Podcasts about english christmas

Regular readers know that around this time of the year my thoughts briefly stray from midstream energy to Christmas. My love of Christmas pudding has been well documented here (see English Christmas Traditions, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! and watch The Joy of Christmas Pudding). We all fondly remember the Christmas of our childhood. My […]

William Sandys was an antiquarian who published a collection of Christmas carols in the 19th century that turned out to be really influential. Research: Archambo, Shelley Batt. “The Development of the English Carol Through the Fifteenth Century.” The Choral Journal, OCTOBER 1986, Vol. 27, No. 3. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23547224REFERENCES Brain, Jessica. “History of Christmas Carols.” Historic UK. 12/13/2024. https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/History-Christmas-Carols/ “Carol, N.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2025, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/1684298837. Carter, Michael. “The origins of Christmas carols.” English Heritage. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/origins-of-christmas-carols/ Cartwright, Mark. "The History of Christmas Carols." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 05 Dec 2023, https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2339/the-history-of-christmas-carols/. Web. 03 Dec 2025. Davey, Henry, and Elizabeth Baigent. "Sandys, William (1792–1874), writer on music and antiquary." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. September 23, 2004. Oxford University Press. Date of access 3 Dec. 2025, https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-24654 Ditchfield, Peter Hampson. “Old English customs extant at the present time; an account of local observances.” London, G. Redway. 1896. https://archive.org/details/studentshistoryo00gardrich Dreamer, Percy R. et al. “The Oxford Book Of Carols.” Oxford University Press. 1928. English Heritage. “A Brief History of Christmas Carols.” https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/members-area/members-magazine/podcast-extras/history-of-carols/ Sandys, William. “Christmas carols, ancient and modern; including the most popular in the west of England, and the airs to which they are sung. Also specimens of French provincial carols. With an introduction and notes.” London, R. Beckley. 1833. https://archive.org/details/christmascarolsa00sandrich/mode/1up Sandys, William. “Christmastide: Its History, Festivities and Carols.” London: John Russell Smith. 1860. https://archive.org/details/christmastideits00sandrich/ The Law Bod Blog. “Heading towards Christmas.” 12/2/2013. https://blogs.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/lawbod/2013/12/02/heading-towards-christmas/ Huxtable, Sally-Anne. “Wassailing: ritual and revelry.” National Trust. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/history/art-collections/wassailing-ritual-and-revelry See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

⁠⁠Support us on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠---"Herod the king, in his raging, charged he hath this day: his men of might, in his own sight, all young children to slay." So goes the Coventry Carol, a traditional English Christmas song commemorating the Massacre of the Innocents in Bethlehem. According to the Christian Gospel of Matthew, the jealous ruler of Judea so feared the arrival of the messiah that he ordered this slaughter of his own infant subjects. Herod's name rings through the ages with tyranny and evil. But who was Herod the Great?This episode of Gladio Free Europe explorers the life and afterlife of Jewish history's most consequential monarch. Liam and Russian Sam situate King Herod in his historical context, as a pious Jewish monarch and a Hellenistic warrior-king. Born into an ambitious family descended from the conquered backwater of Edom, nobody expected Herod would ever assume control of the Hasmonean Kingdom of Judea. But as the Mediterranean world collapsed into a century of bloody turmoil, Herod used dynastic conflicts in both Jerusalem and in Rome to propel himself to the greatest heights of power. After he was suddenly named King of the Jews by the Roman Senate, Herod had to contend with ruling the most fractious kingdom in the Near East, and the most defiant corner of the vast Roman Empire.Though his ancestors were converts to Judaism, brought into the Israelite fold at the point of a sword, Herod reigned as a pious Jew. Even scholars who doubted his commitment to the faith acclaimed his act of rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem, the center of all Jewish ritual. Though a Roman puppet who never attempted to liberate his subjects from foreign domination, Herod brought enormous prosperity and glory to his kingdom. The land that he once ruled is still marked by great works, built in Hellenistic fashion both to honor his God and to honor his own glory.Despite his great successes, Herod was cruel, vindictive, and unceasingly murderous. Although his role in folklore derives from fiction and rumor rather than actual acts, his reputation for cruelty is well-deserved. Deeply paranoid and acutely aware of his own vulnerabilities, Herod dispatched every threat to his reign with unflinching violence. Even his own wives and children could not escape this violence. After his death, Herod would be immortalized not for his contributions to his kingdom and his faith, but instead for his wickedness. This episode will touch on the origins of Hanukkah and of Christmas to understand the career of one of the most fascinating and terrifying figures of the ancient world.

TRE's Bob James brings us the latest, breaking Spanish news. TRE is the only broadcaster in Spain to produce and broadcast, twice daily its own, in house, Spanish and local news service in English...and we offer this to you as a resource right here, and on the hour at tre.radio. Oh, and don't forget to tune in for an expanded news, presented by Howard Brereton, on 'Spain Today' week daily at 18.00CET #News #Spain #English

