🎬🍿 Popcorn and Possibilities kicks off 2026 with Brian and Steph reflecting on New Year traditions, movie nostalgia, and creative goals for the year ahead. In this first episode of 2026, we ask the important question: why would anyone actually want to be in Times Square for the New Year’s Eve ball drop? From there, we talk about setting realistic New Year’s resolutions, why small habits beat all or nothing thinking, and how building momentum matters more than instant transformation.

We rewind to snow days in the 1990s and review the 2000 movie Snow Day spoiler alert it does not hold up. We break down its most problematic elements, including kids driving trucks, the questionable snowplow man kidnapping plot, and a weatherman rivalry that does not actually serve the story. That review sparks a bigger conversation about our 2026 goals, creative risks we want to take (👀 Pop n Poss music?), new genres we might explore, and the positive trends from 2025 we want to keep going. We also reflect on what we have learned from movie reviews Brian’s love of strong character development versus Steph’s need for a coherent and well structured plot plus which movies and shows did hold up for us in 2025. We close the episode by rating 2025 on our signature forecast scale and setting the tone for what is possible in the year ahead.

✨ Whether you’re here for the movie talk, the nostalgia, or a fresh start for 2026, this episode sets the stage for another year of Popcorn and Possibilities.

It’s the Santa Bonanza Extravaganza and the final episode of the year! 🎅🍿 Brian and Steph close out the season with a jam packed holiday episode full of movie talk, festive debates, and classic Popcorn and Possibilities chaos. Listen closely for the keyword to enter our holiday contest!

We kick things off with a deep dive into Home Alone - why Uncle Frank is the absolute worst, Steph’s love for Catherine O’Hara, the stress of packing for trips (why do we bring so many socks and underwear?), questionable parenting choices, Kevin’s brutal traps, and fun behind the scenes facts like Danny Devito almost playing Harry and the infamous dubbed spider scene. Plus, we talk about why the movie still holds up and the endlessly quotable lines (“Look what you did, you little jerk!”).

From there, Steph goes on a Hallmark Christmas movie rant, we debate whether it’s worse to be stuck in a house with relatives you hate or forced to listen to carolers 24/7 for a week, and reminisce about iconic Christmas candies Terry’s Chocolate Orange, Christmas Tree Cakes, and Ferrero Rocher while asking the important question what happened to the popcorn bucket?

We also share our top Christmas songs (yes, Wham! “Last Christmas” reigns supreme), favorite holiday movies (The Grinch, Klaus), and why we’re officially out on ELF and Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You.

Things heat up during Wrap It Up or Pack It Up, as we debate ugly Christmas sweaters, candy canes, fruitcake (cue Steph’s rant and Ambrosia comparison), mince meat pie (is this real or something Brian made up?), and whether mall Santas need to retire.

We wrap up with This? or That? raisins vs. chocolate chips in oatmeal cookies, gift cards vs. homemade gifts, and Frosty vs. Rudolph before thanking all of you for your incredible support this year.

🎄 Happy Holidays, and thanks for making Popcorn and Possibilities part of your year!

In this episode of The Pop-In on the Popcorn and Possibilities podcast, Steph and Brian sit down with Val, creator of Fox & Olive Candle Co, for a cozy, inspiring conversation all about scent, creativity, and entrepreneurship.

Val opens up about:
🕯️ The origin of the Fox & Olive name
🌿 Why she uses clean, natural soy wax
❤️ Her commitment to donating a portion of profits to dementia research
👃 Her earliest scent experiments and how Frasier Fir became a signature hit
➗ Just how much math goes into making the perfect candle
📸 The challenges of marketing, product photography, and standing out online
🏡 How the COVID lockdown sparked a hobby that grew into a business
💡 Her advice for anyone wanting to try a new hobby or pursue a dream
🔥 Her future plans for Fox & Olive and where to buy her candles

If you love small business journeys, handmade craftsmanship, or simply a good-smelling success story, this Pop-In delivers it all.

Check out Fox & Olive Candle Co to explore Val’s full scent lineup—including the beloved Frasier Fir.

Brian and Steph dive sleigh-first into the season with a Pop ’n Poss Hess Jingle before breaking down the Christmas classics Jingle All the Way and The Santa Clause. They relive the wild ’90s toy crazes (Furbies, Tickle Me Elmo—send help), reminisce about their best childhood gifts, and confess the worst ones they ever received. Brian shares his grandma’s iconic habit of returning gifts she didn’t like, the hosts debate gift budgets and whether gift cards count as “lazy,” and they question if it’s finally time to retire the White Elephant exchange. (Do we really need another Bluetooth speaker?) Steph wraps it all up with her official take on what is and isn’t acceptable holiday gift wrapping. Cozy up and enjoy!

Brian and Steph welcome their first-ever Pop-In guests: filmmakers Kyle and Zuzu Weingart, here to dish on their new movie Cuisine de la 'Pocalypse. The duo dives into the wild, witty concept behind the film and how they blend comedy with sci-fi without losing the heart of either. They share what it’s really like balancing their creative partnership with their personal relationship on set, what shooting in Montana brought to the project, and the core message they hope audiences walk away with.

Plus, Kyle and Zuzu offer thoughtful, honest advice for aspiring actors, directors, and anyone chasing a dream in the film world. It’s a funny, insightful, end-of-the-world conversation you won’t want to miss.

Brian and Steph kick off the season by breaking down our Holiday Contest, explaining how to enter, what you can win, and why you will want to jump in.

We dive into the big debate: Is Die Hard actually a Christmas movie? We talk favorite characters, share fun facts including who almost got cast and Alan Rickman’s iconic feature film debut, and drop a few spirited opinions along the way.

But it’s not all action heroes and air ducts—we also get festive with real Christmas tree care tips, swap our own tree-buying stories, and confess which yard decorations spark joy…and which ones should be sent straight to the North Pole (sorry, light projectors and giant inflatables).

Bringing you holiday fun, movie magic, and enough chaos to deck the halls.

Brian and Steph are serving up a Thanksgiving feast of movie talk, food debates, and pure chaos! This week, they carve into Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving—breaking down the wildest kills, debating which holiday deserves its own horror flick next, and confessing their hottest takes on Thanksgiving dishes (spoiler: cranberry sauce doesn’t stand a chance). They also swap traditions, argue about how long leftovers are actually safe to eat, and face the ultimate question: dinner with an ex-partner or an ex-boss? Plus, Brian introduces us to the mysterious “Fruits of the Forest” pie. Grab a plate, hit play, and get ready to gobble gobble going full throttle!

Brian and Steph kick things off with some retail therapy — or maybe just retail trauma. From Black Friday battle stories to working the holiday rush, they ask: do we actually miss working retail, or have we just blocked out the worst parts? Then it’s a dive into the strange new world of cookie stores — why are they popping up everywhere?

After all that consumer chaos, the duo settles in for a comfort rewatch of Mrs. Doubtfire. Does this ‘90s “comedy” still make us laugh, or has it aged into a secret family drama? Brian and Steph break down the good, the bad, and the very emotional, and debate whether it still holds up in 2025.

It’s nostalgia, snark, and suburban survival — all in one episode of Popcorn and Possibilities.