WEBVTT - Does Everyone Have the Holiday Spirit? 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:07.200 Welcome guys Gherrico, Grico, Benilo and Minilo Mihinti. I am 0:00:07.200 --> 0:00:11.840 a girl Marra and you're listening to Exactly Amada, a 0:00:11.960 --> 0:00:14.400 production of iHeart. Thank you so much for tuning in, 0:00:17.680 --> 0:00:20.360 for following, for supporting. 0:00:19.880 --> 0:00:23.480 For still rocking with me after so so long. 0:00:23.920 --> 0:00:26.800 Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite 0:00:26.800 --> 0:00:30.280 podcast platform, rate us five stars, and leave us a review, 0:00:30.840 --> 0:00:33.559 Loka saying that you have to say, I am grateful 0:00:33.600 --> 0:00:34.760 for your review. 0:00:34.440 --> 0:00:36.880 Okay, so hopefully you'll say something good. 0:00:37.080 --> 0:00:39.920 By the way, Also head over to the YouTube where 0:00:39.960 --> 0:00:42.360 you can also watch or listen to the podcast by 0:00:42.360 --> 0:00:46.480 searching for micro through that podcast and clicking on exactly 0:00:46.520 --> 0:00:49.320 Amada so you can hear some of those episodes you 0:00:49.400 --> 0:00:53.199 missed out on. Today, I want to talk about Christmas 0:00:53.240 --> 0:00:56.880 memories and how you know how I want to make. 0:00:56.920 --> 0:00:58.920 Christmas special for my daughters. 0:00:59.360 --> 0:01:01.920 I want to talk about Christmas, what it means to me, 0:01:02.520 --> 0:01:05.559 what I wanted to mean for my girls, how having 0:01:05.600 --> 0:01:10.360 my daughters have changed my perspective on Christmas. How you 0:01:10.400 --> 0:01:15.600 know family, what family means to me and during Christmas times. 0:01:15.880 --> 0:01:18.720 And I also want to know about your experiences. 0:01:18.760 --> 0:01:20.880 Please let me know, how has Christmas been for you 0:01:20.920 --> 0:01:23.840 throughout these years? What would you like to do that 0:01:23.959 --> 0:01:27.960 you haven't done? What are the best memories the worst memories? 0:01:28.200 --> 0:01:33.360 If you guys have any like special routines, uh that 0:01:33.480 --> 0:01:34.120 you guys do? 0:01:34.560 --> 0:01:35.120 I want to know. 0:01:35.160 --> 0:01:39.240 Also, every different Latino culture we celebrate Christmas differently, and 0:01:39.280 --> 0:01:41.360 we all have our own thing, right, because I know 0:01:41.400 --> 0:01:45.319 that Puerto Ricans have the au and their casala, that 0:01:45.360 --> 0:01:48.440 good stuff. You know, in La Republicamnicana we've been eating 0:01:48.440 --> 0:01:53.840 platinos all the time, that mesa. 0:01:54.360 --> 0:01:55.760 We have our traditions, right. 0:01:56.120 --> 0:01:59.400 They go knocking on your door and they come and 0:01:59.400 --> 0:02:04.040 they sing like it's a very it's a very Caribbeanish energy. 0:02:04.120 --> 0:02:07.080 There's people over social media planning their decorations, shame what 0:02:07.120 --> 0:02:09.480 they're gonna be doing for the holidays, and the stories. 0:02:09.840 --> 0:02:10.040 You know. 0:02:10.120 --> 0:02:12.919 I love going to social media and watching the happiness 0:02:13.040 --> 0:02:16.800 that people feel during the Christmas season. I truly love that. 0:02:17.080 --> 0:02:19.880 And in the Hispanic culture, Christmas is a really big deal. 0:02:19.880 --> 0:02:22.560 It's like it's a big thing, and we even celebrate 0:02:22.600 --> 0:02:27.720 the Three Kings the day in January and for most 0:02:27.840 --> 0:02:31.840 Latin homes that's the day that the kids you know, 0:02:31.919 --> 0:02:34.600 get their presence, which is different from the American culture. 0:02:35.360 --> 0:02:39.400 Anyways, with that being said, I really just want to 0:02:39.400 --> 0:02:41.480 talk about my experience. Okay. I know this is a 0:02:41.480 --> 0:02:42.079 beautiful thing. 