The Christmas Stocking

Rereleasing the show again! Another episode from the first season back in 2006. I wrote, “How was a Middle Ages Christmas different? For one thing, no one got an iPod.” I guess our Christmases have more in common with the Middle Ages now than when I first presented it. Find out how they celebrated way back when on this edition of the Christmas Stocking. The Christmas Stocking is on Facebook and on Twitter (@XmasStocking). And call (323) 487-12-25. Find every episode, including the unaltered version of this episode at MyChristmasStocking.net. Email: TopElf at MyChristmasStocking.NET.

http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/www.archive.org/download/ChristmasStockingPodcast/Re-presentingEpisodeNumber8_AMiddleAgesChristmas.mp3

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured song:

“A Pirate’s 12 Days of Christmas” by Gastronomical Unit (from GarageBand.com)

Background music includes:

“What Child is This” by Stephen Bashaw. I found it at feelslikechristmas.com

“Jingle Bells” by The R&R Project (it was on GarageBand.com)

From all the way back in 2006! Back then I started the season the day before Thanksgiving, so I assumed, correctly, I’m sure, that everyone listening had already seen the parade. Well, I’m even later this year. And the info is 12 years old. I don’t know how many episodes I’ll be able to get out this year, but I hope to have a few new ones. I’ll also sprinkle in some of these chestnuts that have dropped off the feed. I hope you enjoy it. There are old ways to get ahold of me and to find the show. All the episodes are at MyChristmasStocking.net. Email: TopElf at MyChristmasStocking.NET. Find the Christmas Stocking on Twitter (@XmasStocking) and Facebook. Call (323) 487-12-25.

http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/www.archive.org/download/ChristmasStockingPodcast/RepresentingEpisodeNumber1_MacysThanksgivingDayParade.mp3

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured song:

The Santa Claus Rock by Howard Pearlman (originally from feelslikechristmas.com)

Background music:

1) Deck the Halls by John Morgan, available on a CD of holiday music. I found it at feelslikechristmas.com

2) Birth to the Savior by Rejoice (from the old GarageBand.com–not the Apple digital audio app)

More information:

Learn more about the parade from Macy’s. And I talked about them streaming it later, and I think you may be able to stream it later on the NBC app or NBC.com. Oh–and the Verizon 360 view.

I briefly mentioned the Boscov Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia, which is now the abc6 Dunkin’ Donuts Parade, and in-between was the IKEA Thanksgiving Day Parade. Also America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Detroit, the McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago (now Uncle Dan’s Thanksgiving Day Parade), the H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade in Houston, and the Best Buy Thanksgiving Day Parade in Baltimore, which doesn’t seem to be a thing anymore.

Happy Labor Day weekend! Still summer! (At least when I’m posting.) It’s been a crazy year. It’s a mostly-favorites (mine) spectacular this year, with a couple of special previously unplayed songs I think you’ll like. Thank you for your gifts to the Christmas Stocking. MyChristmasStocking.net/contribute. They mean a lot. The Christmas Stocking is on Twitter (@XmasStocking), on Pinterest (not enough, I know) and Facebook. Email [email protected]. The phone number is (323) 487-12-25, open any time.

http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/www.archive.org/download/ChristmasStockingPodcast/139TheChristmasStockingSummerMusicSpectacularSeriously.mp3

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured music:

“Christmas Valentine (With You)” by Kimly

“It’s Christmas” by Cleveland DERUE Cathnott (from GarageBand.com)

“O Christmas Tree” by 21 AD from “Christmas…A Winter’s Love” (Lifestyles)

“The Christmas Song Song” by Rocky and Balls from the album “We Like Cake And Beards And Stuff”

“Children Go Where I Send Thee” by Darby O’Gill (from Soundclick.com) An African-American spiritual they say is based on an ancient Irish patter song.

