- 4 months ago
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00:00My biggest fear is that I die, and then you sell these ornaments
00:03for what I told you they cost.
00:04Well, how much did they cost?
00:06I have no idea what I've spent on my collection.
00:09$53,308.57.
00:11All right, you coming to my funeral?
00:13No, we are not going to have a skeleton in the wedding.
00:16My dream wedding, instead of a bouquet toss,
00:18I want a snowball fight.
00:20You know my family is super traditional.
00:22How'd it go with your mom?
00:24And each season I do about four gingerbread villages,
00:28some of yours five.
00:29OK, so just put it in real gentle.
00:31We're going to take this exhibit to Coney Island.
00:33Look at this.
00:34Hey, hey, hey.
00:50Squeeze between these trees.
00:54Really excited about making some sweaters.
00:58I've been wanting to do this for a while.
00:59It's supposed to be ugly though, right?
01:00I mean, that's the idea.
01:02OK.
01:03I love Christmas because it's the most magical time of the year.
01:07I'm obsessed with the lights, the trees.
01:10When I was a kid, I used to lay underneath the Christmas tree
01:13and look up at the lights.
01:14And then they're a perfect vessel for hanging all of my creative creations on.
01:19My decorating style is clearly different, very nerdy, let's say whimsical.
01:26Like, who thinks dinosaurs or sharks make great Christmas trees?
01:30I do that too.
01:31Collecting for Christmas started a couple of years ago.
01:34I started with one tree and then somebody made the comment to me, like, hey, you've got
01:39a lot of space.
01:40Have you considered putting like a second tree up?
01:42And it was in that moment I kind of went like, you know what?
01:43I could do more than one.
01:45After that, I kind of just grew from there.
01:48I went from three to, I think, 18 in one year.
01:52And I'm currently up to, I believe, 32.
01:58I've got a lime green tree, a pink tree, I've got two black trees, a purple tree.
02:04So I enjoy the variety that's out there that you can create different themes and different
02:10looks.
02:11And I think the skeletons kind of add this really fun, weird element.
02:15I can pose them in different ways.
02:18They add a little spooky and a lot of humor.
02:20I do take an entire week off of work.
02:23Like, I save up my PTO to make sure that I can get this done.
02:27This is my fiancee.
02:29I am Pete.
02:30When she gets something or something, it definitely grows exponentially.
02:35So there was the storage rule.
02:37Yes.
02:38Everything has to fit in my storage unit.
02:39But what we didn't realize was that my storage unit was going to go from 5 by 10 to 15 by 30.
02:47So I feel like as long as it fits in storage, that was one of our considerations.
02:52But like, I've gotten better over the years with the whole logistics of moving it back and
02:55forth so it's not 48 pickup truck loads back and forth to the storage unit.
02:59I try to just do it in one big 21-foot U-Haul.
03:03Have you and Pete picked a date yet?
03:05I really want to stick to April for the wedding, but theme it for Christmas.
03:11Oh, OK.
03:13I'm Valerie, and I'm Krista's mother.
03:16She's definitely my partner in crime.
03:18She's an enabler, for sure.
03:20I go towards pretty, not some of the other stuff.
03:23She says that, but the skeletons are actually wearing your socks, I think, isn't it?
03:29Oh, today, yeah.
03:30I've never been to a Christmas wedding, so...
03:32See?
03:33I don't want to be like everybody else, either.
03:35You don't think that's too weird, do you?
03:37No.
03:38It's the nerdiest story ever.
03:43We actually met in a video game, and then...
03:45It was 18 years ago.
03:47Yeah, and we started talking, we started playing together, and then decided it was time to meet,
03:51so I flew up to Wisconsin, visited her, met her and all of her family, and then a month
03:56later...
03:57I picked up everything I had and moved down here.
04:00And the moral of the story is, don't play video games, kids.
04:03Don't play video games.
04:04Weddings these days are expensive, so the more stuff I can do with all this stuff we've
04:08already got, the better it's gonna be.
04:11Hon!
04:12Hey, we're in here!
04:14Hey.
04:15What's going on here?
04:16I mean...
04:17We're making sweaters.
04:19I want to do Christmas cards this year, so what do you think?
04:23That's yours.
04:24I figured you could do your own sweaters.
04:27Great!
04:28She's the wild, crazy, creative one.
04:31I picture inside of her head that there's two squirrels just screaming at one another
04:36constantly.
04:37You know, I'm the one that kind of corrals in it a little bit.
04:41One thing I've always, always, always wanted us to do is a Christmas card photo.
04:45Mm-hmm.
04:46I even got some little cat sweaters so we can get Sergey and Oscar in there.
04:48Mm-hmm.
04:49I kind of also thought maybe we could use it as a save the date.
04:52Wait, wait, wait, wait, what?
04:53What?
04:54Wait, what do you, what do you mean, save, like...
04:56Well, I wanted to be a...
04:57We thought we just agreed on Christmas card.
04:59I mean...
05:00And this was your con...
05:01Did I say that?
05:02One thing I've always, always, always wanted us to do is a Christmas card photo.
05:06Hmm.
05:07I mean, we did get engaged at Christmas.
05:10You think it'll be a little weird tying Christmas into the wedding?
05:13What?
05:14I don't think it'll be that weird.
05:15What would be so wrong with that?
05:17My dream wedding is going to have Christmas elements without being over the top, you know,
05:24a beautiful amusement park, beautiful, elegant Christmas.
05:28I want s'mores.
05:29I want trees.
05:30I want the hot cocoa bar.
05:32Instead of a bouquet toss, I want a snowball fight.
05:35I want that sleigh with the reindeer and that magical winter wonderland right here in central Florida.
05:43You know, the other big crux of this is going to be my mother.
05:46You know, this is our day and not hers, but at the same time, you know my family is super traditional.
05:52You know, the wedding is always supposed to be where, you know, family gets together and we get to show some-
05:57What's more together than Christmas?