0:02:42.320 --> 0:02:44.119 I know that I see on social media and everybody's 0:02:44.240 --> 0:02:46.359 loving the Christmas spirit ioo im. 0:02:46.440 --> 0:02:50.480 But I am the grin of Christmas? Is it just me? 0:02:51.320 --> 0:02:54.120 I'm sorry, I just come't gay. I don't feel it. 0:02:55.400 --> 0:02:57.600 I don't mean I think I'm gonna I'm gonna take 0:02:57.639 --> 0:03:00.760 it all the way back until my my my traumas, 0:03:00.800 --> 0:03:04.560 my childhood traumas. So during the holidays for the most part, 0:03:04.919 --> 0:03:07.400 my mom as a single mom, as an immigrant in 0:03:07.400 --> 0:03:10.600 this country and us not having any family here. My 0:03:10.680 --> 0:03:13.440 mom was always working. I guess that's where I got 0:03:13.440 --> 0:03:15.800 my you know, being a workaholic from. My mom was 0:03:15.800 --> 0:03:19.440 always working during the holidays, and she never really celebrated 0:03:19.480 --> 0:03:22.280 Christmas with me. I was always home by myself. I 0:03:22.280 --> 0:03:24.119 always knew to lock the door, don't open the door 0:03:24.120 --> 0:03:26.239 for anybody, you know, unless I tell you it was 0:03:26.280 --> 0:03:29.560 me or whatever. My mom would sometimes, you know, let 0:03:29.639 --> 0:03:32.280 me go to her friends' houses and stuff like that 0:03:32.320 --> 0:03:35.440 so that I could spend Christmas with their family. Because 0:03:35.480 --> 0:03:39.720 she had to work, or in many occasions, my mom would. 0:03:39.680 --> 0:03:42.040 End up taking me to her job. 0:03:42.800 --> 0:03:44.800 And because my mom was a cook, I would end 0:03:44.920 --> 0:03:48.000 up having to you know, sit down and not you 0:03:48.000 --> 0:03:50.960 know a little acta or a little table inside the kitchen 0:03:51.000 --> 0:03:54.280 hot as hell while my mom was cooking, you know, 0:03:55.760 --> 0:03:58.640 and just cooking. And because my mom was a cook, 0:03:58.640 --> 0:04:00.680 and she would cook for all these you know, different 0:04:00.680 --> 0:04:03.960 activities for like, for example, Christmas, those people that didn't 0:04:03.960 --> 0:04:05.000 want to cook, they. 0:04:04.920 --> 0:04:07.680 Would hire you know, where my mom used to work. 0:04:07.520 --> 0:04:09.400 At and then they would do a call me up 0:04:09.520 --> 0:04:11.320 or leave it like by the pound. 0:04:11.680 --> 0:04:14.480 So she was cooking for hours and hours and days. 0:04:14.520 --> 0:04:18.160 And I just remember that my holidays really growing up 0:04:18.360 --> 0:04:19.479 was my mom working. 0:04:20.080 --> 0:04:22.640 So I kind of hated it because I hated. 0:04:22.440 --> 0:04:26.200 Seeing how everybody got to spend their family time, you 0:04:26.240 --> 0:04:29.360 know and Christmas together. They used to you know, play 0:04:29.440 --> 0:04:32.520 Domino and it was just the cokeuitha and everybody. Like 0:04:32.720 --> 0:04:34.719 I loved seeing other people do it. I just hate 0:04:34.760 --> 0:04:37.240 that I didn't have that myself. So I guess it 0:04:37.320 --> 0:04:40.200 growing up, I just grew up like being the Grinch, 0:04:40.400 --> 0:04:44.080 like I hate this holiday. And not to mentor the 0:04:44.160 --> 0:04:47.160 fact that now as an adult and even growing up 0:04:47.240 --> 0:04:50.720 after I understood what Christmas was about. Yeah, it's beautiful 0:04:50.720 --> 0:04:53.240 that you have all your family together and all this, 0:04:53.600 --> 0:04:57.080 but it's also kind of trash because it's a whole 0:04:57.120 --> 0:05:00.640 bunch of hypocrites. It's a whole bunch of the family 0:05:00.680 --> 0:05:03.200 who's being a hypocrite. You haven't been around and God 0:05:03.240 --> 0:05:06.320 knows how long, you know, you haven't called your tea, 0:05:06.440 --> 0:05:06.880 your theo. 0:05:07.000 --> 0:05:08.720 You're away and God. 0:05:08.560 --> 0:05:11.880 Knows how long, and all of a sudden, once a year, 