Morgan May Treuil [00:00:00]:
Okay. Welcome back to Am I Doing this Right?
Leslie Johnston [00:00:03]:
Happy, happy Christmas.
Morgan May Treuil [00:00:05]:
Because it's December 1st.
Leslie Johnston [00:00:07]:
That's right. Which is crazy.
Morgan May Treuil [00:00:09]:
This is December, so hopefully you're getting in the Christmas spirit. I feel like every year it's kind of like, we talk about this every year. We're like, does it feel like Christmas? Does it not feel like Christmas? Some. Some Christmas seasons, actually. Let me go back and just say, I think as a child, it always felt like Christmas. Yeah. When it was Christmas time. As an adult, you always kind of feel like you're missing it, I think.
Morgan May Treuil [00:00:31]:
Do you feel that way?
Leslie Johnston [00:00:32]:
Like, what do you mean missing it?
Morgan May Treuil [00:00:33]:
Missing it as in, like, it's going too fast or you haven't gotten there mentally. Yeah. You need to catch up.
Leslie Johnston [00:00:38]:
Like, you've been busy and you're like, wait, shoot, it's Christmas.
Morgan May Treuil [00:00:41]:
Exactly.
Leslie Johnston [00:00:41]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:00:42]:
So I feel like. But you know what, though? What kind of helps me at least, like, try to get into the Christmas spirit of it all is decorating my house early. Ish. Like, before Thanksgiving. So we always have like a. Like a blended Thanksgiving Christmas vibe. And gift shopping early actually does wonders, even though most people don't do that.
Leslie Johnston [00:01:08]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:01:08]:
Because you can't. Like, most people mentally can't get there. But I'm like, if I start gift shopping early, that's really helpful because you start thinking about your gatherings earlier.
Leslie Johnston [00:01:17]:
Well, what confuses me now is I feel like Black Friday used to, like, start the week of Thanksgiving, and now it's like Halloween's over and they're like, black Friday.
Morgan May Treuil [00:01:26]:
Are they doing, like a pre Black Friday sale?
Leslie Johnston [00:01:29]:
I think so. And so they're doing it like, the whole month. And so then to me, it's throwing me off because usually Black Friday makes me start to feel like I'm in the Christmas spirit. But then it's like, wait. But now it's like Black Fridays in October. So I don't know. It's like, all drawn out.
Morgan May Treuil [00:01:45]:
Why do you think? Well, I guess they were based on historic events, so we don't. It's not like someone woke up one day and chose. I'm like, why are we stacking all these awesome holidays at the end of the year together?
Leslie Johnston [00:01:56]:
Canada does it so much better. Their Thanksgiving, I think, is in October.
Morgan May Treuil [00:02:01]:
It is.
Leslie Johnston [00:02:02]:
And so then it's like, all November is Christmas for them. They're like, november is Christmas.
Morgan May Treuil [00:02:08]:
Canadian people seem happier than we do. I don't know if that's true.
Leslie Johnston [00:02:12]:
Yeah, I don't know. I'm not. I'm not sure Anymore.
Morgan May Treuil [00:02:15]:
Okay, here's my. My unpopular opinion. Are you ready for this?
Leslie Johnston [00:02:18]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:02:18]:
I thought about this last night.
Leslie Johnston [00:02:19]:
You said it's kind of wild, so I'm interested.
Morgan May Treuil [00:02:21]:
It's a little wild. Okay, I can tell. I guess this is an unpopular opinion for me. Maybe it's more of a hot take, but I think it works. I can tell if we're going to be good friends or not based on the condition of your socks when you take your shoes off.
Leslie Johnston [00:02:39]:
I think our listeners already know the condition of your socks.
Morgan May Treuil [00:02:42]:
I. But do you know what I'm saying?
Leslie Johnston [00:02:45]:
Yeah, yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:02:46]:
Like socks new last night.
Leslie Johnston [00:02:49]:
Oh, yeah. I just got new socks.
Morgan May Treuil [00:02:50]:
Okay. I was the first time. And I'm like, her socks are really white.
Leslie Johnston [00:02:54]:
Look at these.
Morgan May Treuil [00:02:54]:
And they are really clean.
Leslie Johnston [00:02:57]:
But they make my shoes look dirtier. And that's the problem. I almost want dirtier looking socks because my shoes look, like really bad. Now.
Morgan May Treuil [00:03:05]:
Last night we were at our small group and everyone's shoes were off at the front door and I was looking around at people's socks and I was like, I can tell what kind of a person you are because of the way that your socks are. Like the condition of your socks and yours usually don't look that. Like they're. They're always clean, but they're not. That they're not like pristine white. Like, if you said those were old socks, I'd be like, you're bleaching your socks and that's crazy. Crazy.
Leslie Johnston [00:03:31]:
Yeah. Like, I think the last time I bought new socks, besides, these new ones I bought from Amazon were probably these same Amazon ones.
Morgan May Treuil [00:03:39]:
Yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:03:39]:
Two years ago.
Morgan May Treuil [00:03:40]:
Yeah. Right? Yeah. I don't.
Leslie Johnston [00:03:42]:
Okay, so what's like this?
Morgan May Treuil [00:03:43]:
I don't trust people whose bottom of their feet is like spotlessly white and clean. I don't trust people like that.
Leslie Johnston [00:03:50]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:03:50]:
Like I want to look at Serial killer. Yes. Like, I want the top of your sock to be like a gr. If you bought the socks white. I want the top of your socks. Camera can zoom in. I want the top of your socks to be like a grayish, bluish white of sorts that's been through a bunch of washes. Because I want to know that you wash your socks.
Leslie Johnston [00:04:07]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:04:08]:
And then on the bottom, I want it to be a dark or gray so that I know that your house is not pristine. And sometimes you walk outside with your socks on.