Today's poem is an ode to the power of holiday baked goods. Happy reading. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dailypoempod.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome, friend, to the Three Ravens Christmas Feast - we're still at 'Meal Prep' stage, but come inside and warm up by the fire!To begin our six episode Yuletude binge in style we're going to head to the kitchens deep beneath Three Ravens HQ to have a chat with Dr Neil Buttery, the award-winning food historian and host of the British Food History Podcast.Because what should be included in a traditional English Christmas lunch? As Neil explains, it's not straightforward to work it out, and along the way we discuss why Mince Pies used to have meat in them, what prompted Medieval and Tudor monarchs to start baking absolutely everything in pastry, the surprisingly late arrival of the potato on English dinner plates, and much more besides!We really hope you enjoy the chat, that you find your bedchamber comfortable, and be sure to meet us in the library tomorrow when we will be chatting all about folk and Christmas music with the amazingly cool British indie band Lunatraktors - who will be sharing five of their versions of traditional seasonal songs!With our Ghost Story for Christmas Eve to follow on Wednesday, we then have a triple serving of episodes coming out on Christmas morning, featuring:Dr Sarah Clegg, author of The Dead of Winter: The Demons, Witches and Ghosts of ChristmasTaffy Thomas MBE, author of Midwinter Folk Tales and the UK's first Storyteller LaureateTony Walker, author of Christmas Ghost Stories and host of The Classic Ghost Stories podcastPlus a new Christmas song from us!We promise spooky and heartwarming tales, weird Christmas history, Ben prancing about in jingly shoes, lots of surprises, and... well, just be sure to wear something loose-fitting, as there will be plenty to go round.Oh, and don't mind the spectral hands floating about the place.They're a gift from Baba Yaga...Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcastREGISTER FOR THE TALES OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND TOURProud members of the Dark Cast Network.Visit our website Join our Patreon Social media channels and sponsors Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Interested in Joining the Thinking in English Patreon in 2026? 20% Discount is you use the code 2026 - https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish Welcome to a special Thinking in English Christmas episode! Today's lesson isn't about Santa Claus, reindeer, Christmas trees, or anything you might normally expect at this time of year. Instead, I want to talk about a place that literally carries the name Christmas: Christmas Island. Christmas Island sounds like a cheerful and festive place. Photos of the island show bright blue oceans, white beaches, tropical forests, and its famous red crabs that are often featured in nature documentaries. But behind the beautiful scenery and joyful name lies a far more complicated, and often dark, history. Christmas Island has been home to exploited migrant workers, brutal colonial mining operations, Japanese wartime occupation, and, more recently, Australia's controversial refugee detention centre. So today, in this Christmas special, let's explore why one of the world's most festive-sounding islands has such a complex past, while learning some new English vocabulary! Conversation Club - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2025/12/22/367-the-strange-story-of-christmas-island-exploitation-occupation-and-refugees-english-vocabulary-lesson/ AD Free Episode - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thinking in English Bonus Podcast -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/collection/869866⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube Channel -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginenglishpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ My Editing Software (Affiliate Link) - ⁠⁠⁠https://descript.cello.so/BgOK9XOfQdD⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ Borough by Blue Dot Sessions Contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to advertise on Thinking in English. Thinking in English is part of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media podcast network.⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fluent Fiction - Hungarian: Rediscovering Home: A Christmas Journey in Budapest Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hu/episode/2025-12-14-23-34-02-hu Story Transcript:Hu: A Buda Vár fényárban tündökölt a karácsonyi időszak közepén.En: The Buda Vár shone with light in the middle of the Christmas season.Hu: Réka, aki nemrég tért vissza Kolozsvárról, kissé idegenül érezte magát Budapest utcáin.En: Réka, who had recently returned from Kolozsvár, felt a bit like a stranger on the streets of Budapest.Hu: De a szíve mélyén már várta a karácsonyi vásárt.En: But deep in her heart, she was already looking forward to the Christmas market.Hu: Egy meleg kabátban, sálba burkolózva sétált fel a lépcsőkön a Vár felé.En: Wrapped up in a warm coat and scarf, she walked up the steps towards the Castle.Hu: Az orrát csiklandozta a kürtőskalács és a forralt bor illata.En: The smell of kürtőskalács and mulled wine tickled her nose.Hu: Mellette Áron, lelkes kisöccse, egyfolytában beszélt az elkövetkezendő karácsonyi tervekről.En: Beside her, Áron, her enthusiastic little brother, kept talking about the upcoming Christmas plans.Hu: „Nézd, Réka! Ott van a mézeskalácsos bódé!” – Áron szeme csillogott az örömtől.En: "Look, Réka! There's the gingerbread stall!" - Áron's eyes sparkled with joy.Hu: Ő mindig is imádta a karácsonyt és annak minden pillanatát tökéletessé akarta varázsolni idén is.En: He had always loved Christmas and wanted to make every moment perfect again this year.Hu: Péter, az apjuk, komótosan követte őket.En: Péter, their father, was leisurely following them.Hu: Kezében két bögre forralt borral egyensúlyozott.En: He balanced two mugs of mulled wine in his hands.Hu: „Gyere Réka, igyunk egyet!” – kiáltotta mosolyogva.En: "Come Réka, let's have a drink!" he shouted with a smile.Hu: Réka kissé habozva vette át a bögrét, megpróbálta élvezni a pillanatot.En: Réka hesitantly took the mug, trying to enjoy the moment.Hu: De a régi ünnepi szokások mintha már nem passzoltak volna hozzá.En: But the old holiday traditions no longer seemed to fit her.Hu: Azonban nem akart csalódást okozni Áronnak és Péternek.En: However, she didn't want to disappoint Áron and Péter.Hu: Ezért Réka elhatározta, hogy részt vesz minden tevékenységben.En: So Réka decided to participate in every activity.Hu: Segített a kavalkádban díszíteni a vásárlókat, csodálta a szebbnél szebb kézműves dekorációkat, és megkóstolt minden finomságot.En: She helped decorate the shoppers in the hustle and bustle, admired the beautiful handmade decorations, and tasted every delicacy.Hu: Ahogy az esti fények a Duna tükrében ragyogtak, Réka megszorította Áron kezét.En: As the evening lights shone on the Duna's reflection, Réka squeezed Áron's hand.Hu: „Áron, Péter” – kezdte félénken –, „szeretnék beszélni veletek. Úgy érzem, hogy eltávolodtam, de fontos számomra, hogy ismét közel legyek hozzátok.”En: "Áron, Péter" she started shyly, "I feel like I've drifted away, but it's important to me to be close to you again."Hu: Péter figyelmesen hallgatta; tudta, hogy Réka mit érezhet hosszú távolléte után.En: Péter listened attentively; he knew what Réka might feel after her long absence.Hu: „Értjük, kedvesem” – mondta lágyan –, „de tudd, hogy mindig van helyed itthon.”En: "We understand, dear," he said gently, "but know that there is always a place for you at home."Hu: Áron közbeszólt.En: Áron interrupted.Hu: „Réka, hány angol karácsonyi éneket ismersz?En: "Réka, how many English Christmas carols do you know?Hu: Taníts meg néhányat! Talán együtt énekelhetnénk őket a jövőben.”En: Teach me a few! Maybe we could sing them together in the future."Hu: Az éneklés ötlete új lendületet adott Réka szívének.En: The idea of singing brought new momentum to Réka's heart.Hu: Persze, az új dolgok is lehetnek részesei a régi hagyományoknak.En: Sure, new things can also be part of old traditions.Hu: Az est folyamán zengtek a dalok, keveredve a piacon hallható más dalokkal, és Réka érezte, hogy egy meleg, meghitt hangulat uralkodott el.En: Throughout the evening, songs rang out, mixing with other songs heard in the market, and Réka felt a warm, intimate atmosphere take over.Hu: Végül a három alak, Réka, Áron és Péter, együtt álltak a Buda Vár egyik bástyájánál, nézték a hó alatt szunnyadó várost.En: Finally, the three figures, Réka, Áron, and Péter, stood together at one of the bastions of Buda Vár, watching the city slumbering under the snow.Hu: Réka rájött, hogy a hagyományok megújulhatnak, fejlődhetnek.En: Réka realized that traditions can renew and evolve.Hu: És így az utazásai által megtanult dolgok is helyet kaptak a család új ünnepi szokásaiban.En: And thus, the things she had learned through her travels now found a place in the family's new holiday customs.Hu: A Buda Vár csendes, békés kilátása alatt, Réka már nem érezte magát kívülállónak, hanem annak, aki újra megtalálja helyét, mind a családjában, mind szívében.En: Under the quiet, peaceful view of Buda Vár, Réka no longer felt like an outsider, but like someone who had rediscovered her place, both in her family and in her heart. Vocabulary Words:shone: tündököltstranger: idegenülwrapped: burkolózvatickled: csiklandoztagingerbread: mézeskalácsosenthusiastic: lelkesleisurely: komótosanbalanced: egyensúlyozotthesitantly: habozvahustle: kavalkáddelicacy: finomságsqueezed: megszorítottaattentively: figyelmesenintimate: meghittslumbering: szunnyadórediscovered: újra megtaláljabastions: bástyájánálreflect: tükrébenabsentee: hosszú távolléterenew: megújulhatnakevolve: fejlődhetnekcustoms: szokásaforementioned: említettleaped: lendületet adottfalter: megpróbáltaseason: időszakmugs: bögredecorations: dekorációkatcarols: énekettraditions: hagyományok

