Christmas Past

The big day is here, and so is our final episode of 2024. As we so do every year, we'll take a look back at all the news, trends, sights, and sounds that made this Christmas what it was. We'll also hear some Christmas memories from the Christmas Past family.Thank you for another wonderful season. I'll see you next year.Merry Christmas!Music in this episode"Jazz Podcast Night Relaxing Vibes" — Denis Pavlov, via Pixabay"Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech"Calm Piano Music" — Piotr Witowski, via PixabayConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Bluesky Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The small, unassuming wren may be nothing much to look at, but wait till it starts singing. Its loud, complex songs, and its tendency to sing them throughout winter, has earned it the title of “King of Birds.” But on December 26, the king is dead. Wren Day is a traditional hunting of the wren, followed by celebrations that include disguise, door-to-door visiting and parading, and song. It's certainly one of our most strange and mysterious Christmas customs, a mixture of Celtic mythology, old Christmas traditions, and revenge for giving away secrets. Tiernan Gaffney from the National Museum of Ireland joins Brian to tell the story. Special thanks to Lewis Barfoot for permission to include her beautiful rendition of The Wren Song!Music in this episode"Calm Lullaby for Irish Harp" — Mountain Dweller, via Pixabay"Greensleeves" — Julius H., via Pixabay"Hark! The Herald Angles Sing" — Jon Sayles, via freemusicpublicdomain.com"Angels We Have Heard" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech"Morning Air" — Noru, via Pixabay"The Wren Song" — Lewis Barfoot, shared directly by the artistConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Bluesky Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

One by one, over a series of nights during Christmastime in Iceland, the Yule Lads come down from a mountain, making mischief, rewarding good behavior and punishing bad. These lovable scamps are unique melding of folkloric traditions, and a reminder that Christmas once was — and still can be — haunted and scary. Terry Gunnell, professor emeritus of folkloristics at the University of Iceland, joins Brian to tell the story. Thanks also to Baldur Gylfa for appearing in this episode!Music in this episode"Momentary Ease" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive"Relaxing Piano" — Uncredited artists, via Pixabay"Tiled Chamber" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive"Ambient Christmas" — Denys Kyshchuk, via Pixabay"The First Noel" — Calvin Clavier, via PixabayConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Bluesky Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Ded Moroz ("Grandfather Frost"), went from folk tale to fairy tale, from beloved symbol of Christmas to exile, and then back to beloved symbol, all in surprisingly short order. It's a story of ups and downs, set against the backdrop of a violent social and political revolution, and which resulted in a strange stint as the “Soviet Santa Claus.” Karen Petrone, University of Kentucky history professor and author of Life Has Become More Joyous, Comrades, joins Brian to tell the story. Clara in Australia shares a Christmas memory in this episode. Check out her podcast, The Festivity Files.Music in this episode"Waiting at the Hem" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive"Reverie - Claude Debussy - Classic Concert Grand Piano" — JuliusH, via Pixabay"Heartstring Serenade" — Liudmyla Polishchuk, via Pixabay"Somewhere in my Memory - Xmas Piano" — Calvin Clavier, via Pixabay"O Come O Come Emmanuel" — Jon Sayles, freemusicpublicdomain.comConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Bluesky Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Once again it's time for one of my favorite traditions here on Christmas Past: dedicating an entire episode to you and your Christmas memories! I love these little glimpses into other people's lives, families, memories, and all the different ways that Christmas can be celebrated and loved and made special and personal. So, get cozy. You're invited to another Christmas Past family gathering, and trip down memory lane. Music in this episode"Cozy Jazz Podcast Music with Christmas Bells" — Denis Pavlov, via Pixabay"Relaxing Piano / Lofi Music" — John Tramp, via PixabayConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Bluesky Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

