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.

Christmas of 2019 has come and gone, but the Christmas season never truly ends here at Christmas Past. And next year, that's truer than ever. Yup...we're going year round! Join Christmas Past twice monthly (at least) throughout the year for lots of new content, including the new spinoff series, Christmas Around the World with Chantelle Joy from All Things Christmas.

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.

• 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

"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.

• 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

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.

Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas, by Alonso Duralde

• "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.

• The Marvelous and the Mundane
• Anthony Barthel
• Jack Billings Presents: Me and my Neighbor, Michael
• The Newseum

• "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?

• Kiss Me Mistletoe Farm

• "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.

• Bronner's Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan
• The Silent Night chapel in Oberndorf, Austria

• "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.

• There’s still time to get tickets for Christmas Land in Los Angeles on December 15. Follow on Instagram @christmaslandexperience
• A Christmas in July convention is in the works for 2020 in Nashville…and I’ll be there!
• Follow on Instagram @christmasinjulyconvention and on Twitter @AJulyChristmas
• 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 christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com.

• The Glo Friends Save Christmas full special on YouTube
• Tinsel Tunes podcast with Duane Bailey
• Can't Wait for Christmas podcast with Tim Babb
• Christmas Clatter podcast with Todd Killian
• Advent Calendar House podcast with Mike Westfall

"Turning" — Blue Dot Sessions via Free Music Archive

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.

• Christmas: A Biography by Judith Flanders

• "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.

• There’s still time to get tickets for Christmas Land in Los Angeles on December 15. Follow on Instagram @christmaslandexperience
• A Christmas in July convention is in the works for 2020 in Nashville…and I’ll be there!
• Follow on Instagram @christmasinjulyconvention and on Twitter @AJulyChristmas
• 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
• christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com.

"Red City Theme" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive

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.

The Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories, by Tara Moore

• "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.

"Deck the Halls A" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

• 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.

The 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 treasured Bay Area tradition since 1970 and a splendid way to celebrate the holidays.

This live show wouldn't have been possible without the hard work and boundless Christmas spirit of Denise Lamott of Denise Lamott public relations, and Kevin Patterson, the director of the fair (who appears in this episode). Thanks also to the wonderful musicians who appear in this episode: The Coventry Carolers, The Brothers Luper, and The Paddy West School of Seamanship.

• 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

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.

• 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

• The Wynotte Sisters on Facebook
• The Predicates' music video

• "Deck the Halls A" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
• "Christmas in Suburbia" — The Wynotte Sisters, contributed by the artist
• "Christmas Imagination" — Trio West, contributed by the artist
• "Midnight Christmas Lullaby" — The Predicates, contributed by the artist
• "Santa's Sleighin' It" — Chrissy Blazier, contributed by the artist
• "Deck the Halls" — Rue Royale, via Free Music Archive

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.

• Brian and Tim Babb from Can't Wait for Christmas will record a live episode on November 24 at the
• Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco
• 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

• "A Little Powder" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Relaxing Piano Music" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

I'm back with another Ber Months Bonus episode! This week, I'm taking you inside Christmas Con 2019.

Announcements

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

Announcements

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. I’ll be appearing on a podcasters panel at Christmas Con in Edison New Jersey on November 9, but tickets are sold out.
5. 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 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.

Announcements

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. I’ll be appearing on a podcasters panel at Christmas Con in Edison New Jersey on November 9, but tickets are sold out.
5. 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 the 1921 short story, "A Christmas Adventure," by J. E. Chamberlin. Hope you enjoy!

Announcements

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. I’ll be appearing on a podcasters panel at Christmas Con in Edison New Jersey on November 9, but tickets are sold out.
5. 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 present a special "best of" sampler from Todd Killian's podcast, Christmas Clatter.

Announcements

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. I’ll be appearing on a podcasters panel at Christmas Con in Edison New Jersey on November 9, but tickets are sold out.
5. 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 a forgotten Christmas short story, "The Christmas Present" from 1922.

Announcements

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. I’ll be appearing on a podcasters panel at Christmas Con in Edison New Jersey on November 9.
5. The Christmas Past iPhone app is coming! More details soon.
6. 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 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 classic Christmas story, "The Gift of the Magi."

