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*Content alert for anyone listening with kids around: we discuss the Santa!!! So you might want to pop on some headphones.

In this month’s very December episode, we delve into Christmas prep—the lists, the logistics, the late-night wrapping, the last-minute gift panic—and of course, the invisible labor that goes into creating the holiday magic that our kids enjoy every year. (As you might have guessed, this is not Ben’s favorite topic, but we go there anyway.)

To kick-off the conversation, Mary Catherine shares the reality that most moms know too well: the feeling of being the [overwhelmed and unacknowledged] project manager of the entire season. In response, Ben admits he hasn’t exactly been leading the charge, and then commits (on the record!) to step it up this year.

What follows is a real, honest conversation about the mental load, gender roles, and what it actually takes to make the holidays happen.