Leslie Johnston [00:04:19]:
Yep.
Morgan May Treuil [00:04:19]:
And that you're not so uppity of a person that you like, only wear house shoes in your house. Like, I want to know that you live a Regular life. And to me, I can tell that by the condition of your socks.
Leslie Johnston [00:04:30]:
I like that. Now there might be a part that goes too far.
Morgan May Treuil [00:04:37]:
Which one is my pardon?
Leslie Johnston [00:04:40]:
Well, I. I currently have a sock that has a hole in it and.
Morgan May Treuil [00:04:44]:
Right.
Leslie Johnston [00:04:45]:
I just can't with the feeling of like the toe popping through.
Morgan May Treuil [00:04:48]:
Do you wear it?
Leslie Johnston [00:04:49]:
I will. They're. They are my fate.
Morgan May Treuil [00:04:51]:
They're.
Leslie Johnston [00:04:52]:
They're my nicest socks because my mom bought them for Christmas for me last year. Oh, are they like.
Morgan May Treuil [00:04:56]:
They, like.
Leslie Johnston [00:04:56]:
They're like, made. Well, no, I don't have any ruffly socks. Actually, in my mind, I think, oh, I want to be like our friend Lisa Thompson. She has always, like the ruffle socks and like the. The danglies off them.
Morgan May Treuil [00:05:08]:
Oh, yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:05:09]:
With her little. And I. I think in theory I would love that. And then I'm like, I can't. I. There's just. I. There's nothing I wear.
Leslie Johnston [00:05:16]:
Would go with that.
Morgan May Treuil [00:05:16]:
Yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:05:17]:
Like, I'm not gonna wear these basically sweatpants with my ruffle socks.
Morgan May Treuil [00:05:21]:
You will be able to see them.
Leslie Johnston [00:05:22]:
Yeah, true.
Morgan May Treuil [00:05:23]:
You want to wear it with like a cuffed something or like a trouser maybe.
Leslie Johnston [00:05:26]:
That would be cute.
Morgan May Treuil [00:05:27]:
So are you the kind of person that if there's a hole in your sock. I would. I wouldn't stop wearing it just for like a little hole. Like, it would piss me off. Because you feel it. Yeah, but who are the people out there who there's.
Leslie Johnston [00:05:41]:
Throw away a sock that. That slips off the back of my heel.
Morgan May Treuil [00:05:44]:
Oh, yeah, like, get.
Leslie Johnston [00:05:46]:
Burn those.
Morgan May Treuil [00:05:47]:
Yeah. No, like, throw it away.
Leslie Johnston [00:05:48]:
Yeah, but.
Morgan May Treuil [00:05:50]:
But who are the people that are taking their socks in to get holes repaired?
Leslie Johnston [00:05:54]:
People do that.
Morgan May Treuil [00:05:55]:
Right? Like, I mean, like, people. People go repair clothing. And I know there are people out there who like, oh, my sock has a hole in it. I'm going to take it in to get it tailored, like, stitched up.
Leslie Johnston [00:06:06]:
That's crazy.
Morgan May Treuil [00:06:07]:
Throw your socks away.
Leslie Johnston [00:06:09]:
Don't have socks that you got to repair.
Morgan May Treuil [00:06:12]:
Socks are basically disposable. Like one time use. You use it once you toss it. But that's probably very wasteful. Like my. I think my grandmother would take her sock in to get it, like stitched up.
Leslie Johnston [00:06:24]:
I've never even heard of that, but honestly, I could see it.
Morgan May Treuil [00:06:27]:
There are people that do that. Like, they care about by like 30.
Leslie Johnston [00:06:29]:
They spend like $30 on a pair of socks. Like, a nice would be the reason. I don't know. To be fancy, maybe.
Morgan May Treuil [00:06:38]:
Where do you get your socks from? Amazon.
Leslie Johnston [00:06:40]:
Amazon?
Morgan May Treuil [00:06:40]:
Yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:06:41]:
I Have. I think these are honestly the best socks. You know what makes a good sock? We told. We told ourselves we wouldn't yap too much on this episode, and now we've got.
Morgan May Treuil [00:06:49]:
Now we're 15 minutes of socks.
Leslie Johnston [00:06:51]:
Okay. I think these socks are the best because they're not too high and they're not tight. Aritzia socks cut like. I feel like they cut off my circulation. Maybe I bought two, like, a. I.
Morgan May Treuil [00:07:03]:
Think I've smaller size before. Oh, the tea.
Leslie Johnston [00:07:05]:
There's, like, a tiny little cushion on the bottom of him. Like a bottom of the heel.
Morgan May Treuil [00:07:10]:
What, on your sock right now?
Leslie Johnston [00:07:11]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:07:12]:
For what?
Leslie Johnston [00:07:12]:
I don't know. Like, I think extra comfort.
Morgan May Treuil [00:07:14]:
That's nice.
Leslie Johnston [00:07:15]:
Teeny, tiny bit. And then it's got, like. It holds in on, like, the middle part of your foot. And the best part about them, there's no logo on the top of the.
Morgan May Treuil [00:07:24]:
Sock, which is great.
Leslie Johnston [00:07:26]:
Which is great, because if you want to, like, wear your socks in, like, slides or something, you don't want a logo sticking out on the top.
Morgan May Treuil [00:07:33]:
No. 100%. I have fruit of the Loom socks that have the pink toes, the pink heel, and a big Fruit of the Loom logo.
Leslie Johnston [00:07:42]:
And I'm like, what?
Morgan May Treuil [00:07:43]:
I can't wear this with anything. This only can be hidden under tennis shoes.
Leslie Johnston [00:07:47]:
I know, I know. That does suck.