For a long time, ivy conjured images of all things pagan, superstitious, gluttonous, debauched, and morbid. For those reasons, it would be forbidden from churches and Christian homes. Today, it's a classic symbol of Christmas. Sue Hunter joins Brian to tell this uniquely Christmassy turnaround story. Thank you to composer Sarah Cattley for permission to share the beautiful rendition of "Ivy, Chief of Trees it Is," performed by the Granta Chorale and conducted by Janet Wheeler.  Music in this episode"The Holly and the Ivy" — Jerome Chauvel, via Pixabay"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" — Jon Sayles, via Royalty Free Music"Christmas Night" — Floating Dreamer, via Pixabay"Oh Holy Night" — Calvin Clavier, via Pixabay"Luminous Rain" — Kevin MacLeod, via Youtube Audio Library"Ivy, Chief of Trees it Is" — Sarah Cattley, used with permission from the composerConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Bluesky Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Forty years ago, audiences got into the Christmas spirit by watching a little green creature get killed in a blender. Gremlins was more than a movie that combined horror, comedy, gory violence, and Christmas. It was a massive a pop culture phenomenon, and one of the last movies of its kind to be rated PG. Alonso Duralde, film critic, podcaster, and author of Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas and Hollywood Pride joins Brian to discuss this iconic 80's hit. Music in this episode"Granite Faces" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive"Hope Piano" — Anastasia Kir, via Pixabay"Notche" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive"Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech"Movie Theme 1" — Christian Bodhi, via PixabayConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Bluesky Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

If Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus, and we celebrate it on December 25, then Jesus must have been born on that day, right? Not so fast! We actually have no good idea when Jesus was born. And besides, the observance of his birth on December 25 is a 4th century contrivance. But why December 25 of all days? In today's episode, professor and author Michael Foley joins Brian to make sense of it all. Music in this episode"Stress Relief Piano" — PianoAmor, via Pixabay"It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" — Don Maue, shared directly by the artist"Neatly Folded" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive"Oh Christmas Tree" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech"First Snow" — Scott Buckley, via scottbuckley.com.auConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Bluesky Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Who doesn't love a parade? The very idea of a procession, usually involving costumes and music, is at least 4,000 years old. But grand parades to kick off the Christmas season are much newer. The kind we're most familiar with nowadays developed when large retail chains held parades to stimulate shopping and define a new, earlier start to the Christmas season. All that capitalism sounds very American, but — surprise! — Canada beat us to it!In today's episode, Clayton Charters, president and CEO of the Original Santa Claus Parade in Toronto, joins Brian.Watch the playback of the 2024 Santa Claus Parade on Youtube!Music in this Episode"Happy Christmas Day" — LudoSoundX, via Pixabay"I'm Not Feeling Well Today" — u_0tyyfec3hz, via Pixabay"O Little Town of Bethlehem" — Calvin Clavier, via Pixabay"Jazz Theme 5" — Erkki Marjasvaara, via PixabayConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Bluesky Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The three kings. The wise men. The magi. They're the supporting cast in many a Nativity scene...the subject of several postage stamps and greeting cards...the subject of that classic Christmas song. Who were they? Where were they from? Why did they traverse afar following yonder star? What was with the gold, frankincense, and myrrh? Were they even real? And does it matter? Today, professor and author Eric Vanden Eykel joins Brian to tell the story of these mysterious figures. Check out Eric Vanden Eykel's book, The Magi.Music in this episode"Beyond the Cranberry House" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive“Drifting Spot” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive"We Three Kings of Orient Are" — United States Air Force Band, via Wikimedia Commons"Early Morning Snowfall" — Chuck Brown, via Feels Like Christmas"Nostalgic" — Anastasia Kir, via PixabayConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Bluesky Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The creative team of Rankin and Bass have produced some of the most enduring, nostalgia-producing Christmas specials in television history. Historian and biographer Rick Goldschmidt joins Brian to tell the story of how an art director and an ad jingle writer became "the kings of Christmas."LinksMore info about Rankin/Bass and Rick GoldschmidtRick's books about Rankin/BassMusic in this episode"Kettled" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive"Soft Piano" — Anastasia Kir, via Pixabay"O Holy Night (Solo Piano)" — 23843807, via Pixabay"Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via IncompetecConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Bluesky Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The more than 75-year success story of Toys for Tots may seem like a fairly simple story: the Marine Corp reserve starts up a holiday charity for needy kids. But there's more to it than that. From humble, almost accidental beginnings in 1947, the program was able to grow through a unique mix of show business connections, celebrity endorsements, political influence, post World War II America, and...Walt Disney. Music in this episode"Lullaby" — Maarten Schellekens, via Free Music Archive"Toys for Tots" — Nat King Cole, via Toys for Tots Foundation, used with permission"Feelings of Twilight" — Shady Dave, via Freesound"Silent Night" — Anastasia Kir, via Pixabay"Germination" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive"Eternal Hope" — Kevin MacLeod, via Youtube Audio LibraryConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Bluesky Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

