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Christmas Past

Behind every Christmas tradition is a story, often a forgotten one. Every year as we put up a tree and pour the eggnog, we’re continuing generations-old narratives, while being mostly unaware of their starting chapters. Join Brian Earl to explore the fascinating stories behind the most wonderful time of the year. It's equal parts nerdy deep dive and warmhearted celebration. Think: NPR meets Clement Clarke Moore! Christmas Past is one of the longest running Christmas podcasts, now in its seventh season. Vanity Fair says: "With excellent production, engaging narration, and short, digestible running times, Christmas Past is perfect to put on while decorating your tree or preparing Christmas dinner." Brian's new book is out now from Lyons Press and Recorded books! Get your copy today, wherever books are sold. And remember...it makes a great gift!
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Now displaying: December, 2016
Dec 25, 2016

For the final episode of 2016, we celebrate Christmas Day with Brian's family and take a look back at the 2016 Christmas season. 

Thank you, everyone, for a wonderful first season of the podcast! I hope to be back again next year with more stories from Christmas Past. 

Things will slow down on social media after today, but I'm not going anywhere, you can always find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or drop me a line at christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2017!

Dec 24, 2016

It's Christmas Eve! In our second-to-last episode of the season, Brian talks about his favorite Christmas Eve traditions and we hear from some of Brian's family members.

Subscribe on iTunes and visit www.christmaspastpodcast.com for show notes and extra content. Search for Christmas Past podcast on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Dec 21, 2016

Even though you've heard mention of sugar plum every Christmas of your life, do you actually know what they are? 

In this episode, we hear about the history of the sugar plum and how it came to be associated with Christmas. 

We have two memories this episode! Both of them recall favorite childhood Christmas movies. 

Search for Christmas Past podcast on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and visit http://www.christmaspastpodcast.com for show notes. Write me anytime at christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com 

Dec 17, 2016

Getting tired of 24-hour Christmas movie marathons and stale cartoon specials? Take a trip back in time to the golden age of radio. You may like to check out the Christmas Old Time Radio podcast or search around Archive.org to continue your listening after this episode. 

We hear from Chicago DJ Steve Darnall and some Christmas memories from Anna in California. I can't believe we're almost done with the first season of Christmas Past! One more full length episode to come, followed by two mini episodes on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 

Search for Christmas Past podcast on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and visit http://www.christmaspastpodcast.com for show notes and more. 

Dec 13, 2016

Americans will send over a billion Christmas cards this year. Even in this age of instantaneous communication, the physical Christmas card is still inseparable from our modern holiday celebration. The Christmas card is an English invention. A man named Henry Cole is credited with creating the first commercially produced Christmas card in 1843. But more interesting are the social, economic, and technological factors that all came together at roughly the same time to enable the birth of the Christmas card.

In this episode we hear from Stephanie Boydell, curator of a special collection of greeting cards. And a Christmas memory from Annmarie in Massachusetts. 

Subscribe to Christmas Past on iTunes, Google Play, or however you get your podcasts. Search for Christmas Past podcast on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more Christmas fun. Find show notes and more info about the show at http://www.christmaspastpodcast.com

Dec 9, 2016

The appearance of festive gift wrap in stores is one of the first signs that the Christmas season is here. But wrapping Christmas gifts is a relatively new custom.

In this episode of Christmas Past, we learn about the surprisingly interesting history of wrapping paper, with some help from Pat Lavin of the Framingham History Center. 

Corey Constable, host of the Omitted podcast, shares a Christmas memory. 

Subscribe to Christmas Past on iTunes or however you get your podcasts. Search for "Christmas Past podcast: on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And visit www.christmaspastpodcast for show notes and other extra content. 

Dec 5, 2016

The story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a classic underdog story, but maybe not the way you think. In this episode, we discuss the unlikely journey of Robert L. May from workaday copywriter to creator of an icon.

In this episode we'll hear from Peter Carini, a librarian at Dartmouth College, which holds a collection of May's work. And we'll hear a Christmas memory from Kathy in New Jersey. 

Don't forget to subscribe to Christmas Past on iTunes, Google Play, or however you get your podcasts.

Search for "Christmas Past podcast" on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more Christmas history and vintage Christmas content. 

Visit www.christmaspastpodcast.com for show notes and more. Contact me at christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com 

Dec 1, 2016

The history of writing letters to Santa has some strange surprises in store for us.

In this episode we hear from Gus Ruiz from the US Postal Service, Nancy Pope from the Smithsonian Institution's Postal Museum, and a Christmas Memory from Kenny in Ontario.

Subscribe to Christmas Past on iTunes or however you get your podcasts. Search for "Christmas Past podcast" on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit www.christmaspastpodcast.com for show notes. Write me at christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

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