Morgan May Treuil [00:07:49]:
Okay. That was the Stockholm popular opinion.
Leslie Johnston [00:07:52]:
Yes. Okay. As we're in the Christmas season, I want to know, do you have, like, a Christmas list you've already been building?
Morgan May Treuil [00:07:58]:
This is my first year that I have not made a Christmas list. Yeah, because I told my family that I. I did this for my birthday, too. Very fun. If you can. If you can pull this off.
Leslie Johnston [00:08:11]:
Okay.
Morgan May Treuil [00:08:12]:
We classically make Christmas lists. Google, Google Drive, Excel sheet, links, sizes, colors. We, like, spell it all out to make sure that no one's confused.
Leslie Johnston [00:08:22]:
Yeah, there's no confused.
Morgan May Treuil [00:08:23]:
So fun, right? So fun to shop and make your list. This year I was like, I feel like I have no brain space to think through that, partially because I spent a lot of time thinking through what kinds of baby things we need, which has exhausted me on the list thing.
Leslie Johnston [00:08:38]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:08:39]:
So for my birthday, I was like, I don't have the bandwidth, I feel right now to, like, do a list for my birthday. And so my mom went to my sisters and said, y' all just pick things out that you think Morgan would like, which my sisters so happen to be like your sister. They know you well enough to know what you would like. And it was so fun because everything I Got was a surprise. Yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:09:00]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:09:01]:
And it was, like, the best. So this is my first year where I. I have not made a list, but I've seen other people's lists because I'm buying for other people. And so I. I know there's some fun things out there, but I have not made a list this year. Did you make a list this year?
Leslie Johnston [00:09:14]:
I have not. Well, okay. I will sometimes throughout the year if I see something that I'm like, I'm not gonna buy that myself, but I would love someone else to buy it for me. I will make a list, but I don't think I've made one.
Morgan May Treuil [00:09:28]:
When do your people start to request your list?
Leslie Johnston [00:09:32]:
My mom will. Will start requesting around Black Friday.
Morgan May Treuil [00:09:35]:
Okay.
Leslie Johnston [00:09:36]:
But to be fair, I am, like. I am, like, her personal shopper. So I will help her during back, like, all Friday. Basically, we are on the computer.
Morgan May Treuil [00:09:45]:
Yes.
Leslie Johnston [00:09:46]:
I'm helping her pick things out. There was one point in time I was like, I would love to be a Christmas shopper.
Morgan May Treuil [00:09:52]:
You should start this business.
Leslie Johnston [00:09:53]:
Like, I want the business of, like, you tell me kind of what the person is like, and I will help shop for them. I love it because I. I love gift giving.
Morgan May Treuil [00:10:01]:
You're very.
Leslie Johnston [00:10:02]:
Yeah. I have on my list a Ninja Creamy. These are things I put back in, like, the summertime.
Morgan May Treuil [00:10:08]:
Yes. Yes.
Leslie Johnston [00:10:09]:
Oh, Cozyland pajamas.
Morgan May Treuil [00:10:12]:
Cozy Land pajamas.
Leslie Johnston [00:10:13]:
Cozy Land pajamas are my favorite thing ever. And then I had put Daily Drills back then, but. And I put park. But I'm kind of over Park.
Morgan May Treuil [00:10:22]:
What's Park?
Leslie Johnston [00:10:22]:
Park is basically like, daily drills. Like, it's kind of similar when you go. I think Daily Drills is cuter.
Morgan May Treuil [00:10:31]:
When you go to give somebody a gift, are you more prone to, like, do a clothing type of thing? A practical thing? Like, how do you. How do you assess who all do you buy for? Like, are y' all at the stage where your entire family buys for your entire family?
Leslie Johnston [00:10:47]:
Not anymore. We used to do that. And honestly, I loved that. Like, I love having a list of, like, as long as my budget allows, a list of, like, a bunch of people I need to shop for. I, like, find a lot of joy in that. But now we pull names.
Morgan May Treuil [00:11:02]:
Yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:11:04]:
We always. There's some workaround because Christy and I love shopping for each other.
Morgan May Treuil [00:11:10]:
Yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:11:10]:
Sometimes we do a little workaround.
Morgan May Treuil [00:11:12]:
Yeah. Like, you got you.
Leslie Johnston [00:11:13]:
Somehow. I got Christy again. Yeah. Or we make Joey get me. So then really, Christy got me.
Morgan May Treuil [00:11:19]:
That's. You know, you're probably organizing it. So you're like, I can finagle the.
Leslie Johnston [00:11:22]:
System never admitted that in real life.
Morgan May Treuil [00:11:24]:
But on one side of our family, we are doing a, like a drawing that none of the kids are involved in, so it's just adults. And then on my side of the family, we're still doing everybody buys for everybody. But I wonder how that will change after kids start coming into the picture.
Leslie Johnston [00:11:40]:
Oh, yeah, it changes.
Morgan May Treuil [00:11:41]:
But we all love that. Like, we love the style. Like, I'm. I'm typically a clothes buyer, so, like, for friends, I'll like, I go to Nordstrom.
Leslie Johnston [00:11:49]:
You're really good at that.
Morgan May Treuil [00:11:50]:
I love to. I think that's so fun to, like, think about someone and their style.
Leslie Johnston [00:11:54]:
Yes.
Morgan May Treuil [00:11:55]:
And buy a piece of clothing for them. Whether it's like something that I think they would like or it's something I think would look really good on them. But that's typically my first go to is like, what's something clothing related that I could get them?
Leslie Johnston [00:12:06]:
That's. You know what we should do for Christmas?
Morgan May Treuil [00:12:08]:
We.
Leslie Johnston [00:12:09]:
Which I don't know if we have time to do this, but we should get each other a gift for Christmas and open it on the podcast.
