the tens of thousands of fans who know him as “that wildly monetized YouTuber with great lighting.” Will there be photo ops? Security details? A velvet rope? Who’s he excited to meet? Who’s excited to meet HIM?

 

Joe’s Imminent, Highly Anticipated Haircut:

Yes, the legend returns. After six long weeks, the world finally gets the answer:

Will Joe’s famously impeccable hair return unchanged… or will he take a bold leap into “pre-Christmas Con chic”?

The stakes?

Global.

Emotional.

Possibly historical.

 

 

It’s a fun, fast, festive episode full of laughs, Christmas hype, and the kind of absurdly specific holiday joy we happily deliver to our cousins worldwide!

 

EXCLUSIVE: Joe’s Christmas Con ’25 Preview, his pre-con Glow Up & Seth’s non-tree!!!

It’s finally here — our yearly Trader Joe’s Christmas Tasting episode, one of the most loved and most requested traditions on the show. Every year we dig into Trader Joe’s newest and weirdest holiday releases, and this year’s lineup might be the most interesting yet.

And we’ve got a very special guest joining us: Chad’s dad, Uncle Barry, making his first official appearance on the show. He jumps in with us and Cousin Seth, Joe (@christmas_aficionado) and Lee (@steelcitychristmas) as we taste, rank, and react to Trader Joe’s 2025 Christmas offerings — from the classics to the limited-edition items that are already popping off the shelves.

 

We’re giving our honest takes on what’s a must-try, what’s just okay, and what you can confidently skip this year. And yes — we’re also putting the new Greek Yogurt Eggnog to the test. (Cousin Seth trying anything eggnog-related is worth the listen alone.)

 

Whether you’re here for the laughs, the reactions, or to know what’s actually worth buying before you head to Trader Joe’s, this episode delivers. Watch it on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts — this is one of our favorite episodes to make every year.

 

Christmas Trader Joe’s Tasting 2025: Uncle Barry (Chad’s Dad) joins the cousins!

The holidays are officially in full swing, and the Christmas Cousins are celebrating the only way we know how—by cracking open some questionable seasonal brews with some people we love.

 

Join Cousin Seth and Cousin Chad as they welcome back fan favorites:

Joe the Christmas Aficionado (holder of just as many festive opinions as he has ornaments),

Festive Bob (whose holiday spirit is legally measurable),

Lee, King of the Super Fans (all rise),

and this year’s distinguished new guest of honor…

DAN from the Deck The Hallmark Podcast — Could he be the missing piece that finally makes this the perfect holiday weekend kickoff show?

 

Together, this merry band embarks on the Third Annual Christmas Beer Tasting, sampling what we hope are the finest Yuletide brews in all the land. Will they be amazing? Will they be “gingerbread-adjacent regret”? Who knows! Last year we struck gold with a 10/10 Christmas beer, and the quest to find another begins now.

 

It’s the perfect way to kick off your Thanksgiving weekend, your holiday party season, or your gentle slide into festive chaos.

 

Raise a glass, tune in, laugh along—and remember…

Happy Thanksgiving, and always ALWAYS drink responsibly!

 

Fan-favorite Cousin Chris from ChristmasEveryMinute.com is back — and as always, he did his homework.

This time he arrives armed with a full list of festive missions tailored specifically for the Cousins: everything Cousin Seth can do in Chicago to keep the holiday spirit pumping, plus a few North Carolina-friendly ideas for Cousin Chad.

 

Chris also brings updates on his ever-expanding website, teases future Christmas content, and reveals the tragic discovery that pumpkin eggnog kegs do not exist in the Chicago area (a blow Seth may never recover from).

 

We also dive into Seth’s new business ventures — including whether he’s ready to ship his coffee nationwide so Chris can feature it in his Top Ten Gifts for 2025 — and wrap things up with a look at our Thanksgiving plans, holiday prep, and general festive scheming.

It finally happened. The moment historians, podcasters, and Christmas movie fanatics have all been waiting for — the great Christmas Cousins x Deck the Hallmark Summit. Yes, the world’s jolliest diplomatic mission since Potsdam (but with slightly fewer world leaders and far more eggnog).

 

Cousins Chad and Seth are joined by the entire Deck the Hallmark crew — Bran, Dan, and Brian — along with Cousin Lee, the king of all super fans, and Joe the Christmas Aficionado for what can only be described as the most momentous holiday meeting in podcasting history.

 

They kick things off with an eggnog toast (and possibly instant regret), then dive into what life is really like as full-time Hallmark podcasters, explore Brian’s delightful new book Oh, Christmas Tree, and share each of their “must-do” Christmas traditions that make the season feel complete.

 

Expect laughter, nostalgia, questionable beverages, and the kind of chaotic Christmas chemistry that can only happen when two podcast universes collide.