Christmas Past

At the turn of the 20th century, the idea of kids writing letters to Santa Claus was still new. Post offices, newspapers, and charities publicly disputed how to handle the letters. It was a logistical and public relations problem, which would take a clever plan to address.

John Gluck was a workaday customs broker who dreamed of bigger things. So when he heard that the Postal Service needed help with letters to Santa, he came forward with a plan to get the letters into the hands of donors. With a little help from a troop of boy scouts, John Gluck and his Santa Claus Association did the (seemingly) impossible.

What happens when a charitable endeavor starts looking more and more like an elaborate con? As Gluck sought to expand operations, he started playing fast and loose with the facts in order to raise money and hobnob with the rich and powerful.

During the Great War, fraudulent wartime charities abounded in New York City. When the district attorney started a sweeping investigation, John Gluck found himself in his crosshairs. But that was just the beginning of his troubles.

You'd think that Gluck couldn't make things worse for himself...but you'd be wrong. He finds himself the subject of more investigations, and gets himself into hot water with the state Attorney General. But this isn't the end of the Santa Claus Association. But...that is coming.

In the early 20s, John Gluck wanted to reinvigorate the Santa Claus Association to its original glory, with the help of some high profile endorsements.But along the way, he crossed the one man who figures out the stunningly simple way to shut down Gluck once and for all.

I'm back with another Ber Months Bonus episode. Your favorite Christmas radio station may have you thinking that there are only about two dozen Christmas songs (mostly from the 1940s and 50s) worth listening to. Nonsense! In this episode, I share some new music worthy of your next Christmas playlist.  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 Follow Christmas Past on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and check out all the bonus Christmas content at christmaspast.media Links The Wynotte Sisters on Facebook The Predicates' music video Music in this episode "Dec

I'm back with another Ber Months Bonus episode. This week, I read the classic short story by Hans Christian Andersen: The Little Match Girl. AnnouncementsBrian and Tim Babb from Can't Wait for Christmas will record a live episode on November 24 at theGreat Dickens Christmas Fair in San FranciscoThere's still time to get tickets forChristmas Land in Los Angeles on December 15A 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 aboveFollow Christmas Past on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and check out all the bonus Christmas content at christmaspast.mediaMusic in this episode"A Little Powder" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive"Relaxing Piano Music" — K

I'm back with another Ber Months Bonus episode! This week, I'm taking you inside Christmas Con 2019.   AnnouncementsIf 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. I’m doing a live show this year at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco in November. I’m teaming up with Tim Babb from Can’t Wait for Christmas for a fun and very Victorian hour or Christmas spirit.I'll be at ChristmasLand on December 15 in Los Angeles! It’s an immersive Christmas movie experience that'll give you "all the  feels.” Follow them on Instagram @christmaslandexperience.Follow Christmas Past on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and check out all the bonus Christmas content at christmaspast.media

I'm back with another Ber Months Bonus episode! This time, I read you the short story "Keep it all the Year" by Sarah Tipper. You can find her short story collection, Tales to take you to Christmas, on Amazon. AnnouncementsIf 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. I’m doing a live show this year at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco in November. I’m teaming up with Tim Babb from Can’t Wait for Christmas for a fun and very Victorian hour or Christmas spirit.I’ll be appearing on a podcasters panel at Christmas Con in Edison New Jersey on November 9, but tickets are sold out.I'll be at ChristmasLand on December 15 in Los Angeles! It’s an immersive Christmas movie experience that'll give you "all the  feels.” Follow them on Instag

I'm back with another Ber Months Bonus episode! This time, I have the honor of sharing an audio piece by Chantelle from All Things Christmas. Learn all about Christmas in Japan! And then, check out Chantelle's blog and YouTube channel. AnnouncementsIf 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. I’m doing a live show this year at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco in November. I’m teaming up with Tim Babb from Can’t Wait for Christmas for a fun and very Victorian hour or Christmas spirit.I’ll be appearing on a podcasters panel at Christmas Con in Edison New Jersey on November 9, but tickets are sold out.I'll be at ChristmasLand on December 15 in Los Angeles! It’s an immersive Christmas movie experience that'll give you "all the  feels.”

