New Year’s Insanity is a Gen X specialty.

In this episode of The Real Gen X Podcast, Jen is joined by Janie Steele to break down why New Year’s brings pressure, nostalgia, emotional overload, and unrealistic expectations for Gen X. From childhood countdowns and chaotic New Year’s Eves to adulthood, parenting, burnout, and midlife reflection, this episode gets honest about what January actually feels like.

They talk about Gen X nostalgia, New Year’s resolutions, reinvention in midlife, emotional burnout, aging, and parenting—plus the ridiculous idea of a New Year’s “Levy” and why it deserves to be called out.

No toxic positivity. No “new year, new you.”
Just real Gen X talk about starting another year when you’re already tired.

Join host Jen and her friends Adam Turkel and Rita Swinson as they take a nostalgic journey through the culinary landscape of their GenX childhood Christmases. With humour and nostalgia, they rank the food crimes of their youth reflecting on how these experiences shaped their culinary identities.

Christmas just doesn’t feel the same, and if you’re Gen X, there’s a reason for that.In this solo mini-episode of The Real GenX Podcast, Jen talks about the quiet shift that changed how we experience the holidays; the one no one warned us about, but most of us feel.This isn’t nostalgia. It’s recognition.If you’ve ever thought, “Why does this season feel heavier than it used to?” this episode is for you.

Ah, the magic of childhood memories, where every Christmas was a whirlwind of excitement and anticipation! In this episode, we dive into the nostalgic world of the Sears Christmas Wishbook, a treasure trove of toys that defined our childhoods. Join us as we reminisce about the cherished gifts we longed for, the hilarious gift fails, the toys that should have killed us and the unforgettable memories made along the way.