A lot of people complain that Christmas comes earlier every year. But, is that really true? Extended holiday shopping seasons have been the norm for well over a century. And besides, there's one big (and spooooky) reason that Christmas can only come so early. Marketing professor Darrin Duber-Smith joins Brian to discuss the phenomenon of "Christmas creep."Music in this episode"Silent Movie (Old Record Version)" — Anastasia Kir, via Pixabay"Deck the Hall Jazz" — Anastasia Kir, via Pixabay"Ambient Piano" — BlackPy Beats, via Pixabay"Gentle Soft Piano - Christmas Vibes" — Alex Products, via Free Music Archive"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" — Dee Yan-Kee, via Free Music ArchiveConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Bluesky Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Danny Pelligrino is a bestselling author, actor, and screenwriter. His latest book, The Jolliest Bunch: Unhinged Holiday Stories, is a nostalgic trip through his most festive memories in a collection of stories that are heartfelt, hilarious, and — for better or worse — true. I caught up with Danny earlier this year to talk about the book, Christmas, family, and more. Music in this episode"Christmas Jazzy Bells" — BFMC Music, via PixabayConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Actor John Rhys-Davies (Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones) joins Brian to discuss Scrooge, A Christmas Carol. Rhys-Davies plays Dickens's narrator in this four-part audio drama podcast, set for re-release on November 22. Music in this episode"O Holy Night" — Calvin Clavier, via PixabayConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

We're in the early Christmas preseason. It's the perfect time to discover some new Christmas music before the radio stations start overplaying the standard set of classics. In this episode, we've got some new-to-you Christmas songs from independent artists you may not have otherwise discovered on your favorite station or streaming service.Music in this episode"Cozy Jazz Podcast Music with Christmas Bells" — Denis Pavlov, via Pixabay"Christmas Cheer" — Robert Lawlor"Vermont Christmas" — The PredicatesIt Doesn't Feel Like Christmas" — Winterval"The Christmas Song" — Birdie Nichols"Good King Wenceslas (Slassin' In) — The Staven Wassailers"HOME" — Lewis BarfootLewis Barfoot's HOME is available on vinyl! Check Bandcamp or her website for more. It's also available at most records stores in Ireland.Connect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Happy Halloween, everybody! And more than that: welcome to another season of Christmas Past. Yes, it's still Halloween. But that's the perfect time to kick things off, because it gives us a chance to honor the classic Christmas tradition of sharing a ghost story. Our Victorian forebears really loved their ghost stories — for all occasions, but perhaps especially for Christmas. Many magazines of the era published ghost stories specifically for the Christmas season. The stories didn't necessarily involve Christmas; but they were meant to be enjoyed on Christmas Eve, adding a little extra chill to a cold winter's night.Though the tradition has faded, it's not gone altogether. And that's thanks in part to my friends at Biblioasis publishing. Every year, they publish a series of classic ghost stories beautifully illustrated by the acclaimed artist known only as Seth. It's become a yearly tradition here on Christmas Past to start the season off with a story from their current series. In today's story, when a group of tourists visits the deserted island of Podolo, one wants to rescue a feral cat they find there, and the others reluctantly agree. Unfortunately, the rescue proves more difficult than they expect — and they soon discover they're not alone on Podolo. Music in this episode“Didion” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive"Frequency of Sleep Meditation" — Leigh Robinson, via Pixabay"Endless" — MildRelaxation, via PixabayConnect Facebook page Facebook group Instagram Twitter / X Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Website BookChristmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