06:00My whole family is very old school, traditional, and you know, to be the one that breaks away from it,
06:06you know, you don't want to let down the family and kind of have that either.
06:10This is, it's a celebration of who we are.
06:12Our marriage is a celebration of who we are.
06:14You are a guy who lives in a magical forest filled with Christmas trees four months out of the year.
06:20And it's also my day.
06:22You want to make sure that everybody who's going to it is going to be feeling, you know, included and be a part of it.
06:27That's why having a Christmas themed wedding is perfect.
06:29Is it okay if I can bring Norm?
06:31Do you want Norm to be your date?
06:33Yeah.
06:34I'll have to get him another shirt.
06:35Okay.
06:36Well, you have to get him a suit.
06:37Weddings aren't cheap.
06:38Correct.
06:39I mean, what better way than to incorporate Christmas?
06:43Yeah.
06:44Christmas.
06:45I've already got everything I could ever want.
06:47And, you know, and...
06:48Jocor wise.
06:49We have a tendency to go really in the domain of weird pretty quickly.
06:54That's kind of who I am.
06:55I know.
06:56And honey, that's what I love about you is your creative spin.
06:59But no, Norm cannot be in the wedding.
07:02We are not going to have a skeleton in the wedding.
07:04You know, at least aspects of it.
07:06So what you're saying is you don't want me to wear a Mrs. Claus outfit?
07:11Probably don't wear a Mrs. Claus outfit.
07:14So you're saying you wouldn't wear a Santa suit for your wedding?
07:17No.
07:18Like, I'll talk to mom, you know, and just kind of...
07:20I mean, you're getting close to it there.
07:30Welcome to my Gingerbread Lane workshop here in Queens, New York City.
07:34You hold the Guinness World Record for the largest gingerbread village in the world.
07:42I was in culinary school.
07:43Saw other people making gingerbread houses for a gingerbread competition that was in town,
07:47which was named Gingerbread Lane.
07:49Stole the name, made a living out of it.
07:50You know, just got intrigued with it very early,
07:52and started making gingerbread villages in the mid-90s.
07:58Christmas is coming really soon, and I'm working on it the entire year, getting ready.
08:02It's a non-stop process that never ends.
08:04I start in December with straight icing pieces, snowmen, Santa Clauses, things like that.
08:09Throughout the late winter and early spring, I get the baking on the bigger ones,
08:13and then throughout the summer, I try to crank out 20 houses a day,
08:16and pretty much just spend, you know, countless hours over the course of the year
08:21detailing and working on them while I'm having meetings with prospective clients,
08:26getting the business booked for the year.
08:28People think it's a Christmas business.
08:29Yeah, no.
08:32Yes?
08:33Hey, how you doing? I'm Joseph.
08:34Hey, Joe. Nice to meet you.
08:35You're the guy I hired to help me move all this stuff today.
08:37Yes.
08:38We're gonna take this exhibit to Coney Island and do some promo shots to kind of get ready for the fall,
08:43give my locations some coming soon sort of thing,
08:46and we're looking forward to kind of using that, you know, that amazing old institution that is Coney Island as the backdrop
08:52and let them know what's coming, get them excited for our exhibits that are gonna be opening here in about 10 weeks.
08:57It smells good in here, by the way.
08:58Yeah.
08:59It smells like gingerbread.
09:00Well, that's the cologne I have on.
09:01Okay.
09:02Woo!
09:03It's called Betty Crocker Mail.
09:05Wow.
09:06So when you come down here, you gotta be, like, really careful.
09:07You wanna make sure, watch your butt, watch your hips,
09:10because it's real easy to kind of grab one of these things and pull it off the table.
09:14When I walked into John's house, I was kind of blown away because there's gingerbread men all over the place.
09:19Yeah, I've lived in New York.
09:20I've seen a lot of things.
09:22I've never seen this before.
09:24It's crazy.
09:25How do we even go about moving this?
09:28Well, we're about to do the fun part now.
09:30Okay.
09:31The most fun part of the entire year is moving these things.
09:34I get so excited.
09:35Last night, I was just, like, full of adrenaline and excitement knowing that today we're gonna drive gingerbread houses to Coney Island.
09:42I mean, what's more fun than that, right?
09:44Yeah.
09:45Each season, I do about four villages.
09:47Some of yours five.
09:48And then that would quantify into about a thousand square feet of gingerbread village,
09:52which would be, ultimately, 2,500 gingerbread houses.
09:55And then close to 500 little figurines made out of icing.
09:5825,000 jelly beans go in each village.
10:01So you take that times four, you got 100,000 jelly beans in all these villages,
10:05in addition to about 100,000 little chocolate nonpareil candies.
10:08So each village by itself, you know, is pretty close to a ton just with what goes into each one.
10:13You know, you can shatter them all easy.
10:15And honestly, right now, we're still in the middle of my construction season.
10:17There's, like, all kinds of little crazy little details like this Santa Claus and these snowmen that are, you know, perched on top of the buildings.
10:23There's a Santa sleigh over there.
10:25We obviously buy, you know, any type of candies.
10:27And the candies all get purchased day after Christmas, day after Halloween, day after Easter, day after Valentine's.
10:33Because the morning after, 50 and 75% sales are everywhere.
10:37And that's when I stock up for the next year.
10:42All right.
10:45Not that heavy.
10:46So you want to make sure you get, like, one hand under each side like that.
10:49So this year, we're going to have Gingerbread Lane in Boston, D.C., Chicago, and Houston.
10:53And just be real careful coming out of the house.
10:56Last year, we recreated the Golden Gate Bridge.
10:58This year, I'm doing a Sears Tower and L-Train for Chicago.
11:01I have cowboy boots and cowboy hats for Houston.
11:04Okay, so just put it in real gentle, like so.
11:07Promotion's huge.
11:08It's the biggest part of it.
11:09I have to get people aware of what it is we're doing.