Morgan May Treuil [00:12:14]:
Yeah, that'd be fun.
Leslie Johnston [00:12:14]:
That would be really fun.
Morgan May Treuil [00:12:15]:
I love that idea. That'd be so. I just love those, like, surprise gifts when someone knows you.
Leslie Johnston [00:12:20]:
Yes.
Morgan May Treuil [00:12:21]:
Well enough to. To be like, this is actually really cool and this would look really good on you. And then you just get it.
Leslie Johnston [00:12:27]:
You are really good at that. You.
Morgan May Treuil [00:12:29]:
I don't know if I'm.
Leslie Johnston [00:12:30]:
You are. You're so good at. First of all, you. You love to give a good gift. Like, you're not like, oh, this is over at the dollar store.
Morgan May Treuil [00:12:40]:
No, I'm not at 5.
Leslie Johnston [00:12:41]:
Like, no. And nothing is ever on sale, which I respect because I'm kind of like.
Morgan May Treuil [00:12:45]:
A sale buyer, which is like, people should do that. Well, yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:12:49]:
But sometimes it feels really nice when someone spends.
Morgan May Treuil [00:12:51]:
Yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:12:52]:
You're like, dang, you didn't even buy this on sale. You bought this full price.
Morgan May Treuil [00:12:56]:
I don't know why I feel like when you do that for gifts, it's like, I don't know.
Leslie Johnston [00:13:00]:
That's my favorite quote from Michael Scott is when I think it's Michael Scott when he's like, gift giving is great. He's like, it's like saying, I love you this many dollars worth.
Morgan May Treuil [00:13:10]:
Which is like the exact opposite of what we wanted to be. That's funny.
Leslie Johnston [00:13:15]:
I love.
Morgan May Treuil [00:13:15]:
Yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:13:16]:
I think gift giving is so fun. Are you. Are you offended? Like, if you get something for your family or something for like, extended Family or whatever. If someone returns it, are you offended or are you like, oh, this is a starter gift.
Morgan May Treuil [00:13:28]:
I would be not offended if they returned it for, like, reasons of, like, fit. Like, I've had things where, like, it doesn't fit and then by the time they take it in, it's like that it wasn't even in stock. I just picked something else. Like, I. I think that's great. Like, I don't. I don't have any issue with that. I'm a big reactions person and this gets me into trouble at holiday season.
Morgan May Treuil [00:13:51]:
I feel like I'll do better this year because I don't think I'm going to have much time to think about what people think of my gifts.
Leslie Johnston [00:13:56]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:13:57]:
But like, yeah, like, I almost watch too much. Like, I get something for somebody, I think about it too much. I watch them open it, and if their reaction falls below what I thought they would think of it, that bums me out a lot. I'm a big. Which is unfair of me to put that on people because a lot of people like things. They're just not great gift openers.
Leslie Johnston [00:14:16]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:14:17]:
I think I, growing up just, like, learned this production value around opening gifts in front of people.
Leslie Johnston [00:14:24]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:14:24]:
And making it a big deal.
Leslie Johnston [00:14:25]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:14:26]:
And so I expect people to do that for me, but they don't do that. I also think being married to Benji helps with that a little bit. He's never gonna give me a response.
Leslie Johnston [00:14:35]:
That'S like, over the top to a guest.
Morgan May Treuil [00:14:37]:
You know, it's always very mellow and chill. So, yeah, I'm not offended by a return. I'd be more offended by, like, a.
Leslie Johnston [00:14:45]:
Lack of like, like a response.
Morgan May Treuil [00:14:48]:
Yeah. Or like, there's gratitude.
Leslie Johnston [00:14:49]:
Oh, cool.
Morgan May Treuil [00:14:50]:
Yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:14:50]:
Oh, cool.
Morgan May Treuil [00:14:51]:
Like, dismiss. Like, put it aside. Like, that would bug me.
Leslie Johnston [00:14:53]:
You know who is the best gift receiver I know is my brother Scott.
Morgan May Treuil [00:14:58]:
Really?
Leslie Johnston [00:14:58]:
When we are opening gifts, it is like, he'll get a, like a sweater or like a, like a plain T shirt. He's like, this is so cool. I love this.
Morgan May Treuil [00:15:08]:
Makes me emotional.
Leslie Johnston [00:15:09]:
And he will go and put it on right away.
Morgan May Treuil [00:15:13]:
So.
Leslie Johnston [00:15:14]:
So by the end of the opening of the gifts, he has a full new outfit on. New shoes, new jacket. Like, he is the greatest gift receiver. I just think everything is like, the best. And he literally puts it all on as it's like the cutest thing.
Morgan May Treuil [00:15:29]:
Oh, my God.
Leslie Johnston [00:15:30]:
Still to this day.
Morgan May Treuil [00:15:31]:
I love that.
Leslie Johnston [00:15:32]:
I love it. And you know what? His K are just like him. Amelia will open a gift and she is like, I've Always wanted this. I've always wanted. And you're like, she's four and she's.
Morgan May Treuil [00:15:44]:
Like, so excited to give to them.
Leslie Johnston [00:15:46]:
Oh, it's the best that those people are doing it.
Morgan May Treuil [00:15:48]:
Right. Because they're gonna get more gifts in life.
Leslie Johnston [00:15:50]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:15:51]:
Because people want to watch that.
Leslie Johnston [00:15:52]:
Yeah. Oh, yeah. Because you want to give a gift to them. Yeah, we're. I feel like even it's funny with the kids because, you know, a lot of kids where they're just like, what? Throw behind me next thing. But yeah, it's really sweet when they love the gifts.