0:05:11.920 --> 0:05:13.599 you want to show them all this love and affection, 0:05:13.760 --> 0:05:15.440 how much you love, and then you want to come 0:05:15.480 --> 0:05:18.200 with your phony ass gifts and all this stuff that 0:05:18.279 --> 0:05:21.320 you know you really don't mean. I can't generalize and 0:05:21.360 --> 0:05:24.920 say it's everyone. No, there's some families that are actually 0:05:24.960 --> 0:05:28.440 really tight. There's some families that are actually very close 0:05:28.800 --> 0:05:31.920 and they do have a real bond like that. But 0:05:32.000 --> 0:05:35.640 for the most part, when you do these big Christmas 0:05:35.680 --> 0:05:40.560 parties and your family comes together, I just hate the phoniness. 0:05:41.320 --> 0:05:44.560 I hate the I ain't kid, Oh my god, you're 0:05:44.640 --> 0:05:47.839 so big, or you're so curious, Oh you look like this. 0:05:48.200 --> 0:05:51.760 Knowing that in those parties ekwon no machi me i 0:05:52.240 --> 0:05:55.159 knowing that in those parties is when people gossip the most. 0:05:55.800 --> 0:05:56.520 You're looking at. 0:05:56.480 --> 0:05:58.359 Your uncle, you're looking at your aunt, you're looking at 0:05:58.400 --> 0:06:00.960 your niece, you're looking at your You're looking at all 0:06:01.000 --> 0:06:03.320 these people, like showing them all this up and affection. 0:06:03.560 --> 0:06:08.000 But within two point zero seconds, you're gonna turn around 0:06:08.200 --> 0:06:11.159 and you're gonna tell another family member some gossip about 0:06:11.200 --> 0:06:14.120 them or some I don't know, you're gonna talk about 0:06:14.160 --> 0:06:16.720 how they look, or how fat they've got in, or 0:06:16.760 --> 0:06:19.200 how her hair looks, trash or whatever. 0:06:20.200 --> 0:06:23.880 Is it me? I don't know, Maybe it's me. 0:06:24.040 --> 0:06:29.200 Maybe I'm the one who hasn't lived good Christmas experiences, and. 0:06:29.160 --> 0:06:31.320 I don't know. I'm really really doing my best. 0:06:31.040 --> 0:06:34.920 To change that now as an adult, now, as a mother, 0:06:35.600 --> 0:06:38.599 and even now I see how I'm suffering because my 0:06:38.720 --> 0:06:42.080 daughters are only they're about to be two years old, 0:06:42.360 --> 0:06:45.160 and I have no Christmas decorations in my house. I 0:06:45.200 --> 0:06:47.160 know that they probably shouldn't, but then I feel like 0:06:47.320 --> 0:06:49.000 they don't even know what the hell is going on. 0:06:49.360 --> 0:06:51.560 So why do I have to do it? Not to 0:06:51.640 --> 0:06:54.240 mention the fact that it's such a like this is 0:06:54.320 --> 0:06:57.320 a business. Christmas is a business. You're out here spending 0:06:57.360 --> 0:07:01.080 all your money that you wouldn't spend through Friday. But 0:07:01.120 --> 0:07:03.799 you're gonna spend all this money buying all these people 0:07:03.839 --> 0:07:06.039 that you know you really don't give a damn about gifts. 0:07:07.680 --> 0:07:10.000 You went on the you went on the Amazon, you 0:07:10.040 --> 0:07:12.920 went on the on the Black Friday, and you bought 0:07:13.000 --> 0:07:14.760 as many cheap little things that you can get, just 0:07:14.800 --> 0:07:16.440 so that you don't feel guilty that you didn't give 0:07:16.480 --> 0:07:20.880 a present. I'm not saying everybody. I'm just talking about 0:07:21.400 --> 0:07:24.560 the experiences I have seen and lived, and you know 0:07:24.640 --> 0:07:27.760 I'm not lying, So I don't know. I just feel 0:07:27.800 --> 0:07:30.800 like you spend so much money buying this Christmas tree, 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:33.280 and not just a Christmas tree. Now you have to 0:07:33.320 --> 0:07:35.960 spend all this money buying bolitas and stuff, all these 0:07:35.960 --> 0:07:38.480 little balls to put on the tree. I remember when 0:07:38.520 --> 0:07:40.360 I was when I first