11:12So we're going to Coney Island today so we can, you know, do some promotional photos and videos with Gingerbread Houses.
11:17All right.
11:18Watch for bees, ants, nosy neighbors.
11:20Bees love me because I have the honey.
11:22Be careful with those things because sometimes mistakes can be very costly.
11:25Right now, you've got a lot of fresh ones where it's really nerve-wracking to move them because they're still drying.
11:32You don't really have the luxury of filling these boxes full of styrofoam peanuts because you don't really have a way to get rid of them when you get there.
11:38So you basically have to kind of pack them in loose.
11:41See, we've got the little red truck delivery service.
11:45I'll put some gifts and a little tree in the back of that once we get it there.
11:48You make a big mistake, you knock something down and it doesn't go to the show.
11:51You're going to have a lot of disappointed people.
11:54I've worn out.
11:55That's a lot of boxes we've moved.
11:57I mean, I've lost count we've moved so many.
11:59Yeah.
12:00Well, I've got good news for you though.
12:01These are the last two.
12:02See if everything is in the truck snug as a rug.
12:05Belt everything in.
12:07All right.
12:08We're ready to do this.
12:09Yeah.
12:10I'm just going to go in here and rearrange some things.
12:15We'll just try to get it over there with no damage.
12:18Set it up.
12:19Hopefully get some people interested and excited while we're there.
12:22Hopefully no birds take anything with them.
12:24And then we'll package it back up.
12:26Maybe get a little custard and head back home.
12:30All right.
12:31Great job, Joe.
12:32Let's head to Brooklyn.
12:33All right, man.
12:34I'm riding shotgun.
12:35Of course you are.
12:36You really hope these things don't look like they rode the cyclone by the time we get there.
12:45I might have to have this.
12:47I just keep ending up getting just more and more and more.
12:50This would look amazing in my bedroom.
12:52So the bridal party will line up here.
12:55I kind of wanted to do a Mrs. Claus outfit.
12:58Oh.
12:59No.
13:06Look how good this one looks.
13:07Doesn't this one look good?
13:08This is like all the old fashioned, like when you were growing up Christmas stuff that, you know, the traditional look.
13:21Right.
13:22You know what my biggest fear is?
13:23That I die one day and then you sell these ornaments for what I told you they cost.
13:27Well, how much did they cost?
13:28I'd say the average one is like $200.
13:32And how many are there?
13:34Hundreds.
13:35Yes.
13:36Hi.
13:37I'm Frank.
13:38And this is my partner, Alex.
13:39Alex and I met in a nightclub 31 years ago.
13:4232.
13:4332 years ago.
13:44And I haven't been able to get rid of him since.
13:49We're like the Bickersons.
13:50Like, we never agree on the same thing.
13:53But it all comes together in the end.
13:54Yes.
13:55And I always let them have the last word.
13:56It's the best thing.
13:57And it's usually, yes, dear.
14:01So, look what I did.
14:02Wasn't this one done last year?
14:04Yeah, but look what I did.
14:05It's got the macaroons.
14:06It's got the hot chocolate.
14:08The ice cream cone.
14:09The cake.
14:10It's all candy.
14:11I don't know if you can tell.
14:12It's all candy this year.
14:13Yeah, I got it.
14:14The big white tree.
14:15And all the balls.
14:16The original balls I bought for it.
14:18I think we spent over $100,000 that day.
14:21$100,000 on a Christmas one.
14:24Well, you knew that one.
14:25It's the ones after that.
14:26All right, put that one down.
14:28Oh, my God.
14:29I was a little kid when I started liking Christmas.
14:31And for me, it was always because it was like family time
14:34and presents and happiness.
14:36And just the overall feeling of Christmas is what I love.
14:39Yeah, I'm Jewish.
14:40So, it was a lot less Christmas.
14:43Here's what I wanted to do.
14:44So, this room, do it all happy.
14:46The other one is more traditional.
14:48Okay.
14:49In the dining room, I'd love to set this table and put all the Christmas shine up.
14:53Like, keep the table set.
14:54But you're setting the table for what reason?
14:56Who's using it?
14:57No, I think we'll have people over.
14:58We'll have a Christmas party.
14:59And then we'll have, you know...
15:01But it's September.
15:02We have the anniversary first.
15:04I know, I know.
15:05So, I'm a performer in Las Vegas now for the last 40 years.
15:08I think my father would kick my ass if he ever saw me in this dress.
15:12It's his.
15:13It's his.
15:14Nobody's ever made that milestone before, so I'm the first one.
15:19Las Vegas is gonna honor me by taking the world famous Las Vegas sign and changing the
15:23clear light bulbs that rotate around it to ruby for the 40th anniversary.
15:27So, it's a big deal to have this honor.
15:29So, I do so appreciate all that.
15:32But we could also decorate for Christmas.
15:34I also, if you look in here, look at the silverware.
15:37You're gonna die.
15:38It's all rhinestone.
15:40Who needs rhinestone silverware?
15:42We do for Christmas.
15:44I produce big live shows on the Las Vegas strip.
15:46But to keep him on task for the 40th is hard because all he wants to talk about is Christmas.
15:53What are you doing?
15:55I'm trying to figure out how we're gonna fit these into the spots.
16:00You have blueprints on where you're gonna put these boxes?
16:02I have a schematic done where it shows you how many you have to have in between each thing
16:07so that it's perfect when it's done.
16:09The balls have to be in descending order.
16:12There's this many pearls between each one.
16:14The ribbon goes here.
16:16I'm like, no.
16:18I have the perfect piece.
16:20Look at this.
16:21Oh, my God.
16:22It's heavy.
16:23All right, bring it over here.
16:24Can you put this on the floor?
16:25Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
16:26I'm a perfectionist with everything, but Christmas is my favorite thing.
16:29I like everything to sparkle.
16:30I like everything to glitter, and I want it happy.
16:33Avalanche.
16:34There's so much.