Morgan May Treuil [00:16:05]:
That's really fun. What's. What's the most meaningful gift that you've received? That is kind of putting on the spot. I have one to go first if we need to. But the most meaningful gift you've received. That wasn't necessarily the most expensive gift, but it was like a really meaningful gift. Mine, actually. This is so random and so funny.
Morgan May Treuil [00:16:31]:
I. And I. I say this like, there's probably a lot more meaningful gifts. Like, my mom just got me a necklace with the baby's name on it. That's meaningful. Benji's got me stuff that's really meaningful. This was surprisingly meaningful because it was so specific and from someone that I didn't expect. But on my mom's side of the family, we still do a drawing for, like, extended family too.
Morgan May Treuil [00:16:51]:
And my cousin Whitney's husband Andrew drew me. And I think there was like a twenty dollar limit or something like that. So it wasn't like a.
Leslie Johnston [00:17:00]:
It.
Morgan May Treuil [00:17:01]:
You couldn't have done a big gift. But he got me a really cool, like, limited edition copy of mere Christianity by C.S. lewis. And the reason he got me that book is because at our wedding, my mom made place cards. You remember those table numbers that were made out of book pages at our wedding?
Leslie Johnston [00:17:22]:
Oh, yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:17:22]:
Those were all book pages from Mere Christianity. And so he had. He sat at that table for dinner and read one of those pages and realized that it was from Mere Christianity and remembered it. And then like three years later got me this, like, limited edition copy of that for Christmas because it was like, what are. It was just like such a thoughtful. That's really memorable. Like, he went. I don't know, it was like it was from such an unexpected person because he's great, but, like, he's my cousin's husband, you know, it was just like, it was so thoughtful.
Morgan May Treuil [00:17:56]:
And I'm like, man, I wish that I thought that way. I feel like you think this way about people where, like, you remember these, like, details These significant things, and you can call back to it and then give them a gift. Because that kind of gift doesn't have to be expensive. That gift can be like a. I just want you to know that I. Like, I see you and think about.
Leslie Johnston [00:18:15]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:18:15]:
The things you care about. And it was so thoughtful and surprising.
Leslie Johnston [00:18:20]:
Yes.
Morgan May Treuil [00:18:21]:
There.
Leslie Johnston [00:18:22]:
So it wasn't a gift that I received. But my sister, this was probably maybe like, five or ten years ago. She had left her Bible that she had since she was, like, little, like, early elementary school. She had left it in this cabin that we stayed at, like, a year before that. And she called them. They couldn't find it. Whatever. It was like, a whole thing.
Leslie Johnston [00:18:46]:
She was so sad because she was like, dang, this Bible is gone. And it was like my childhood Bible that I grew up with. And my dad. That next Christmas, she opens the gift, and he had gone back to that place we stayed at and had been like, we need to look. We need to find this all. And basically, like, looked and looked and searched and searched and talked to all these people, and eventually they found the Bible. And so he gifted her the Bible at Christmas. And it was so sweet.
Leslie Johnston [00:19:16]:
She, like, cried. It was such a cool thing. But I was like, oh, the intentionality to be like, oh, I know what's so meaningful to somebody, and I'm gonna, like, go back and do the work to find that thing. That was. I think that is probably the most meaningful gift I've seen someone give that is really special. And it didn't really cost anything. But what's the.
Morgan May Treuil [00:19:36]:
Like, I must be missing the part of my brain that pays attention throughout the year to what people want.
Leslie Johnston [00:19:44]:
People want.
Morgan May Treuil [00:19:45]:
Slash, like, what would mean a lot to them. Because I get to the end of the year.
Leslie Johnston [00:19:49]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:19:49]:
And I'm like, I would love to do something like that.
Leslie Johnston [00:19:52]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:19:52]:
It's, like, so special and so meaningful.
Leslie Johnston [00:19:54]:
So what helps me, I'm not as good at. I feel like I was really good at it, and then things get busy, and I keep forgetting. But what has helped me is, like, keeping a note in my phone. And if someone ever says, like, oh, I just really would love this, or I. Oh, wow. Like, they notice something that maybe you have that they really like. Like, for example, this is such a funny thing. But, like, our.
Leslie Johnston [00:20:18]:
One of our friends, she had borrowed a pair of shorts that I had. This was like a year ago or something. And. And she was like. She loved them. And she's like, if you ever want to, like, if you ever sell these, let me know. First because I want to buy them. They're like just normal shorts.
Leslie Johnston [00:20:32]:
And I had always remembered that. And so then it was like her birthday and I got her something else, but I included the shorts in it.
Morgan May Treuil [00:20:39]:
Oh, that's fun.
Leslie Johnston [00:20:40]:
And it's just fun. What helps me is I'll take a note in my phone and I'll write like, Morgan. And it's like, if you ever say something, I'll like put it in my note because I will forget it. Like when it comes to Christmas time. And I'm like, I don't know what any of these people want, but if you have a little note in your phone, sometimes it's fun because it's so fun to give a gift that someone either forgot they wanted or they like, you just know them so well. Cause I think that that's part of it is like, that's why, I mean, I'm very. I'm not like anti gift card. Like I would take a gift card, but I, to me, I'm just like, I think that there's so much meaning behind and it's even like style like you going out and picking stuff.
Leslie Johnston [00:21:19]:
Both Krista have felt this way where it's like you go and pick out stuff that I'm like, oh my gosh, I would totally wear that. Like, I love that. I love that, you know, my style. And so I think it can be a lot of different ways.
Morgan May Treuil [00:21:29]:
But yeah, yeah, I like, I think that's, that's the thing that the practical thing I want to start doing is like whatever the mental note is because that is special when you like, you know that you've said something before and then you've forgotten about it and then you open it and it's. It's this thing that you now remember because somebody else kept note for you. I just feel like that's like, that's something I want to start doing. I think that's really fun.
