Christmas Past (Apple Podcasts)
Christmas didn’t used to be Christmas, you know.
Well, it did – but a lot of traditions have been tacked on to proceedings over the past the millennia or two.
There wasn’t much room for turkeys, Santa or wrapping paper in that manger in Bethlehem, but they’re now as much a part of Christmas as the religious elements, like it or not.
So how did these traditions emerge?
Many of them came from Charles Dickens and his seminal novel, A Christmas Carol. Britain’s population had largely moved to an industrial lifestyle and worked so hard and for so long that Christmas wasn’t as all-encompassing as it is now.
Dickens was keen to highlight the importance of the season with A Christmas Carol and succeeded, thanks to the novel becoming a huge hit in Victorian Britain.
If you’re keen to explore this and other Christmas traditions, check out Christmas Past, a podcast exploring all things Yule.
This is podcast telling the stories behind your favourite holiday traditions.
It explores Dickens as well as a host of other festive traditions – such as Christmas dinner, which involves ancient winter feasting, agricultural societies, religion and a pig that’s technically a fish.
There’s also lesser known traditions, including Leon Day, celebrated on June 25.
It’s the halfway point to December 25 – and a reminder for craftsmen to get working on their Christmas toys…
Weird Christmas (Apple Podcasts)
Why should we put Christmas in Spring? What’s the worst Christmas movie ever made? What’s a Christmas pickle? Find out the answers to these questions and more with the Weird Christmas Podcast. Craig Kringle explores all things holly, jolly, and odd-ly for this podcast.
Story Spectacular Christmas (Stitcher)
Join children’s book author and illustrator Angela Ferrari for a Spectacular weekly children’s podcast with original stories and classic retellings with a Christmas theme. Full of colourful music, lively sound, and fun characters.
Stories include The Mighty Mushing Sled Dogs, A Home For Gingerbread Man and Tilde’s North Pole Adventure.
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