Tis the season for commerce, and Gabe and Mary are standing by with answers to all the questions you didn’t know you had. Like: What was the Tickle Me Elmo of ancient Rome? Why was Black Friday almost called Big Friday? And what happened when FDR messed with Thanksgiving in order to give people more time to shop? (Chaos, that’s what happened.) Plus: Helpful suggestions for anyone struggling to find the perfect gift.

Get your official Part-Time Genius membership card! Tell us your name, address, and one fun fact and we’ll send you one for free. Email [email protected], DM us on our socials, or leave a message at (302) 405-5925.

We’re on Instagram @parttimegenius and Bluesky @parttimegenius.bsky.social.

Photo of a Macy’s holiday window display via Wikimedia Commons. 

Learn more about your ad choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.