It's our eighth consecutive Christmas together. As we close out the 2023 season, we're taking a look back at the news and trends that made this Christmas what it was. Thank you all for another wonderful Christmas season together. Merry Christmas! And until we meet again, may your days be merry and bright. Music in this Episode "Deck the Halls A" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Here in America, the day after Christmas is simply that: the day after. The party's over. But in England, it's an official holiday. December 26 — Boxing Day — is the Christmas afterparty you've been missing out on. What's the story? And what does it have to do with boxing? Paul Kerensa joins Christmas Past to...unpack the box.   Mentioned in this Episode Paul Kerensa Hark! The Biography of Christmas, by Paul Kerensa Music in this Episode "Good King Wenceslas" — U.S. Army Band, via Wikimedia Commons "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" — DJ Williams, via Youtube Audio Library "In the Bleak Midwinter" — Julius H., via Pixabay "Emotional Piano Improvisation" — Alexander Nakarada, via Film Music "Holiday Gift" — Kai Engel, via Free Music Archive Section from A Christmas Carol read by Peter John Keeble, courtesy of Librivox

Christmas Day is less than a week from now. In this final stretch of the 2023 season, let's have another gathering of the Christmas Past family. Yes, it's time once again for an episode dedicated just to you and your Christmas memories. Cozy up by the fire with us for a little Christmas reminiscing.  Music in this Episode "A Very Brady Special" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

For many families, the Christmas Eve feast is a so-called "meatless meal." It's a tradition of European Christian roots that has gone on to take many forms. Mentioned in this episode Plating Grace Music in this Episode "Italian Trip" — wildsound159, via Pixabay "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen," — Don Maue, shared directly by the artist "First Snow" — Scott Buckley, via ScottBuckley.com.au "Silent Night" — DJ Williams, via Youtube Audio Library "Mortality" — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive

Old Fezziwig sure knew how to throw an office Christmas party. Dickens's description of Christmas Eve in Fezziwig's counting house included vigorous fiddling and elaborate dancing. That style of dance may belong to a bygone time, but it lives on in the annual Great Dickens Christmas Fair. In this special episode, Cathleen Myers joins Christmas Past to explain how Victorians danced their way to Christmas. Mentioned in this Episode The Great Dickens Christmas Fair Period Events and Entertainments Re-Creation Society (Peers) Music in this Episode "Toe Tapper" — Primal House Music, via Pixabay "Ambient Grand Piano for Meditation or Background" — Julius H., via Pixabay

In the late nineteenth century modern postal systems were still coming into their own. Around the turn of the century, many countries, including England, began issuing Christmas themed postage stamps. You might think that America would have been among them, but boy would you be wrong.  In fact, America was one of the last countries to get on board. American Christmas stamps are only a few decades old. And the story there has to do with simple economics and America's system of government. Mentioned in this Episode Christmas Philatelic Club Music in this Episode "Christmas Jazz" — Denys Kyshchuk, via Pixabay "Running Waters" — Audionautix, via Youtube Audio Library "Noel" — Audionautix, via Youtube Audio Library "Acoustic Guitar 1" — Audionautix, via Youtube Audio Library "Dreamland" — Aakash Gandhi, via Youtube Audio Library "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

The Brady Bunch is an iconic American sitcom that ran for five seasons. But it produced only one Christmas episode during its original run. "The Voice of Christmas" from season 1 finds Carol with laryngitis days before she's scheduled to sing a solo for her church's Christmas service. The one and only Christopher Knight joins Brian to break this episode down. Mentioned in this Episode The Real Brady Bros Music in this Episode "A Very Brady Special" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "Brady Bunch Image Sound-Alike Music" — Noisepatterns, via SoundCloud "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "Working Time - Soft Acoustic Guitar" — Dream Protocol, via Pixabay "Invisible Beauty" — Aakash Gandhi, via Youtube Audio Studio

For a bread that's short, its history is long. Exactly how long, and the particulars of how it all came about, though, are unclear. But one this is clear: shortbread is an essential — and delicious — part of the festive season.  Mentioned in this Episode Tasting History Youtube Channel Tasting History, book by Max Miller Music in this Episode "Hush Ye, My Bairnie" — Trygve Larsen, Pixabay "Drops of Melting Snow (after Holst, Abroad as I was walking)" — Axletree, via Free Music Archive "Soft Piano" — Agnese Valmaggia, via Film Music "Auld Lang Syne" — Trygve Larsen, Pixabay "Angels We Have Heard on High" — Don Maue, shared directly by the artist

