Tis the Podcast

As I Always Say, The Right Party Can Solve Any Problem. (A Chuck E. Cheese Christmas [2025])

Happy Monday, Christmas Fanatics! And Happy Easter season! The elves are back together at last, reunited and basking in the Christmas spirit after a brief hiatus, and this week all three of them are here: Julia, Anthony, and your guest host for the evening, Thom!
Before diving into the main event, the crew catches up on all things post-Easter, including the Artemis mission, “Project Hail Mary's” pop culture moment, the upcoming Stephen Colbert ”Lord of the Rings” project, therapy rabbits at the Easter egg hunt, the Flemish Giant bunnies that stole the show, and a spirited debate about Chuck E. Cheese tokens on eBay. Anthony has, as always, been to the movies constantly. And somehow, the elves manage to discover that one of them has never once set foot inside a Chuck E. Cheese.
Then it's time for the main event: the 2025 Chuck E. Cheese Christmas special on Amazon! Not to be confused with the one from the 80s. It's 50 minutes of familiar late-90s/early-2000s animation style, a Tolkien-referencing villain, a surprisingly chic Mrs. Claus, a surprise party for Santa, and a dog who is surprisingly well-connected (but not that well-connected). Will this long-dormant franchise's animated holiday outing earn a spot in your seasonal rotation? The elves have thoughts. Some of them are generous.
So settle back, relax, and enjoy this festive reunion episode that is the perfect way to kick off your week! And get excited: there are only eight months until Christmas.
As always, thanks for your love and support, y'all! 🎅🏻🎄🎁 🦌🦉⛄️🚂🔔 🤶🏻 🎀 ❄️

Well, Judging From My Clinical Observations, I Believe Merv Is Sad. (Merv)

Happy Monday, Christmas Fanatics! We hope you all had a wonderful Easter and hope the Easter Bunny was great to you all!
This week, after talking in-depth about "Project Hail Mary", HBO's upcoming "Harry Potter" series, and other films Julia and Anthony have seen recently, the duo dive in to discuss the 2025, Amazon Prime Original Christmas Film "Merv"!
Can a movie about a depressed dog who can't handle his owners' break-up put you into the holiday spirit? You'll just have to tune in to find out! Either way, this is one festive episode that's sure to put you in good spirits to start the week!
So settle back, enjoy, and get excited - we're another major holiday down on our countdown to Christmas 2026! 

The Next Time I See You Will Be In Hogwarts. (Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone - HBO Max Television Series - Teaser Trailer Reaction And Breakdown)

Happy Monday, Christmas Fanatics!
It’s been a hectic start to the year here at "Tis the Podcast" Headquarters—between kids, work, home life, accidents, and everything in between—so episodes have been a bit inconsistent this first quarter. Not wanting to miss another week, though, Anthony (sadly flying solo without Thom and Julia) invited Santa Matt from "North Pole Radio" and Ashley from "The Christmas Chapters Podcast" to join him for a special episode that, while a little light on Christmas, dives into something many of you care about: "Harry Potter".
That’s right! This week, the trio sits down to break down HBO Max’s first teaser trailer for "Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone"—the upcoming television adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s beloved story about the boy wizard and his magical journey at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Tune in as they tackle the controversies surrounding the series—from Rowling’s personal views to the race-swapping of certain characters and everything in between—while also debating whether this adaptation is even necessary. They share their reactions to this first official look and go shot-by-shot through the trailer, comparing what’s shown to both the original novel and the 2001 film.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy this fun, geeky episode! And be sure to let us know your thoughts on this new take on Harry Potter and his world. One thing’s for sure: we here at "Tis the Podcast" are hyped. With a Christmas 2026 premiere on the horizon, it’s only making us even more excited for the most wonderful time of the year!
As always, thank you all for your love and support! 🎅🏻🎄🎁 🦌🦉⛄️🚂🔔 🤶🏻 🎀 ❄️ 👓 🧹 🪄 🏰 ❤️ 📺

Verandah Santa Is Coming Tonight! (Bluey Christmas Episodes and Shorts)

🎵 Da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da! 🎵
Julia!
🎵 Da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da! 🎵
Anthony!
🎵 Da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da-da-da-da-da, da-da! 🎵
Bluey!
That's right, folks! Julia and Anthony are sans Thom this week, but despite his absence, their spirits are buoyed due to the fact that they are covering the Christmas episodes and shorts of the hit children's show, "Bluey"! For those following along at home, the episodes in question are:
Season 1 - Episode 52 - Verandah Santa Season 2 - Episode 51 - Christmas SwimChristmas Short 1 - Crazy Christmas LightsChristmas Short 2 - Silent NightChristmas Short 3 - Jingle Bells
There's lots of fun to be had in this episode as the two discuss one of the best children's shows in recent years - one that can be enjoyed by adults as well, regardless of whether or not they have kids! 
So settle back, relax, and enjoy this fun, festive episode that's sure to help your week start off on the right foot!
As always, thanks for your love and support, y'all! 🎅🏻🎄🎁 🦌🦉⛄️🚂🔔 🤶🏻 🎀 ❄️ 

Where's Mrs. Claus In This Twisted Universe Of Yours? (St. Denis Medical - Season 1 - Episode 6: Ho-Ho-Hollo)

Happy Monday, Christmas Fanatics!
 
This week, Julia, Thom, and Anthony sit down to discuss the only Christmas episode of "St. Denis Medical" to date — Season 1, Episode 6: “Ho-Ho-Hollo!"
 
What do they think of this new comedy that feels reminiscent of "The Office"? You’ll have to tune in to find out! But spoiler alert: there are plenty of laughs and some truly quotable lines in this one. Trust us when we say this is an episode you don’t want to miss — it’s the festive start to your Monday that you need!
 
