Christmas Past

Happy Valentine's Day, sugarplums! There's nothing like a love story to keep the Christmas spirit alive. For this installment of Story Time, I've chosen "As the Automobile Ran Down," a 1901 short story by Charles Loomis.  Link from this episode Survey: American's genuinely more excited about Valentine's Day than Christmas Music in this Episode "Gaena" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Relaxing Piano Music" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech Rate the show on Apple Podcasts and I'll send you a sticker to show my thanks!  

Pack an umbrella and a jumper, because the next stop for Christmas Around the World is the UK. This month, Chantelle and her guest Nadine give us the history and traditions that make a British Christmas...British!  Stay subscribed to Christmas Past, for episodes all throughout the year. And if you leave a review on Apple Podcasts, I'll send you a sticker to say thanks. Contact me for details at christmaspast.media/contact.  Links from this episode November 1st: The Start of the Christmas Season. Proven with Science! Victorian Christmas Dinner is Served, Mrs. Beeton Style! All Things Christmas Music in this episode "Rule Brittania!" — United States Army Strings, via Wikimedia Commons "Sal's Piano Solo" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Glinka Nocturne" — Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka, via Museopen "Shift of Currents" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Ink" — Chad Crouch, via Free Music Archive

It's January, so we're still in the afterglow of Christmas! So we start off sharing some memories about what made Christmas special last year. Then join me for a conversation with Joshua Reid-Davis, who will emcee the Christmas in July convention this summer in Nashville.  Links Christmas in July from Silver Screen Events Christmas in July on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter Joshua Reid-Davis on Twitter Music in this episode All songs contributed by Don Maue, from his album, Smokey Mountain Christmas.  Good King Wenceslas The Little Drummer Boy O Christmas Tree The Christmas Song  

It's time to bundle up, practice our French, and watch out for moose! We're learning all about having a joyeux Noel in Canada with Chantelle Joy from All Things Christmas. This is the first official episode of the new monthly Christmas Around the World series.  

Another Christmas in the books! By the time you see this, Christmas of 2019 belongs to Christmas Past. We close out the "official" Christmas season as we've done for four years in a row. It's our annual look back at the news and trends that made Christmas of 2019 what it was. We also do a little year-in-review for the podcast, and take a look ahead to what 202 has in store. Thank you all for making the 2019 season the biggest and best yet for Christmas Past! From the bottom of my heart, I'm wishing each of you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. Links Study conducted on Christmas spirit by state All Things Christmas — Chantelle Joy Otto's Christmas blog. Chantelle is the host of the new spinoff series, Christmas Past Presents: Christmas Around the World. Look for new episodes starting in January of 2020, right here at Christmas Past Music in this episode "Deck the Halls A" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

It's my favorite episode of the year: the one that's all about YOU! For the third year in a row, I've received more memories from you than I had episodes to put them in. So that means I once again have the special privilege of brining you an episodes filled with your Christmas memories. Thanks to everyone who shared a Christmas memory in this episode and throughout the season. These little glimpses into your Christmas past are what makes the show special...and makes Christmas itself special too. Links Weird Christmas — podcast from Craig, who shares a memory in this episode Advent Calendar House — podcast from Mike, who shares a memory in this episode Music in this episode All of the tracks in this episode are from Don Maue's album, Smokey Mountain Christmas. The artist shared all of the tracks directly with Christmas Past. If you're interested in getting a copy, check it out here on CD Baby.

No Christmas story starts out as a classic. And the road to classic status is often a long one filled with unexpected turns. It's a Wonderful Life wasn't a big success when it debuted in 1947. It wasn't until a quirk of American copyright law gave it a second life on television in the 1970s that it earned its place as a cornerstone of Christmas cinema. Movie critic and author Alonso Duralde joins in this episode.  Links Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas, by Alonso Duralde Music "Bipolar Christmas" — pftq, via SoundCloud "Wonder Cycle" — Chris Zabriskie, via Free Music Archive "Continue Life" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "Luminous Rain" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" — Don Maue, shared directly by the artist

Yes, it's the most famous newspaper editorial of all. It's also the untold story of two skeptics addressing disillusionment, and the iconic statement on the magic of childhood, and belief, and Christmas that resulted. Links The Marvelous and the Mundane Anthony Barthel Jack Billings Presents: Me and my Neighbor, Michael The Newseum Music in this episode "Fig Leaf Rag" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "Golden Hour" — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive "We Wish you a Merry Christmas" — Don Maue, shared directly by the artist "The Temperature of the Air on the Bow of the Kaleetan" — Chris Zabriskie, via Free Music Archive “Wish Background” — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

We've treated mistletoe specially for thousands of  years. But how did it go from being an ancient medicine and superstitious talisman to a festive—and smoochy—Christmas custom? Links Kiss Me Mistletoe Farm Music in this episode "Nostalgic Resonance" — Scott Holmes, via Free Music Archive "The Little Drummer Boy" — Don Maue, shared directly by the artist "Careless Morning" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive “Wish Background” — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

We're back for the fourth and final part of this special four part miniseries. Rikki Meece from the Sleigh Bells & Mistletoe Christmas Podcast narrates the classic story, When the Yule Log Burns, by Leona Dalrymple. Episodes arrive on four consecutive days starting December 12. 

We're back for part three of this special four part miniseries. Rikki Meece from the Sleigh Bells & Mistletoe Christmas Podcast narrates the classic story, When the Yule Log Burns, by Leona Dalrymple. Episodes arrive on four consecutive days starting December 12. 