Announcements

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. I’ll be appearing on a podcasters panel at Christmas Con in Edison New Jersey on November 9.
5. The Christmas Past iPhone app is coming! More details soon.
6. 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 Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and check out all the bonus Christmas content at christmaspast.media

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 episode

• I 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 come

About this bonus episode

Joanna 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.

• Christmas Clatter
• Christmas Book Review
• Can't Wait for Christmas
• Great Dickens Christmas Fair

• “Comfort and Joy”— Philip Wesley, via Feels Like Christmas
• "Golden Hour" — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive
• "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Rate and review Christmas Past on Apple Podcasts, and I'll send you an official Christmas Past sticker and a handwritten Christmas card to say thanks!

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!

In this bonus episode, Brian answers questions from the listener mailbag, and we also here a a few Christmas memories.

Music in this episode

"Relaxing Piano Music" - Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

In 1955, a misplaced phone call unwittingly created an annual Christmas tradition. It's a story shrouded in a bit of mystery, a lot of Christmas spirit, and a sworn duty to ensure Santa’s safe passage through open airspace. Find out why NORAD tracks Santa on Christmas Eve.

Music in this episode

• "Escape"— Chris Holmes, via Free Music Archive
• "A Little Powder"— Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Rabbit Hole"— Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Western Greb"— Chad Crouch, via Free Music Archive
• "Wish Background"— Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Shortly after Thanksgiving, certain cable news and talk radio pundits remind you that it’s that it’s time once again to be outraged. Because sinister forces are working to take Christmas away from you. Is there really a war on Christmas? Listen to this episode and then judge for yourself.

Music in this episode

• "Undercover Vampire Policeman"— Chris Zabriskie, via Free Music Archive
• "Together we Stand" — Scott Holmes, via Free Music Archive
• "Gentle Marimbas" — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive
• "Holiday Gift" — Kai Engel, via Free Music Archive
• "We Wish You" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
• "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
• "Box Canyon" — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive

Rate Christmas Past on Apple Podcasts, and I'll send you a sticker to say thanks. After leaving your review, get in touch through the contact page at http://christmaspast.media/contact and let me know your Apple Podcasts username and an address where you can receive your sticker.

Follow Christmas Past on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Christmas Past is a proud member of the Christmas Podcast Network, a collection of the best Christmas shows around.

Usually on Christmas Past, I share your Christmas memories. But this episode is dedicated to me sharing one of mine. It’s a memory you have too, in some form, because it’s inevitable for everyone who grows up celebrating Christmas and believing in Santa Claus. It should go without saying that this episode is for the grownups only!

Music in this episode

"Relaxing Piano Music" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Rate Christmas Past on Apple Podcasts, and I'll send you a sticker to say thanks. After leaving your review, get in touch through the contact page at http://christmaspast.media/contact and let me know your Apple Podcasts username and an address where you can receive your sticker.

Follow Christmas Past on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Christmas Past is a proud member of the Christmas Podcast Network, a collection of the best Christmas shows around.

Twelve days of Christmas? What's up with that? And who ever thought turtle doves and partridges make good Christmas gifts? (Come to think of it, just what the heck is a turtle dove?) We'll get to the bottom of it all with the help of language professor Mark Sundaram.

Music in this episode

• "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" — Doug Hammer, via Feels Like Christmas
• "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
• "Twelve Days of Christmas" — Inner Splendor, via Feels Like Christmas
• "Gentle Marimbas" — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive
• "Thannoid" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive

Welcome to Tinsel Town is a new Christmas adventure podcast that arrived on Thanksgiving Day. Join me as I talk to Jenna Knorr and Adam Ganong to discuss the making of a new audio drama. And then check out their show wherever you get podcasts, or https://trianglecontent.com/podcasts/welcometotinseltown/

Music in this Episode

• "Night Light" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive

Rate Christmas Past on Apple Podcasts, and I'll send you a sticker to say thanks. After leaving your review, get in touch through the contact page at http://christmaspast.media/contact and let me know your Apple Podcasts username and an address where you can receive your sticker.

Follow Christmas Past on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Christmas Past is a proud member of the Christmas Podcast Network, a collection of the best Christmas shows around.

Few things are more Christmassy than the flickering glow of a log on the fire. Even when that fire is experienced on a TV or device screen, it still conjures up a cozy and festive atmosphere. A New York city TV station introduced the televised Yule Log in 1966. What began as a quirky experiment would eventually take on a life of its own!