I'm back with another Ber Months Bonus episode! This time, I read the 1921 short story, "A Christmas Adventure," by J. E. Chamberlin. Hope you enjoy!AnnouncementsIf 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. I’m doing a live show this year at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco in November. I’m teaming up with Tim Babb from Can’t Wait for Christmas for a fun and very Victorian hour or Christmas spirit.I’ll be appearing on a podcasters panel at Christmas Con in Edison New Jersey on November 9, but tickets are sold out.I'll be at ChristmasLand on December 15 in Los Angeles! It’s an immersive Christmas movie experience that'll give you "all the  feels.” Follow them on Instagram @christmaslandexperience.Follow Christmas Past on Faceboo

I'm back with another Ber Months Bonus episode! This time, I present a special "best of" sampler from Todd Killian's podcast, Christmas Clatter.AnnouncementsIf 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. I’m doing a live show this year at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco in November. I’m teaming up with Tim Babb from Can’t Wait for Christmas for a fun and very Victorian hour or Christmas spirit.I’ll be appearing on a podcasters panel at Christmas Con in Edison New Jersey on November 9, but tickets are sold out.I'll be at ChristmasLand on December 15 in Los Angeles! It’s an immersive Christmas movie experience that'll give you "all the  feels.” Follow them on Instagram @christmaslandexperience.Follow Christmas Past on Faceboo

I'm back with another Ber Months Bonus episode! This time, I read you a forgotten Christmas short story, "The Christmas Present" from 1922.AnnouncementsIf 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. I’m doing a live show this year at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco in November. I’m teaming up with Tim Babb from Can’t Wait for Christmas for a fun and very Victorian hour or Christmas spirit.I’ll be appearing on a podcasters panel at Christmas Con in Edison New Jersey on November 9.The Christmas Past iPhone app is coming! More details soon.ChristmasLand is happening on December 15 in Los Angeles. It’s immersive Christmas movie experience that'll give you "all the  feels.” Follow them on Instagram @christmaslandexperience.Follow Christma

I'm back with another Ber Months Bonus episode! This time, I read you the classic Christmas story, "The Gift of the Magi." AnnouncementsIf 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. I’m doing a live show this year at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco in November. I’m teaming up with Tim Babb from Can’t Wait for Christmas for a fun and very Victorian hour or Christmas spirit.I’ll be appearing on a podcasters panel at Christmas Con in Edison New Jersey on November 9.The Christmas Past iPhone app is coming! More details soon.ChristmasLand is happening on December 15 in Los Angeles. It’s immersive Christmas movie experience that'll give you "all the  feels.” Follow them on Instagram @christmaslandexperience.Follow Christmas Past on Facebo

We're in the Ber Months now, so get ready for some bonus episodes as we ease our way into the 2019 Christmas season! In this episode, author Kyle Bullock shares an extended preview of the audio version of his new Christmas story, Mister Christmas.  Take a listen to the first two chapters of Mister Christmas. And then, if you want to hear the rest, Kyle has extended a special offer to Christmas Past listeners. You can have the whole story for $3.00! Just use the promo code GIFT at checkout at www.misterchristmasbook.com. I'll be at Christmas Con on Nov 8, 9, and 10 in Edison NJ. Come meet the stars of your favorite Hallmark Channel Christmas movies, and come to my panel discussion! Join the conversation on social media. Search for Christmas Past on Twitter and Instagram, and join the Christmas Past Facebook Group. 

We're in the Ber Months now, so get ready for some bonus episodes as we ease our way into the 2019 Christmas season! Announcements in this episodeI am appearing at Christmas Con on Nov 9!I am appearing at The Great Dickens Christmas Fair on Nov 24!The coming season of Christmas Past includes a special 6-part series...details to comeAbout this bonus episodeJoanna Wilson is an author, blogger, and podcaster who studies Christmas entertainment. In this episode, I share part of her five-part series about that topic. Enjoy this bonus episode, then go to Christmas TV History to check out the rest.  

It's June 25, and that means we're exactly halfway to Christmas! The occasion has come to be known as Leon Day, but nobody's really sure how that all got started. But one thing's for sure: many crafters recognize it as the day to get started on their Christmas crafting. In this episode, I get some insight from Holly, a crafter from Missouri. We also hear from Mary in Ireland, who shares some of her memories about celebrating "halfway to Christmas." Also, just like last year, this summer episode also includes a midyear check-in and special announcements about the upcoming season of Christmas Past. You'll definitely want to check it out, because 2019 is going to be the biggest and best season yet! For even more info about Leon Day, check out this article I recently wrote for All Things Christmas. Mentioned in this episode Christmas Clatter Christmas Book Review Can't Wait for Christmas Great Dickens Christmas Fair Music in this episode “Comfort and Joy”— Philip Wesley

In a few short days, Christmas of 2018 will belong to Christmas Past. So in this final episode of the 2018 Christmas season, Brian looks back at some of the news and trends that defined this year's Christmas. There's also a little year-end wrap up for the show and the world of Christmas podcasts in general.  Thank you all for being part of the 2018 season of Christmas Past! Everyone who listened, told a friend, shared a memory, participated in the Facebook group, and engaged on other social media.  I wish you all a very merry Christmas! Music in this Episode "Deck the Hall B" - Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

It's my favorite episode of the Christmas season: the one dedicated to you sharing your favorite Christmas memories and traditions. Thank you to everyone to shared a part of their Christmas with us in this episode!    Music in this episode "Night Light" - Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive   Visit http://christmaspast.media for more Christmas fun!