got pregnant, my mom put 0:07:40.360 --> 0:07:41.240 a Christmas tree up. 0:07:41.800 --> 0:07:43.720 It was the most beautiful Christmas tree I've ever seen. 0:07:44.000 --> 0:07:46.280 She didn't pink, and my mom had never in the 0:07:46.320 --> 0:07:48.040 history of my life as long as I can remember, 0:07:48.440 --> 0:07:51.840 ever ever, ever bought a Christmas tree. When I told 0:07:51.840 --> 0:07:53.320 her I was pregnant, she was like, oh my god, 0:07:55.360 --> 0:07:58.400 oh this is the best Christmas she put the Christmas 0:07:58.400 --> 0:08:00.600 tree and let me tell you something, it wasn't until 0:08:00.600 --> 0:08:01.680 like the other day. 0:08:02.160 --> 0:08:03.880 Then Mommy put down the Christmas tree. 0:08:04.360 --> 0:08:08.360 Like the Christmas tree was up during summer, during a ball. 0:08:08.400 --> 0:08:11.200 Like the whole two years the. 0:08:11.240 --> 0:08:14.120 Christmas tree was up, and whenever she got tired of it, 0:08:14.640 --> 0:08:17.200 she would just come and add more different color balls. 0:08:17.520 --> 0:08:20.000 I'm like, bro, what is going on? You do know 0:08:20.040 --> 0:08:20.520 you're only. 0:08:20.400 --> 0:08:22.520 Supposed to have this Christmas tree up to like January 0:08:22.680 --> 0:08:24.760 or something like that, right, which, by the way, when 0:08:24.760 --> 0:08:26.240 are you supposed to put the Christmas tree up? 0:08:26.280 --> 0:08:27.480 And when are you supposed to take it down? 0:08:35.520 --> 0:08:37.360 And don't say, on top of that, every year you 0:08:37.400 --> 0:08:39.160 have to change the color of the balls and the 0:08:39.200 --> 0:08:40.040 cutor of the decoration. 0:08:40.400 --> 0:08:42.880 Who's paying for all of this? So you're doing all 0:08:42.880 --> 0:08:44.760 of this for who? For yourself? 0:08:45.160 --> 0:08:45.319 No? 0:08:45.320 --> 0:08:47.560 No, no, no, no, that seems like too much work. Do 0:08:47.679 --> 0:08:49.880 I have problems? I the Omeo? 0:08:50.160 --> 0:08:52.000 I don't want to be the Grinch. But okay, I 0:08:52.000 --> 0:08:55.079 don't get it. I don't get it. I don't understand. 0:08:55.320 --> 0:08:59.199 Oh my god, my mom bought this Christmas Santa Claus 0:08:59.679 --> 0:09:04.640 Ruh with the bathroom toilet seat covers with the with 0:09:04.679 --> 0:09:07.520 the all the toilet accessories and the Christmas I. 0:09:07.440 --> 0:09:11.160 Said, ma'am, ma'am, don't do it. That is too much. 0:09:11.640 --> 0:09:13.640 I understand you want to fill in the spirit, but 0:09:13.720 --> 0:09:17.120 can you spill the spirit within yourself because this looks terrible, 0:09:18.040 --> 0:09:19.440 but it's supposed to bring people joy. 0:09:20.320 --> 0:09:23.679 Now I am trying to be a better person. I'm 0:09:23.720 --> 0:09:25.360 trying to be a better person for my daughters. 0:09:25.600 --> 0:09:27.280 I want to take them to the you know here 0:09:27.320 --> 0:09:29.920 in Miami they call it Centers and Centa's Forest where 0:09:29.920 --> 0:09:32.360 it's like a big you know park, you know, Christmas 0:09:32.440 --> 0:09:36.280 related and inspired take the girls there to enjoy that. 0:09:36.360 --> 0:09:39.120 I think that taking family pictures is so important. I 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:41.760 feel that we've lost the essence of taking pictures. I 0:09:41.880 --> 0:09:45.480 love going back into the albums with the real pictures, 0:09:45.480 --> 0:09:47.800 even if they look if they look you know, crunchy 0:09:47.880 --> 0:09:50.320 and the color is fading. I love to see the 0:09:50.400 --> 0:09:54.400 original footage with no filter, with none of that. I 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:57.160 love taking family pictures, and not only that, but printing them. 0:09:57.360 --> 0:09:59.360 I think is so important that this year I want 0:09:59.360 --> 0:10:02.400 