Music in this Episode

• "Let There be Joy" — Cathy Oakes, via Feels Like Christmas
• "Early Morning Snowfall" — Chuck Brown, via Feels Like Christmas
• "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
• "Angels We Have Heard" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Rate Christmas Past on Apple Podcasts, and I'll send you a sticker to say thanks. After leaving your review, get in touch through the contact page at http://christmaspast.media/contact and let me know your Apple Podcasts username and an address where you can receive your sticker.

Follow Christmas Past on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Christmas Past is a proud member of the Christmas Podcast Network, a collection of the best Christmas shows around.

Miracle on 34th Street doesn't fit today's standards for what makes a movie Christmassy. It involved a cynical child and a Santa Claus who gets locked up in a mental health institution before undergoing a public psych hearing. Not only that, but the movie was released in June of 1947. And yet, it has gone on to become not only a beloved movie, but also a cherished tradition. How did that happen? We'll find out with the help of film critic Alonso Duralde.

Music in this episode

• “Losing Love” — Dexter Britain
• "Hard Boiled" — Kevin MacLeod
• "Cherry Blossom" — Kevin MacLeod
• "Sad Marimba Planet" — Lee Rosevere
• "Do You Hear What I Hear?" — Jimmy Atkins

Rate Christmas Past on Apple Podcasts, and I'll send you a sticker to say thanks. After leaving your review, get in touch through the contact page at http://christmaspast.media/contact and let me know your Apple Podcasts username and an address where you can receive your sticker.

Follow Christmas Past on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Christmas Past is a proud member of the Christmas Podcast Network, a collection of the best Christmas shows around.

It's the Christmas cake we love to hate. But why? How did a cake steeped in history and tradition, tied closely to the Christmas celebration (and often soaked in booze, no less) go on to become so widely mocked?

Music in this Episode:

• Night Day: Dan Yan Key
• Blue Highway: Poddington Bear
• Dowl: Poddington Bear
• Wish Background: Kevin MacLeod

Rate Christmas Past on Apple Podcasts, and I'll send you a sticker to say thanks. After leaving your review, get in touch through the contact page at http://christmaspast.media/contact and let me know your Apple Podcasts username and an address where you can receive your sticker.

Follow Christmas Past on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Christmas Past is a proud member of the Christmas Podcast Network, a collection of the best Christmas shows around.

Christmas wouldn't be the same without the influence of Charles Dickens and his most famous work: A Christmas Carol. Some have even gone as far as saying he basically "invented" Christmas as we know it today. So...did he? In this episode, I get answers from the man himself!

Music in this Episode:

• Traditional tune played by band at Dickens Fair
• Snowfall: Shady Dave
• Wish Background: Kevin MacCleod

Rate Christmas Past on Apple Podcasts, and I'll send you a sticker to say thanks. After leaving your review, get in touch through the contact page at http://christmaspast.media/contact and let me know your Apple Podcasts username and an address where you can receive your sticker.

Follow Christmas Past on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Christmas Past is a proud member of the Christmas Podcast Network, a collection of the best Christmas shows around.

Have you ever wondered why we say "merry Christmas" and not "happy Christmas"? And why the word "merry" seems to exist nowadays only to be used for spreading holiday cheer? We'll get it sorted out with the help of linguist Arika Okrent.

Music in this Episode:

• Gaena: Blue Dot Sessions
• March: Kai Engel
• Delicant: Podington Bear
• Suppose it Is: Podington Bear
• Wish Background: Kevin MacCleod

Rate Christmas Past on Apple Podcasts, and I'll send you a sticker to say thanks. After leaving your review, get in touch through the contact page at http://christmaspast.media/contact and let me know your Apple Podcasts username and an address where you can receive your sticker.

Follow Christmas Past on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Christmas Past is a proud member of the Christmas Podcast Network, a collection of the best Christmas shows around.

We're kicking off the 2018 season with a Thanksgiving family gathering of Christmas podcasters. Join members of the Christmas Podcast Network as we share our thoughts about one of our favorite topics: Christmas music!