Leslie Johnston [00:21:52]:
I'm curious. I was thinking about this earlier for. I feel like for Christmas we get so wrapped up in. Wrapped up in like gift giving and our lists and like what we're gonna get people and what they would want. That's like physical. But I'm curious, like, I wonder if we need to start thinking too of like, Christmas is sometimes like a hard season for people or there's like just like life doesn't stop at Christmas. It's like Christmas time is not always like, oh, all your problems have disappeared and everything's perfect. And I wonder if there's like things that we can start giving at Christmas time that are more than just like a gift gift, you know, like a material gift.
Leslie Johnston [00:22:41]:
Like, I'm thinking it was just something I was thinking about and I was like, I wonder if there's a way to like, go when you think about maybe it's like a family member and you're like, oh, I know that they. I'm normally like too busy to do stuff with them, but I know that, like, I could just give them a gift. But I could also go, like, they would love if I, like, took them out for an afternoon and we went and did something really fun that they enjoyed. And I wonder if, like, that's actually a better gift than even like the physical gifts you can give somebody.
Morgan May Treuil [00:23:14]:
Experiences.
Leslie Johnston [00:23:15]:
Yeah, an experience. Or like, is there somebody in my life who I'm like, oh, they're so inundated with like, their kids and maybe me, like, taking their kids for an afternoon would be a great gift for them.
Morgan May Treuil [00:23:27]:
That's an interesting thought. Like, what if. What if at the end of the year you. I think this is true both people that you know and people you would typically buy for. And also it's a really great time to think about the people in your life that you wouldn't normally buy for, but that are going through something really challenging, whether that's relationally or financially or mental health wise or whatever, and then be thinking, like, what's something that I could do that's either it's big or it's small that can bless them? Yeah, I think that that tends to mean more at the end of the year when you're going through something really hard and somebody who doesn't isn't normally in your circle goes out of their way to see you and to acknowledge your pain and to do something to help you. Yeah, I feel like that's something that we were feeling prompted to do this year because we've got a few people that are kind of like, not in our exact, like, circle of people, but kind of like on the, you know, on the edge of that, that are going through some really challenging things towards the end of the year. And we're like, what can we do? Whether it's like, we're gonna host a dinner, which again, all this is hard now because we're about to have a baby and we don't even know when he's coming. But it's like, in a normal year, could we host a dinner or something where we just invite them over and spend time with them? Could we initiate an experience where we go See Christmas lights or we go take a cooking class with people I don't like.
Morgan May Treuil [00:24:48]:
There's so many creative things you can do that don't cost a whole arm and a leg and that are more about time than they are about, like, a material possession. And I think a lot of people, which. A lot of that too, is knowing what somebody values, I guess.
Leslie Johnston [00:25:03]:
Yep. Because I even think, like, this sometimes is a morbid thought. But, like, I think especially at Christmas time, like, oh, my gosh, I am so thankful that, like, my family is here and I get to spend the holidays with them. That sometimes I'm like, oh, I don't wanna be regretful after that season is over. To be like, dang, instead of just being like, oh, I'm just busy on my own, trying to get all these, like, to do list things done that I miss. Like that holiday season with them and, like, being with them and being and doing the things that are really meaningful and like memory making instead of just, oh, I got them this gift. Oh, I'm too busy to do whatever. And so.
Leslie Johnston [00:25:50]:
Or honestly, I think a lot of people get to the holiday season, myself included. And it's like, you think of the things that maybe haven't changed since last year or the things that you were hoping for or things maybe your life isn't exactly where you want it to be this Christmas. And I think it's super easy to get wrapped up in yourself at Christmas time and be like, oh, I was hoping I would, whatever it is, like, have a baby at this point or be married at this point or whatever, that we can miss the people that are right in front of us. And so I think for me, I'm like, I'm trying to go. I don't want to miss it at Christmas. So I think gifts are important, I think. But I think even more it's like, okay, what do people really want at Christmas from you? Like, is that time with them? Is that you helping them in some way? Is that. And I'm just like, I'm.
Leslie Johnston [00:26:43]:
It's re. It's rewiring my mind to think, like, gosh, what do I want to do at Christmas time?
Morgan May Treuil [00:26:48]:
Those are really good priority check. Because I think about how much time in the past we have really busy Christmas around here because we have Christmas services. We've got a billion of them. So, like, it's kind of like the mad dash, which can be really fun of finding time in between Christmas Eve services to finish shopping and to, like, do fun stuff. And we always find time make Time to do stuff like that. But I do think like there's been many hours that I've spent during the Christmas season outside of services where I've been like at the mall by myself getting things for people, like last minute checking off your list. And that's not a bad thing because you're selflessly and like thoughtfully trying to pick gifts for people. But I do think like, oh, that, that is kind of a, not a waste of time.
Morgan May Treuil [00:27:31]:
But it's like you're by yourself in the mall at Christmas, which can be really fun if you've got like a good drink and you're just kind of like, you know, it's part of your tradition. But I, I, I think that there's some, like, there's some things that would have that can be more beneficial to replace that time with. You know, like, I wonder if I'm excited to see how having a kid changes this. Not because I think that, that having a kid will change the magic. I guess in some ways it will. I think the thing I'm excited about changing is I am like a kind of a self absorbed Christmas person. Mostly because I get freaked out when things don't feel as magical as they once felt. I guess.
Leslie Johnston [00:28:16]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:28:17]:
Or when I feel like I'm missing out on an experience or like I still get emotional about my birthday because I worry which. I have amazing people in my life who always make it special. So it's never whatever. But leading up to it I get these like fear thoughts of like, well, what if it's not magical and what if we miss it? And I only get like, I have this fear of time or fear of missing out or whatever it is not.