Christmas in England is a holiday defined by contrasts — sacred hymns drifting through ancient stone cathedrals while mischievous spirits lurk in old folktales; roaring hearth fires glowing against midnight frost while wassailers roam the village lanes singing for warmth and blessing; feasts that echo medieval banquet halls side-by-side with quiet, candlelit reflections on the Nativity. English Christmas is both solemn and lively, reverent and hearty, holy and haunted. And for millions of American families, its echoes pulse through recipes, carols, and customs handed down across generations. To understand Christmas in England is to understand the root system that fed much of the English-speaking world's celebration — including the United States, Canada, Australia, and beyond. Yet the English Christmas we know today was not shaped all at once. It evolved through Roman influence, medieval pageantry, Puritan suppression, Victorian reinvention, and twentieth-century nostalgia. Each era left traces in family traditions, many of which migrated wherever English-speaking people carried their memories. For genealogists, England's Christmas traditions offer a rare window into family identity. The style of worship, the foods served during the Twelve Days of Christmas, the songs sung on Christmas Eve, and the presence or absence of certain rituals can reveal an ancestor's place, class, denomination, or even the region they called home. Christmas in England is not a monolith — it is a mosaic built from centuries of theological debates, seasonal folklore, local customs, and literary imagination.This entry explores the origins, folklore, Biblical meaning, and genealogical insights of Christmas in England — a land where holly crowns pagans and Christians alike, where spirits are said to wander at Christmastime, and where a humble manger story birthed some of the world's most enduring holiday traditions. Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/christmas-traditions-in-england/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal  #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips

Join Samuel Goldsmith on The Good Food Podcast as he welcomes celebrated cookery writer Skye McAlpine for a festive, food-filled conversation perfect for anyone looking for Christmas cooking inspiration and holiday hosting tips. Skye shares the stories behind her new book, The Christmas Companion, and reveals how she brings warmth, style, and a little magic to the holiday season. Discover Skye's unique blend of Venetian and English Christmas traditions, her go-to holiday recipes, memorable kitchen “disasters,” and her smart approach to stress-free festive entertaining. From the secrets to a standout Christmas cake to the art of embracing easy festive shortcuts, Skye offers practical advice to elevate your celebrations without the overwhelm. Whether you're planning a cosy family Christmas, hosting a festive gathering, or simply searching for new holiday food ideas, this episode is packed with inspiration, laughter, and plenty of seasonal cheer. Skye McAlpine is a cookery writer who believes that food tastes best when shared with others. She is the author of three other books, A Table in Venice, A Table for Friends and A Table Full of Love, writes a monthly column for The Sunday Times and has contributed to publications from around the world, including vogue.com, Vanity Fair, Corriere della Sera and Conde Naste Traveller. In 2021 she launched her own created range of homeware, Skye McAlpine TAVOLA. Skye divides her time between London and Venice with her husband, Anthony, and her two sons, Aeneas and Achille. Subscribers to the Good Food app via the App Store get the show ad-free, plus regular bonus content. Download the Good Food app to get started. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Around this time of year, I've often indulged myself in writing about Christmas pudding (for more, watch this video). This English dessert is a rich, dark fruit cake best enjoyed heated with heavy cream. It is an acquired taste, and our children were each offered one brief opportunity to develop a taste for it. While […]

Send us a textIn this conversation, the hosts and guests share their unique Christmas traditions from their respective cultures, focusing on the differences and similarities between Italian, English, and American customs. They discuss the significance of food, particularly the Italian-American tradition of the 'seven fishes,' and reminisce about their childhood memories of Christmas celebrations, including midnight mass and family gatherings. The conversation also touches on the impact of cultural identity and language on their holiday experiences. In this engaging conversation, the participants delve into their Italian heritage, exploring the significance of family traditions, cultural connections, and the journey of reclaiming their roots through dual citizenship. They share personal stories of their experiences in Italy, the importance of community living, and the rich history that each town holds. The discussion also touches on the practical aspects of living in Italy, including healthcare and the joy of celebrating Italian traditions and festivals.https://Neverforgetyourroots.comhttps://www.dorinaskitchen.com/https://ouritalianjourney.com/https://italiangenealogy.blogChristmas traditions vary significantly across cultures.The 'seven fishes' is an Italian-American tradition, not widely practiced in Italy.Midnight mass holds a special place in many Christmas celebrations.Family gatherings are central to Christmas celebrations.Food plays a crucial role in holiday traditions.Cultural identity influences how families celebrate Christmas.English Christmas traditions include turkey and Boxing Day.Christmas memories often involve unique family rituals.Language can shape cultural identity and holiday experiences.Traditions evolve over time, reflecting changes in society. Heritage plays a crucial role in shaping identity.Family traditions are a source of comfort and connection.Community living enhances quality of life and well-being.Experiencing one's roots can be a transformative journey.Dual citizenship can simplify the process of living abroad.Healthcare in Italy is often more affordable than in the U.S.Every town in Italy has a unique and rich history.Culinary experiences are an integral part of Italian culture.Celebrating traditions fosters a sense of belonging.Traveling to one's ancestral home can evoke deep emotions.Turnkey. The only thing you'll lift are your spirits.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREETuscany TreasuresUncover the hidden gems of Tuscany with this vibrant guidebook.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showPurchase my book "Farmers and Nobles" here or at Amazon.