Thanks to these great podcasts for lending their voices:

• Tinsel Tunes
• Can't Wait for Christmas
• Christmas Creeps
• Weird Christmas
• Tis the Podcast
• Advent Calendar House

And a shout out to the rest of the Christmas Podcast Network shows:

• Deck the Hallmark
• Hallmark and Jess
• It's a 90s Christmas Podcast

Find out more about each show at http://www.christmaspodcastnetwork.com

Music in this episode

Night Light by Blue Dot Sessions

Christmas Past will be back again on Thanksgiving Day to kick off the 2018 season. You can expect an episode to arrive every few days all the way up till Christmas day. Join me for more of the fascinating backstories behind your favorite Christmas traditions and of course more of your Christmas memories. It’s not too late to be on the show this season. Record a voice memo on your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Or leave a voicemail on my google voice line at 650-394-7162.

Come to the http://christmaspast.media for articles, quizzes, videos, and much more, including links to the new Facebook group and YouTube channel.

Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts. And if you leave a review on Apple Podcasts / iTunes, I'll send you a sticker to say thanks. Email me for details.

See you on Thanksgiving Day!

Music in this episode

Silver by Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive

This Halloween, Christmas Past is masquerading as one of my favorite podcasts: Tis the Podcast. Hosts Anthony and Julia join me for a Halloween crossover as we discuss everyone's favorite ghost story: A Christmas Carol. We cover the 1984 made-for-TV version starring George C. Scott.

Tis the Podcast co-host Thom was with us in spirit (as in the spirit of Christmas Future), because he was busy working on a surprise. My lips are sealed for now, but I'll have more to say about that sometime soon.

Music in this episode

Turning by Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive

It's the basis for summer sales, Hallmark movie marathons, and memes and hashtags strewn across social media. But what exactly is Christmas in July? And where did it come from?

• "Turning" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Tessalit" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Heliotrope" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive

Be sure to follow Christmas Past on social media. I'm posting fun extra Christmassy content on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I also sometimes post things to Pinterest. You can send me messages in any of those places, or you can write me at christmaspastpodcast AT gmail DOT COM. I reply to every email I get!

You can subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts, like iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn. If you're on an Android device, the simplest way to subscribe may be right here.

And please rate and review the show on iTunes. It's a quick and painless way to show support. It takes less than a minute, and it helps more people find the show.

The this final episode of the season, we take a look back at Christmas of 2017 and do a year-end wrap up for the show.

• “Deck the Halls A” — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Be sure to follow Christmas Past on social media. I'm posting fun extra Christmassy content on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I also sometimes post things to Pinterest. You can send me messages in any of those places, or you can write me at christmaspastpodcast AT gmail DOT COM. I reply to every email I get!

You can subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts, like iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn. If you're on an Android device, the simplest way to subscribe may be right here.

And please rate and review the show on iTunes. It's a quick and painless way to show support. It takes less than a minute, and it helps more people find the show.

By popular request, this episode is dedicated solely to your Christmas memories!

• Claudia, in Italy
• Ana and Hector, in Mexico
• Jake, in Australia
• Anne, in California
• Jessie, in Pennsylvania
• Julie, in New York
• Rose Marie, in Chicago
• Keith, in New York
• Andrea, in Washington (host of the baking podcast, Preheated)
• Gabe, in Michigan (host of the gaming podcast, Inter Party Conflict)

• “Relaxing Piano Music” — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Be sure to follow Christmas Past on social media. I'm posting fun extra Christmassy content on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I also sometimes post things to Pinterest. You can send me messages in any of those places, or you can write me at christmaspastpodcast AT gmail DOT COM. I reply to every email I get!

And please rate and review the show on iTunes. It's a quick and painless way to show support. It takes less than a minute, and it helps more people find the show.

In 1983, moviegoers were introduced to little Ralphie Parker. And even though A Christmas Story looms large today with 24-hour marathons, sequels, and merchandise, but it was a slow climb to the top.

• A Christmas Story House: Web site for the house / museum from the movie
• Triple Dog Dare: Book by Joanna Wilson (who appears in episode 16 this season), recounting her experience watching the entire 24-hour movie marathon
• Criminally Intrigued: Web site by Anthony, who shares a Christmas memory in this episode

• “Losing Love” — Dexter Britain, via Free Music Archive
• “Sad Marimba Planet” — Lee Rosevere, via Free Music Archive
• “Nouvelle Noel” — Kevin MaCleod, via Incompetech
• “Poppyseed” — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive

Be sure to follow Christmas Past on social media. I'm posting fun extra Christmassy content on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I also sometimes post things to Pinterest. You can send me messages in any of those places, or you can write me at christmaspastpodcast AT gmail DOT COM. I reply to every email I get!