One of my favorite parts of creating Christmas Past is sharing your Christmas memories. I love the warm connections I've had with so many of you over the years, and the glimpses you provide into your Christmases Past. So, today, I'm excited to take a break from the normal action and bring to you an episode dedicated just to you and your Christmas memories. Music in this Episode Piano Music No. 5 — RelaxingTime, via Pixabay

Colorful, glossy, enticing. For generations of children, the annual department store Christmas catalog was a field guide, a treasure map, and the fuel for hearts desires and letters to Santa. And then, one day, they were gone.   Mentioned in this Episode Wish Book Web Music in this Episode "Jingle Bells Relax Piano" — Oleg Kirilkov, via Pixabay "Merry Christmas Everyone Piano" — 23117649, via Pixabay "Christmas is for Kids" — Juan Sanchez, via Pixabay "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Stollen is a Christmas staple in German homes. This cake/bread hybrid is packed with flavor and shaped to resemble a swaddled baby. Food writer Luisa Weiss joins Christmas Past to explain stollen's special connection to German Christmas and German baking culture. Mentioned in this Episode Luisa Weiss Classic German Baking, by Luisa Weiss Music in this Episode "Winter Fairy Dance - Orchestral with Bells and Choir" — Paul Winter, via Pixabay "Wonderful Christmas Time [Classic Version]" — Frank Schroeter, via Film Music "Snow Falls Softly at Night" — Frank Schroeter, via Film Music "Piano Ballad 2" — Reeg'sB, via Film Music "Magic of Christmas" — Sergei Chetvertnykh, via Pixabay

The mostly warm, fuzzy, cozy, sanitized Christmas is mainly a product of 19th and 20th century American influence. In earlier times, Christmas had a spooky side — one example of which is the Welsh tradition of the ghostly gray mare: the Mari Lwyd.  Mentioned in this Episode Jeff Belanger The Fright Before Christmas by Jeff Belanger Music in this Episode "John Barleycorn" — Julius H., via Pixabay "Dread Lake" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Mile Marker 323" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Relaxing Acoustic - Noel" —Oleksii Kaplunskyi, via Pixabay "Dramatic Uplifting Cinematic Piano" — Yevhen Onoychenko, via Pixabay Additional sound effects via Freesound

By the turn of the 20th century, tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in America by far. In 1907, when a tuberculosis treatment clinic was in financial straits, Emily Bissell created Christmas Seals as a fundraiser. It was as novel as it was effective. More than a century later, Christmas Seals are still one of the prominent sights of the season.  Mentioned in this Episode American Lung Association Music in this Episode "Autumn Leaves" — Maarten Schellekens, via Free Music Archive "Piano Reflection 2" — Agnese Valmaggia, via Film Music "Angels We Have Heard" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "Reawakening" — Scott Buckley, Scottbuckley.com "Ding Dong Merrily on High" — Leigh Robinson, via Pixabay

These days, the Christmas season is the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Way back when, it was the period beginning on Christmas Day, and included 12 days of merrymaking and mischief. The Twelve Days of Christmas aren't really part of our modern Christmas celebration — except for the song lyrics and the odd reference here and there.  What are the twelve days of Christmas? And what happened to them? Are we missing out on anything by forgetting them? Well, if feasting, cross dressing, upending social hierarchy, and having a raucous good time sound at all interesting to you, then...yes. Yes we are! Mentioned in this Episode Why We Kiss Under the Mistletoe: Christmas Traditions Explained, by Michael Foley Music in this Episode "Twelve Days of Christmas" — Inner Splendor, via Feels Like Christmas "Miracles" — Tom Parkin, via Mega Monkey Music "Contemplation" — Maarten Schellekens, via Free Music Archive "Careless Morning" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Always With Me, Always With You" — Daddy S Music, via Pixabay