What sinister secret lies in the Christmas pudding? The perfect setting for an old-fashioned English Christmas - a cosy manor, falling snow, and family gathered round - gets an unexpected guest: Hercule Poirot himself! When a foreboding note appears on the famous detective's pillow, he knows the idyllic festive traditions conceal a mystery more twisted than ribbons on parcels. As joyful carols fill the air, goings on go on behind closed doors. Then a body is discovered! (Though things are not what they seem) And Poirot turns a deception deftly to his advantage. Can Poirot navigate the web of secrets and uphold justice amid the joyful festivities? Enjoy Agatha Christie's witty characterisations as her beloved detective celebrates an unforgettable Christmas in the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Move over Charles Dickens!  Stand aside, Scrooge!  For a nineteenth century English Christmas tale without parallel, you cannot do better than Sherlock Holmes's conveying of the Christmas message in his discover and commutation of a felony, all to save a soul in the season of forgiveness of this time of year. My narration of this … Continue reading NEW! A Sherlock Holmes Christmas Story: “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle” →

In episode 98 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast, Tracy chats with special guests Vernetta and Therron Thomas to hear about their fascinating trip to England. From experiencing the highs and lows of transportation and lodging to sampling local cuisine and uncovering unique cultural experiences, Vernetta and Therron share their honest and insightful trip report. With candid tales of their adventures in Liverpool, London, and beyond, join us as we delve into their journey, learning about their delayed honeymoon, attending a Liverpool soccer game, and immersing themselves in the magic of the English Christmas markets. Listen in as they reveal their favourite sights, offer essential travel tips, and showcase the personal connections that made their trip unforgettable. So, sit back, relax, and let Vernetta and Therron take you on a captivating travel journey through the UK.⭐️ Guests - Vernetta & Therron Thomas

After a small break we are back. Here we discuss what happens at English Christmas dinners, what we would do if we became multi-millionaires, our latest hang-out, passport quality, celebrity encounters we've had, how white England is and some more of Shams holiday. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lhm/message

Today we recommend among other stories, our favorite Christmas Carols. Wishing you all a christmas time full of love, peace and warmth with your loved ones. Merry Christmas from Salvi y Javi and thanks for supporting us again.