You can subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts, like iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn. If you're on an Android device, the simplest way to subscribe may be right here.

And please rate and review the show on iTunes. It's a quick and painless way to show support. It takes less than a minute, and it helps more people find the show.

We've drunk some form of eggnog since medieval times. But it didn't become a Christmas beverage until it reached America.

• Tis the Podcast: Check out the gang from Tis the Podcast. They share their favorite Christmas movie memories in this episode
• Jeffrey Morganthaler: Author and craft bartender Jeffrey Morganthaler shares his signature eggnog recipes
• The Bar Book: Jeffrey's definitive guide to the elements of cocktail technique

• “Night Light” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• “Contrarian” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• “Wish Background” — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
• "Partly Sage" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive

Be sure to follow Christmas Past on social media. I'm posting fun extra Christmassy content on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I also sometimes post things to Pinterest. You can send me messages in any of those places, or you can write me at christmaspastpodcast AT gmail DOT COM. I reply to every email I get!

You can subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts, like iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn. If you're on an Android device, the simplest way to subscribe may be right here.

And please rate and review the show on iTunes. It's a quick and painless way to show support. It takes less than a minute, and it helps more people find the show.

La buche du Noel is a festively eye-catching dessert from France. And it wouldn't have been possible if not for a nineteenth century urbanization trend and the widespread availability of cheap sugar.

• Maggie's Creations Patisserie: Maggie Ragaisis's Facebook page, with more lovely baked goods
• Pretend Radio: Web site for the podcast from Javier, who shares a memory in this episode

• “Sad French Accordion” — Dana Boule, via Free Music Archive
• “Paris Ballade” —Dana Boule, via Free Music Archive
• “Rainy Night” —Dana Boule, via Free Music Archive
• “Turning” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• “Solar Gain” — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive

Be sure to follow Christmas Past on social media. I'm posting fun extra Christmassy content on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I also sometimes post things to Pinterest. You can send me messages in any of those places, or you can write me at christmaspastpodcast AT gmail DOT COM. I reply to every email I get!

You can subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts, like iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn. If you're on an Android device, the simplest way to subscribe may be right here.

And please rate and review the show on iTunes. It's a quick and painless way to show support. It takes less than a minute, and it helps more people find the show.

Unlike other Christmas traditions that Americans import from abroad, The Nutcracker didn't become a Christmas tradition until it reached America. And as far as Christmas traditions go, it's one of the newer ones we have.

• Nutcracker Nation: Book by Jennifer Fisher, the expert guest from this episode
• Super Co-op Squad: Video game podcast hosted by Johnny Mac, who shares a Christmas memory in this episode

• “The Nutcracker Suite” — Gene Gajewski, via SoundCloud
• “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” — Kevin MacLeod, via Free Music Archive

Be sure to follow Christmas Past on social media. I'm posting fun extra Christmassy content on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I also sometimes post things to Pinterest. You can send me messages in any of those places, or you can write me at christmaspastpodcast AT gmail DOT COM. I reply to every email I get!

You can subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts, like iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn. If you're on an Android device, the simplest way to subscribe may be right here.

And please rate and review the show on iTunes. It's a quick and painless way to show support. It takes less than a minute, and it helps more people find the show.

Holly is inseparable from Christmas. But its use in wintertime celebrations goes back even farther than Christmas itself.

• The Story Behind: Podcast by Emily Prokop, who shares a Christmas memory in this episode
• Holly Society of America

• “Snowing” — Peter Rudenko, via Free Music Archive
• “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” — 12 Tracks of Christmas, via SoundCloud
• “The Holly and the Ivy” — Richard M S Irwin, via Hymns Without Words
• "Saltines" — Podington Bear, viaFree Music Archive

Be sure to follow Christmas Past on social media. I'm posting fun extra Christmassy content on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I also sometimes post things to Pinterest. You can send me messages in any of those places, or you can write me at christmaspastpodcast AT gmail DOT COM. I reply to every email I get!

You can subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts, like iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn. If you're on an Android device, the simplest way to subscribe may be right here.

And please rate and review the show on iTunes. It's a quick and painless way to show support. It takes less than a minute, and it helps more people find the show.

In 1962, the first Christmas cartoon created for television debuted. And even decades later, nothing can compete with the classic cartoons from that era.