16:35I have so many decorations.
16:36You know, I have rooms full of it.
16:38Oh, there's more.
16:39And garages full of it, and addicts full of it.
16:42We have an addict?
16:43Okay.
16:44For you, the home and aura.
16:49Oh, great.
16:50But wait, I got you more.
16:51The Hanukkah ball, and, sit back, the Torah.
16:57So all mine have some religious overtone to them.
17:00Yeah, well, it's Hanukkah, too, at the same time.
17:02Now, look at all this stuff.
17:04I have no idea what I've spent on my collection.
17:07I know it's a crazy number, but on the flip side, I live in Las Vegas, so would you rather
17:11somebody throw the money on a table or in a slot machine, or have the beauty in your
17:14house to make you happy every day?
17:16These are all Armani statues, so we'll do, like, the manger underneath the tree.
17:22You know, in one of the fancier trees.
17:25I'm gonna throw a little party to help celebrate Frank's 40-year anniversary, but, of course,
17:31I have to make it Christmas-themed.
17:33If we could get this all done before we do the party with Seth for Christmas, I really
17:38just don't want to have it on my shoulders that we have to get all this done, because
17:41it takes that—you don't know, because you don't do it.
17:43I know, but the idea—
17:44It takes me weeks and weeks to do it.
17:45The idea is that you enjoy the 40th party.
17:48It's about you.
17:49It's an honor for you.
17:50I would enjoy it more if I know this is out of the way.
17:53So help me get this done.
17:54I know, but I feel like you're just consumed with Christmas.
17:56I will be most—I am consumed with Christmas.
17:58I love Christmas.
17:59So for me, I want the 40th party to go off without a hitch, and there's so much preparation,
18:04there's so many little details that he'd rather be like, I want to put lights on the Christmas
18:09tree, and I'm like, wait, we've got A, B, and C before we get to D.
18:24Oh, beautiful.
18:25This is awesome.
18:26This is perfect.
18:27We get to view our first wedding venue.
18:31Taking a big girl step in the right direction for planning this wedding.
18:34You know who would love this?
18:36My mother.
18:37I think this is the most perfect location we could have come across yet.
18:41Do you know what I see?
18:42A fire pit.
18:43You know what that means?
18:44S'mores.
18:45Okay.
18:46Yeah, I can see s'mores.
18:47Do you know what goes with s'mores?
18:48What?
18:49Hot cocoa.
18:50Okay.
18:51We can maybe—maybe do hot cocoa bar.
18:53Tinsel.
18:54Some garland on there.
18:56Within reason.
18:57The mantle that I've already got.
18:59I've got an arch.
19:00We'll talk about that later.
19:01Okay.
19:02We'll talk about that later.
19:03All right.
19:04Hi, how you doing?
19:05Hey, how are you?
19:06Hello!
19:07Billy, I'm Krista.
19:08Krista, I'm Bill, obviously.
19:09I'm Devorah.
19:10Pete.
19:11Nice to meet you, Pete.
19:12Pete.
19:13The main ballroom.
19:14Oh, beautiful.
19:15The reception area.
19:16Yes.
19:17How many guests are you expecting?
19:18Um, we're thinking around 125.
19:20Mm-hmm.
19:21Okay, great.
19:22As far as, like, setting up the space decor-wise, like, are there any limitations?
19:26No.
19:27You can do whatever you want.
19:28Whatever you want.
19:29Whatever I want.
19:30I heard angels singing and magical, heavenly noises coming down.
19:35I have a blank slate, and that's, like, the best thing I could have ever heard.
19:39It was amazing.
19:40I heard the wailing of ancestors, the sound of cash registers constantly going off in the
19:45background.
19:46Picture this, Pete.
19:47We've got some beautiful railings, but I feel like we can get some really great Christmas
19:52trees in here.
19:53Definitely.
19:54Especially my flocked trees.
19:55Okay.
19:56Garland.
19:57More twinkly light.
19:58And we've had a Christmas wedding here before.
20:00But it was...
20:01Instigator?
20:02When was the Christmas wedding?
20:03It was in December, around Christmas.
20:05Whatever.
20:06Oh, wait.
20:07What's your date?
20:08Uh...
20:10Sometime in April.
20:11April, Christmas wedding.
20:13Okay.
20:14Christmas wedding in April sounds great.
20:16Who do you think is gonna win their vision?
20:19Krista or Pete?
20:20I say three to one, Krista.
20:22So the bridal party will line up here and you come down the stairs.
20:29I fluff your train.
20:30If you're wearing a train, are you gonna have a...
20:33I kind of wanted to do a Mrs. Claus outfit.
20:36Oh!
20:38I really like Christmas.
20:39And you?
20:40Santa?
20:41No.
20:42There are limits.
20:43We could find the middle ground, but no.
20:45Tuxedo with Santa hat?
20:47Oh my God, that's amazing.
20:49So not helping.
20:50Got it?
20:57How cool is that?
20:59I know, it's really cool.
21:00I'm so nervous.
21:01So today's really exciting.
21:03Las Vegas is honoring me and I'm, like, ecstatic.
21:06I dress so I could stand out and, of course, now you can outdo that.
21:10They're gonna take the Las Vegas sign, change the clear light bulbs to ruby,
21:13because that's the color of the 40th anniversary.
21:16Standing here at our most iconic landmark,
21:18we're not just celebrating an anniversary.
21:21We're honoring a true pioneer who helped establish Southern Nevada
21:25as the entertainment capital of the world.
21:27I am so proud of Frank.
21:30I mean, 40 years.
21:32He used to do six to seven days a week, three shows a night.
21:37It's just amazing and it's never gonna be done again.
21:40Thank you so much, Jim.
21:42I really appreciate it.
21:43Las Vegas has been so good to me over the years.
21:45When I first put on a wig and heels here in Las Vegas,
21:48I never imagined that I'd still be here all these years later.
