#107 What Was CHRISTMAS Like Long Ago? (w/Brian Earl)

Welcome to High Strangeness! In this festive episode, Tony is joined by Brian Earl, author and host of the Christmas Past podcast, to explore the weird and wild traditions of Christmases from long ago.

Episode Highlights with Timestamps:

• [00:00] Introduction
• Welcome to High Strangeness and the holiday episode.
• [00:19] Meet Brian Earl
• Tony introduces Brian and his new book, "Christmas, Long, Long Ago."
• [01:22] Behind the Scenes
• Brian discusses the year-round work of running a Christmas podcast and writing a book.
• [02:24] Family and Holiday Spirit
• Brian and Tony talk about family, kids, and passing on holiday traditions.
• [03:27] The Christmas Podcast Community
• How the Christmas podcasting world has grown and the seasonal rush.
• [05:45] Listener Memories
• Brian shares how listener-submitted Christmas memories became a core part of his show.
• [09:00] Creative Process & Radio Influence
• The NPR-style storytelling, music, and the influence of classic radio on Brian’s podcast.
• [15:20] Brian’s Books
• The difference between "Christmas Past" and "Christmas, Long, Long Ago" and what inspired them.
• [16:44] The Lord of Misrule
• Who was the Lord of Misrule and why was he central to medieval Christmas? (17:08)
• [19:36] Scotland Banned Christmas
• The story behind Scotland’s 400-year Christmas ban and how people celebrated anyway.
• [21:34] Lost Traditions: Ghost Stories
• Victorian Christmas ghost stories and why Brian would love to see this tradition return.
• [23:50] Christmas at the Earl Home
• Nostalgia, family roles, and the balance between classic and modern decorations.
• [27:18] What’s New This Season
• Brian’s creative changes for season 10 and what listeners can expect.
• [29:13] Where to Find Brian’s Work
• Where to get Brian’s books and podcast: ChristmasPastPodcast.com
• [30:41] Closing & Holiday Wishes
• Final thoughts, holiday wishes, and where to learn more about Brian’s journey.

Notable Quotes:

• “The Christmas we celebrate today is just a curated collection of traditions throughout history.”
• “If I could bring back one tradition, it would be telling ghost stories around the fire on Christmas Eve.”

Links:

• Brian’s website: ChristmasPastPodcast.com
• Brian’s books available wherever books are sold

Closing: Merry Christmas from Tony, Brian, and the High Strangeness team! For more on Brian’s journey and his first book, check out episode 50.  https://youtu.be/2fafTweARoM

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