• Weird Christmas: We heard from Craig Kringle and his podcast, Weird Christmas
• Tis the Season TV: Book by Joanna Wilson, the expert guest in this episode
• Christmas TV History: Joanna Wilson's Web site
• Fat Packs Podcast: The podcast from Eric Norton, who shares a memory in this episode

• “Wingspan” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• “Gentle Marimbas” — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive
• “Flattered” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Bethlehem" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

In a first-of-its-kind crossover collaboration, seven Christmas podcasters are coming together to read you the classic Christmas story, The House of the Seven Santas, by John Kendrick Bangs.

Each podcast will present a few minutes of the story. You'll hear seven different Christmas podcasts in all to hear the story in its entirety. Here's the full list:

• Part 1: Christmas Past (you are here!)
• Part 2: Can't Wait for Christmas
• Part 3: Tis the Podcast
• Part 4: Christmas Creeps
• Part 5: Weird Christmas
• Part 6: Holiday Special Podcast
• Part 7: Merry Podcast

• “Turning” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• “Relaxing Piano Music” — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

The first Christmas lights appeared in 1882, and would forever change the scenery at Christmas time.

• Can't Wait for Christmas: The podcast hosted by Tim Babb, who shared a memory in this episode
• Christmas Ornaments, Lights and Decorations: Book by George Johnson, the expert guest in this episode

• “Relinquish” — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive
• “Swing Lo” — Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive
• “Christmas Piano Theme” — PianoMusic, via SoundCloud
• "Surface Tension 1" —Podington Bear, via Free Music Archive

When the first department store Santa appeared in 1890, it wasn't just a cross section of Christmas and commerce. It was also a major step in the evolution of Santa Claus.

• First Department Store Santa: The Web site created by John Merian, who appears in this episode
• Eventually Supertrain: The Web site for Daniel Budnick, who shares a Christmas memory on the show

• “Thannoid” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• “Are We Loose Yet” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• “Heliotrope” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

You may cringe at the idea that Christmas advertisements are a legit Christmas tradition. But they're undeniably part of the atmosphere of the season...and have an interesting history behind them.

• Genuine Chit Chat: In this episode we hear from Mike, host of Genuine Chit Chat. Check him out on iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts
• Christmas in America: The book by Penne Restadt, the expert guest in this episode

• “Pipe Dreamz” — Matt Oakley, via Free Music Archive
• “Cases to Rest” — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• “We Wish You” — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

It's that time of year again! Christmas Past is getting ready to return for the 2017 Christmas season with a fresh batch of stories behind your favorite holiday traditions. Subscribe now so you won't miss any episodes this season.

The first episode arrives on Thanksgiving Day. And this season has in store more of what you've come to love: fascinating histories, interesting guests, and Christmas memories from listeners. You can share your own by recording a voice memo on your phone and sending it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com.

Follow along on social media by searching for Christmas Past podcast on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

For the final episode of 2016, we celebrate Christmas Day with Brian's family and take a look back at the 2016 Christmas season.

Thank you, everyone, for a wonderful first season of the podcast! I hope to be back again next year with more stories from Christmas Past.

Things will slow down on social media after today, but I'm not going anywhere, you can always find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or drop me a line at christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2017!

It's Christmas Eve! In our second-to-last episode of the season, Brian talks about his favorite Christmas Eve traditions and we hear from some of Brian's family members.

Subscribe on iTunes and visit www.christmaspastpodcast.com for show notes and extra content. Search for Christmas Past podcast on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Even though you've heard mention of sugar plum every Christmas of your life, do you actually know what they are?

In this episode, we hear about the history of the sugar plum and how it came to be associated with Christmas.

We have two memories this episode! Both of them recall favorite childhood Christmas movies.

Search for Christmas Past podcast on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and visit http://www.christmaspastpodcast.com for show notes. Write me anytime at christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

Getting tired of 24-hour Christmas movie marathons and stale cartoon specials? Take a trip back in time to the golden age of radio. You may like to check out the Christmas Old Time Radio podcast or search around Archive.org to continue your listening after this episode.

We hear from Chicago DJ Steve Darnall and some Christmas memories from Anna in California. I can't believe we're almost done with the first season of Christmas Past! One more full length episode to come, followed by two mini episodes on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Search for Christmas Past podcast on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and visit http://www.christmaspastpodcast.com for show notes and more.