to make it my mis to take pictures, print them 0:10:02.440 --> 0:10:05.800 out and do an album because later on those are 0:10:05.800 --> 0:10:08.840 the real memories you have. If God forbid your phone, 0:10:08.960 --> 0:10:12.840 your your iCloud, your Android r whatever, something would have 0:10:12.840 --> 0:10:16.280 happened in the system and the internet world, and all 0:10:16.320 --> 0:10:19.160 of it disappears and e rases. All your memories, everything 0:10:19.200 --> 0:10:23.560 you've ever accomplished, everything you've ever been or done completely 0:10:23.559 --> 0:10:25.959 will be deleted and gone. So that's why I think 0:10:26.000 --> 0:10:28.120 it's so important. That's what really matters to me this 0:10:28.200 --> 0:10:31.080 year is to print out family pictures of us spending 0:10:31.120 --> 0:10:32.120 time together. 0:10:32.200 --> 0:10:33.480 With their I mean I put a hand from me, 0:10:33.559 --> 0:10:35.160 meaning as with their with my mom. 0:10:36.000 --> 0:10:38.280 I want them to have pictures with their grandmother and 0:10:38.360 --> 0:10:40.439 print them out and have them on an album, and 0:10:40.520 --> 0:10:42.959 later on when they're like fifteen sixteen, they can go 0:10:43.040 --> 0:10:46.360 back and actually see those pictures. Those are real gifts 0:10:46.360 --> 0:10:49.360 to me, Those are real memories to me. You know 0:10:50.080 --> 0:10:57.680 that really matters to me. Christmas For the most part, 0:10:57.720 --> 0:11:01.480 I spend it home, no adult with my mom or 0:11:01.520 --> 0:11:04.880 by myself because I'm always working and it's not really 0:11:04.920 --> 0:11:07.319 like a thing for me. It's just another day in life. 0:11:07.559 --> 0:11:10.000 You also have to understand my point of view. I 0:11:10.040 --> 0:11:12.280 didn't grow up with any family, just with my mom 0:11:12.600 --> 0:11:17.440 and the family. Essence of what Christmas is was never 0:11:17.800 --> 0:11:21.840 something I grew up learning or understanding, so it hasn't 0:11:21.880 --> 0:11:23.520 been a thing for me. But I definitely wanted to 0:11:23.600 --> 0:11:25.840 be a thing for my daughters. I want them to 0:11:26.640 --> 0:11:29.880 have the fantasy and the you know, all those nice 0:11:30.040 --> 0:11:33.960 the childhood memories of Santa Claus and you know, the 0:11:34.000 --> 0:11:37.360 cookie next to the Christmas tree and all those things 0:11:37.400 --> 0:11:40.199 I've seen other cultures do. I want to be able 0:11:40.240 --> 0:11:42.320 to do that for them. Even though, like I said before, 0:11:42.400 --> 0:11:43.600 it's never been a thing for me. 0:11:44.440 --> 0:11:44.960 I don't want to. 0:11:44.920 --> 0:11:48.240 Put my childhood traumas you know, on my children. I 0:11:48.280 --> 0:11:50.079 want them to create their own and I want to 0:11:50.120 --> 0:11:52.680 do the best that I can to make sure that 0:11:52.679 --> 0:11:55.760 they enjoy these holidays because eventually they'll go to school, 0:11:55.760 --> 0:11:59.120 they'll have friends too, and they'll see, you know, what 0:11:59.280 --> 0:12:02.040 it's suppose to look like, what it's supposed to be. 0:12:02.160 --> 0:12:04.239 I never want them to feel like in my household, 0:12:04.520 --> 0:12:06.120 we don't do that. We don't have that. 0:12:06.760 --> 0:12:09.000 So I'm gonna do my best to involve them in there. 0:12:09.040 --> 0:12:11.920 You know, I know that my mother as well, She 0:12:12.080 --> 0:12:13.840 is doing her best to make. 0:12:13.760 --> 0:12:17.160 Sure that the girls feel the Christmas spirit. Like I said, 0:12:17.240 --> 0:12:18.720 for me, this is a business. 0:12:19.120 --> 0:12:21.520 Christmas is a business for you to spend your money, 0:12:22.520 --> 0:12:24.480 for you to spend as much as you can, not 0:12:24.520 --> 0:12:27.800 only in your house decre but buying dinner food. 0:12:27.880 --> 0:12:30.960 This that Christmas is such a good time for most business. 