The earliest myths involving elves portrayed them as mischievous or even malicious creatures that posed dangers to humans and animals. So, how do we get from there to jolly little Christmas elves? It's a story that takes us from ancient Ancient Europe to the current day — one that involves mythology, modern American influence, the power of poetry and literature, possibly the rise of industrialization, and definitely...sticking it to the Nazis. Mentioned in this Episode Christmas in the Crosshairs, by Gerry Bowler Santa Claus: A Biography, by Gerry Bowler The World Encyclopedia of Christmas, by Gerry Bowler Music in this Episode "Ivory Pillow" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Ambient Piano" — BlackPy Beats, via Pixabay "Road in the Forest" — Olexy, via Pixabay "Christmas Music Box" — Oleg Kirilkov, via Pixabay "Gentle Soft Piano | Christmas Vibes" — Alex Productions, via Free Music Archive

Decorative nutcrackers — most often resembling a toy soldier, but available in countless other characters — are synonymous with the Christmas season. Why? It's a story whose origins predate Christmas itself. And whose history involves a mining town, Napoleon, dance theater, and World War two. So...let's get crackin'! Mentioned in this Episode http://www.nutcrackermuseum.com/  Music in this Episode "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies" — Kevin MacLeod, via Wikimedia Commons "March from the Nutcracker" — Trygve Larsen, via Pixabay "Chinese Dance from the Nutcracker" — Trygve Larsen, via Pixabay "Arabian Dance from the Nutcracker" — Trygve Larsen, via Pixabay "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Mary E. Wilkins Freeman was a prolific author in the 19th century. Her Christmas stories showed up every year in newspapers and magazines. Professor Thomas Ruys Smith recently published a new collection of Freeman's Christmas stories. Professor Smith joins me today to discuss Freeman, and then Brian narrates "Harriet Anne's Christmas" from the collection. Mentioned in this Episode The Last Gift: The Christmas Stories of Mary E. Wilkins Freeman Music in this Episode "Family Holiday" — Aleksey Chistilin, via Pixabay "Piano Music No. 1" — Relaxing Time, via Pixabay "Relaxing Piano Music" — Kevin Macleod, via Incompetech

As we ease our way into another Christmas season, we're practicing thta somewhat forgotten tradition of telling ghost stories at Christmas time! In 1883, Temple Bar magazine published a story by a writer and physician named Arthur Conan Doyle. Nowadays, we refer to him as sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and we know him best as the creator of that most famous of detectives: Sherlock Holmes. But this 1883 story isn't about Sherlock. It's about a ship trapped in arctic ice and the strange things the captain and crew experience. Join Brian for a reading of The Captain of the Polestar. Mentioned in this Episode Biblioasis Music in this Episode "Dewbound" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Ethereal Relaxation" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Join Christmas Past one last time in the 2022 season. It's our annual look back at the sights, sounds, news, and trends that made Christmas of 2022 what it was. Merry Christmas to all, and many thanks for being part of the 2022 season of Christmas Past. Music in This Episode "This Christmas" — Hot Music, via Pixabay "Deck the Halls A" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "Silent Night" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website

They're the spiced cookie with the funny sounding (to American ears) name. Pfeffernusse — or, "pepper nuts" in English — contain neither pepper nor nuts. And for centuries, the original recipe has been a closely guarded secret. Baker and podcaster Glen Warren joins me in this episode.  Mentioned in This Episode Seasons Eatings Podcast Music in This Episode "The Poplar Grove" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Midvinter" — Scott Buckley, via scottbuckley.com.au "Felix Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words" Vassily Primakov, via Free Music Archive "The First Noel - Silent Night" — Ralph Rousseau Meulenbroeks, via Magnatune Compilation "Piano Moment" — Zakhar Valaha Music, via Pixabay "Jingle Bells" — Scott Holmes Music, via Free Music Archive Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website  

Those decorative tins filled with three kinds of popcorn have been a Christmas staple for decades. But...why? In this episode, we find out — by asking the guy responsible for the whole thing! Music in This Episode "Blue Latex" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" — Ahmadmusic, via Pixabay "Sticktop" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Jul" — Scott Buckley, via scottbuckley.com.au "Tiled Chamber" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Jingle Bells" — Scott Holmes Music, via Free Music Archive Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website

