Bing Crosby was the first true superstar of American multi-media. He was bigger than Elvis. Bigger than Sinatra. Bigger even than the Beatles. He sold millions and millions of records, had more #1 hits than anyone and his name was trusted over the President of the United States and the Pope.

And, oh yeah, he totally owned Christmas.

How is it possible that Bing Crosby could dominate one season of the year not only during his lifetime but also nearly 40 years since his passing? From the 1930’s — when he dominated radio, he performed on Christmas every year. Nearly every home had a radio.

In the 1940s he sang the #1 Christmas song of all time and performed it live on radio, with other artists and published on albums that were produced so many times he had to record a new master 3 years before the decade was over. Nearly every home had a record player.

In the 1940s and 1950s he took to acting — and won an Academy Award. Some of his films had Christmas themes. He also embraced the new medium of television. He host variety shows, appeared as a guest on hundreds of specials and hosted his own Christmas television special every year through the 1970s. By then every home had a television too.

For 50 years he was the voice everyone compared themselves to. And, like Santa Claus, he was there every Christmas.

Bing Crosby was much, much more than just a singer. He was an innovator. And believe it or not, he was one of the earliest sex symbols. He was every bit as edgy as Michael Jackson, just a showy as Elvis and more beloved than Madonna. And his talent reached across generations.

In this merry episode we explore the many Christmas contributions of the legendary Bing Crosby.

The song White Christmas most certainly deserves a special place in the history of both music and Christmas. But some may go overboard lauding the song as a secular triumph.

In the Wall Street Journal this week a journalist claims White Christmas unleashed a waiting torrent of secular Christmas music that the world was just dying to hear.

Indeed, in the years immediately after the release of White Christmas the world embraced classics such as The Christmas Song, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Let it Snow, Sleigh Ride, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and I’ll be Home for Christmas.

We’re tellers of truth on the Merry Little Podcast. We embrace both the sacred and the secular Christmas. But we see White Christmas and its popularity quite differently.

You need only look as far as the story of It’s a Wonderful Life to understand why White Christmas is the great song it is in the history of Christmas.

White Christmas was immediately popular. It’s a Wonderful Life was not.

White Christmas stayed at or near #1 for almost 20 years. It’s a Wonderful Life was forgotten about much of that time.

And yet here we are more than 70 years later celebrating both with reverence as classics of Christmas.

How did that happen?

Our contention is that White Christmas is more than just a song. It is an anthem. Much like It’s a Wonderful Life is more than just a movie.

It is not when they were born that makes them popular and success. It is what they meant at different times that makes them classics. And in that vein, they are very much alike.

From the Mountains of Christmas she comes and the children of Iceland fear her. She is Gryla, one of the most horrific Christmas monsters you have ever heard of.

Gryla’s home in the mountains of Christmas is not one of joy — or peace. She is evil to the core.

Described as part witch and part Krampus she has physical characteristics that make children quiver in fear. She has a long nose, huge ears, hooves for feet and 13 tails on her backside. And all she does in hunt children — especially the naughty. Her gruesome legend is celebrated today with watered-down versions of her tales of terror.

She is not alone, however. She has 13 sons with equally insatiable appetites for the young and they too possess characteristics that are terrifying. Their legend has been so ingrained in Icelandic society that at one time children refused to even step out of doors during the month of December.

This episode of the Merry Podcast explores this monster from the mountains of Christmas and introduces a theme will pursue in the next full episode of the Merry Podcast about Christmas creeps.

The Magi represent one of the greatest mysteries of the Christmas story from the Bible. Who were they really and what was their purpose?

The world of historians, song writers and movie makers would have you believe the Magi were just a few guys out following a star. According to them, they incredibly show up at the manger scene with gifts ready-wrapped to give to the Baby.

That’s the perception. And it is wrong — dead wrong.

This episode of the Merry Little Podcast explores how the myths of the Magi have taken root and just what the Magi were really all about. It is a miraculous story.

There is no reason to believe that just because the Magi came from afar that they believed any differently than Joseph and Mary. The fact that they were solicited by King Herod – and then later gave him the slip – speaks to their wisdom and their vision.

Wouldn’t it be great to know their story? Wouldn’t it be awesome to have an eyewitness account of their travels, their experience and their vision?

It turns out that we have such an account.

A modern discovery of the Magi’s true origins turns the Christmas story into something even more incredible. In fact, it could be the greatest story never told when it comes to Christmas.

The newest episode of the Merry Little Podcast takes on the probing subject of Christmas bad guys in beloved Christmas movies.

Almost every story has a bad guy. But the bad guys of Christmas movies are special — because most of them are guys we don’t really hate when all is said and done. After all, it’s Christmas.

That’s just one of many Christmas top tens that we’re working these days. In an upcoming episode of the Merry Podcast we probe much, much deeper into Christmas top tens.

But this is a good list…and we’re sure you have Christmas villains of your own that maybe didn’t make our list and that you’d argue about. If so, take your list to the Merry Forums and tell us all about them.

Christmas purists are funny people.

Earlier this week we released a new podcast featuring the best selling songs of Christmas. We thought folks would be interested in this list. But no…..they seem to be a little upset by it, if our email is any indication.

The most feedback we have received has not been about the list itself but rather those songs that DIDN’T make the list. And the #1 song not on the list that has some Christmas music fans dismayed is The Christmas Song, by Nat King Cole.

Well, we’ve decided to issue a new episode of The Merry Little Podcast to address these concerns, which you can listen to below. Trust me, we explain it all.

And have no fear — The Christmas Song won’t be disappearing from your holiday radio station any time soon. If anything, this is one of those songs that has become nothing but more popular over time.

So relax…and listen to why it didn’t make the top ten.