0:12:31.360 --> 0:12:32.960 Now let me ask you this, would you guys like 0:12:33.080 --> 0:12:35.600 better for Christmas to just be given some cash app 0:12:35.880 --> 0:12:38.040 or a gift card? I feel like you can't go 0:12:38.120 --> 0:12:40.800 wrong with that. Give me a gift card or give 0:12:40.840 --> 0:12:43.840 me cash ap, give me some cash app. Money sALS 0:12:43.920 --> 0:12:48.320 about right to me, because Yo, I know, I know, 0:12:48.360 --> 0:12:49.839 you know where I'm coming from. How many times I 0:12:49.840 --> 0:12:51.640 have a they giving you gifts that you didn't even 0:12:51.720 --> 0:12:53.360 want them in the first places, and you're just out 0:12:53.360 --> 0:12:56.280 of being courteous to get Oh my god, thank you. 0:12:57.440 --> 0:13:00.320 I love it knowing that you're just gonna throw that 0:13:00.600 --> 0:13:04.840 somewhere in the garage, in your closet, somewhere creating dust. Right, 0:13:05.480 --> 0:13:07.520 I'm sorry, I'm just saying all the things y'all have 0:13:07.600 --> 0:13:10.800 thought about but havn't said. Don't say, give me a 0:13:10.840 --> 0:13:14.520 little gift card or be like, you know, here's here's like, 0:13:14.760 --> 0:13:15.200 you know, one. 0:13:15.160 --> 0:13:18.440 Hundred dollars from cash app. I'm happy with that now, 0:13:18.640 --> 0:13:19.400 here's another thing. 0:13:20.200 --> 0:13:23.400 I also understand. You don't always have to give a 0:13:23.400 --> 0:13:26.160 gift some people. You know, this is tough out here 0:13:26.160 --> 0:13:28.960 in these streets. You may not have the money to 0:13:29.040 --> 0:13:32.559 be buying people gifts, and that's okay too. I think 0:13:32.600 --> 0:13:35.560 it's important to even express those things. Listen, I know 0:13:35.600 --> 0:13:37.480 it's the holidays. I really wish that I can. You 0:13:37.480 --> 0:13:38.960 know that I could have bought you something, but right 0:13:39.040 --> 0:13:40.280 now times of stuff I can. 0:13:40.360 --> 0:13:41.920 But I you know I am. 0:13:42.120 --> 0:13:45.920 I am sending you all prayers, positive energy one day 0:13:46.080 --> 0:13:49.200 whenever I can, I got you. That's that's also a 0:13:49.240 --> 0:13:52.920 gift because and honesty could also be a gift these days. 0:13:53.160 --> 0:13:55.000 You know, I don't mind if you don't have it, 0:13:55.040 --> 0:13:57.480 because in many occasions, I haven't had it as much 0:13:57.520 --> 0:13:59.480 as I've wanted to, I haven't had the money like 0:13:59.520 --> 0:14:00.640 that's a go buy you or anything. 0:14:00.640 --> 0:14:03.079 But am being in many occasions. 0:14:03.280 --> 0:14:05.760 As much as we may think that the gift is trash, 0:14:06.040 --> 0:14:08.800 let's talk about the positive side of things. Let's not 0:14:08.960 --> 0:14:12.360 be ungrateful and be grateful because nobody has to give 0:14:12.400 --> 0:14:16.040 you their hard earned money to buy you nothing. The 0:14:16.080 --> 0:14:18.040 fact that you got in your car or god knows 0:14:18.040 --> 0:14:20.040 how you got there to go to a store and 0:14:20.120 --> 0:14:22.640 buy something and think of me and give it to me. 0:14:23.080 --> 0:14:26.080 I am grateful for that. We also, as much as 0:14:26.120 --> 0:14:27.800 we want the Lue batons and the Gucci and now 0:14:27.800 --> 0:14:30.600 the expensive things for the Christmas, let's also take this 0:14:30.680 --> 0:14:34.680 moment to just talk about gratitude and being grateful for 0:14:34.760 --> 0:14:38.160 the things that we do receive during Christmas. Like them 0:14:38.240 --> 0:14:41.400 spoiled as little kids that be doing them tantrums when 0:14:41.440 --> 0:14:45.520 they don't like what they get. No nobody has to 0:14:45.640 --> 0:14:51.960 give you nothing, nobody Navida. If they do, it is 0:14:51.960 --> 0:14:53.840 