It's fluffy, sweet, and studded with raisins and candied fruit peel. It's the Italian Christmas cake known as Panettone. Get ready to talk with your hands, along with me and Max Miller of Tasting History as we dig in.  Mentioned in This Episode Tasting History Music in This Episode "Bushwick Tarantella" — Kevin MacLeod, via Youtube Audio Library "Saloon Piano - Ragtime Retro Vintage Jazz Comedy Music" — FreeGroove, via Pixabay "We Three Kings" — James Edwards, via Magnatune Compilation "PianoCello" — Reverie Now, via Pixabay "Pop Vibration" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Good King Wenceslas" — Richard Irwin, via Hymns Without Words "Jingle Bells" — Scott Holmes Music, via Free Music Archive Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website  

Cozy up with the Christmas Past family for some reminiscing! It's one of our favorite annual traditions...where I turn things over to you and let you guide my sleigh tonight on a trip down memory lane! Music in this episode "Instrument 12092021" — orangiromusik, via Pixabay "This Christmas" — Hot Music, via Pixabay Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website

Most of the classic American Christmas songs come from the 1940s. What was it about that decade that accounts for an explosion of Christmas music that's stood the test of time? What is it about those songs that sounds so Christmassy? And why are Christmas classics so few and far between in recent generations? Join me and Berklee College of Music professor Chris North to dive in!  Music in This Episode "Sleigh Ride" — Marcus Staab, via Musopen "Home for the Holidays" — Track Tribe, via Youtube Audio Library "Christmas Jazz" — Audio Coffee, via Pixabay "171221 - jazz style piano / day / happy / love / life" — WELC0MEИ0, via Pixabay "Christmas Magic Night" — Lesfm, via Pixabay "Night Jazz" — Music for Videos, via Pixabay Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website

Strictly speaking, a Christmas carol is a song that tells the Nativity story. That's what made Edmund Sears's song, "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" so unusual when he wrote it. It didn't tell the story of Jesus's birth; it told the story of how people reacted to the news. This "humanist carol"  arrived at a time when music itself was in the midst of some major changes.  Music in This Episode "Nocturne in E flat major, Op. 9 no. 2" — Aya Higuchi, via Musopen "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" — Kevin MacLeod, via Youtube Audio Library "Lullaby for a King" — Cathy Oakes, via Feels Like Christmas "Endless by PrabajithK"—Mild Relaxation, via Pixabay "Night Jazz" — Music for Videos, via Pixabay Piano samples from "Carol" and "Noel" generously played by Carrie from the Christmas Past family! Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website

They're the festive party favors containing a paper crown, a trinket, and a joke — and wrapped in a package that goes "bang" when you open it! Christmas Crackers are an invention of the Victorian age. And more specifically, one confectioner named Tom Smith. Smith single handedly created a tradition that has endured for generations.  Mentioned in This Episode Peter Kimpton's Website Tom Smith's Christmas Crackers — Book by Peter Kimpton Music in This Episode "The Kishner Method" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Forget" — Lesfm, via Pixabay "God Rest You Merry Gentlemen Christmas Piano Background Music" — Lesfm, via Pixabay "Sedative" — Lesfm, via Pixabay "Stress Relief Piano" — PianoAmor, via Pixabay "Night Jazz" — Music for Videos, via Pixabay   Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website

"Father Christmas"...that's what they call Santa Claus in England, right? Well, sort of, but there's more to it than that. Join me and guest professor Gerry Bowler to look into the origins of this often misunderstood Christmas character.  Music in This Episode "A Peaceful Winter" — Scott Holmes, via Free Music Archive "Sentimental Light Hopeful Tender Piano" — Ashot-Danielyan-Composer, via Pixabay "Classical Piano And Cello" — Ashot-Danielyan-Composer, via Pixabay "Romanesca" — Cheryl Ann Fulton, via Magnatune Compilation "I Saw Three Ships" — James Edwards, via Magnatune Compilation "Modern Christmas Full no Santa" —Muzaproduction, via Pixabay Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website

