In today's Season 2 finale, we talk all about Saturnalia! In Part 1 of this series we discussed Kronia, the precursor to Saturnalia. Now we are going to discuss the famous pre-Christmas celebration that gets a lot of credit for many traditions still used today. And not without good reason too, as Saturnalia has a very interesting history. Learn about this Roman festival and discover some things you might not have known! Lastly, we end the episode with the exciting conclusion to Santa Claus versus Time from The Lost Years of Santa Claus. 

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Did you know that before the world celebrated Christmas that there were other winter celebrations? Of course you did (especially if you listen to this podcast!). Saturnalia gets much of the attention, and for good reason, but today we are going to go way back BEFORE Saturnalia and we'll explore Kronia, Shab-e Yalda, Zagmuk and more. Learn all about some patterns and traditions that have stood the test of time! At the end of the episode we have a much requested story from The Lost Years of Santa Claus: Santa Claus versus Time. This will help to answer the question that you may have about how exactly Santa Claus is able to get all around the world to so many homes in a single night. The answer might surprise you. Tune in and find out in part 1 of this exciting story from The Lost Years of Santa Claus!

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Sounds of Christmas

Santa by the Minute

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We have a very special guest today: Dr. Emily Zarka of Arizona State University and PBS Digital Studios Monstrum! We talk about monsters at Christmas, the history of monsters, the abundance of mythos at Christmastime and so much more. Be sure to check out her show and enjoy hearing all about the monstrous Christmas world!

Edit: As requested, no more background music! Thank you guys for the feedback, it's always welcome!

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Monstrum

Ana and the Apocalypse

Krampus episode of Monstrum

Yuletide TV

Tinsel Tunes

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This episode brings a boat-load of information about current traditions around using the Nativity - both living Nativity and artistic representations. I dive briefly into the origins of the use of the Nativity around Christmas, and then we take a look at the real history and some misconceptions around the birth of Jesus. At the end of the episode we read through part 2 of our story from The Lost Years of Santa Claus, and I announce the winner of the first annual Lost Christmas Giveaway! Over 160 entries this year, I am blown away and I think I'll have a special surprise for a few lucky entrants who didn't win, but submitted wonderful answers. Please like and subscribe, review the podcast, and as always - Merry Christmas!

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The Story of Santa Claus

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Join us each week on The Lost Christmas Podcast during the holiday season!

In this episode you'll hear my very specific, hard-fast rules for determining if a movie is indeed a Christmas movie. As a much requested piece, I've included my rules and scoring system so you can determine whether or not a movie is a Christmas movie. Stir the pot, bring on the controversy! 

At the end of the episode, we start a new story from The Lost Years of Santa Claus, and as a special "thank you" to all of the listeners, I've got the first giveaway in the history of this little podcast. Listen and find out how to enter ($50 Amazon gift card to the winner)!

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In this post-Thanskgiving episode we discuss the history and evolution of wassail, from a story of lovers to feeding trees a slice of bread and all the drinking in between. Plenty to dive into and discuss as we uncover the history behind this famous expression and wintertime beverage. At the end of this episode we also conclude the story of why Santa Claus looks different all around the world, with part 3 of this story from The Lost Years of Santa Claus.

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Classic wassail recipe

Holly Jolly Xmas'u podcast

Weird Christmas podcast

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In this episode we dive into the person that was Saint Nicholas of Myra. There's plenty to go around with stories, myths, fantasy, and real history. We talk about the day we celebrate St. Nicholas and a few traditions around the world, and finally we conclude the episode with part 2 of how Santa Claus looks different all over the world from The Lost Years of Santa Claus. Enjoy!

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In this episode, we dive into the ins and outs of Christmas mysteries. Starting off, we have some unanswered questions from Christmas movies that surely you've been wanting to hear an answer for, then we dive into a couple of real-life mysteries around the Christmas season. Finally, we have my personal recommendations for some Christmas mystery movies, a TV episode, and several books for you to enjoy this holiday season! At the end of the episode, we kick off a new story from The Lost Years of Santa Claus which reveals the secrets behind why Santa looks so different in different places around the globe. 

A big shout out to one of my best friends in the world - Brian Shepard (link) and JerriEl Wiliams for the wonderful background music throughout the podcast. 

Link to books list

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Today we go over a short list of must-see foreign holiday films. These films take us to Mexico, from France to Finland, and to Japan and South Korea, circling the globe to provide some holiday hits to brighten up your Christmas season. Finally, we cap off this episode with part 3 of Santa and his Sleigh from The Lost Years of Santa Claus. 

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