So settle back, relax, and enjoy! And as always, thank you for your love and support, y’all! 🎅🏻🎄🎁 🦌🦉⛄️🚂🔔 🤶🏻 🎀 ❄️

You See, Around Christmas, We Carols Are Given Special Powers, Including The Ability To Grant Wishes. (Ghosts [US]: It's a Wonderful Christmas Carol, Parts One and Two)

Happy Monday Christmas fanatics! Can you believe this is our last episode of February 2026? We sure can't! This year is flying!
This week, Julia and Anthony return to Woodstone Manor to discuss the 2025, two part Christmas episode of CBS' "Ghosts": "It's a Wonderful Christmas Carol, Parts One and Two"! Per usual when we discuss this show, there are plenty of laughs and festive cheer to go around, so trust us when we say this is one you don't want to miss!
So grab a cup of hot chocolate, settle back, relax, and enjoy this little dose of holiday cheer which is guaranteed to jumpstart your week the right way!
As always thanks for your love and support y'all! 🎅🏻🎄🎁 🦌🦉⛄️🚂🔔 🤶🏻 🎀 ❄️

Christmas Is A Con. On That You Can Depend. (Christmas Karma)

Happy Monday, Christmas Fanatics! We hope our U.S. listeners had an amazing Super Bowl weekend!
This week, Julia, Thom, and Anthony got together to dive into another take on Charles Dickens’ timeless classic, "A Christmas Carol" — but one unlike any version they’ve covered before. They’re talking about 2025’s "Christmas Karma", a genre-blending Bollywood-style holiday film packed with music, comedy, drama, and modern flair. It’s a bold reimagining of Scrooge and the spirits that brings something completely new to the table. Is different a bad thing? Not at all — but it definitely gives the hosts plenty to unpack, debate, and celebrate in a lively, funny, and festive conversation.
So grab some cocoa, get cozy, and enjoy this cheerful burst of Christmas spirit to start your week. As always, we truly appreciate your continued love and support! 🎅🏻🎄🎁 🦌🦉⛄️🚂🔔 🤶🏻 🎀 ❄️

Wherever You Met That Guy, Go There Less. (Holiday Touchdown: A Bill's Love Story)

Happy Monday, Christmas fanatics — and welcome to the first week of February! This year is already flying by!
We’re back! Did you miss us? As usual, the post-Christmas season brought a whirlwind of real-life busyness, but don’t worry — your elves are back on schedule and will be with you every Monday for the rest of the year, just as promised.
After a bit of catching up — including on a few of the movies Anthony recently watched — your hosts dive into the 2025 Hallmark Original holiday film "Holiday Touchdown: A Bill’s Love Story". You may remember that all three elves absolutely loved "Holiday Touchdown: A Chief’s Love Story". Does this new installment deliver the same charm and magic? You’ll have to listen to find out. Spoiler alert: the runtime of this episode might offer a clue! (And if the conversation feels a little uneven at times, blame the camera-free recording due to internet issues — it definitely makes discussion trickier. Thanks for your patience!)
No matter where we land on the film, this is still a fun and festive episode to start your week. So sit back, relax, and enjoy — and as always, thank you all for the continued love and support! 🎅🏻🎄🎁 🦌🦉⛄️🚂🔔 🤶🏻 🎀 ❄️

I Believe. (A Winnie the Pooh Christmas and the Stranger Things Finale)

Happy New Year, Christmas Fanatics! We’re back with our first full episode of 2026! We hope everyone had a fantastic holiday season and squeezed every last bit of joy out of it because wow, did it fly by!
 
In this episode, Julia and Anthony are flying without Thom. After catching up on the holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and the movies they’ve watched lately, they reluctantly dive into 2025’s "A Winnie the Pooh Christmas". Just how bad can a "Winnie the Pooh" holiday special be? Unfortunately pretty rough. So rough, in fact, that discussion about it doesn't even take up half of the episode.
 
To cleanse the palate with something they actually love, Julia and Anthony then spend the bulk of this one breaking down and reacting to the "Stranger Things" finale! Fair warning: spoilers abound, so proceed with caution if you’re not caught up!
 
So get comfy, unwind, and let us bring a little extra holiday cheer to your Monday to help chase away those post-holiday blues. And don’t worry—we’ll be right here with you all year long, counting down the days to Christmas 2026. Trust us, it’ll be here before you know it.
 
As always, thank you all so much for the love and support! We couldn’t do this without you! 🎅🏻🎄🎁 🦌🦉⛄️🚂🔔 🤶🏻 🎀 ❄️

Christmas Eve 2025 Story - Anthony Caruso's "'Twas The Night Before 'Tis-Mas"

Merry Christmas Eve, Christmas Fanatics!
We made it! Can you believe it? Somehow, Christmas Eve is already here! This year absolutely flew by!
As tradition dictates, we’re thrilled to bring you our annual Christmas Eve story, lovingly recorded by the elves just for you. This year’s tale is an original piece written by our very own Anthony, titled “’Twas the Night Before ’Tis-Mas”—a festive celebration of "Tis the Podcast", all the Christmas movies we adore, as well as the ones we love to roast.
So put the finishing touches on your wrapping, cozy up beside the Christmas tree with your favorite holiday beverage, sit back, and enjoy.
Thank you, as always, for the love and support! And thanks for counting down to Christmas 2025 with us! We can’t wait to spend the year ahead counting down to Christmas 2026 right alongside you! 
Merry Christmas! 🎅🏻🎄🎁 🦌🦉⛄️🚂🔔 🤶🏻 🎀 ❄️