I'm your host, Andy F. Downs. I'm really happy to be here with you today. We have got a great show and store. It's day one of our 2021 Christmas party and we're kicking off 12 days of podcasting Christmas.

We've got 12 days in a row of awesome guests coming at you. Think of it as our little podcast version of a Christmas party where we're all mingling around to having a great time and pausing to have a chat with new friends here and there.

I think you're going to absolutely love the lineup we have ready for you this year. Can you hear me smiling? I am so thrilled about this year's Christmas party and you can always go back and listen to the Christmas party.

I'm happy to hear even more holiday themed conversations. All the fun Christmas parties have the best soundtracks and the music you're hearing in the background is from our friends freaking in country.

It's their version of little drummer boy from the album, a drummer boy Christmas. Make sure you check that out and don't you know we'll be keeping the party going even past the holidays when we take this podcast back out on tour in February and March.

We have so much fun plan for those nights you guys comedy fun coaching special guest and a live podcast recording. Be sure to go to any fdowns.com slash events for all the details and to get your tickets.

If you're gifting tickets remember we've even got a little printable available that you can print out to give the person you're bringing on tour.

I can't wait to see you out on the road y'all we just can't wait and just a reminder that the big guy himself Santa Claus will be taking a break from his busy December schedule to stop by the studio like he has the last couple of years.

If you got any questions for him we are definitely doing a Q&A episode and I'll be happy to pass those along just follow the link in the show notes to send in your questions or even questions from the mini BFFs in your household.

We have voice or text options available for you and I cannot wait to hear what dolly will say Nick has in store for us this year.

Before we dive in I want to take a moment to share about one of our incredible partners and friends Stephanie May Wilson you may be familiar with Stephanie as she's the host of the girls night podcast and author of the lipstick gospel well Stephanie recently came out with a beautiful new prayer journal called the between places 100 days to trust in God when you don't know what's next.

And it's perfect for any woman who's navigating any sort of uncertainty about her future it's for the woman who's not married yet wondering if she's ever going to find her person and for the woman who's dating someone and wondering if this person it's her long term person it's for the woman.

And who have worked in the same career for several years now and it's left her absolutely sure that this is not what she wants to do for the rest of her life which brings up the question what does she want to do it's for the woman who's wondering if she's ready to have a baby and also for the woman who's trying to grow her family and finding it can be a lot harder than we sometimes imagine.

And also for the woman who's just feeling the weight of uncertainty in the season we're all in collectively right now feeling like the whole world is kind of turned upside down taking her plans and since the security right along with it.

Through 100 guided prayer prompts the between places will help you live today with more contentment step into the future with more courage and faith and resting God's peace knowing that he's with you every step of the way to pick up a copy of this beautiful keepsake prayer journal just head to Stephanie may Wilson dot com.

And if you use the promo code Annie you'll get 15% off again that Stephanie may Wilson dot com and the promo code for 15% off is Annie today on the show as in years past will get all the way into the world of hallmark Christmas movies with my friends Jen and Jamie and there is some drama this year y'all know we got to talk about it but then we're also going to bring in brand panda and Daniel to complete our panel of experts well their actual names are Brandon Gray Daniel Pan

off and Daniel Thompson there are three best friends and dads from South Carolina and they're the host of the deck the hallmark podcast and authors of I'll be home for Christmas movies I mean y'all could there be any better friends for us to chat with about our love for hallmark movies.

You're not ready for how much you're going to laugh and enjoy these new friends even if Christmas hallmark movies aren't your thing I think you're going to have fun with this one and we're going to play a game and if you want to play along the draft card is on my Insta story and it is on the deck the hallmark and story so grab it screen shot it play along with us here's my conversation with Jen and Jamie and brand and panda and Daniel from deck the hallmark.

Ladies welcome back didn't Jamie has we're having us again what years is this year five four okay let's back up last year Nikki DeLoch joined us so that was our hallmark conversation in 2020 2019 was Candace Candace joining us when she's she did it but we ever not.

But we were not in the calling us.

Yeah our friends are yelling in us.

Nikki was the first one that we were in the interview right no you were you met Alicia Witt the first year right we weren't in the interview actually that was Alicia

...