Mitch and Isi discuss the differences between a German and a British Christmas in their festive cabin. What do you eat? Who delivers your presents... and on what day? They discuss Mrs Claus, raclette, Zulu, zuzhing and of course... booze, booze, booze. Interactive Transcript Support Easy English and get interactive transcripts and bonus content for all our episodes: easyenglish.fm/membership Transcript Mitch: [0:00] For those who are listening and have children in earsight, we may approach subject of Santa, Weihnachtsmann, of the Christkind. So there might be some spoiler alerts for little ears. Christmas song? Bing bong, bing bong, bing bong, bing bong. Isi: [0:23] Oh, my singing is fantastic. No one has Christmasy mood now. Intro Mitch: [0:58] Okay no, let's have a relaxing one. Okay. Let's imagine we're in a little log cabin. Isi: [1:03] Ooh. Mitch: [1:04] It's snowing outside. Isi: [1:06] Mm-hmm. Mitch: [1:07] We've just opened a bottle of whiskey or red wine. What would you like? Isi: [1:11] Red wine. Bottle of whiskey! Mitch: [1:14] Or Prosecco. Isi: [1:16] Prosecco. Mitch: [1:17] Okay. And the fire's on. I'm just going to open up and throw a log on the fire. All the sparks go up in the fire and it's Christmas day for our listeners. Isi: [1:29] And we're alone in a cabin in the woods or what? (Yeah, this isn't another survival episode.( And we are live, let's be authentic here it's the 20th, not far away from the 25th. So we are recording this five days before for Christmas day. (But for you guys.) For you guys, it's a Christmas day today, if you listen on Christmas but it's the 25st of December and this podcast will be a short one, a short hello for Christmas because we didn't want to go on a break. We wanted to produce a little something, something podcast. (A snippet.) A snippet um... to talk about Christmas and say hello and wish you a merry Christmas obviously only if you celebrate and otherwise a good end of the year a good start out into 2024 because it will be our last podcast of the year. Mitch: [2:21] Isi, what does Christmas Day look like for you as a German? And then we can compare notes. (Yeah.) Isi: [2:28] So in Germany, we start celebrating Christmas on the 24th, on Christmas Eve. That is like the big day. Mitch: [2:36] We do 25th in England. Isi: [2:37] Yep. We celebrate in the night. Mitch: [2:41] Day. Isi: [2:42] And that's, yeah, Christmas Day is like morning through the whole day, isn't it? Mitch: [2:46] In England, the whole day is dedicated to... Isi: [2:49] In Germany, we have the 24th, 25th and 26th for Christmas. Mitch: [2:53] Hmm. We just have 25th. Isi: [2:55] No, you don't. Mitch: [2:56] Yeah. Isi: [2:57] Boxing Day. Mitch: [2:57] Oh, 25th and 26th. (Yeah.) Yeah, yeah. Sorry. But 24th, I even worked one day on the 24th. Isi: [3:04] Hmm. Mitch: [3:04] And I was driving home for Christmas. Isi: [3:09] What else? We do have gifts. (But are you open on the 24th?) On the 24th. I mean, not everybody does the same,we do it we we do gifts first and gifts and drinks and then dinner. (Gifts, drinks, dinner. And in England we go; drink, drink drinks, drinks, gifts, drinks, drinks, drinks, drinks, little sleep, then dinner, then another little sleep whilst watching the film Zulu, or the great escape and then...) What is Zulu? Mitch: [3:40] It's like an old Michael Caine movie. (Okay.) And then After Eight / Bailey's session and then pass out on the sofa again. Isi: [3:48] Okay. On the 25th, we usually in our family rest. Because our Christmases usually, are very long into the night. Mitch: [4:00] Hibernating like some grizzly bears. Isi: [4:03] And we also have like some good food or so. but it's like, it's a day of not doing much. We also have a small family so um there was no one else to visit on that day so we just chilled, long walks, good food. But um... (Is that normally the day you do a visit the old and wrinkly people?) Hey! (Sorry.) No, other families go either yeah, grandparents, aunts, uncles somewhere or you go visit your friends or so. But it's the day where you change places to celebrate with someone else. And then, Boxing Day for us, is not called Boxing Day, obviously. Mitch: [4:39] I don't know why it's called Boxing Day. I'd have to look that up. Isi: [4:42] Then people meet again. My parents always meet friends on that day. Have a little Christmas. We always, my sister and I, have been meeting friends for the past, nearly 20 years. And do like a Friendsmas, or however you call that. Friends Christmas. And in some countryside regions, people go to pubs and they keep a stone with them and if you forget a stone you have to buy a round or so, I never understood it, I don't know. (And who is Santa Claus for you? He has many names he goes by, like the devil.) we don't have Santa... well, it depends if you... if you celebrate Christmas, in the religious way, then it's the Christkind coming on the 24th, bringing the gifts, which is basically, I don't really know. It has the looks of an angel. Mitch: [5:31] The Christ child in English, I guess. Isi: [5:34] It's the Christ child. So basically it's Jesus. But it looks like an angel and it comes, I think, with a sledge as well. It's a bit, yeah, that's how I know the pictures. It sits in a sledge. Mitch: [5:47] Like a cherub? You know cherubs that fire little love arrows? Isi: [5:50] Yeah, it's like the typical angel thing. But yeah, I don't really know. It has like a white dress on. Mitch: [5:56] Floaty dress. And they bring the presents? Isi: [6:01] They bring the presents. Um... and then there's also Nicolaus who looks a bit like Santa Claus, but more religious. (Yeah.) And he comes on the 6th of December and brings gifts then already. (Ah, you have Nicolaus Day or something, no?) Well it really depends what you teach your children, really. So you can also obviously just have Christmas for the traditional way and not for the religious way and then you would maybe also say Santa Claus comes. But I don't know. Oh yeah, the Weihnachtsmann. Mitch: [6:35] Do you think? Isi: [6:36] Oh yeah, we actually do have Santa Claus. Mitch: [6:38] Okay. When he comes on the 5th. Isi: [6:40] The Weihnachtsmann. Christmas Man Mitch: [6:41] Christmas Man. (Weihnachtsmann.) Isi: [6:43] He comes also on the 24th. Mitch: [6:47] After or before the lady Jesus? Isi: [6:48] Either Christkind or Weihnachtsmann. Or baby. Baby? Did I say baby? Mitch: [6:52] The baby? Isi: [6:53] You said baby. Mitch: [6:54] I didn't. Isi: [6:55] Maybe Jesus, you said. Mitch: [6:56] I said after or before the lady Jesus. Isi: [6:57] Lady Jesus. I don't know if it's a lady. Let's say it's a baby. Mitch: [7:02] Baby Jesus. Who delivers the gifts? Weihnachtsmann or Baby Jesus lady? Isi: [7:07] I think they can both deliver the gifts. I'm not well prepared for this. Mitch: [7:10] Should we make a disclaimer at the beginning of this, warning parents that your children may lose all faith? Isi: [7:16] So, yeah, one of those come. Or maybe... maybe for some they come together. I guess it's like how you define your own Christmas story. Mitch: [7:25] It's very confusing. We just have one man and he comes through the chimney, through keyholes. He has a magic key. He has magic reindeers, that can fly. He has a sleigh and in that sleigh, holds enough presents for... how many people are there in the world? 6 billion people? Isi: [7:44] A lot more. Mitch: [7:45] But he has enough presents for everyone around the world. He has a naughty list. He has a wife. He lives in the North Pole. (He has a wife?) Mrs. Claus. She looks after the elves, who they make the presents. They make the fur... Isi: [7:57] She looks after them? What does that mean? She cooks for them? She gives them the salary? She does the accounting? Mitch: [8:03] I don't know the details. Yeah, maybe. Isi: [8:04] Company management? Is she an HR? Mitch: [8:07] HMRC should make sure she's, you know... the elves make the skateboards, the rollerblades, PlayStation 4s. They make all that stuff, that goes on the back of the sleigh. He comes, when he comes on the 24th night, you're supposed to be in bed and not see him. He has big black boots and you're supposed to leave out a mince pie for him to eat; a glass of sherry or whiskey depending on what he... your grandad likes to drink. And a carrot for his reindeer. One of the reindeers has a red nose called Rudolph. There's a weird song in British culture of a kid coming downstairs to see his mum making out with Santa Claus, yeah. I saw Mummy kissing Santa Claus, underneath the mistletoe that night. (But it's not a real Christmas song, right?) And it's sung by Michael Jackson, so the morals are all over the place. Isi: [9:00] Let's stop it right here. Kids sing that? Mitch: [9:03] Yeah. Isi: [9:06] Isn't Christmas so confusing anyway? Such a confusing thing. And the elves, they make all the gifts. Mitch: [9:13] In the North Pole. Isi: [9:14] Whatever you want? They know how to do it all Mitch: [9:16] And he and you... sometimes... (If i want a new laptop, are they building it?) Yeah exactly, they make... they work with Apple to build laptops they work with Sony to make Playstations they work with Hitachi to make TVs. (We need to put a disclaimer in here as well, laptops you can also get by other companies.) Yeah, yeah, laptops available outside of the north pole. Isi: [9:42] So, what is the dinner? I think we've talked about this before on the podcast. So, what will you consume, eat, drink over the day? Give us a quick round up here. Mitch: [9:51] It's a roast dinner, but zhuzhed. Isi: [9:53] What? Mitch: [9:54] Zhuzh, is a really good kind of, phrase of the week to go into, but let's not do the theme tune. You can zhuzh something up. So, let's say… Isi: [10:04] Where does it come from, zhuzh? Mitch: [10:07] Zhuzh. It could be like a... it sounds Yiddish doesn't it? Let's say, you have a Christmas tree, just a Christmas tree, like a pine tree on its own. You would zhuzh it up by adding lights and decorations, to make it look prettier. (Yeah. )You can zhuzh yourself up a little bit. Oh, I just need to zhuzh myself. Isi: [10:25] Lipstick? Mitch: [10:26] Lipstick, whatever. A bit of cologne. Yeah, but it's nice to say, isn't it? (Wait, let's look that up. How do you write that?) It's a verb. Zhuh. Uh. Zhuh. Isi: [10:39] UK informal. To make something more interesting, more attractive by changing it slightly or adding something into it. The stylist says he would zhoosh up the outfit with a hat. Zhoosh. Mitch: [10:50] Zhoosh. Isi: [10:50] Zhoosh. It's like that H, U, Z, H. Ah, and it's Yiddish. Mitch: [10:56] Is it? Isi: [10:57] Yeah. Interesting. That's a nice, nice phrase. Mitch: [11:00] And how... (Ah, zhoosh me up. )It's a zhooshed up roast dinner. Isi: [11:04] Give me a minute. I need to zhoosh me up. Mitch: [11:06] I need to zhuzh up my face, zhuzh my life up. And so, yeah, it's a zhuzhed up roast dinner, basically. Isi: [11:14] What does that mean? What is different? Mitch: [11:15] This is the time we'd crack out the turkey, because usually roast dinners you'd have either lamb, beef, pork or chicken. For Christmas dinner, it's usually turkey. Don't know why, because turkeys are Christmas animals, apparently. And you'd really just fill it with more stuff. These things called pigs in blankets, which is sausage, wrapped up in a bacon blanket and then, you know, fried or oven-baked. What else would you have? Isi: [11:41] Oh, yeah, I remember when we had English Christmas in your family, your mum did vegan or vegetarian picks and blankets. Do you remember? Mitch: [11:50] I do remember. Or as Boris Johnson says, vegan. (Yeah, does he?) Vegan. (Very German.) Isi: [11:57] Okay, go on. Mitch: [11:59] Yeah, yeah, that's kind of, to be simple, that's what it is. (What do you drink?) Yes. Uh... so but um... specifically, I mean this might not be every family but in the mornings it's nice to have something called a Buck's Fizz or in the U.S you'd say a Mimosa. Buck's Fizz is an orange juice mixed with a fizzy wine, and then you'd work your way up slowly throughout the day, until you basically cannot stand. You'd usually end with like a Baileys or an Amarula. Something creamy. Isi: [12:31] Mm-hmm. Very nice. Mitch: [12:32] I'm also someone who likes this thing called a Snowball, which is eggnog, basically. Vodka and egg. And then you make a shot of that and then you fill the rest of your glass with lemonade. It's like a good pick-me-up drink when you're hitting that kind of, slump hour. Just after you've watched Zulu and it's like a three and a half hour film and you're like, oh God, I'm dying here. Then you have a quick Snowball and you're back in the game, ready to play charades with the family. And what do you do in Germany? Isi: [13:08] Oh, everybody does it differently, really. Some people have... Mitch: [13:13] A zhuzhed up something. Isi: [13:15] We do raclettes often. um often some other people do fondue, which is putting meat into hot water basically, or into oil, or both, then... (You can have a cheese fondue.) That as well, some people do like a traditional thing more like, the English dinner like, duck with like a gravy and like potatoes and like red cabbages that kind of stuff, which is a bit like a roast. Um... some people and I don't really know where it's coming from, but there's something that it's traditional to have a potato salad and a Wiener sausage, Wiener Würstchen with it. (Really?) Which is like super, super, super easy, simple food. And I don't know where it comes from and probably has a, has a story. So some people even do that. And then on the 21st do like a big dinner. So it's very mixed up. Like it's in England it's always the same, right? (Yeah.) Mitch: [14:09] But I feel like there's something we have in common, which is typically for a typical Christmas dinner is mum just completely overworked, sweating, because she's having to cook for like 10 people. And then your dad, getting really annoyed because he has to find where the raclette is somewhere in the loft. And he's all covered in dust. And he's fallen over a couple of times, because he's had a few too many drinks beforehand. And then, not doing anything from about 4pm onwards, because he's too busy trying to fix the... DVD player or whatever, so everyone can watch Home Alone. Isi: [14:40] Yeah, that's true. Mitch: [14:43] I'd like to hear, well... we'd both like to hear how Christmas looks for you guys. So feel free to send us a message, write to us, speak to us, go to easyenglish.fm or write to us at podcast@easyenglish.video. Isi: [14:57] And if you don't celebrate Christmas and have another celebration, another holiday that you celebrate, please tell us about that too. That's it, we do a quick one this this year we would like to remind you of our 30 Day Challenge, our first ever 30 Day Challenge starting on January 2nd, 30 days until January 31st, you can practice your English with us, every day, for continuous 30 days we give you little challenges it will be fun it will be about different topics about speaking writing understanding English. And it's all happening on our Discord server, where we anyway are every day chatting with our members. And you only have to do one thing. Become a member, join our community, and go to easyenglish.video/membership And yeah, join us. We are so much looking forward to this. We hope you all come there and spend a month of learning English with us. Yeah. Please, please join. That will be fun. Mitch: [15:57] Yeah, we have a nice community on Discord, don't we? )Yeah.) you'll get to meet and chat with and yeah, we'll be there to chat with you as well and to get to know you. (Yes yes.) all right, that's it. (That's it, end of the year, we want to thank you all, thanks for listening, thanks for it's it's incredible still to me, to you probably too, that people actually listen to this. Yeah, have a good and... and hopeful end of the year. We hope you can all relax, you're healthy and next year will be a brilliant year. Te-ra!) Merry Christmas. Support Easy English and get interactive transcripts and bonus content for all our episodes: easyenglish.fm/membership

