Christmas Past
Episodes
Storytime: "The Christmas Present"
04 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
I'm back with another Ber Months Bonus episode! This time, I read you a forgotten Christmas short story, "The Christmas Present" from 1...
Story Time: "The Gift of the Magi"
26 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
I'm back with another Ber Months Bonus episode! This time, I read you the classic Christmas story, "The Gift of the Magi." Announcemen...
Story Time: Mister Christmas with Kyle Bullock
20 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Presenting: Christmas TV History with Joanna Wilson
07 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 episo...
Backstory: Leon Day (Plus Special Announcements!)
25 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
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 sur...
Christmas 2018
24 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Christmas Memories 2018
22 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It's my favorite episode of the Christmas season: the one dedicated to you sharing your favorite Christmas memories and traditions. Thank you to ...
Listener Mail and Christmas Memories
20 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode, Brian answers questions from the listener mailbag, and we also here a a few Christmas memories. Music in this episode"R...
Backstory: NORAD Tracks Santa Claus
19 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Backstory: The War on Christmas
16 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 sinis...
Learning the Truth About Santa Claus
13 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Backstory: The Twelve Days of Christmas (the song)
10 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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, ...
Interview: Welcome to Tinsel Town's Jenna Knorr and Adam Ganong
08 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 disc...
Backstory: The WPIX Yule Log
07 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 c...
Backstory: Miracle on 34th Street
04 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 g...
Backstory: Fruit cake
01 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Backstory: Did Charles Dickens Really "Invent" Christmas?
28 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
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 a...
Backstory: Why do we say "Merry Christmas"?
25 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered why we say "merry Christmas" and not "happy Christmas"? And why the word "merry" seems to exist n...
A Podcast Family Thanksgiving 2018
22 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We're kicking off the 2018 season with a Thanksgiving family gathering of Christmas podcasters. Join members of the Christmas Podcast Network as ...
Backstory: Christmas in July
15 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It's the basis for summer sales, Hallmark movie marathons, and memes and hashtags strewn across social media. But what exactly is Christmas in Ju...
Christmas 2017
24 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
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. Music from this episode “Dec...
Christmas Memories 2017
22 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
By popular request, this episode is dedicated solely to your Christmas memories! Thank you to this episode's contributors Claudia, in Italy Ana ...
Backstory: A Christmas Story
20 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In 1983, moviegoers were introduced to little Ralphie Parker. And even though A Christmas Story looms large today with 24-hour marathons, sequels, a...
Backstory: Eggnog
18 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We've drunk some form of eggnog since medieval times. But it didn't become a Christmas beverage until it reached America.Fun LinksTis the Po...
Backstory: La Buche du Noel
14 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Backstory: The Nutcracker
11 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Unlike other Christmas traditions that Americans import from abroad, The Nutcracker didn't become a Christmas tradition until it reached America....
Backstory: Holly
07 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Holly is inseparable from Christmas. But its use in wintertime celebrations goes back even farther than Christmas itself.Fun LinksThe Story Behi...
Backstory: Golden Age Christmas TV Cartoons
04 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In 1962, the first Christmas cartoon created for television debuted. And even decades later, nothing can compete with the classic cartoons from that e...
Story Time: The House of Seven Santas, Part 1
01 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In a first-of-its-kind crossover collaboration, seven Christmas podcasters are coming together to read you the classic Christmas story, The House of t...
Backstory: Christmas Lights
30 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The first Christmas lights appeared in 1882, and would forever change the scenery at Christmas time.Fun LinksCan't Wait for Christmas: The podcas...
Backstory: Department Store Santas
27 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Backstory: Christmas Advertisements
23 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
You may cringe at the idea that Christmas advertisements are a legit Christmas tradition. But they're undeniably part of the atmosphere of the se...
Christmas Day 2016
25 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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, eve...
Christmas Eve 2016
24 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Backstory: Sugar Plums
21 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Backstory: Christmas Old Time Radio
17 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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 ch...
Backstory: Christmas Cards
13 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Americans will send over a billion Christmas cards this year. Even in this age of instantaneous communication, the physical Christmas card is still in...
Backstory: Wrapping Paper
09 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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 relativel...
Backstory: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
05 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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 jou...
Backstory: Letters to Santa
01 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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, N...
Backstory: Gingerbread Houses
27 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
For centuries, gingerbread has been connected with all kinds of celebrations and holidays. And what could be more Christmassy than a gingerbread house...
Backstory: Santa Claus, Part 3
23 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Backstory: Santa Claus, Part 2
19 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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 impri...
Backstory: Santa Claus, Part 1
15 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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 who...
Trailer: Introducing Christmas Past
01 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...