Leslie Johnston [00:28:39]:
Yeah. Having the feeling that you, the feeling.
Morgan May Treuil [00:28:42]:
On that day that we had in childhood that I honestly didn't even have. You know, like, I remember one birthday and my mom had done literally everything to make it magical. And then three o' clock hits and all the magic stuff had finished because it's one day and I'm crying because my birthday is not special. And I'm like, it's literally been just, you're just, and it's mostly about you obsessing over you. It's nothing. But with a kid it's like all of a sudden your whole vibe becomes, well, Christmas has to be magical for them. So my, all of my effort is going into like what makes Christmas magical for them.
Leslie Johnston [00:29:18]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:29:19]:
And I feel like that's probably something that I will have wished I did earlier before I didn't have a kid.
Leslie Johnston [00:29:26]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:29:26]:
Is like, what would it look like if this Christmas season all of my joy came from making it magical for other people?
Leslie Johnston [00:29:33]:
That's really good.
Morgan May Treuil [00:29:34]:
And focused less on me. I would probably be happier because I'd be thinking about myself less. But then also you'd be creating these experiences like for your. For our parents and for our siblings and for our friends that are fun and they're time oriented and it's all about. I just feel like things go better biblically and in life when you're thinking more about other people than you.
Leslie Johnston [00:29:58]:
100.
Morgan May Treuil [00:30:00]:
Which sounds so stupid. But it's true holiday season. You're so right. We tend to get really self absorbed and. Self absorbed sounds funny. Because you think, well, I'm not full of myself. I'm not saying it's like full of yourself. I'm saying holidays, we go internal and all we do is assess how we feel.
Leslie Johnston [00:30:16]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:30:17]:
And that's not actually that. Maybe it's helpful in short spurts to like reflect and check where you're at so you can grow.
Leslie Johnston [00:30:25]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:30:25]:
But you can't live there. And I think sometimes in the holiday season I tend to like live there. How do I feel about this? How do I feel about the fact that.
Leslie Johnston [00:30:33]:
So true.
Morgan May Treuil [00:30:33]:
My flights got canceled because it was covet. And it's like, no. You could be thinking external. Like, what can I do to make other people. I don't know. I feel like that's something that I'll have wished I had learned before.
Leslie Johnston [00:30:44]:
Maybe.
Morgan May Treuil [00:30:45]:
But that a baby forces you to do. Because you have to start thinking about that.
Leslie Johnston [00:30:48]:
That I love that.
Morgan May Treuil [00:30:50]:
That does.
Leslie Johnston [00:30:51]:
That solves the issue of feeling like, oh, no, what if this isn't magical enough for me? It's like, who. If you're making it magical for somebody else, it's going to be magical for you.
Morgan May Treuil [00:31:03]:
Right. Because you get to w. And then your. Your effort just changes. Like the goal is different and that helps. Like, we need a goal.
Leslie Johnston [00:31:09]:
Yes.
Morgan May Treuil [00:31:09]:
You need a goal at Christmas.
Leslie Johnston [00:31:11]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:31:11]:
That's. That is like a big, practical piece of advice. Like before December 1st, stop, sit down and be like, what is my goal this Christmas? But don't go to into it aimlessly. Because that is a recipe for disaster. If you don't have a goal, then it's going to be emotional turmoil.
Leslie Johnston [00:31:29]:
Get a goal in mind. Figure out what people really need and want.
Morgan May Treuil [00:31:32]:
Yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:31:33]:
And if you focus on that, you'll have actually a much happier Christmas.
Morgan May Treuil [00:31:37]:
Yeah. And the goal can be as big or as like niche as you need it to be. So like, if the goal is, like, time with people like you, here's my list of five people that I really want to spend good time with.
Leslie Johnston [00:31:48]:
Yes.
Morgan May Treuil [00:31:48]:
Great goal. And then if you get to the end of it and you completed the goal, then you will. The other thing about that too is that then you get to November or January 1st and you're like, oh, I like Christmas didn't fly by. I didn't waste it.
Leslie Johnston [00:31:59]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:32:00]:
Because I did what I wanted to do.
Leslie Johnston [00:32:01]:
Totally.
Morgan May Treuil [00:32:03]:
I think that's special.
Leslie Johnston [00:32:04]:
I love that. I love that.
Morgan May Treuil [00:32:06]:
Yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:32:07]:
Well, this. I mean, I feel like I. I have a good. A good Christmas that month should make them. I mean, my goal. I think Christmas will look different this year. Cause this is the Christmas that, like, most of my family is somewhere else. So it's a smaller Christmas.
Morgan May Treuil [00:32:26]:
It's a good time for a goal.
Leslie Johnston [00:32:27]:
And usually that makes me so sad. But I'm like. I think my goal for actual, like, probably Christmas Day, since that will be different than normal. Well, my first goal is trying to get them all to go to Hawaii instead. That's my underlying goal.
Morgan May Treuil [00:32:43]:
You have plenty of times.
Leslie Johnston [00:32:43]:
It's not gonna happen. But my second goal is that, yeah, I think I do wanna go. Oh, how can this be really special for everybody who is there? And what can I do specifically with both of my parents? Like, I'm lucky that I'm an adult and my parents are still here. And so it's like, what can I do with them that's meaningful and fun? Especially that day because we all are busy. We're all in church. My whole family's in church. So we're all busy up until then. But it's like, how can I use that day to not complain that the fact that my twin sister isn't there and, you know, all these people aren't there, but that, oh, no, there's actually some really cool things maybe that we can do more like one on one, which will be fun.
Morgan May Treuil [00:33:26]:
You have a different. You have a different experience with your parents than the rest of your siblings, do you? Because you get to be with them in, like, in this phase of life in a way that's like. That is actually very. It's. I get that. That's also, like, hard too.