It's Christmas time, so I'm heading home to the UK to spend it with my family and friends. In today's episode I talk about how British people spend Christmas these days. We learn lots of Christmas-related English vocabulary and phrases, and also get a nice insight into one of the UK's most important cultural events. Enjoy, and merry Christmas!

For this holiday special we begin with a traditional English Christmas feast as described by a family friend, highlighting a strange historical black dessert called a plum pudding or simply a Christmas pudding. Being topped with a holly sprig, we then learn the origins of some ancient plant-lore. But the meat of this sumptuous episode is a reading from a deeply mysterious and haunting, 14th-century Arthurian legend that takes place at a Christmas feast; one rudely interrupted by an axe-wielding Green Knight who demands a volunteer to join him in a deadly game. Merry Christmas! Reading excerpts from Folklore of Kent by Fran & Geoff Doel;  English Botany Or, Coloured Figures of British Plants · Volume 2 by James Sowerby; and Plant Lore, Legends, and Lyrics; Embracing the Myths, Traditions, Superstitions, and Folk-lore of the Plant Kingdom by Richard Folkard.Main reading from Sir Gawain and The Green Knight translated by Simon Armitage."Sweet was the Songe the Virgine Sung" 16th-century Christmas CarolPerformed by Ernst Stolz & Katrhine Brandt"Dove's Figary or Chestnut" English Country DancePerformed by Ernst Stolz"Be Merry, Be Merry I Pray You"Medieval English CarolPerformed by Ernst Stolz "What Child is This? (Greensleeves)"English Folk SongPerformed by Ernst StolzSupport Our Numinous Nature on Patreon.Follow Our Numinous Nature & my naturalist illustrations on InstagramCheck out my shop of shirts, prints, and books featuring my artContact: herbaceoushuman@gmail.com

Three favorites, again from my youth. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is an English Christmas carol that first appeared in 1739 in the collection Hymns and Sacred Poems. The carol, based on Luke 2:14, tells of an angelic chorus singing praises to God."Away in a Manger" It was long claimed to be the work of German religious reformer Martin Luther, some Germans will not sing it, saying it used to be a beer drinking song. (at least the melody) If you imagine an Umm Pa Pa beat to it, you see their point. But this is a favorite in the English speaking world. "Run Run to the Stable" at least the version I know is an old French Carol. If you have heard it before, please leave a comment.

Join Carole Weitner as she continues to share her knowledge from years of experience hosting an English Christmas tea for her community as well as meticulously crafting a Christmas menu for her family that is unique yet familiar. We discuss the recipes in detail; you are sure to discover new holiday favorites! If you've ever wondered how to make clotted cream or what a sugar plum is, this episode is for you! Carole explains the importance of having a trusty sidekick in the kitchen and the must-have tools for every cook. Stay tuned to hear about a traditional part of an English Christmas celebration as well as a festive table decoration - Christmas crackers! We're so glad you're here! (Visit www.comeoverfordinner.com for recipes, product links, and more!)

