Valentine’s Day: overrated… or secretly one of the best holidays of the year? 💘

In this Valentine’s-week episode of What A Gift, we embrace romance, tradition, and the small joys that help us survive February. We start with life updates (including an adorable and unexpected Valentine’s interaction after Mass), then dive into why Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about couples only—and how choosing others can make the day actually fun.

The main event: weddings. We talk about:

- What really makes a wedding unforgettable (spoiler: vibes > food… usually)

- Dance floors, playlists, open bars, and seating chart drama

- Wedding trends we love—and ones that completely derail the party

- Being in weddings vs. attending as a guest

The emotional weight of witnessing people you love finally get married

We also touch on fresh flowers, gift-giving, and why romantic gestures—big or small—still matter.

If you love cozy conversations, strong opinions on celebrations, and thoughtful takes on love, friendship, and ritual, this episode is for you.

In this episode of What a Gift, we are trying to go from petty to steady—and unwrapping two surprisingly wholesome gifts: siblings and seniors.

Sarra shares why siblings become an even bigger gift in adulthood (including sibling trips, inside jokes, and the “golden eras” of being close with different brothers/sisters). Then Jule makes the case for cross-generational friendships—from childhood neighbor mentors to nursing home visits, and the kind of wisdom (and fun) you only get from people who’ve lived a lot of life.

Plus: a gas station cashier’s unexpected act of kindness, a deeply unsettling “peeking around the corner” prank, and a Gift of Perspective segment featuring an iconic sister tribute and a dramatic 2004 diary entry.

Follow us and comment—we'd love to hear from you!: Who are the siblings and seniors who’ve been a gift in your life?

📲 Jule's IG: @c0ppacabana (the “o” is a zero)

📲 Sarra's IG: @sarrara

🎧 Early episodes on the SEEK Replay app (seekreplay.com)

📺 youtube.com/@whatagiftpodcast

Life is a gift—so receive it.

In this episode of What a Gift, Jule and Sarra are trying to go from salty to sweet—and unwrapping two very modern (and very relatable) gifts: guy friends and girl dinner.

Sarra reflects on the gift of genuine friendships with men—how integrity, encouragement, and shared joy can deepen empathy, heal old insecurities, and break down cultural stereotypes about men and women. From childhood sports teams to lifelong friendships and marriage, she explores why healthy guy friendships can be such a grace.

Then Jule unwraps girl dinner—the pop-culture phenomenon turned lifestyle philosophy. From charcuterie boards and Caesar salads to soup on the kitchen floor and snack plates passed off as a full meal, they explore why “girl dinner” is really about simplicity, presence, and letting go of perfection.

Plus:
• Nighttime croquet and improvised games
• Nostalgia, rom-coms, and the magic of unpolished life
• The Gift of Perspective featuring a 2005 newspaper article and a 2004 journal entry (yes, wishes were involved)

👇 Follow us and comment: Ladies, give us some of your best/worst girl dinners! Guys: Is this a thing for you, too? We have to know.

📲 Jule's IG: @c0ppacabana (the “o” is a zero)

📲 Sarra's IG: @sarrara

🎧 Early episodes on the SEEK Replay app (seekreplay.com)

📺 youtube.com/@whatagiftpodcast

Life is a gift—so receive it.

We went LIVE at SEEK (Columbus!) with a room full of Gifties — and we’re unwrapping two surprisingly life-changing gifts: positivity and making new friends.

Jule shares what it’s like to get stuck in a negative inner monologue (and how “New Year, New Jule” is fighting back), plus the most humbling travel day imaginable: a cracked suitcase, a $25 charger… and an airplane with no outlet. Sarra brings the gift of friendship in the wild — from awkward elevator moments to meeting Nico the bartender, who became a bright spot of the week.

Then we play White Elephant with the crowd: rot days, pop sockets, “holding space,” holding other people’s babies, ordering French toast for the table, trucker hats, Dry January, Timothée Chalamet, and more.

💬 Follow and comment: Did you go to SEEK? Are you at war with positivity? What's your favorite setting to meet new friends?

