By the turn of the 20th century, tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in America by far. In 1907, when a tuberculosis treatment clinic was in financial straits, Emily Bissell created Christmas Seals as a fundraiser. It was as novel as it was effective. More than a century later, Christmas Seals are still one of the prominent sights of the season. 

Mentioned in this Episode

American Lung Association

Music in this Episode

• "Autumn Leaves" — Maarten Schellekens, via Free Music Archive
• "Piano Reflection 2" — Agnese Valmaggia, via Film Music
• "Angels We Have Heard" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
• "Reawakening" — Scott Buckley, Scottbuckley.com
• "Ding Dong Merrily on High" — Leigh Robinson, via Pixabay

Connect with Me

• Links to all the things https://christmaspastpodcast.com/links
• Email: [email protected]

Books

Of Christmases Long, Long Ago: Surprising Traditions from Christmas Past (2025, Lyons Press and Recorded Books) It's Christmas as you've never seen it before, and it makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life.

Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions (2022, Lyons Press and Recorded Books)