21:50It's been a journey of laughter, glitter, and sometimes tears.
21:54But through it all, it's been about love, authenticity, and joy.
21:57At this point, we've done over 25,000 shows, performed to over 2.5 million people.
22:02We've survived three wars, five presidents.
22:06Thank you, guys.
22:07You've all been so wonderful to me.
22:09And from the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you, thank you.
22:12We just keep going.
22:13I say when the world ends, it's gonna be Cher, me, and Cockroaches.
22:17Three, two, one.
22:20Yay!
22:25I gotta say, all the work we did, it was actually worth it to get to this point.
22:29And thank you for your help.
22:31I have one more thing for you guys to commemorate today.
22:33Special light bulb.
22:34Wow.
22:35Oh, thank you.
22:36After the ceremony, we were given a commemorative light bulb from the Welcome to Las Vegas sign.
22:39I have put together a really special, very Christmassy party, and the bulb gave me an idea.
22:44I'll hold on to that.
22:45All for you.
22:46Thank you so much.
22:47I appreciate that.
22:49Thank you, guys, so much.
22:50Thank you, thank you.
22:51All right, so this is the fun part of the trip.
23:01Every little bump is scary.
23:04Truly, truly, truly.
23:06You feel that, man?
23:08Yeah, I hope nothing falls apart back there.
23:11These bumps are rough.
23:13We're driving this van load to Coney Island today so we can do some promotional photos and videos for the new season coming up.
23:18You know, the biggest risk we're taking today is, you know, heaven forbid we break a lot of them.
23:23This is, like, right there.
23:25That bump right there.
23:26You know?
23:27Yeah.
23:28You really hope that these things don't look like they rode the cyclone by the time we get there.
23:35Yeah, I'm doing my best to avoid, but it's so hard to avoid.
23:41You know what I mean?
23:42Yeah.
23:43If I break, you know, a lot of these today, heaven forbid everything that's in the truck, you know, that represents about a quarter of my annual salary.
23:49You know, that becomes a pretty big deal.
23:50I kind of need to pay my bills.
23:52Ease up on these speed bumps here.
23:54Got to be careful.
23:55Gotcha, gotcha, gotcha.
23:56Don't destroy my clock tower back there.
23:59Don't knock the red truck off the gingerbread house.
24:02Finally.
24:03Finally.
24:04That bump.
24:05For your hometown.
24:06Joe, slow down.
24:07Don't hit the bump.
24:08So sorry.
24:09Kill my village.
24:10So sorry.
24:11Kind of nice if we could pull over and look at them, but I don't really think there's anywhere to pull over.
24:15There's too many cars that I wouldn't mind.
24:17Whoa, whoa, whoa.
24:18We're not going to pit through there.
24:22Hey, hey.
24:23I'm in the middle of a Hitchcock movie.
24:25Get out of here.
24:26I know you're buying habits at LG Gallery.
24:29Do not go crazy and spend a lot of money.
24:31I don't know.
24:32Is that me or is the phone going bad?
24:33I don't know.
24:34Sorry.
24:35You know, every once in a while, you just got to treat yourself.
24:37Of course.
24:46Hi.
24:47Hello.
24:48Nice to meet you.
24:49How are you?
24:50Come on in.
24:51I'm wonderful.
24:52All right.
24:53Your wait is almost over.
24:54This is my fiancee, Peter.
24:55He can't get up.
24:56That's Sergey.
24:57Nice to meet you.
24:58This is our photographer.
24:59He's going to be doing our shoot today.
25:01All righty.
25:02I know this looks like a traditional Christmas card, but it's definitely going to be a save
25:06the date.
25:07Wait, wait.
25:08Are you doing this a Christmas photo or a save the date?
25:09Yes.
25:10I really want a Christmas card.
25:11Every year we've been together, we've never done it.
25:15And maybe also do a save the date at the same time.
25:19But at the same time, we should probably have two separate.
25:22And then we can look about combining things.
25:23Are you really going to want to get a separate?
25:25Yeah.
25:26Isn't it going to be weird if we're in the same outfits for the Christmas card and the save
25:30the date?
25:31We're not going to be in the same outfits for both.
25:34Okay.
25:35It's going to look cool.
25:36There's a lot of trees in here.
25:38Wow.
25:39I go in a lot of people's homes.
25:42I've never seen something like that.
25:43I got scared for a second, but he was all right.
25:46How do we look with the...
25:47Oh.
25:48Yeah, that looks good.
25:49Okay.
25:50I give us five minutes tops.
25:51Yep.
25:52Before this gets to be a bit unmanageable.
25:55Yep.
25:56And there we go.
25:57Okay.
25:58We'll let you be for a little bit.
25:59If we could just get a couple of shots with the other one.
26:03Cool.
26:04So uncomfortable.
26:05For who?
26:07There we go.
26:08And we're done.
26:09I want this to be a reflection of us.
26:10I want the photos to be fun and quirky, cringy.
26:14I'm doing it back to back.
26:15You can do it back to back.
26:16Move a little bit to that side.
26:19You are full of cat hair.
26:20I'm sorry.
26:23What are we doing here?
26:24I'm wrapping you up on Christmas.
26:26So I can't escape Christmas?
26:27You cannot escape Christmas.
26:29All I ask is we do at least one that's a toned down based...
26:35Vanilla version.
26:38Okay, you take Bob.
26:39Come on, Dave.
26:47Here, we'll try one normal photo.
26:49If you insist.
26:51A nice normal one.
26:53Yes.
26:54There we go.
26:56See?
26:58There we go.
26:59What do you got?
27:00Can we take a look at some of them?
27:01Yeah, for sure.
27:02Come here.
27:03Let me show you.
27:05That's amazing.
27:07Those are truly amazing.
27:08Is there one you think your mom would like?
27:10Though, to be honest, like, you know, as long as it was a Christmas card, I don't think she would mind, you know, most of these.
27:15If you're looking for a save the date, I think that's where we're going to run into trouble.