Americans will send over a billion Christmas cards this year. Even in this age of instantaneous communication, the physical Christmas card is still inseparable from our modern holiday celebration. The Christmas card is an English invention. A man named Henry Cole is credited with creating the first commercially produced Christmas card in 1843. But more interesting are the social, economic, and technological factors that all came together at roughly the same time to enable the birth of the Christmas card.

In this episode we hear from Stephanie Boydell, curator of a special collection of greeting cards. And a Christmas memory from Annmarie in Massachusetts.

Subscribe to Christmas Past on iTunes, Google Play, or however you get your podcasts. Search for Christmas Past podcast on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more Christmas fun. Find show notes and more info about the show at http://www.christmaspastpodcast.com.

The appearance of festive gift wrap in stores is one of the first signs that the Christmas season is here. But wrapping Christmas gifts is a relatively new custom.

In this episode of Christmas Past, we learn about the surprisingly interesting history of wrapping paper, with some help from Pat Lavin of the Framingham History Center.

Corey Constable, host of the Omitted podcast, shares a Christmas memory.

Subscribe to Christmas Past on iTunes or however you get your podcasts. Search for "Christmas Past podcast: on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And visit www.christmaspastpodcast for show notes and other extra content.

The story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a classic underdog story, but maybe not the way you think. In this episode, we discuss the unlikely journey of Robert L. May from workaday copywriter to creator of an icon.

In this episode we'll hear from Peter Carini, a librarian at Dartmouth College, which holds a collection of May's work. And we'll hear a Christmas memory from Kathy in New Jersey.

Don't forget to subscribe to Christmas Past on iTunes, Google Play, or however you get your podcasts.

Search for "Christmas Past podcast" on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more Christmas history and vintage Christmas content.

Visit www.christmaspastpodcast.com for show notes and more. Contact me at christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

The history of writing letters to Santa has some strange surprises in store for us.

In this episode we hear from Gus Ruiz from the US Postal Service, Nancy Pope from the Smithsonian Institution's Postal Museum, and a Christmas Memory from Kenny in Ontario.

Subscribe to Christmas Past on iTunes or however you get your podcasts. Search for "Christmas Past podcast" on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit www.christmaspastpodcast.com for show notes. Write me at christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

For centuries, gingerbread has been connected with all kinds of celebrations and holidays. And what could be more Christmassy than a gingerbread house? In this episode, we look at the history of gingerbread and the somewhat mysterious origins of the gingerbread house.

We'll hear from my mom, who made a gingerbread house every year when I was growing up. We'll also hear from Melissa Ferrar from San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel, which builds a life size gingerbread house annually.

Subscribe to Christmas Past on iTunes or however you get your podcasts. Search for "Christmas Past podcast" on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit www.christmaspastpodcast.com for show notes.

We're finishing off the series about Santa with a look at what happened to the legend when it reached America. The Santa we know today is largely an American invention, based on the Dutch legend of Sinter Klaas. Dr. Bruce David Forbes joins one last time to tell us about the American contributions that put the finishing touches on Santa.

Subscribe to Christmas Past on iTunes or however you get podcasts. Leave a review on iTunes, if you like what you hear. You can reach me at christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com.

Continuing where we left off in part 1, we continue exploring the legend of St. Nicholas. This time, we look at how many cultures left their own imprint on the legend as it spread across Europe.

Once again, I'm joined by professor and author Dr. Bruce David Forbes. We also hear our first Christmas memory of the season from Hope in Massachusetts. You can submit a memory by recording a voice memo on your phone and sending it to christmaspastpodcast at gmail dot com

Subscribe on iTunes or wherever you find podcasts. Search for "Christmas Past podcast" on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And visit christmaspastpodcast.com for show notes and extra content.

We're kicking off the 2016 season with a 3-part series on the evolution of St. Nicholas to Santa Claus. Most episodes this season are for the whole family, but this series is just for the grownups.

In this episode, I cover the life of the historical St. Nicholas, a 4th century bishop from Myra (modern day Turkey), and the legends that followed his death.

Don't forget to subscribe to Christmas Past on iTunes (or however you get podcasts) to make sure you don't miss any episodes this season. And search for "Christmas Past podcast" on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more Christmas fun!

With the holiday season just weeks away, I thought now would be the perfect time to tell you about the Christmas Past podcast.

Subscribe now on iTunes or however you get your podcasts, and visit me at christmaspastpodcast.com