“Doesn’t Seem Like Christmas” by Dennis Hensley

“Wake Up, It’s Christmas!” by Peter Combe

Background music:

“Dance to da Beat” by 5 is Even (I found it on Mevio.com)

“Joy Kinda Holiday-ish” by Charlie Crowe  (I found it on Mevio.com)

“Nutcracker” by Dat Boi Trill

“Angels We Have Heard on High” by Rhesa Siregar (Songs of Praise)

“God Rest You Merry Gentlemen” by Kevin Zerbe from “The Christmas Wish List”

“Veni, Veni, Emmanuel” by Frank Carter from the album “Deck the Halls”

More information:

Upcoming Christmas albums: “Shatner Claus” by William Shatner (preorder the CD); “Happy Xmas” by Eric Clapton (preorder the CD and vinyl!); Brett Eldredge’s new Christmas album, still a mystery at release time; “It’s the Holiday Season” by Martina McBride (plus a tour!)–okay, okay, I said she hadn’t released a Christmas album in 20 years, giving Brett Eldredge a hard time. EXCEPT YOU DIDN’T HEAR THAT! Due to an editing mistake by my editor (aka me), I cut out info on Brett Eldredge’s Christmas album, which will come out this year. He last had a Christmas album two years ago, and he’s the one I was referring to when I talked about that. Not Eric Clapton, who’s never released a Christmas album (although he has performed a few recorded songs for compilations). I apologize to you, Brett Eldredge and Eric Clapton. And Martina McBride released “The Classic Christmas Album” in 2017. Oops.

The complete Good Housekeeping list of Hot Toys for Christmas 2018. Including Fingerlings Untamed Raptors which I saw available on Amazon, in spite of the fact that the website link previous says “Be the First to Know;” Num Noms Snackable Cereal; Hasbro’s Don’t Step in It game (oh, man, I hadn’t seen Don’t Step in It Unicorn Edition when I talked about it!); Pomsies Grumblies; Melissa and Doug Examine and Treat Pet Vet Set; Little Live Scruff-a-Luvs pets (man, I didn’t realize how expensive they are!).

More about the Capitol Christmas Tree is here.

Thanks to a suggestion Vivian made on Facebook, we learn a bit about the Three Wise Men, Three Kings, Three Magi–all the same people and all more characters than verifiable real people. Call (323) 487-12-25 any time and share whatever you’d like. Get in on next season or summer early, or just say hi. Email [email protected]. I so appreciate the gifts to the Christmas Stocking. MyChristmasStocking.net/contribute. They make a huge difference. Besides Facebook, find the Christmas Stocking on Twitter (@XmasStocking) and on Pinterest.

http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/www.archive.org/download/ChristmasStockingPodcast/138TheThreeWiseMen.mp3

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured music:

“We Three Kings” by Found Wandering from the album “Christmas in Country Village”

Found Wandering’s Christmas videos are also available.

Background music:

“Wish Background” by Kevin McLeod (from Incompetech)

“We Three Kings” by Mark Bodino from “My Favorite Christmas Guitar Songs All Year Round”

“Auld Lang Syne” by Dexter Britain from “Xmas 2012” (from the Free Music Archive)

More information:

Actually, Wikipedia has a lot of good information about the Magi.

The Washington Post article by Diana Butler Bass headlined, “Why Jesus’ first Christmas gifts were truly shocking.”

The Christmas Stocking talked about the traditions of Three Kings Day at Epiphany.MyChristmasStocking.net

Find all of the post-Christmas episodes, some or all of which you may have missed, at PostChristmas.MyChristmasStocking.net

Not a story this time. More like a sermon/essay. I hope you like it. Please join us on Twitter (@XmasStocking), Facebook and on Pinterest (where I realize I’m not active enough). Call (323) 487-12-25 and share what Christmas is to you or wish Merry Christmas. Or you can email [email protected]. Thank you so much for the gifts to the Christmas Stocking. MyChristmasStocking.net/contribute. They mean a lot.

http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/www.archive.org/download/ChristmasStockingPodcast/137_keepingChristmas_ByHenryVanDyke.mp3

Click here to download the show to your device.

Featured music:

“Glory in the Heights” by Ryan Flanigan from the album “Merry Christmas, Good Night Vol. 5” (from Noisetrade)

Background music:

“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” by Mark Bodino from “My Favorite Christmas Guitar Songs All Year Round”

“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” by Kevin MacLeod (from Incompetech)

“Ding Dong Merrily on High” by The Manor House String Quartet from “I Saw Three Ships and Other Carols”

Read along with me and read the rest of _The Spirit of Christmas” on Project Gutenberg.