27:17I think it's very important for me to get Pete's mom's blessing because I know that she's been waiting a very long time, if not longer than me, for this moment.
27:26But it's also equally as important or just slightly under for me to communicate what I'm looking for.
27:33But I'm also very respectful of her feelings and it's her only son.
27:37So it's important for us to find a common ground.
27:41We made it.
27:42You believe it?
27:43We're here.
27:44Yeah, finally, man.
27:45That was a long ride.
27:46Coney Island, to me, is one of the most iconic places I could have taken it to promote the world's most iconic gingerbread village, I guess you could say.
28:00Something that will create a really nice photo so we can promote Gingerbread Lane when it's going to open in November at the various locations around the country.
28:07You ready, man?
28:08Let's see what we got.
28:13All right!
28:14This is where people in New York City go for their fun.
28:17So selecting this as a spot to promote this thing that I do that makes people so happy during the holiday season, I couldn't have picked a better spot.
28:24We're going to have to grab all these boxes, take them up to the beach one by one.
28:28Fortunately, I got to stay up there with them.
28:31So you're back to being the muscle again.
28:33Probably taking about 15 trips.
28:35Yeah.
28:36You ready?
28:37Yeah.
28:38Okay.
28:39I'll go grab those tables over there.
28:40Sounds good.
28:41You grab tables and I'll grab props.
28:42Let's go see if we can find a nice spot.
28:43Okay.
28:44It's kind of windy.
28:45It's a little windy, so we'll have to kind of watch, make sure nothing blows away.
28:49And hopefully no seagulls get them.
28:50Hopefully no seagulls, hopefully no rats.
28:53Seagulls here, they're borderline domesticated.
28:55They're around people all day, every day.
28:57They're not scared of us at all.
28:58These birds could wreak havoc on this and potentially ruin what I have here.
29:02And they could probably fly off with a nutcracker or a snowman, that sort of thing.
29:05And it cost me a lot of money.
29:07I think we should set up right here somewhere.
29:09Get a view of the Ferris wheel, ice cream place, maybe the parachute tower.
29:14Yeah.
29:15This is nice.
29:16This is perfect.
29:17Perfect.
29:18I'm gonna put this.
29:19Well, you get the privilege of unloading and I'll stand here and keep watch.
29:31Copy that, man.
29:33Welcome back.
29:34The wind didn't blow you away?
29:35We got exhibits opening up at this fall.
29:36This wind is brutal.
29:37We'll kind of use some of the photography we get from this to kind of promote the upcoming
29:50season.
29:51It's everything, John.
29:52It's everything.
29:53We'll start ripping these bags of jelly beans open.
29:54We're gonna start spreading them all over the table here.
30:01Get out of here, you scavenger.
30:02Oh.
30:03Oh, yeah.
30:04Oh, yeah.
30:05Look at them.
30:06Oh, yeah.
30:07Those birds want dinner so bad.
30:09Yeah, get that.
30:11We weren't gonna have enough boxes on the way back, man.
30:15Look at them.
30:16Look at them.
30:17Look at them.
30:18Look at them.
30:19Get out of here.
30:20Look at this.
30:21Hey.
30:22Hey.
30:23Hey.
30:24Hey.
30:25Hey.
30:26Those birds kind of came in just like swarming it.
30:30And I was pretty overwhelmed and surprised.
30:33And a couple times I'm like, you know, we're just gonna have to grab the best eight to ten
30:37houses possible, box them up, and get the heck out of here because these birds are gonna
30:40win.
30:41Goodbye.
30:42You don't know my plan?
30:44Here's my plan.
30:45I'm gonna stand here on this boardwalk for about 15 minutes.
30:48Goodbye.
30:49Like I'm in the middle of a Hitchcock movie.
30:51Get out of here.
30:52Get out of here.
30:53Out, out, out.
30:54Get out of here.
30:55Goodbye.
30:56Hey.
30:57Hey.
30:58You know what it is?
30:59It's this right here.
31:00It's candy on the ground.
31:01Once any food touches the floor, the seagulls are coming for it.
31:05They're like, this is my territory.
31:07You know, I had to speak my seagull language to get them out of there.
31:10We sent them away.
31:11All right, so we got this where I want it.
31:16Looks good.
31:17Kind of created a nice little scene.
31:18We can get some nice photography so we can create some really nice nostalgia New York City
31:23photos.
31:24New York's ultimate playground deserves New York's ultimate Christmas decoration.
31:27All right, so do me a favor, just stand at this side.
31:30Oh, you want me in the picture?
31:31You're gonna be in the photo.
31:32I thought you wanted good photography.
31:33Yeah.
31:34You ready?
31:35Yeah, I'm ready.
31:36Okay.
31:37Get some without me.
31:40Let the work speak for itself.
31:42Get rid of the pretty face.
31:44Damn, did you make this?
31:46I did, yeah.
31:47We actually, well, we by we, I mean me, make the world's biggest gingerbread exhibit.
31:51Guinness World Records and all.
31:53What?
31:54We have a whole Christmas village.
31:57You didn't know it was time for Christmas, did you?
31:58I did not, no.
31:59Oh, my God.
32:00Ho, ho, ho.
32:01Christmas in September.
32:02Ho, ho, ho indeed.
32:03I have lived here 17 years.
32:05I come to Coney Island as often as I can.
32:07It's my favorite place to come to the city.
32:09I have never seen a gingerbread house village ever on the boardwalk in my life.
32:14This was so awesome.
32:15So, like, what is this for right now?
32:17You just do these, like, every so often in different places?
32:20Yeah, we just set up little pop-up things on the boardwalk here and there.
32:22Oh, okay.
32:23We try to see, like, it's New York City.
32:25Is anybody gonna think this is weird?
32:26No, actually.
32:27No, nobody.
32:28Well, thank you so much.
32:30Absolutely.
32:31Can I check you out, like, on social media?