We're back for part two of this special four part miniseries. Rikki Meece from the Sleigh Bells & Mistletoe Christmas Podcast narrates the classic story, When the Yule Log Burns, by Leona Dalrymple. Episodes arrive on four consecutive days starting December 12. 

In this special bonus miniseries, Rikki Meece from the Sleigh Bells & Mistletoe Christmas Podcast narrates the classic story, When the Yule Log Burns, by Leona Dalrymple. This is a four-part miniseries, with episodes arriving on four consecutive days starting December 12. 

It's the best known Christmas song in the world, but the story behind it less well known. Maybe that's because so many myths, legends, and half truths have been added to the origin story over the years. With the help of Wayne Bronner of Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, we'll go back to 1818 for the birth of an accidental Christmas hymn and its unlikely ascent to history's most recorded song in any genre. Links Bronner's Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan The Silent Night chapel in Oberndorf, Austria Music in this episode "Silent Night" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "Stille Nacht" — Don Maue, shared directly by the artist

We’re taking a trip back to the 80s. It was a time when it was not only possible, but likely, that any popular toy would have its own line of spinoff merchandise, a breakfast cereal, and a Saturday morning cartoon. And if it was popular enough…it got a Christmas special. 1985 gave us The Glo Friends Save Christmas. A half-hour special in which the Glo Friends must save Santa Claus from the clutches of an evil witch who’s determined to stop Christmas. I recently caught up with some of my Christmas podcasting colleagues to discuss the good, the bad, and the head-scratchingly absurd about this largely forgotten cartoon special.AnnouncementsThere’s still time to get tickets for Christmas Land in Los Angeles on December 15. Follow on Instagram @christmaslandexperienceA Christmas in July convention is in the works for 2020 in Nashville…and I’ll be there!Follow on Instagram @christmasinjulyconvention and on Twitter @AJulyChristmasIf you leave a review I’ll send you a Christmas card containing a Christmas Past sticke

The traditional Christmas dinner of a turkey, potatoes, green beans, and fruit pie has been around for nearly two hundred years. But why? The story of how we got here is one of ancient winter feasting, agricultural societies, socio-economics, religion, a pig that’s technically a fish, and turkeys on stagecoaches. In this episode, Brian and historian Judith Flanders explore why the standard Christmas dinner is stuck in a nineteenth century time warp.  Links Christmas: A Biography by Judith Flanders Music in this episode "Chrysalis" — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive "Burned" — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive "Under the Stars" — Shady Dave, via FreeSound "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "April" — Kai Engel, via Free Music Archive "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Here on Christmas Past, I dig in to the backstories behind Christmas traditions. But what happens when you can’t even verify that the thing you’re researching even is a tradition? That’s what happened when I started looking into the Christmas Pickle. You’ve probably seen pickle tree ornaments, or maybe seen posts about them in your social media feeds. The story goes that it’s an old German tradition. But…the more you dig in, the more you have to wonder.Well, luckily someone else has done the heavy lifting. A trained journalist, no less. Richard Parks III is the host of Richard’s famous food podcast. And last year he dedicated an episode to his investigation of the topic. So join me, Tim Babb from Can't Wait for Christmas and Craig Kringle from Weird Christmas as we explore, theorize, and generally goof around discussing the strange and mysterious phenomenon of the Christmas Pickle.AnnouncementsThere’s still time to get tickets for Christmas Land in Los Angeles on December 15. Follow on Instagram @christm

Nowadays our Christmas stories are mainly warm and cozy. They’re about reunions and homecomings. Romances and magical journeys and visits from St. Nicholas. But not so very long ago, and especially for the Victorians, Christmas stories could also send chills down your spine and make you think twice about things that go bump in the night.  In this episode, professor Tara Moore tells Brian about this creepy part of Christmas history. Plus, Brian reads the ghost story, The Strange Christmas Game. Links The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories, by Tara Moore Music in this episode "The Snowgarden" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive "Nouvelle Noel" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "Relaxing Piano Music" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech "Undercover Vampire Policeman" — Chris Zabrieski, via Free Music Archive "Dance for One" — Dexter Britain, via Internet Archive

Barbara Hinske is an attorney turned full-time novelist. Her 2016 novella, The Christmas Club is the basis for the 2019 Hallmark Channel movie of the same name. In this Ber Months Bonus episode, Brian and Barbara discuss writing, Christmas stories, Hallmark movies, and much more. Music in this episode "Deck the Halls A" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech Announcements There’s still time to get tickets for Christmas Land in Los Angeles on December 15 A Christmas in July convention is in the works for 2020 in Nashville…and I’ll be there! If you leave a review I’ll send you a Christmas card containing a Christmas Past sticker. Write me at christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com for details. Send your Christmas memory for the 2019 season. Record yourself on your phone’s voice recorder app and send it to the email address above

It's Christmas Past's first live show! Join Tim Babb from Can't Wait for Christmas and Brian Earl for an hour of games, music, and conversation, recorded outside the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco. This is the first time the Dickens Fair has hosted a live podcast recording. About the fairThe Great Dickens Christmas Fair is a one-of-a-kind holiday adventure into Victorian London -  an elaborate party with hundreds of costumed players performing and interacting with patrons in over 120,000 square feet of theatrically-lit music halls, pubs, dance floors, and Christmas shops. It's a twilight evening in Charles Dickens' London Town - a city of winding lanes filled with colorful characters from both literature and history. Enticing aromas of roasted chestnuts and hearty foods fill the air. Cries of street vendors hawking their wares ring out above the bustling crowd. Dozens of lamplit shops are filled to overflowing with Christmas gifts. The Dickens Christmas Fair is a treasu