Leslie Johnston [00:33:44]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:33:44]:
That is really special to get to spend time with them.
Leslie Johnston [00:33:46]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:33:47]:
In that way. Totally my goal. And this makes me. I am white knuckling this. Like, Benji has continued to say this over and over again. He's like, you need to. You need to start preparing yourself for what Christmas might or Might not be like.
Leslie Johnston [00:34:05]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:34:05]:
And what he means is we have no idea how this is all going to go. Cuz birth is very unpredictable. Like the baby could come early, the baby could come late, which changes the vibe. And it's. The baby is due in December. So this is all very confusing. And like, you just don't know what to expect. It could be a smooth birth, it could be a gnarly birth.
Leslie Johnston [00:34:24]:
For sure.
Morgan May Treuil [00:34:24]:
It could be, it could turn into a C section in which like that becomes major surgery versus, you know, like there's so many variables that all change the timing of things. And basically it's like, am I okay with it if something happens to where I might be away from family during a time when usually I'm with family.
Leslie Johnston [00:34:48]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:34:48]:
And not to mention the fact that part of my joy in being away from family when I am for the holidays is all of our Bayside Christmas stuff. And I'm not going to get to do that in the same way. Yeah. And so I, I actually, my goal, I've been pushing off the thought of it because I just don't want to think about. I, I keep thinking if I don't think about it, then it's not gonna affect me. Yeah. I think what I actually need to do is sit down and be like a goal setter and say if Christmas looks different for me this year based off of location, health, any of those things. There are like things that I, I think my goal, my goal is that Benji, me and baby would have concentrated time to build a family unit.
Leslie Johnston [00:35:36]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:35:38]:
And make Christmas time like part of the magic of that.
Leslie Johnston [00:35:41]:
Yes.
Morgan May Treuil [00:35:41]:
Where we're like in our new home with all of our Christmas stuff around and we have a tree.
Leslie Johnston [00:35:46]:
Yes.
Morgan May Treuil [00:35:47]:
And we're watching Christmas movies and we're just like with our baby. And that I would be okay making that, like, practice being mom and making that special. Even if it's a pivot from what I've done my whole life.
Leslie Johnston [00:36:00]:
Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:36:00]:
And I really want for that to not be a hard thing if that is what has to happen.
Leslie Johnston [00:36:08]:
Well, we. You could have Christmas in my house.
Morgan May Treuil [00:36:11]:
But you know what I'm saying? No, it's.
Leslie Johnston [00:36:12]:
No, it's like that.
Morgan May Treuil [00:36:13]:
Like, yes, we have people, we've got like all that stuff. But it's like the goal of am I going?
Leslie Johnston [00:36:20]:
This will be the, this is the ultimate. Yes.
Morgan May Treuil [00:36:23]:
Of selflessness.
Leslie Johnston [00:36:24]:
The final boss.
Morgan May Treuil [00:36:25]:
Final boss. And so I think that's the goal for me is like, can I walk into this with flexibility and with adaptability and be like this is going to be joyful and meaningful regardless of how it plays out.
Leslie Johnston [00:36:40]:
Yes. Yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:36:41]:
And to hold it very loosely. I'm not a loose Christmas person. Like, I have planned for the past five years of living away from home, I have planned this to a T. So I don't miss the things that are the most important, and all those priorities are changing, you know, and so it's like, sure, yeah. So I'm. I'm like. I think it will be stretching and growing, but that's the goal is like, yeah. How do I hold that? Very loosely.
Leslie Johnston [00:37:06]:
I love that. That's really good. I'm proud of you for that. Because that is a very hard thing to, you know, like, let go of and then latch onto the new thing. But. And there's gonna be so many, you know, holidays and Christmases where you do get to spend it exactly where your family is.
Morgan May Treuil [00:37:24]:
Totally.
Leslie Johnston [00:37:24]:
And with the baby, which is so fun. But you're right. There is something, I think, really special and bonding about what you just described, too. Like, if that ends up happening.
Morgan May Treuil [00:37:34]:
Yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:37:34]:
I think even though it can be hard, you also can go, probably. You look back and you go, that was so special.
Morgan May Treuil [00:37:41]:
Yeah.
Leslie Johnston [00:37:41]:
You know?
Morgan May Treuil [00:37:42]:
Yeah. And I can feel it in my bones that God wants me to be okay with that. Whether that happens or not. Like, I can feel it. Yes, I can. I can. I can literally hear God saying, I need you to be okay with that if that's the thing. Like, I need you to trust me.
Leslie Johnston [00:37:57]:
Yeah. Yeah. So that's awesome.
Morgan May Treuil [00:38:00]:
That's a goal, too.
Leslie Johnston [00:38:02]:
That's. That's a great goal. I love that. I can't wait to see this little baby.
Morgan May Treuil [00:38:07]:
I know.
Leslie Johnston [00:38:08]:
Crazy. It's crazy.
Morgan May Treuil [00:38:10]:
Well, thanks for joining us.
Leslie Johnston [00:38:11]:
Who knows? Maybe when this episode airs, the baby will be here.
Morgan May Treuil [00:38:14]:
It totally could be. Because it's December 1st and we might. Crazy. We might be welcoming the baby.
Leslie Johnston [00:38:19]:
That's right. So stay tuned, follow tuned, follow Instagram. If you want to see if the.
Morgan May Treuil [00:38:23]:
Baby gets born, we have to introduce him on the gram.
Leslie Johnston [00:38:27]:
Oh, yeah.
Morgan May Treuil [00:38:28]:
Okay.
Leslie Johnston [00:38:29]:
Anyways, I can't wait to see what he looks like.
Morgan May Treuil [00:38:31]:
Okay, bye.
Leslie Johnston [00:38:32]:
Bye.