In today's episode, Vaughn Joy, Ph.D. joins Christmas Past to discuss how the social and political climate of the mid-20th century shaped the Christmas movies of that era. She's the author of the new book, Selling Out Santa: Hollywood Christmas Films in the Age of McCarthy

Music in this Episode

"Happy Night Christmas Winter Jazz" — Music for Videos, via Pixabay

Order your copy today! Of Christmases Long, Long Ago

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)

Today, we welcome back a frequent guest on Christmas Past. Thomas Ruys Smith is a professor of American literature and culture at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. He’s also a frequent guest on Christmas Past and the author of several books about Christmas history and literature. His latest is Searching for Santa Claus: An Anthology of the Poems, Stories, and Illustrations that Shaped a Global Icon. 

Music in this Episode

"Jazz Christmas Music" — Pulsebox, via Pixabay

Order your copy today! Of Christmases Long, Long Ago

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)

Today, I'm talking to Alonso Duralde, film critic, podcaster, and author of Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas (2nd Edition).

Music in this episode

"Our Minds Following" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive

Order your copy today! Of Christmases Long, Long Ago

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)

Happy Halloween, everyone! 👻🎃 And welcome to the 2025 pre-season for Christmas Past.

For the past several years now, we've kicked off the pre-season with a ghost story from my friends at Biblioasis Publishing. They publish a series of three ghost stories for Christmas every year, beautifully designed and illustrated by the acclaimed artist known only as Seth. Today, I'm narrating Rosemary Temperley's short story, "The Mistress in Black."

Check These Out 🎄

• Biblioasis Publishing's Ghost Stories for Christmas
• My latest book: Of Christmases Long, Long Ago
• More ways to connect with Christmas Past

Music in this Episode 🎼

• "Autumn Halloween" — Sound Garage, via Pixabay
• "Ambient Background Pad" — Siarhei Korbut via Pixabay

Order your copy today! Of Christmases Long, Long Ago

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)

The big day is here, and so is our final episode of 2024. As we so do every year, we'll take a look back at all the news, trends, sights, and sounds that made this Christmas what it was. We'll also hear some Christmas memories from the Christmas Past family.

Thank you for another wonderful season. I'll see you next year.

Merry Christmas!

Music in this episode

• "Jazz Podcast Night Relaxing Vibes" — Denis Pavlov, via Pixabay
• "Wish Background" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
• "Calm Piano Music" — Piotr Witowski, via Pixabay

Order your copy today! Of Christmases Long, Long Ago

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)

The small, unassuming wren may be nothing much to look at, but wait till it starts singing. Its loud, complex songs, and its tendency to sing them throughout winter, has earned it the title of “King of Birds.” But on December 26, the king is dead. Wren Day is a traditional hunting of the wren, followed by celebrations that include disguise, door-to-door visiting and parading, and song. It’s certainly one of our most strange and mysterious Christmas customs, a mixture of Celtic mythology, old Christmas traditions, and revenge for giving away secrets. Tiernan Gaffney from the National Museum of Ireland joins Brian to tell the story. 

Special thanks to Lewis Barfoot for permission to include her beautiful rendition of The Wren Song!

Music in this episode

• "Calm Lullaby for Irish Harp" — Mountain Dweller, via Pixabay
• "Greensleeves" — Julius H., via Pixabay
• "Hark! The Herald Angles Sing" — Jon Sayles, via freemusicpublicdomain.com
• "Angels We Have Heard" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
• "Morning Air" — Noru, via Pixabay
• "The Wren Song" — Lewis Barfoot, shared directly by the artist

Order your copy today! Of Christmases Long, Long Ago

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)

One by one, over a series of nights during Christmastime in Iceland, the Yule Lads come down from a mountain, making mischief, rewarding good behavior and punishing bad. These lovable scamps are unique melding of folkloric traditions, and a reminder that Christmas once was — and still can be — haunted and scary. Terry Gunnell, professor emeritus of folkloristics at the University of Iceland, joins Brian to tell the story. Thanks also to Baldur Gylfa for appearing in this episode!

Music in this episode

• "Momentary Ease" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Relaxing Piano" — Uncredited artists, via Pixabay
• "Tiled Chamber" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Ambient Christmas" — Denys Kyshchuk, via Pixabay
• "The First Noel" — Calvin Clavier, via Pixabay

Order your copy today! Of Christmases Long, Long Ago

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)

Ded Moroz ("Grandfather Frost"), went from folk tale to fairy tale, from beloved symbol of Christmas to exile, and then back to beloved symbol, all in surprisingly short order. It’s a story of ups and downs, set against the backdrop of a violent social and political revolution, and which resulted in a strange stint as the “Soviet Santa Claus.” 

Karen Petrone, University of Kentucky history professor and author of Life Has Become More Joyous, Comrades, joins Brian to tell the story. 

Clara in Australia shares a Christmas memory in this episode. Check out her podcast, The Festivity Files.

Music in this episode

• "Waiting at the Hem" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Reverie - Claude Debussy - Classic Concert Grand Piano" — JuliusH, via Pixabay
• "Heartstring Serenade" — Liudmyla Polishchuk, via Pixabay
• "Somewhere in my Memory - Xmas Piano" — Calvin Clavier, via Pixabay
• "O Come O Come Emmanuel" — Jon Sayles, freemusicpublicdomain.com

Order your copy today! Of Christmases Long, Long Ago

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)

Once again it’s time for one of my favorite traditions here on Christmas Past: dedicating an entire episode to you and your Christmas memories! I love these little glimpses into other people’s lives, families, memories, and all the different ways that Christmas can be celebrated and loved and made special and personal. So, get cozy. You’re invited to another Christmas Past family gathering, and trip down memory lane. 

Music in this episode

• "Cozy Jazz Podcast Music with Christmas Bells" — Denis Pavlov, via Pixabay
• "Relaxing Piano / Lofi Music" — John Tramp, via Pixabay

Order your copy today! Of Christmases Long, Long Ago

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)

For a long time, ivy conjured images of all things pagan, superstitious, gluttonous, debauched, and morbid. For those reasons, it would be forbidden from churches and Christian homes. Today, it's a classic symbol of Christmas. Sue Hunter joins Brian to tell this uniquely Christmassy turnaround story. 

Thank you to composer Sarah Cattley for permission to share the beautiful rendition of "Ivy, Chief of Trees it Is," performed by the Granta Chorale and conducted by Janet Wheeler.  

Music in this episode

• "The Holly and the Ivy" — Jerome Chauvel, via Pixabay
• "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" — Jon Sayles, via Royalty Free Music
• "Christmas Night" — Floating Dreamer, via Pixabay
• "Oh Holy Night" — Calvin Clavier, via Pixabay
• "Luminous Rain" — Kevin MacLeod, via Youtube Audio Library
• "Ivy, Chief of Trees it Is" — Sarah Cattley, used with permission from the composer

Order your copy today! Of Christmases Long, Long Ago

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)