Christmas Hall of Fame Podcast

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is the most famous reindeer of all. Bigger than Dasher or Dancer or Vixen. Comet or Cupid or Donner or Blitzen. And he’s about 110 years younger too. That is only the first part of this amazing story of popular culture of Christmas in the 20th century. Rudolph, in fact, […]

Bing Crosby was the biggest name in Christmas and in music in the 20th century — hands down. Others will argue it might have been Elvis or Frank Sinatra or Johnny Cash or someone else. And they would be completely wrong. Bing was the one everyone else imitated. Crosby’s story is classically American. He was […]

Charles Dickens has a most amazing run in the history of Christmas. His greatest Christmas work, A Christmas Carol, has seen continuous play on stage, on film and in print since December 1843. How many other literary works can you think of that has that kind of history, popularity and staying power? And that’s the […]

Jesus the Christ is the very reason we celebrate Christmas at all. Historians and politicians have throughout time debated where Christmas originated, some claiming the winter solstice celebrations of paganism were hijacked by Christians as a political power ploy. This episode of the Christmas Hall of Fame Podcast explores the origins of the Christmas story […]

James Stewart is the only actor in the inaugural nominated class of the Christmas Hall of Fame. (Yes, Bing Crosby acted…but we know why he is really here). Jimmy Stewart won’t be the only actor who makes the Hall of Fame. But there is something appropriate about him being the first to be nominated. In […]

Santa Claus is fairly recent entrant on the Christmas stage. At least compared to some others nominated for induction into the Christmas Hall of Fame. His actual date of origin cannot be definitively determined. But for well over 200 years he has been at the center of that Christmas stage. As Dutch and German immigrants […]