Christmas Past

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Christmas Pastinactive

Publisher |: Brian Earl

Media Type |: audio

Podknife tags |: Christmas,; History,; Kids & Family,; Nostalgia,; Society & Culture

Categories Via RSS |: Kids & Family,; Society & Culture

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!

People |: Brian Earl
Country Of Origin |: USA
Produced In |: San Mateo, CA
Premiere Date |: 2016-11-01
Related Hashtags |: #Christmas,; #christmas2018,; #christmasiscoming,; #ChristmasIsComing,; #ChristmasPast
Frequency |: Periodic
Explicit |: No

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203 Available Episodes (203 Total) / Average duration: 00:19:14

Date Duration Most Reviewed Highest Rated

203 Available Episodes (203 Total)Average duration: 00:19:14

Dec 25, 2022

00:09:29

Join Christmas Past one last time in the 2022 season. It's our annual look back at the sights, sounds, news, and trends that made Christmas of 2022 what it was.

Merry Christmas to all, and many thanks for being part of the 2022 season of Christmas Past.

Music in This Episode

"This Christmas" — Hot Music, via Pixabay
"Deck the Halls A" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
"Silent Night" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech
"It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech

Buy the Christmas Past Book!

Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift!

Share a Christmas memory

Be on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from.

Keep in touch

christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

Dec 23, 2022

00:10:34

They're the spiced cookie with the funny sounding (to American ears) name. Pfeffernusse — or, "pepper nuts" in English — contain neither pepper nor nuts. And for centuries, the original recipe has been a closely guarded secret. Baker and podcaster Glen Warren joins me in this episode.

Mentioned in This Episode

Seasons Eatings Podcast

Music in This Episode

"The Poplar Grove" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
"Midvinter" — Scott Buckley, via scottbuckley.com.au
"Felix Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words" Vassily Primakov, via Free Music Archive
"The First Noel - Silent Night" — Ralph Rousseau Meulenbroeks, via Magnatune Compilation
"Piano Moment" — Zakhar Valaha Music, via Pixabay
"Jingle Bells" — Scott Holmes Music, via Free Music Archive

Buy the Christmas Past Book!

Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift!

Share a Christmas memory

Keep in touch

christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

Dec 21, 2022

00:11:36

Those decorative tins filled with three kinds of popcorn have been a Christmas staple for decades. But...why? In this episode, we find out — by asking the guy responsible for the whole thing!

Music in This Episode

"Blue Latex" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
"Hark the Herald Angels Sing" — Ahmadmusic, via Pixabay
"Sticktop" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
"Jul" — Scott Buckley, via scottbuckley.com.au
"Tiled Chamber" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
"Jingle Bells" — Scott Holmes Music, via Free Music Archive

Buy the Christmas Past Book!

Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift!

Share a Christmas memory

Keep in touch

christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

Dec 19, 2022

00:10:59

It's fluffy, sweet, and studded with raisins and candied fruit peel. It's the Italian Christmas cake known as Panettone. Get ready to talk with your hands, along with me and Max Miller of Tasting History as we dig in.

Mentioned in This Episode

Tasting History

Music in This Episode

"Bushwick Tarantella" — Kevin MacLeod, via Youtube Audio Library
"Saloon Piano - Ragtime Retro Vintage Jazz Comedy Music" — FreeGroove, via Pixabay
"We Three Kings" — James Edwards, via Magnatune Compilation
"PianoCello" — Reverie Now, via Pixabay
"Pop Vibration" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
"Good King Wenceslas" — Richard Irwin, via Hymns Without Words
"Jingle Bells" — Scott Holmes Music, via Free Music Archive

Buy the Christmas Past Book!

Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift!

Share a Christmas memory

Keep in touch

christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

Dec 16, 2022

00:21:44

Cozy up with the Christmas Past family for some reminiscing! It's one of our favorite annual traditions...where I turn things over to you and let you guide my sleigh tonight on a trip down memory lane!

