It’s another Hallmark Happy Hour, and the holiday chaos continues!

This week, Cousin Chad, Cousin Seth, Cousin Lee, Joe the Christmas Aficionado, and returning fan-favorite Brian from Deck The Hallmark crack open a few carefully selected beers to pair with Hallmark’s newest holiday adventure: Three Wiser Men, the latest entry in the Brennen Brothers saga.

 

Will the movie leave us enlightened… or desperately wishing one of the wise men brought a stronger beer?

Will Brian once again bring actual insight while the rest of us derail the plot entirely?

Will Cousin Seth accidentally pick a beer that tastes like a melted candle? (Spoiler: odds are high.)

 

Grab a brew, settle in, and join us as we break down the movie, the vibes, the pairings, and whatever tangents we fall into along the way.

Holiday wisdom not guaranteed.

 

Wondering what to buy for the billionaire in your life? The Christmas Cousins have you covered.

 

This week, Cousin Chad and Cousin Seth are joined by everyone’s favorite (and fabulously wealthy) Cousin Lee for a deep dive into Oprah’s Favorite Things 2025. From $400 slippers to gold-plated everything, we’re walking through Oprah’s closet — metaphorically, of course (the security guards wouldn’t let us in).

 

We’re separating the “Wow!” from the “Why?” and finding the perfect gift for everyone — billionaires, millionaires, and even a few “hundred-aires.”

 

Expect laughs, luxury, and light roasting as we crown our own “Christmas Cousins Approved” favorites.

 

Have you ever watched a Hallmark Christmas movie and thought, “Does anyone actually live in a place like that?” Well, wonder no more, Cousins!

 

In this episode, we’re chatting with Samantha, who actually grew up in a real-life Hallmark town in Michigan and now spends her holidays in South Haven, MI, home of twinkling lights, lakeside charm, and @RechargeCoffee (where the cocoa flows like Christmas spirit).

 

We get the inside scoop on what it’s really like to celebrate Christmas in a small town — the festivals, the snow-covered main streets, the holiday traditions that feel straight out of a movie… and maybe even a few behind-the-scenes surprises that Hallmark never shows.

 

Cousin Seth reconnects with his hometown friend, Cousin Chad tries not to pack his bags mid-episode to move there, and together we discover whether life in a Hallmark-style Christmas town is truly as magical as it looks — or if it’s all peppermint-scented smoke and mirrors.

 

So pour yourself a mug, cozy up, and come live vicariously through Samantha’s story of small-town Christmas magic come to life.

 

 Season 10 is here! Break out the tinsel, cue the carols, and—brace yourself—because Cousin Seth is finally tasting eggnog. That’s right, in a moment that could alter Christmas history (or at least disgust the lactose-intolerant), the long-awaited pumpkin eggnog showdown begins!

 

But that’s just the first stocking stuffer in this holiday triple-header. Joining Cousin Chad are the full festive crew: Cousin Lee, King of All Superfans, and Joe the Christmas Aficionado, as they raise a mug (or three) to the season ahead. Together, they serve up:

 

A live eggnog toast that tests Seth’s survival instincts

A list of holiday challenges Cousin Seth must complete to level up his Christmas cred

And a deep dive into Cousin Chad’s world-famous hot cocoa bar — part Willy Wonka, part winter wizardry, all holiday magic

 

It’s the kickoff to Season 10, the official start of the Christmas season, and quite possibly the episode that lands one of the Cousins on Santa’s “watch list.”

Grab your cocoa, spike it responsibly, and join the festive madness!

 

Season 10 Kickoff: Hot Cocoa Bar, Eggnog Taste & Toast, Seth’s Seasonal Challenge!

It’s a very special week on The Christmas Cousins Podcast, as we continue our crossover with our friends from The Christmas-Aficionado for the Hallmark Happy Hour!

Cousin Chad is joined by the always-jolly Joe the Christmas Aficionado, the festive legend Cousin Lee, and a super special guest — Brian from Deck the Hallmark! Together, they’ll unwrap the much-anticipated new holiday movie “Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper” and pair it with the perfect seasonal beer. 🍺🎅

But wait… where’s Cousin Seth? 🤔 Rumors are swirling. Is he home with a mysterious yuletide illness? Nursing a grudge against Brian from Deck the Hallmark? Or simply too jealous of Joe’s perfectly coiffed Christmas hair? We may never know!

Either way, it’s bound to be a holly-jolly good time — with laughter, festive banter, and maybe even a “Seth on the Lam” segment or two. Tune in and celebrate the chaos, Christmas-style! 🎁

The Christmas Cousins are back — and this time, it’s a full-on crossover event!

 

Welcome to Hallmark Happy Hour, another collaboration with Joe the Christmas Aficionado, streaming live on his YouTube channel and later available right here on the podcast.

 

We’re kicking off Hallmark’s 2025 Countdown to Christmas season in royal style with “A Royal Montana Christmas” — and pairing it with a beer that perfectly matches the movie’s mood, charm, and Christmas spirit…or lack thereof?

 

Joining Cousin Chad and Cousin Seth for this festive roundtable are Joe, King Of All Superfans, Lee (@Steelcitychristmas) and Casey from @HeartofReviews, and her partner — plus a healthy dose of tangents, laughter, and a few hijack attempts from Seth (because what’s a Christmas Cousins episode without that?).

 

Expect spirited debate, a little too much cheer, and maybe — just maybe — a few actual movie insights. Grab a drink and join us for this fun, chaotic, and oh-so-merry kickoff to the season!

The Christmas Cousins are back — but this time, we’re swapping snowflakes for cobwebs! Returning guest Kerry Frances (actress, writer, director, singer and future Hollywood legend — you’ve seen her in Knives Out and more) joins us to dive into Hallmark’s biggest Halloween event yet, Haul Out the Halloween.

We break down everything from the casting and chemistry to the pumpkin-filled plot, the cozy-but-spooky vibes, and of course — Cousin Seth’s signature take. Is Hallmark ready to take over Halloween like it did Christmas? We’ve got theories, candy corn, and a lot of laughs.

It’s a little haunted, a lot heartfelt, and 100% Cousin-approved. 🎃

Hallmark’s “Haul Out the Halloween”: Pumpkins and Plot Twists with Kerry Frances

Welcome back Christmas Cousins!

 

In this episode, we sit down with the one and only Brian Earl, the legendary host of Christmas Past and author “Of Christmases Long, Long Ago”.

We unwrap Brian’s own Christmas origin story — how he fell in love with the season, why he finds it endlessly fascinating, and how he turned his passion into one of the most beloved holiday podcasts around. We also dive into his brand-new book, swap stories about the psychology behind Christmas obsession (we may or may not be the case study), and find out what’s next for Christmas Past.

It’s festive, it’s funny, it’s a sleigh ride through nostalgia and nerdy holiday joy — Christmas Cousins style!

 

A must-listen for Christmas enthusiasts, nostalgia lovers, and anyone who believes the spirit of the season never fades!

 

The Origins of Everything You Love About Christmas – w/Brian Earl, Author & Host of “Christmas Past” Podcast

The Cousins (plus the legendary Lee, the King of All Superfans and the inimitable Joe @christmas_aficionado) head back to the Hallmark archives to pluck out a forgotten autumn “classic” — Growing the Big One (2010).

 

Why this movie? No one knows. Did it give us cozy fall vibes or just confuse us like a corn maze after dark? Did they really “grow the big one”? Only one way to find out. It’s a hayride of surprises, snark, and superfan-level insights as we kick off fall, Cousins-style.

 

Hallmark’s “Growing the Big One” (2010): The Review Absolutely No One Asked For!