Bowen Yang & Matt Rogers Break Down Their Holiday Shopping Strategy

For nearly a decade Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang have been serving up hot takes on all things pop culture and entertainment on their hit podcast Las Culturistas, sans filter and apology. So perhaps it’s only natural that the duo’s scope of commentary and civil service would expand to other worldly topics ... like, say, the holidays. To commemorate said expansion, they partnered with Marshalls (which they refer to as the “Gina Davis of retail”) to offer their expertise and thoughts on the festive shopping season. And, right off the bat, they’re coming in hot on what is arguably one the most controversial holiday debates.

“You can't start going off [on Christmas] until it's December,” says Rogers to TZR. “I'm talking about the tacky Christmas sweaters with the embellishments and stuff. I'm such a maximalist about Christmas in December, but when Christmas is in October and November in a maximalist way, I think we have to be more tasteful about it. I do think we have to rein it in.”

Gifting however, can — and should — start now. Both Rogers and Yang have already started their wishlists (their Marshalls curation campaign is titled “It’s Giving Gifting”) and accessories are at the very top. “I want some good new bags,” says Yang. “There was a suede bag that we used to shoot the content for this [Marshalls campaign] that I was like, wait, that's really chic. But not my scale that I need. I need a weekender bag in suede or something.”

Rogers, who just secured a new abode is understandably in the market for chic home decor and essentials. “I'm really needing the little things that you don't think about, like candles,” he says. “I really love a candle. Hand soap, dish soap, things for the bathroom [...] Like the basics. I’m in survival mode right now.”

As party invites start pouring in, one also needs to consider host gifts, which can be another tricky holiday hurdle for some. Yang often to defaults to entertaining items that help perfect the art of presentation. “Cheese boards, cheese domes, storage jars, glassware,” he says. “I think glassware ends up being a thing that you kind of just run out of that because it's like things break. And if all else fails — ice. There's never going to be enough ice at a party. Always bring ice and then just put it in the sink. That's just tea.”

Rogers also notes sweet treats as an easy crowd pleasing host gift, particularly the homemade variety. “I think for the holidays, I'm what they would call a cookie boy,” he says. “I think it's nice to think about different kinds of desserts you could bring over. I love a cookie and I'm a controversial person ... I'm an oatmeal raisin person.”

Shop the duo’s Marshalls’ gifting edit below to get your brain in holiday mode ... even if your decor isn’t there yet.