because they came out of the goodness of their heart, 0:14:54.080 --> 0:14:57.960 even if it's just a Christmas card. Be grateful, Be 0:14:58.040 --> 0:15:00.840 grateful that somebody has even thought of you to even 0:15:00.880 --> 0:15:03.880 bother to give you something. Okay, because I think that 0:15:04.200 --> 0:15:06.080 in moments like this and the way that the world 0:15:06.240 --> 0:15:08.640 is moving, we really need to take moments to just 0:15:08.680 --> 0:15:11.320 be grateful for the things that we do have, for 0:15:11.360 --> 0:15:13.000 the things that we do receive, for the people that 0:15:13.040 --> 0:15:15.400 we do have in our lives. And that's another thing 0:15:15.680 --> 0:15:18.480 now during the Christmas holidays, as much as I hate it, 0:15:18.560 --> 0:15:20.160 because I feel like I do not be like a 0:15:21.000 --> 0:15:22.840 whole bunch of hate for kids in the family coming 0:15:22.840 --> 0:15:25.920 together to act all happy and then talk trash about 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:27.600 you as soon as they get in the car and 0:15:27.640 --> 0:15:29.440 as soon as they get home, and then they wild 0:15:29.440 --> 0:15:31.680 tap little group chats and not a crap. 0:15:31.880 --> 0:15:33.560 Let's also talk about how. 0:15:33.400 --> 0:15:36.560 We really need to embrace these moments because we're here 0:15:36.560 --> 0:15:38.360 today and we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. 0:15:39.000 --> 0:15:41.040 And even though we have that thea and who na 0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:43.920 chief Mosa, one day you're gonna miss that, you know. 0:15:44.320 --> 0:15:46.320 One day you're gonna miss achievement. One day you're going 0:15:46.360 --> 0:15:48.680 to miss that grandparent. One day, you're going to miss 0:15:48.680 --> 0:15:51.320 that uncle. They laugh too much, they dance too much, 0:15:51.640 --> 0:15:54.360 even even the drunk uncle, or that family member that 0:15:54.480 --> 0:15:57.640 be doing the most, the one that's always trying to dance, 0:15:57.920 --> 0:16:00.720 the one that's always being loud, the one that's always 0:16:00.760 --> 0:16:03.080 being bougie and you know, thinking that she's the most 0:16:03.160 --> 0:16:06.520 high class or whatever it may be. Those kids running 0:16:06.560 --> 0:16:10.400 around being loud and scandalous and pushing everybody around, as 0:16:10.440 --> 0:16:15.200 scandalous as it may look, as as uncomfortable as it 0:16:15.280 --> 0:16:19.920 may seem. One day you're gonna miss that. One day, 0:16:20.040 --> 0:16:23.680 you're gonna miss those memories. One day, you're gonna wish 0:16:23.680 --> 0:16:26.640 that you can go back into that space. So while 0:16:26.680 --> 0:16:31.120 you're there in that moment, live in the present, Live 0:16:31.240 --> 0:16:34.560 in that moment, enjoy your willite that, Enjoy your mother 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:37.760 and your father, Enjoy your brother, your sister, enjoy those 0:16:37.840 --> 0:16:42.640 moments because that will never happen again. That moment in 0:16:42.760 --> 0:16:46.880 that way will never ever happen again. And I also 0:16:46.920 --> 0:16:50.120 think it's so important to talk about. You know, Christmas 0:16:50.160 --> 0:16:54.320 also is about receiving, giving, spending time with each other, 0:16:54.400 --> 0:16:57.400 embracing each other, creating memories. And part of creating those 0:16:57.440 --> 0:17:08.280 memories is living and being in the present. Stop recording 0:17:08.400 --> 0:17:10.520 all these damn moments. I know you want to record it, 0:17:10.520 --> 0:17:11.879 and I know you want to take pictures, and I 0:17:11.920 --> 0:17:13.480 know that that's super cool, and I know you want 0:17:13.480 --> 0:17:14.959 to TikTok, and I know you want to do all 0:17:15.000 --> 0:17:18.359 