📲 Jule's IG: @c0ppacabana (the “o” is a zero)

📲 Sarra's IG: @sarrara

🎧 Early episodes on the SEEK Replay app (seekreplay.com)

📺 youtube.com/@whatagiftpodcast

Life comes in seasons — some cozy, some hard, some confusing — and this week on What a Gift, Jule and Sarra unwrap how to recognize them, survive them, and even receive them with gratitude.

Jule reflects on seasons of the year (fall lovers, rise up 🍂), seasons of life (singleness, grief, confidence, getting your spark back), and why naming the season you’re in can actually bring peace and perspective. Sarra shares what it’s like to feel “behind” while still building a full, meaningful life — and how stepping into leadership and confidence can be its own season.

Then we unwrap little treat culture — when it helps, when it doesn’t, and how small rewards (coffee, flowers, dessert, tequila toasts, croissants) can motivate us to keep going without rewarding mediocrity.

We wrap up with everyone’s favorite segment, The Gift of Perspective, featuring:

• Sarra’s childhood reading diary (an accidental roast)

• Jule’s 2020 pandemic birthday journal entry that hits differently in hindsight

✨ Takeaway: You don’t have to rush your season. Name it. Receive it. And don’t forget — life is a gift.

This week on What a Gift, Jule and Sarra unwrap one of their favorite genres of life: pop culture. After shouting out Giftie Jenna Reid for the iconic opening tagline (“detached to spiritually snatched”), they kick things off with a humbling Buffalo Exchange story, cozy backyard dinner parties, and the art of making everyday moments feel special.

Then Jule unwraps the gift of monoculture — those rare moments when it feels like everyone is tuned into the same thing at the same time (think: network TV finales, Super Bowl halftime show discourse, Taylor Swift drops, even eclipse week). In a world where everything feels more fragmented, they talk about why shared cultural moments can feel surprisingly meaningful.

Sarra unwraps the gift of TV shows — from early reality-competition classics (American Idol, Survivor) to comfort rewatches (Friends, Gilmore Girls, Golden Girls), prestige TV (Severance), modern sitcom gold (Abbott Elementary), and iconic miniseries (Pride & Prejudice, Band of Brothers). They explore how great shows can build empathy, inspire virtue, and spark connection—when enjoyed in moderation.

Finally, they play White Elephant (receive / return / regift) with: silver jewelry, Settlers of Catan, live-action remakes, martinis, Labubus, FaceTime calls, and the sourdough starter craze.

As always, Gifties: life is a gift—so receive it.

This week on the What a Gift podcast, we’re moving from the "Book of Job" chapter of our lives into a fresh start. We're getting honest about grief, work-life boundaries, and why a good cry is the ultimate New Year's detox. Plus, we keep tabs on Jennifer Aniston’s "love hypnotist" boyfriend and the medical kinship we share with her.

🎁 WHAT’S INSIDE 🎁

The Gift of Fresh Starts

We dive into what it means to begin again, especially after a year that felt like a "hermit year". Jule reflects on the "hard but good" reality of 2025, navigating her first year of marriage while grieving the loss of her best friend, David. Jule launches the “Jule Gets Her Spark Back Challenge" for 2026, committing to leaving the house after dark, sweating daily, and returning to open mic nights where she can use her gifts. Sarra discusses the heavy weight of a new promotion and her goal to stop being her own slave driver. We realize that "busy" is no excuse for failing to be a whole, flourishing person. Jule officially challenges Sarra to a dating challenge: hit the apps and message a million people "Coffee?" so we have more to talk about on the pod. Sarra is officially looking for a "joyful young lumberjack".

The Gift of Crying

Sarra unwraps the gift of crying, which Jule calls "very cleansing" and essential for a fresh start. Sarra shares her office "cry count tally" and how she transitioned from not crying for years to being moved by a "gentle breeze". Jule admits to being a "kryptonite" for scenes involving unconfident young boys, from Dustin at the Snow Ball in Stranger Things to random teenagers at stop signs. We discuss "gratitude tears" and how being overcome by the goodness of humanity—like TikToks of people being given new houses—is a deeply penetrating experience for the soul.