32:32Absolutely.
32:33Gingerbread Lane on Facebook and Lane Gingerbread on Insta.
32:34Awesome.
32:35I thought it went great.
32:37You know, we had a lot of people that were interested in it.
32:39We got some good pictures.
32:40We got some new fans that will visit us on social media.
32:43The birds.
32:44Yeah, the birds.
32:45Birds, zero.
32:46Big L on those birds.
32:47Big debut, though, for those guys.
32:48We won.
32:49The birds lost.
32:50Good job, my man.
32:51Thanks, man.
32:52Appreciate you.
32:53Thanks.
32:54Doreen, thank you so much for coming over.
33:09No worries.
33:10So I have this, like, crazy idea.
33:12Okay, okay.
33:13So I want to ride a bayou.
33:14It's a little odd.
33:15You know, it's my pleasure, and anytime I can rhinestone something, I'm there.
33:20Doreen is the rhinestone lady.
33:22I think we're the only Las Vegas couple that has a bedazzler on retainer.
33:26In the past, Doreen has bedazzled costumes, sweatshirts, t-shirts, hats, la boo boo.
33:33Poor Doreen probably wishes we never met her, because she has a workload like nobody else's.
33:38So you know it's Frank's 40th anniversary.
33:40Right.
33:41Which nobody has done in Vegas yet.
33:42Right, right, right.
33:43Frank is the first person to do it.
33:44Right, right, right.
33:45The county commissioner changed the bulbs at the Welcome to Las Vegas sign to ruby red,
33:50because I guess ruby is the color for 40.
33:52So at the ceremony, we were given a commemorative light bulb from the sign.
33:55Okay, yeah.
33:56So I want to know, can we rhinestone a bulb?
34:01Oh, my God.
34:03Yes.
34:04Let me show you some colors.
34:05Okay.
34:06Because you know I don't go anywhere without my rhinestones.
34:07Okay.
34:08So, this is like a Christmas red.
34:10Okay.
34:11Or if you're thinking more ruby, we do have a more ruby red in here as well.
34:16Like that?
34:17Here, should we like...
34:18Okay.
34:19Yeah, that's, I mean...
34:20Yeah, is that the red that we're kind of going for?
34:22Yeah, that's definitely going to read.
34:24And then do you want to maybe put like a silver, just like a light bulb?
34:27Silver on the bottom.
34:28Oh, yeah.
34:29For sure.
34:30Here we can see.
34:31Look, you know Frank, he'll put a rhinestone on anything.
34:33I mean, look at the sofa for God's sake.
34:35Okay.
34:36So, let's just do it over the top.
34:37Okay.
34:38I think the red and the silver combination would be amazing.
34:40Be perfect.
34:41I think by blinging the light bulb, it's going to be very Christmassy.
34:46So, I'm taking something from the 40th and his love of Christmas, merging the two to give him something he's really going to like.
34:52He's going to love it.
34:53I'm so excited.
34:54Oh, I'm so excited.
34:55Okay.
34:56I'm going to turn this right away.
34:57Oh, my God.
34:58Hi.
34:59How are you, Sophie?
35:00Did my ornaments come in?
35:01They did.
35:02I've got all of them.
35:03Oh, good.
35:04Go ahead and walk around, okay?
35:05Let's maybe add to that list.
35:06So, I wanted to do a little party at my house just for a close family and friends after the lighting ceremony to celebrate the 40-year anniversary, and we made it a Christmas party.
35:23Oh, see?
35:24This is what I love.
35:25The golden black is beautiful.
35:26I've never had a golden black tree before.
35:27Love it.
35:28Oh.
35:29See?
35:30The reindeer even trying to steal my act in this beautiful place.
35:33Hate to tell you, Mr. Reindeer, I wore it better, but you're giving it a good shot.
35:38Love the rhinestones.
35:39The pearls.
35:40My God.
35:41What a great idea instead of tinsel.
35:43Wow.
35:45This, I've never seen anything like this before.
35:48It's our bubble tree.
35:49This will look amazing in my bedroom.
35:51Oh, my God.
35:52It'll look fabulous.
35:53Oh, my God.
35:54All right, then.
35:55I think I'm going to take this as well.
35:56Okay.
35:57Oh, my God.
35:58Oh, my God.
35:59Oh, my God.
36:00All right, then.
36:01I think I'm going to take this as well.
36:02Okay.
36:03Great.
36:04Oh, Sophie.
36:05Yes, dear.
36:06It's Alex.
36:07Give me a second.
36:08I can't attend I'm not here.
36:09Oh, no.
36:10Hello?
36:11Hey, where are you?
36:14Oh, I forgot to tell you.
36:16I had a fitting today for a gown for the show.
36:18Fitting?
36:19Yeah, they wanted to make sure everything was right.
36:21So, I figured I'd just go down and do it.
36:23Alex has absolutely no idea how much I really spend on Christmas.
36:27Unless he's paying cash, I see the Amex statement.
36:30Where is your fitting at?
36:33On the other side of town, so.
36:35Like the other side of town, like next to LG Gallery, maybe?
36:38Oh, nice.
36:39You tracking me?
36:40Do you know where I am?
36:41No.
36:42I had to stop here because I had some ornaments that were back ordered.
36:45I'm just picking them up.
36:46It's nothing much.
36:47Okay, listen.
36:48I know you and I know your buying habits at LG Gallery.
36:51Do not go crazy and spend a lot of money.
36:53I know, I know.
36:54Listen, I don't know.
36:55Is that me or is the phone going bad?
36:56I don't know.
36:57Sorry.
36:58If you could hear me, bye.
36:59Love you.
37:02Sophie.
37:03Was that Alex?
37:04I got caught.
37:05Oh, my God.
37:06Oh, my God.
37:07What is this?
37:08Oh, I'd imagine on my table.
37:09How much is this?
37:10I can imagine.
37:11$9,400, honey.
37:12Oh, my God.