Music in this episode

"Instrument 12092021" — orangiromusik, via Pixabay
"This Christmas" — Hot Music, via Pixabay

Buy the Christmas Past Book!

Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift!

Share a Christmas memory

Keep in touch

christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

Dec 14, 2022

00:15:04

Most of the classic American Christmas songs come from the 1940s. What was it about that decade that accounts for an explosion of Christmas music that's stood the test of time? What is it about those songs that sounds so Christmassy? And why are Christmas classics so few and far between in recent generations? Join me and Berklee College of Music professor Chris North to dive in!

Music in This Episode

"Sleigh Ride" — Marcus Staab, via Musopen
"Home for the Holidays" — Track Tribe, via Youtube Audio Library
"Christmas Jazz" — Audio Coffee, via Pixabay
"171221 - jazz style piano / day / happy / love / life" — WELC0MEИ0, via Pixabay
"Christmas Magic Night" — Lesfm, via Pixabay
"Night Jazz" — Music for Videos, via Pixabay

Buy the Christmas Past Book!

Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift!

Share a Christmas memory

Keep in touch

christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

Dec 12, 2022

00:12:25

Strictly speaking, a Christmas carol is a song that tells the Nativity story. That's what made Edmund Sears's song, "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" so unusual when he wrote it. It didn't tell the story of Jesus's birth; it told the story of how people reacted to the news. This "humanist carol" arrived at a time when music itself was in the midst of some major changes.

Music in This Episode

"Nocturne in E flat major, Op. 9 no. 2" — Aya Higuchi, via Musopen
"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" — Kevin MacLeod, via Youtube Audio Library
"Lullaby for a King" — Cathy Oakes, via Feels Like Christmas
"Endless by PrabajithK"—Mild Relaxation, via Pixabay
"Night Jazz" — Music for Videos, via Pixabay
Piano samples from "Carol" and "Noel" generously played by Carrie from the Christmas Past family!

Buy the Christmas Past Book!

Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift!

Share a Christmas memory

Keep in touch

christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

Dec 09, 2022

00:12:50

They're the festive party favors containing a paper crown, a trinket, and a joke — and wrapped in a package that goes "bang" when you open it! Christmas Crackers are an invention of the Victorian age. And more specifically, one confectioner named Tom Smith. Smith single handedly created a tradition that has endured for generations.

Mentioned in This Episode

Peter Kimpton's Website
Tom Smith's Christmas Crackers — Book by Peter Kimpton

Music in This Episode

"The Kishner Method" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
"Forget" — Lesfm, via Pixabay
"God Rest You Merry Gentlemen Christmas Piano Background Music" — Lesfm, via Pixabay
"Sedative" — Lesfm, via Pixabay
"Stress Relief Piano" — PianoAmor, via Pixabay
"Night Jazz" — Music for Videos, via Pixabay

Buy the Christmas Past Book!

Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift!

Share a Christmas memory

Keep in touch

christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

Dec 07, 2022

00:14:27

"Father Christmas"...that's what they call Santa Claus in England, right? Well, sort of, but there's more to it than that. Join me and guest professor Gerry Bowler to look into the origins of this often misunderstood Christmas character.

Music in This Episode

"A Peaceful Winter" — Scott Holmes, via Free Music Archive
"Sentimental Light Hopeful Tender Piano" — Ashot-Danielyan-Composer, via Pixabay
"Classical Piano And Cello" — Ashot-Danielyan-Composer, via Pixabay
"Romanesca" — Cheryl Ann Fulton, via Magnatune Compilation
"I Saw Three Ships" — James Edwards, via Magnatune Compilation
"Modern Christmas Full no Santa" —Muzaproduction, via Pixabay

Buy the Christmas Past Book!

Order your copy today. And remember...it makes a great gift!

Share a Christmas memory

Keep in touch

christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com

Dec 05, 2022

00:16:21

It's the theater experience that's as rollicking and raucous as it is festive! And it's also mostly unknown to American audiences. Join Brian in this episode to hear all about the British tradition of Pantomime.