Help us ring in our SECOND SEASON with a journey through all things Christmas! You'll be feeling warm and cozy in no time—just time your coffee sips carefully 😂

What if a muppet provided the most Oscar-worthy performance of all time, and why do we keep listening to a song about dying moms during the most wonderful time of the year?This week on the What a Gift podcast, we’re going from "Grinchy to glorious" as we celebrate all things Christmas. From Mrs. Claus making a surprise guest appearance to the launch of an "Off-Duty Santas" Instagram account, we’re unwrapping the gifts of holiday media, traditions, and the great LED light debate.

🎁 WHAT’S INSIDE 🎁

The Gift of Christmas MediaWe dive into the songs and stories that define the season, starting with a breakdown of holiday music into three essential categories: the nostalgic oldies, the religious classics, and the contemporary hits.

We debate our top tracks, from the full body chills of "O Holy Night" to the wedding dance floor energy of Mariah Carey.

Jule expresses a Scrooge-like hatred for the song "Christmas Shoes," arguing it should be stricken from the public ear, while Sarra reflects on the beauty of the classics her dad used to sing in the kitchen.

We discuss what actually qualifies as a Christmas movie (yes, Die Hard counts!) and why Michael Caine in The Muppet Christmas Carol is peak holiday cinema.

Jule shares why It’s a Wonderful Life remains her favorite movie of all time, highlighting its powerful message that "life is so precious" and every individual matters.

The Gift of Christmas TraditionsSarra unwraps the gift of holiday festivities, from organized caroling to the specific "aesthetics" of a home during December.

Sarra describes her legendary hometown ugly sweater parties, where her parents acted as judges, awarding sashes for "ugliest" and "cheeriest" before the whole group piled into cars to go caroling at random houses.

Jule mourns the tragedy of blue LED lights, declaring that Thomas Edison is "rolling in his grave" and calling for a return to the warm, incandescent glow of old-fashioned colored bulbs.

We compare our Christmas styles: Sarra’s "pub in Scotland" look with plaids and low lights versus Jule’s "whimsical DIY" aesthetic featuring hand-cut snowflakes and multicolored velvet bows.

Sarra shares the heartwarming reason her sister Emma booked a flight home: a video of the family playing kazoo songs found in Christmas crackers._*Like* and *subscribe* for more unfettered hilarity and wholesomeness!_

Look for new episodes on Thursdays wherever you listen! Don't forget to go to seekreplay.com for episodes a week ahead of everywhere else!

What if your greatest strength is your biggest flaw, and what if your phone knows you better than you know yourself? This week on the What a Gift podcast, We dive into the skills of talking it out and the blessing and curse that is social media. We get honest, real, and unwrap the gifts hiding in healthy communication, online identity, and why letting go of unspoken shame is the ultimate relief.

🎁 WHAT’S INSIDE 🎁

The Gift of Talking It Out

We begin by discussing the human need and necessary skill of addressing conflict.

• Jule, an external processor, shares that she must instantly talk it out if she senses that the "vibe is off". She admits that she tends toward being an "anxious people pleaser" and has learned patience from her introverted husband, Chris, who needs time to process conflicts.

• Sarra reflects on learning healthy conflict resolution as an adult and her past tendency to keep conflict to herself, believing, "I'm just a burden. I'll just keep it to myself".

• They discuss the profound power of speaking shame aloud, noting that when hard things are "locked up inside of us, it's so easy to believe that it's our identity". As soon as something is spoken aloud, "it's separate from us".

• Confession and therapy are named as powerful places to speak the "unspeakable," allowing light to shine on problems and helping them find the truth.

The Gift of Social Media

Sarra unwraps the gift of social media, stating that she sees it as a tool that can be wielded in a healthy way.

• Jule shares how early social media (AOL Instant Messenger and MySpace) fundamentally rewired her brain chemistry, especially as a homeschooler. This era created an obsession with crafting her "brand," asking herself: "what color am I and what buddy icon am I".

• We discuss the constant pressure of being perceived, noting that social media changes brain chemistry to make users think all the time about how we are being perceived.