these lives and I get it, But can we also 0:17:18.520 --> 0:17:20.600 take some time to live in the present, to live 0:17:20.600 --> 0:17:23.800 in the moment. Sometimes you're so caught up trying to 0:17:23.840 --> 0:17:26.480 record everything, trying to look sexy and look cute, and 0:17:26.560 --> 0:17:28.640 trying to TikTok dance, trying to do all these extra 0:17:28.680 --> 0:17:32.200 things that you missed the moment you missed the moment 0:17:32.240 --> 0:17:34.840 where you literally just sit there, breathe in, breathe out, 0:17:35.119 --> 0:17:37.880 and look all around and try to record. 0:17:37.880 --> 0:17:41.200 Those memories in your mind. You know what I'm saying, 0:17:41.840 --> 0:17:42.720 in your mind. 0:17:43.400 --> 0:17:46.040 Look at that Christmas tree, look at the core, the 0:17:46.160 --> 0:17:50.000 taste of the food, just the smell of the environment 0:17:50.080 --> 0:17:50.640 that you're in. 0:17:51.000 --> 0:17:53.240 All those little details matters. 0:17:53.720 --> 0:17:55.760 And I feel that the more we live in this 0:17:55.920 --> 0:17:59.400 new general, you know, this new generation of social media 0:17:59.480 --> 0:18:03.640 and techno and everybody being you know, everybody's connected through 0:18:03.640 --> 0:18:06.280 the phone instead of being connected in person and all 0:18:06.320 --> 0:18:09.399 those things, the more we live in those moments, the 0:18:09.400 --> 0:18:12.560 more we disconnect each other from the people that really matter, 0:18:12.600 --> 0:18:14.840 the people in our lives, the people in that moment. 0:18:15.280 --> 0:18:18.200 You get what I'm saying. So I'm not over here 0:18:18.200 --> 0:18:19.880 trying to preach, but I'm just trying. 0:18:19.720 --> 0:18:20.240 To let you know. 0:18:20.960 --> 0:18:23.880 You know, with all the wars, with the the things 0:18:23.920 --> 0:18:26.639 that we're living with a disconnect of life and society 0:18:26.960 --> 0:18:29.760 is important for us to do moments that you know, 0:18:29.960 --> 0:18:32.879 really matter to us, to our family, to our growth. 0:18:33.480 --> 0:18:36.359 Also changing a little bit of the route of this conversation. 0:18:36.720 --> 0:18:38.639 I know that not too long ago, I did an 0:18:38.680 --> 0:18:42.000 episode talking about you know, holiday behaviors. And here goes 0:18:42.000 --> 0:18:45.000 another one too. Let's talk about if you go to 0:18:45.080 --> 0:18:48.840 someone's house for the holidays again, and this okay, during Christmas, 0:18:49.600 --> 0:18:52.280 it would be so nice if you bring a plate 0:18:52.320 --> 0:18:55.920 of food, bring a soda, bring a bag of chips, 0:18:55.960 --> 0:19:00.199 bring something, you know, anything not impart that brings of 0:19:00.200 --> 0:19:02.560 hot talks. And sometimes it's not even what it is 0:19:02.680 --> 0:19:05.080 is the act of courtesy is the act of I'm 0:19:05.080 --> 0:19:08.199 trying to share, you know, don't go over there just 0:19:08.240 --> 0:19:11.560 with your empty stomach and your big ass mouth ready to. 0:19:11.520 --> 0:19:13.200 Destroy everything in that kitchen. 0:19:15.240 --> 0:19:17.320 So in my perfect world, that would love to be 0:19:17.320 --> 0:19:22.720 in the Dominican Republic. That is so beautiful, that people 0:19:22.720 --> 0:19:25.560 are so warm and welcoming. You know, you could feel 0:19:25.600 --> 0:19:28.520 the happiness no matter how much property there is, how 0:19:28.560 --> 0:19:32.080 many struggles my people may be going through. In my cultura, 0:19:32.520 --> 0:19:35.760 we we sing, we dance, we we love, We embrace 0:19:35.840 --> 0:19:38.439 each other. Just seeing the apples hanging out, you know, 0:19:38.560 --> 0:19:43.840 lo caramelos outside, which is something very cultural to us. 0:19:43.920 --> 0:19:46.120 You know, in the Dominican Republic, we have los paranas 0:19:46.160 --> 0:19:48.520