Join Carole Weitner as she shares her knowledge from years of experience hosting an English Christmas tea for her community as well as meticulously crafting a Christmas menu for her family that is unique yet familiar. We discuss the recipes in detail; you are sure to discover new holiday favorites! If you've ever wondered how to make clotted cream or what a sugar plum is, this episode is for you! Carole explains the importance of having a trusty sidekick in the kitchen and the must-have tools for every cook. Stay tuned to hear about a traditional part of an English Christmas celebration as well as a festive table decoration - Christmas crackers! We're so glad you're here! (Visit www.comeoverfordinner.com for recipes, product links, and more!)

This December, our remote tream is taking you on a global tour of their very own holiday season traditions. On the second day of podmas in Essex, UK, Ginni Media audio team head Ash celebrates a gift filled Christmas surrounded by family—and pigs out on his mum's traditional roast dinner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author, speaker, and addiction specialist Lauren Windle joins Meisha in a conversation on what it looks like to have a Single Friendly Church, English Christmas, and her book ‘Notes on Love'. Tell us what you think on Instagram @mysinglestorypodcast Follow Lauren's journeys on Instagram! @laurenwindle_ www.laurenwindle.com 

It's still a while until Christmas, but for some it's time to start preparing now. Like the German butcher Ralf Fink in Castlemaine, Victoria. Not only does he produce exquisite German specialties in his Oakwood shop, he also produces and supplies the original English Christmas ham. If you don't like it, Ralf Fink has another, tasty recipe for the Christmas holidays: curry wurst with an original Berlin curry sauce. - Es dauert noch ein Weilchen bis Weihnachten, doch für manche ist es höchste Eisenbahn, jetzt mit den Vorbereitungen zu beginnen. Wie zum Beispiel der deutsche Fleischer Ralf Fink in Castlemaine im Bundesstaat Viktoria. Nicht nur produziert er in seinem Geschäft Oakwood auserlesene deutsche Spezialitäten, wie die Knackwurst oder den Schwarzwälder Schinken, er produziert und liefert auch den Original englischen Weihnachtsschinken. Wer ihn nicht mag, für den hat Ralph Fink ein anderes, schmackhaftes Rezept für die Weihnachtstage. Die Currywurst zum Beispiel, mit einer Original Berliner Currysauce.

Please visit us at http://www.institute-christ-king.org/ to learn more Please consider a gift to the Institute of Christ the King. The Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. https://www.institute-christ-king.org/donations2020

Please visit us at http://www.institute-christ-king.org/ to learn more Please consider a gift to the Institute of Christ the King. The Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. https://www.institute-christ-king.org/donations2020

Please visit us at http://www.institute-christ-king.org/ to learn more Please consider a gift to the Institute of Christ the King. The Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. https://www.institute-christ-king.org/donations2020

The panel reads Washington Irving's Christmas sequence from The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., and examines how its portrayal of an old-fashioned, English Christmas served to influence attitudes towards the ideal of Christmas in the United States.Continue reading

Please visit us at http://www.institute-christ-king.org/ to learn more Please consider a gift to the Institute of Christ the King. The Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. https://www.institute-christ-king.org/donations2020

Please visit us at http://www.institute-christ-king.org/ to learn more Please consider a gift to the Institute of Christ the King. The Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. https://www.institute-christ-king.org/donations2020

Please visit us at http://www.institute-christ-king.org/ to learn more Please consider a gift to the Institute of Christ the King. The Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. https://www.institute-christ-king.org/donations2020

Please visit us at http://www.institute-christ-king.org/ to learn more Please consider a gift to the Institute of Christ the King. The Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. https://www.institute-christ-king.org/donations2020

Please visit us at http://www.institute-christ-king.org/ to learn more Please consider a gift to the Institute of Christ the King. The Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. https://www.institute-christ-king.org/donations2020

Merry Christmas!Today, I hope you get a chance to watch one of the movies mentioned in this short episode.

Welcome to our Christmas special!Also special as we recorded this episode in front of our first audience at the Henley Community Garden with the Gladesville Happy Hens. We hope you enjoy listening to us talk about our book advent (list below) while also prescribing something to eat and something to read for two letter writers. The list of books discussed is below and there will be more information about this and the recipes discussed in the Shownotes.Thank you for listening to us this last year, and we look forward to returning with a Summer special in January. Until then, happy holidays to all.Sophie & Germaine xxWe started our episode by offering a couple of sweet treats taken from books we have both loved and talked about this year. Sophie and Nigel Slater's Christmas CakeIt was always going to be a Christmas cake for me. And always, my favourite recipe by Nigel Slater from the Christmas Chronicles (but also available here online).Germaine and Ella Risbridger's Three Ingredient BrowniesI was intrigued to try such an easy recipe after we read The Year of Miracles: Recipes about Love, Grief and Growing Things in Season 2, Episode 4 so decided to try it. It is easy. And tasty! Simply Nutella, eggs and flour. Here is a similar recipe to Ella's if you haven't read her book. Book List* Advent by Anja Dunk * Christmas Days by Jeanette Winterson* Festive Spirits by Kate Atkinson (Lucy's Story)* How to End a Story by Helen Garner* Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling* The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller* The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater* Seeing Other People by Diana Reed* Small Things Like These, Clare Keegan* Overheard: the art of eavesdropping by Oslo Davis* Wombat Divine by Mem Fox* Cooking for Claudine by John BaxterLetter 1Thank you for this! I am emerging from a marriage break up and I need some lightness and happiness in my life. Maybe a bit of courage too.Germaine's book prescriptionMaira Kalman's The Principles of Uncertainty is one of my favourite books that I return to whenever I am feeling in need of a reminder that life always contains lightness alongside the need for courage. Kalman is perhaps best known for her children's book illustrations and as a contributor to the New Yorker magazine, however this illustrated memoir is a different way of reflecting and understanding the meaning of her life. Her quirky illustrations, existential questions and melancholic observations are very powerful. I prescribe it as a completely different way of reading about life. Kalman walks the streets of New York and draws the people she sees. Her daily walks in Central Park with an old friend also impact on her sense of wellbeing. She reminisces about her childhood and the past. It's a visual journey through her mind!Sophie's recipeI think it has to be cake. Specifically, a sponge, though one with structure so it won't deflate on you or be finicky about travelling. Something you can cut and come again and keep in the fridge. Take to work to share, take to a morning tea with your friends. You can't not be cheered by a sponge. And you can take courage that this recipe will work! As Nigel Slater says in Christmas Chronicles, “there was something about the way my mother would put a cake on the table that made me feel all was well. Safe. Secure. Unshakeable'Here's my sponge cake recipe, please try it, fill it with jam, cream, curd, love, whatever you have to hand!Letter 2I am going ‘home' for Christmas for a number of reasons. It may well be our last - or only-  ‘family' holiday with all 6 of us that we will remember, as my eldest is 19 and will be moving on with his life - a fact we celebrate and mourn, and my youngest is 11, and therefore too young to remember our trips before the Covid years.  Included in the trip are 2 weeks in the UK to have our first English Christmas with my family, and our first one all together in 7 years. It is always a little bittersweet without my Dad, whose presence is long missed, but it is definitely a time for celebration.What will make the trip a little more interesting, and is making my mother slightly apprehensive, is a history of tension between my brother and sister - I refuse to get sucked in to any drama and can smooth almost any situation - but I want her to feel excitement and eagerness about spending this time together, so do you have a suggestion for a book that celebrates the joy of family reconnection, or something that will bring light to dark winter evenings? Something fun, but real would be grand. And she is always fond of a murder.In terms of asking for something to cook, I am being held responsible for an Australian style brunch - limited by available ingredients so sadly no mango unless I smuggle them in (which I may), and need something sweet, but light to finish the traditional croissants and smoked salmon, and that won't compete with pavlova and Christmas pudding that will be served after late lunch. Also, my mother loathes cream and milk, unless cooked into a cheese sauce, so yoghurt is out.Hope that's not too prescriptive? I love listening to you both, and hearing your discussions.Sophie's recipeWhat about a warm Christmas crumble? In a medium-sized saucepan, mix together about 2 cups frozen (or fresh berries) with about 2 cups rhubarb, apple or stonefruit (depending on season and taste. Add 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla paste and the juice of one orange or lemon and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes or until the fruit is soft. Transfer to a bowl and pop in the fridge to cool or if cooking the crumble straight away, tip into an oven-proof dish.For the crumble topping, in a medium bowl, combine 50g unsalted butter, cold and cubed, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla paste, 1/2 cup almond meal, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup shredded coconut and 200g marzipan. Work everything together with your fingers and crumble together. Preheat oven to 180C and crumble the topping over the layer of fruit and cook for about 20-30 minutes or until the topping is golden. Serve hot with cream, yogurt or ice cream. Germaine's bookI rose to the challenge with this letter and managed to find a book that is about family and reconnection, with humour and depth. Also, there is a missing person! I'll let you discover if it's a murder or just a side mystery… When God Was A Rabbit by Sarah Winman is a family story about bad things happening to good people and good things happening to good people! This is the poignant tale of Ellie and her family from her childhood in the 1960s through to her adulthood in the early 2000s. There is a cast of quirky characters, all damaged and all loveable who feel very real. Winman also writes beautifully about sibling bonds, “I am here but I am not yours”. While the characters (like families) frustrate, make you laugh out loud and also cry, ultimately, they express the love and hope within us all, no matter what has happened.Thank youOur thanks to Emma and her volunteers from the Gladesville Happy Hens for organising our event and for being so generous with her time and energy.As always, thanks to Kristy Reading for producing every episode of our podcast!We acknowledge that the land on which we work and live is the traditional land of the Wiradjuri Nation and Wallumedegal people. These people are the Traditional Custodians of this land and form part of the wider Aboriginal nation known as the Eora Nation. We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all First Nations people. Get full access to Something to Eat and Something to Read at somethingtoeatandsomethingtoread.substack.com/subscribe

Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia are joined again by Lydia Tomkiw, a senior reporter at the Financial Times, for a special holiday episode. Lydia shares the origins behind "Shchedryk," the 1916 Ukrainian New Year's song which has since been adapted into the well-known English Christmas song, "Carol of the Bells." Tomkiw explains the (often unknown) context of murder, political tumult, and oppression in Ukraine at the time of the song's composition, and she and the co-hosts make parallels between the experience of Ukrainians then and today amidst their country's war with Russia.Show notes: "As war rages at home, Ukrainian choir heads to Carnegie Hall to celebrate 100 years of ‘Carol of the Bells'" by Lydia Tomkiw and Emily Johnson; "Toll of the Bells" by Lydia Tomkiw; Celebrating 100 Years of Carol of the Bells. Sign up for The Eastern Front's biweekly newsletter here.

An AWL joins us by surprise on this week's show. We introduce a new segment about travel, hear from Nick's friend Jim and learn about real estate. All this and more on GARAGE BEERS.

Mom's in prison, dad's newest mistress is your fiancée, and your two little brothers are plotting to kill you! If you thought your Christmas was stressful, try being Richard the Lionheart in 1183. For this week's episode on the 1968 film The Lion in Winter, we run through the deadly intrigue of the Plantagenet court and chart the history English Christmas along the way. Come troll the ancient Yuletide carols with us to find out whether Santa Claus has anything to do with Odin, why the 12 Days of Christmas really end on January 5th, and if King Richard the Lionheart ever saw a Christmas tree. Hosted by Liam, Russian Sam, and Halal Sam. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gladiofreeeurope/support

The Secret Adventures of Black People is a podcast telling the stories of Black people holding it down across space and time. To listen to past episodes, join the newsletter, or get in touch, visit the TheSecretAdventuresofBlackPeople.com. To learn more about Athena, visit https://www.athenakugblenu.co.uk/ and check her out on her podcast Keeping Athena Company. To support the show and get exclusive behind the scenes content, become a supporter on Patreon. To check out stories and pics follow the show on Instagram. For occasional thoughts and podcast recommendations check the show out on Twitter. To connect with other listeners, checkout Facebook. This episode was written, produced by Nichole Hill. Music and effects from Epidemic Sounds . Story editing assistance from Robin Hill (my Mom!) and Shonte Hill (my sister) and Ilana Nevins (my friend)! 

We hope everyone is hungry, because we are going to be exploring Christmas traditions of food and drink through the ages! MERRY CHRISTMAS! RESEARCH CREDITS: Food Timeline Library Max Miller's YouTube series: Tasting History who were sources for this episode END OF SHOW MUSIC CREDIT: Here We Come A Wassailing Acapella Choir with Lyrics of Christmas Carol sung by US Army Band Chorus. Here We Come A Wassailing Acapella Choir with Lyrics of Traditional Christmas Carol sung by the US Army Band Chorus, verses 1 and 7 repeated. “Here We Come A-wassailing” (or “Here We Come A-caroling”) is a traditional English Christmas carol and New Year song, which was composed c. 1850. The term 'wassailing', refers to door to door carol singing wishing neighbors and residents good health. Good spirited householders would offer the singers a drink from their wassail bowl which would contain a warming concoction of beer, apples, spice and mead. The song has been recorded by range of performers including - The Ray Conniff singers, Perry Como and the Ray Charles Singers, The King's Singers, Harry Secombe, and Kate Rusby. This A Capella vocal recording is by the famous US Army Band Chorus. CONTACT US: Contact Don by email at donald@ruffhousemarketing.com, Storyteller, and Co-Founder of Ruff House Marketing. Contact Co-Host, Michael Allison by email at mjallison.studioefx@verizon.net, Artist, Historian, Storyteller. Owner of StudioEFX. Follow us on Twitter @PodcastAboutEv2 Follow us on Instagram @podcastabouteverything Follow us on Facebook @podcastabouteverything