• Jule notes that TikTok has served as a mentor, teaching her new recipes and techniques like how to do her eyebrows.

• We stress the importance of gut checks to ensure we’re not measuring ourselves against fake curated lives.

* * *

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

Hang out with us and thousands of other Gifties at SEEK in January ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/3IPoew4⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AND when you register, use promo code FOCUSGIFT for exclusive pre-SEEK content, including never-before-released talks from Fr. Mike Schmitz, Sr. Bethany Madonna SV and more, AND a chance to win one of three $100 vouchers for FOCUS/SEEK Merch!

LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE:

🚨 Head over to Replay to watch the latest episode a week ahead of everywhere else! http://www.seekreplay.com/category/whatagift/

Find it on YouTube → https://youtube.com/@whatagiftpodcast

Find it on Spotify → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find it on Apple Podcasts → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-a-gift/id1839023006⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

✨ Sarra’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/sarrara/

✨ Jule’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/c0ppacabana/

✨ FOCUS' IG: https://www.instagram.com/focuscatholic/

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or leave a comment!

Register on Replay to join our email list → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

What a Gift is a production of FOCUS. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.focus.org⁠⁠

When you think about it, didn’t scrubbing the bathroom as kids teach us a lifetime of work ethic? This week on the What a Gift podcast, we're diving into the daily routines and intentional rituals that shaped our lives. We're getting honest, we're getting real, and we're unwrapping the gifts hiding in traditions and chores.

🎁 WHAT’S INSIDE 🎁

The Gift of Chores

We begin by discussing the gifts found in household duties, reflecting on how both our fathers, who had served in the Navy, enforced a strict ethos of chores. Jule unwraps the gift of chores, recalling the family standard of Saturday chore day. Jule shares her resentment over having to clean the hall bathroom used by her two brothers (noting that they somehow can never pee directly into the toilet) while her brothers got to mow the lawn. Sarra recounts her own experience with chores, sharing that while growing up she sometimes felt like an indentured slave to her parents, the duties taught her skills, contrasting her experience with that of a former roommate who, upon finding a lamp bulb had burnt out assumed the entire lamp was broken.

The Gift of Traditions

Sarra unwraps the gift of traditions, stating that traditions help carve out special moments and prevent a week or a year from becoming a "blank homogeneous blob of days". Sarra shares a tradition from her time on a FOCUS team, where birthdays were celebrated with a special breakfast and a personalized song written by her team director and campus minister. Jule visualizes holidays as the "little special squares" on a Candy Land board of life. Jule remembers her mother’s dedication to building traditions, such as lining up in age order before opening Christmas presents, and singing "O come, O come, Emmanuel" during Advent dinners. The conversation focuses on the infamous Coppa Family Easter tradition, which was a highly competitive basket hunt requiring participants to follow a trail of cryptic, rhyming couplets written by Jule's dad. Sarra relates her own traumatic Easter story where her dad hid her solid chocolate bunny in an outrageous location.

* * *

Hit follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes!

Hang out with us and thousands of other Gifties at SEEK in January ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/3IPoew4⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AND when you register, use promo code FOCUSGIFT for exclusive pre-SEEK content, including never-before-released talks from Fr. Mike Schmitz, Sr. Bethany Madonna SV and more, AND a chance to win one of three $100 vouchers for FOCUS/SEEK Merch!

LISTEN & FOLLOW US EVERYWHERE:

🚨 Head over to Replay to watch the latest episode a week ahead of everywhere else! http://www.seekreplay.com/category/whatagift/

Find it on YouTube → https://youtube.com/@whatagiftpodcast

Find it on Spotify → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4vnHBKphp6xEBUsJNerBdT?si=59poYSVvQVOzj8TOIaHPaQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find it on Apple Podcasts → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-a-gift/id1839023006⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

✨ Sarra’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/sarrara/

✨ Jule’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/c0ppacabana/

✨ FOCUS' IG: https://www.instagram.com/focuscatholic/

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or leave a comment!

Register on Replay to join our email list → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For more original content and early releases, please visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠seekreplay.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

What a Gift is a production of FOCUS. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.focus.org⁠⁠