It's the theater experience that's as rollicking and raucous as it is festive! And it's also mostly unknown to American audiences. Join Brian in this episode to hear all about the British tradition of Pantomime. Mentioned in This Episode http://www.evolution-productions.co.uk/ https://www.vam.ac.uk/ Music in This Episode "Vaquero Perdido" — The Mini Vandals, via Youtube Audio Library "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "Dona Norem" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Twinkle Like a Star" — Monday Hopes, via Pixabay "Ding Dong Merrily on High" — Steve's Bedroom Band, via Musopen "Snowflakes - Winter & Christmas Swing Music" — Julius H, via Pixabay Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter

Since the early 1930s, Rockefeller Center has been home to an enormous Christmas tree, elaborately decorated and introduced each season with great fanfare and spectacle. The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree has become America's Christmas tree. Christine Roussel, the official Archivist of Rockefeller Center, joins Brian to tell the tale of this iconic institution.  Music in This Episode "The Broker" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Angels We Have Heard on High - Hark The Herald Angels Sing" — James Edwards, via Magnatune Compilation "Glow"— Scott Buckley, via scottbuckley.com.au "A Jazz Piano" — Music for Videos, via Pixabay "Owl's Christmas" — Owl Glance, via Pixabay "Jingle Bells Violin (Main)" — Daddy's Music, via Pixabay Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website

They were a symbol of the Space Age and then, quickly, they were a relic of the past. Aluminum Christmas trees burst onto the Christmas scene in the late 1950s and reached peak popularity during the 60s. And then...they were gone. But a new generation is discovering the kitschy, retro charm of this uniquely American invention.  Mentioned in This Episode The Evergleam Book, by Theron Georges Theron Georges's Aluminum Christmas Tree displays Music in This Episode "Dunder" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Acoustic Motivation" — Coma Media, via Pixabay "O Christmas Tree - O Tannenbaum - Piano Christmas Carol" — JuliusH, via Pixabay "Silent Night" — Zakhar Valaha Music, via Pixabay “Shades of Spring” — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "This Christmas" — Hot Music, via Pixabay Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website

It's the universal symbol of the Christmas season: a tree (typically a fir) adorned with ornaments and lights. But...what does any of that have to do with Christmas? The Christmas tree has a long history. But only fairly recently has it become especially common in homes at Christmas time.  Music in this episode "Eternal Hope" — Kevin MacLeod, via Youtube Audio Library "O Christmas Tree - Ernst Anshutz Christmas Piano Music" — Lesfm, via Pixabay "March" — Kai Engel, via Free Music Archive "Ambient Piano" — Balance Bay, via Pixabay "Greensleeves" — Lesfm, via Lesfm.net "Christmas Atmosphere" — Lesfm, via Pixabay Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website

We're officially kicking off the 2022 season of Christmas Past with a Thanksgiving family gathering, a return to a beloved Bay Area tradition, and a visit to the Cratchit family in London. Cozy up by the fire and welcome the festive season with the entire Christmas Past family. Many thanks to Denise Lamott, Therese Porter, Kevin Patterson, and everyone at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair for making this episode possible. Music in this episode "The Winter Fall by PrabajithK" — Mild Relaxation, via Pixabay "Relaxing Piano Music" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "Peace and Comfort" — Dee Yan-Key, via Free Music Archive "This Christmas" — Hot Music, via Pixabay Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website

Yes, we return to our traditional favorite songs each year. But there's nothing like discovering a new favorite! If you believe that too, then you're in for a treat! Here are seven Christmas songs from independent musicians to make your days a little merrier and brighter sounding.  Music in this Episode "Dreaming 'Bout Christmas" — Frank and Friends "Lonely December" — Lunar Spirit "Ugly Sweater Time"  — The Sweaterettes "Christmas Lights Through Car Windows" — Amanda Fagan "Christmas Carols" — The Predicates "Joy to the World" — Amanda Opelt "Silent Night" — Sounds and Scapes "Deck the Halls B" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech Buy the Christmas Past Book! Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million IndieBound Share a Christmas memory  Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.  Keep in touch christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com Facebook page Facebook group Twitter Instagram Website