37:13I will get killed.
37:14And it's worth every dime.
37:15I will get killed.
37:16If I got that, could I leave it here today and then you guys sneak it over like next week?
37:21Of course we will.
37:22I'm going to get killed on my ornaments alone.
37:23I know.
37:24Oh, my God.
37:25Did all the ornaments come in?
37:26Of course I will.
37:27All of them.
37:28I have box after box after box.
37:29Frank comes in here about once a month and spends a ton of money.
37:33We have to sneak it over to his house all the time.
37:37Oh, Lord.
37:38How much?
37:39$53,308.57.
37:42All right.
37:43You coming to my funeral?
37:44Oh, that's great.
37:45Okay, Frank.
37:46Here's your receipt.
37:47Oh, my God.
37:48You better eat that.
37:50It's evidence.
37:51That's my dinner.
37:52This is my dinner for the next month.
37:53If Alex knew what I spent on those ornaments, even when I lie and I give him a quarter of the
37:57price, he gets mad at that number.
37:59So, if he knew the real thing, I'd be dead.
38:01You know, every once in a while, you just got to treat yourself.
38:04Of course.
38:09All right.
38:10One, two, three.
38:12Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
38:16Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.
38:21Hey!
38:22Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
38:26Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.
38:39We wanted to gather a few close friends and put together a really special party to celebrate
38:4540 years.
38:46I mean, it just is amazing.
38:48And I had to put a stipulation because I love Christmas.
38:52And I said, can you come in Christmas attire?
38:54And we made it a Christmas party.
38:55By the way, you guys look amazing.
38:57Let me just say I'm so glad that you dressed up.
38:59Christmas in September.
39:00I know they usually do Christmas in July.
39:02That's a thing.
39:03But we just change the whole thing for ourselves.
39:05Christmas all the months.
39:06Every day should be Christmas.
39:08So, how many Christmas trees do you have?
39:10Like, 12.
39:11Wow.
39:12Yeah, do you use every single ornament?
39:13No.
39:14Every single operation?
39:15No.
39:16Because I forget.
39:17No.
39:18I was shocked to see Christmas in September.
39:21But at the same time, not surprised because Frank always goes all out.
39:25I mean, Frank is just Christmas.
39:27Hey, Leah.
39:28Will you pour this stuff with me?
39:29Yes.
39:30Excuse me.
39:31I don't even know how to pop it.
39:32I am so proud of Frank.
39:33So, if Frank is obsessed with Christmas, it's fine.
39:36He deserves to indulge in the things that make him happy.
39:39Hey, guys.
39:40Come on over.
39:41Let's have a toast.
39:42Come on over.
39:43I just want to thank everybody for coming to celebrate this amazing milestone in Frank's
39:47career.
39:48I mean, nobody has ever done 40 years on performing in Las Vegas.
39:52So, this is just a historical day.
39:54And Frank, I wanted to give you a little token.
39:57Do you remember when Gage gave us that light bulb from the Welcome to Las Vegas sign earlier?
40:02Oh, yeah.
40:03Well, in true Merino style, we blinged it.
40:06Oh, my God.
40:07Oh, my God.
40:08That's amazing.
40:09Let me see.
40:10Oh, my God.
40:11That's amazing.
40:12Frank Merino, the brightest star in Vegas.
40:13Of course.
40:14That's awesome.
40:15Oh, my God.
40:16Well, I kind of wanted it to be like a Christmas ornament because you love Christmas so much.
40:20So, I thought, well, what better do than bedazzle it?
40:23Yes.
40:24Well, this Christmas ornament is going to stay up all year round because I love it.
40:26Well, listen.
40:27To all my friends, my family, thank you for always being there.
40:30Thank you for being such good friends.
40:32And I love you all.
40:33Cheers.
40:34Cheers.
40:35Cheers.
40:36All right.
40:37Those lights are a little tangled.
40:52We might have to work on those.
40:54All right.
40:55So, if you want to get started, I'm going to have Dave hold this glove.
40:59Thanks, Dave.
41:01So, Pete should be home soon.
41:02He's still out with mom.
41:05Pete is having breakfast with his mom this morning.
41:07I'm a little nervous.
41:08I just don't want Pete to be stuck in the middle of her traditional vision and my Christmas vision.
41:13And I just don't want to cause any friction between Pete and his mother.
41:17Come on, Dave.
41:18You got to help me out more.
41:20Girls.
41:21In here.
41:22In here.
41:25Hi, Pete.
41:26What you doing?
41:27And what is your mother doing?
41:29Dave and I are doing these lights.
41:31She's untangling the Christmas light for the Florida tree.
41:35Another project?
41:36Technically, that tree was already there.
41:38We're just redoing it.
41:39What happened?
41:40How did it go with your mom?
41:41Could have gone better.
41:44What does that mean?
41:45We had the talk.
41:46And unfortunately, she didn't want to budge.
41:48We are going to full traditional.
41:51We did agree on you to have like a tree there.
41:54She really liked the idea about having one of your trees.
41:57But you got your tree.
41:59Are you messing with me?
42:05100%.
42:06She wanted you to know how much she loved you and that she wanted you to be happy because
42:09it's your day.
42:10She wants you to have the wedding you want to have.
42:14And she is 100% supportive and wants you to be happy.
42:17Oh, yes.
42:18I mean, I can make it look beautiful.
42:20Still have the most amazing day ever.
42:22Okay.
42:23With a hot cocoa bar.
42:24Hot cocoa bar and s'mores and all.
42:27I am the happiest person in the entire world.
42:29I get to marry my best friend.
42:31And I get to have the dream wedding I've always wanted.
42:35And I'm super excited.
42:36Come in here, ladies.
42:47I'm glad we can all make this work.
42:49Me too.
42:51Now, you've got work to do.
42:55You can help.
42:56Well, you have to find the end.
43:00Bye.
43:01Bye.
43:02Bye.
43:03Bye.
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