Christmas Spectacular Eight

Christmas Spectacular Eight

Author: A Travel Podcast December 22, 2025 Duration: 46:11

 On this year's Christmas Spectacular episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan and Ryan hang up their socks and trade merry greetings. They discuss the official death of the Ugly Ornament Competition, the history of British Christmas crackers (no, they're not crackers), and their favorite Christmas tunes (including a Ryan original).. And for the Anglophiles out there, the boys sing the praises of one of the US's best importers of British goods, happily located right in Acton, MA. 

Things we talked about in today's podcast:

The Bee's Knees British Imports
https://www.thebeeskneesbritishimports.com/ 

V&A Museum history of Christmas crackers
https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-christmas-cracker?srsltid=AfmBOopqIG_oE9tXOOtQdsUnnRHXaOH8bPLkOiNC52C9XAlXv0hzY_Kf 

"Have Yourself an Out of Office Christmas"
https://www.mureka.ai/song-detail/WX3PuAjGnrbg8mx41mThs2?is_from_share=1 

"Scrooge" from the Muppets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULaNvmjZWxg  


Out Of Office: A Travel Podcast is hosted by Ryan Davis and Kiernan Schmitt, two people who caught the travel bug early and never looked back. Their conversations stretch the idea of what a journey can be, finding adventure just down the road as readily as on a distant continent. Each episode focuses on a single theme, weaving together personal stories, practical tips, and broader reflections that can shift from deeply thoughtful to genuinely humorous without warning. You’ll hear discussions that might cover the nuances of packing light, the ethics of tourism, the joy of getting lost in a familiar city, or the sheer logistics of planning an epic trek. The tone is less about presenting a perfect itinerary and more about sharing a mindset-one that finds curiosity and discovery in both the grand and the mundane aspects of moving through the world. This podcast operates on the belief that an exploratory spirit can be applied anywhere, and that the stories we collect along the way are what truly shape us. It’s a show for anyone who feels that pull to see what’s around the corner, offering grounded advice and genuine camaraderie for all kinds of trips. Listening feels like getting travel advice from well-traveled friends who are just as passionate about a clever day-trip hack as they are about a life-changing overseas odyssey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Out Of Office: A Travel Podcast
Podcast Episodes
NYT Editor Stephen Hiltner on the "52 Places to Go in 2025" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:44
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Kiernan chats with Stephen Hiltner, the New York Times editor in charge of this year's "52 Places to Go in 2025." Stephen talks about some highlights from this year's selecti…
Santiago, Chile [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:39
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Ryan takes us south to Santiago, Chile, where he rides up a funicular and down a cable car to see the Virgin Mary. Plus, eating barnacles and flying out of Kafka Airport. The…
Skiing for the Skeptical [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:46
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, the boys talk about their holiday breaks and discuss why ski trips are well-worth the expense and steep learning curve. Plus, Ryan has a onesie! Here's what we cover in this…
Christmas Spectacular Seven [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:43
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, the boys celebrate the season with discussions of the Immaculate Conception (it's not what Ryan thinks), an idea for holiday film commentaries yet to come, and the LAST Ugly…
Monterrey, Mexico [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:21
This week on Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Ryan recaps his recent trip to Monterrey, Mexico, covering highlights from the scenic River Walk to an interactive steel museum. He also shares a wild story about a run-in wi…
Star Wars Museum Creator Steve Sansweet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:22
This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan talks with one of the greatest Star Wars collectors of all time: Steve Sansweet. Steve is the founder of Rancho Obi-Wan, the largest collection of Star Wars memorab…
Being a Woman Airline Pilot in the 1980s with Stephanie Wallach [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:13
In this episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, Ryan talks with Stephanie Wallach, one of the first women to break into the world of commercial aviation in America. Plus, Kiernan faces an unfortunate bout of gate lic…
Graveyards [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:54
On this episode of Out of Office: A Travel Podcast, the boys embrace Spooktober by sharing their favorite graveyards. Plus, there's an update on friend of the pod Rick Steves' health and some Boston travel tips from Kier…
Secrets of a Modern-Day Travel Agent [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:01
In this episode, Ryan chats with Rory, a travel agent, about why people still use agents in 2024 and what it's like booking tickets for Andrew Scott. Plus, Kiernan talks about his new job as a Boston tour guide. Things W…
Travelin' Music [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:42
This week on "Out of Office: A Travel Podcast," Kiernan and Ryan chat about the deep connections between music and travel, including how a well-chosen song can be the ideal souvenir. They also dig into how much Ryan prep…