The Lost Christmas Podcast

In this captivating episode, we delve deep into the fascinating world of winter time deities. Discover the rich tapestry of cultural and mythological figures associated with the cold season as we explore their origins, symbolism, and significance. Join us for a journey through the lore of these powerful entities and their connection to various winter traditions around the world. Whether you're a mythology enthusiast or simply curious about the mystical aspects of winter, this episode offers insights that will leave you enchanted and informed. Tune in now to unravel the secrets of winter time deities and embrace the magic of the season. Lastly, we conclude with the next piece of another story from The Lost Years of Santa Claus!

Visit the new website!

https://www.LostChristmasPodcast.com

email: [email protected] or [email protected]

⁠⁠www.facebook.com/lostchristmaspodcast⁠⁠

⁠⁠www.twitter.com/lostchristmasp1⁠⁠

⁠⁠www.instagram.com/lostchristmaspodcast⁠⁠

Special thanks to:

The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - ⁠⁠CC by 3.0⁠⁠

Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - ⁠⁠CC by 3.0⁠⁠

holiday by Dee Yan-Key - ⁠⁠CC by 3.0

On today's episode we cover the history of the iconic colors of the Christmas season. Yes, that color too!, I've got it all covered with background from religious to secular and all kinds of history beyond the surface. I hope you enjoy, and stick around after the colors of Christmas to discover more of the Lost Years of Santa Claus!

Visit the new website!

https://www.LostChristmasPodcast.com

email: [email protected] or [email protected]

⁠www.facebook.com/lostchristmaspodcast⁠

⁠www.twitter.com/lostchristmasp1⁠

⁠www.instagram.com/lostchristmaspodcast⁠

Special thanks to:

The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - ⁠CC by 3.0⁠Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - ⁠CC by 3.0⁠holiday by Dee Yan-Key - ⁠CC by 3.0

Today being #ChristmasPodcastDay, I had to release a special episode covering a unique version of A Christmas Carol. Oh and we're kicking off another story from The Lost Years of Santa Claus as well. Thanks everyone and enjoy!

Visit the new website!

https://www.LostChristmasPodcast.com

email: [email protected] or [email protected]

www.facebook.com/lostchristmaspodcast

www.twitter.com/lostchristmasp1

www.instagram.com/lostchristmaspodcast

Special thanks to:

The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

Hey everybody! I'm back today with another episode, 3 recommendation (a movie, a TV episode and a book), another Santa and more of The Lost Years of Santa Claus!

We're headed north, to the Nordic countries as we talk about Joulupukki - the Yule Goat. There's a ton of history and tradition here, and I will be barely scratching the surface. There's a ton to digest, a bunch to discover and a lot to learn. Part 5 of Santa and his list from The Lost Years of Santa Claus follows at the end of the episode so stay tuned (or skip ahead if you so desire) and enjoy!

As always, please like and subscribe to the podcast, and share it to all of your friends!

Follow the podcast on social media as well, and reach out to us via email:

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/lostchristmaspodcast

www.twitter.com/lostchristmasp1

www.instagram.com/lostchristmaspodcast

Special thanks to:

The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

Hey everybody! I'm back today with another episode, 3 recommendation (a movie, a TV episode and a book), another Santa and more of The Lost Years of Santa Claus!

Today we're traveling to France to discuss the wonderful fairy godmother named Tante Arie (Aunt Airie/Aunt Arie)! She is a fascinating blend of so much history, with enormous powers and abilities as well! From the Franche-Comte region of France near the Swiss border, this lovely lady brings gifts and a lot more. Listen, learn and share her story with others!

As always, please like and subscribe to the podcast, and share it to all of your friends!

Follow the podcast on social media as well, and reach out to us via email:

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/lostchristmaspodcast

www.twitter.com/lostchristmasp1

www.instagram.com/lostchristmaspodcast

Special thanks to:

The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

Hey everybody! I'm back today with another episode, 3 recommendation (a movie, a TV episode and a book), another Santa and more of The Lost Years of Santa Claus!

Today we're traveling to Greece to discuss the history of St. Basil! He's a very interesting character who shares a lot of traits and history with St. Nicholas from his love of giving to the needy to his value of education and sharing of one's wealth with others. You'll also get to hear about this special Santa from around the world who has his own special enemy, a very unique trait in this world of Santa that we're spending this season exploring. 

St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow link

As always, please like and subscribe to the podcast, and share it to all of your friends!

Follow the podcast on social media as well, and reach out to us via email:

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/lostchristmaspodcast

www.twitter.com/lostchristmasp1

www.instagram.com/lostchristmaspodcast

Special thanks to:

The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

This one is a very special episode where I'm going to talk all about Olentzero, the Basque gift-giving giant from the Pyrenees! Such a long oral history exists in the Basque region and Olentzero is a wonderfully unique character. In this episode we dive into the history of the region at winter/Christmas time and some of the things that make this character and this region so unique! Also we get part 2 of Santa's list, how he created his list and why he uses one from The Lost Years of Santa Claus. I hope you all enjoy!

As always, please like and subscribe to the podcast, and share it to all of your friends!

Follow the podcast on social media as well, and reach out to us via email:

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/lostchristmaspodcast

www.twitter.com/lostchristmasp1

www.instagram.com/lostchristmaspodcast

Special thanks to:

The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

Hey everybody! Today we're traveling to Germany to discuss the history of Christmas there, and the super interesting character named der Weihnachtsmann! You'll learn all about the different traditions that have been around for hundreds of years and how they have evolved and influenced how the Yuletide time is celebrated today. As promised here's some notes from this episode - Knecht Ruprecht (aka Krampus) and Odin (Hruod Percht / Rhumreicher Percht). 

Thomas Nast image of Santa from 1880s (woo boy was I off on this, I mistakenly said the 1820s) link

As always, please like and subscribe to the podcast, and share it to all of your friends!

Follow the podcast on social media as well, and reach out to us via email:

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/lostchristmaspodcast

www.twitter.com/lostchristmasp1

www.instagram.com/lostchristmaspodcast

Special thanks to:

The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

Hey everyone! Today we talk all about Superheroes at Christmas. From live action movies & TV shows to comic books I dive in to celebrate the heroes we love to watch & read at Christmastime. This is a very special episode to celebrate my late sister Steffany, who sadly passed away November 17, 2005 at age 17. I think we all have loved ones who we miss during the holidays and I have been wanting to do something special for my sister. Being the anniversary of the day she passed, I thought this would be a great way to celebrate her life and her super powers! Please send me your thoughts, feedback, memories of your lost loved ones, anything you'd like to share, send it my way!

As always, please share the podcast and give us a 5-star rating, it's the best way to grow the show.

Follow the podcast on social media as well, and reach out to us via email:

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/lostchristmaspodcast

www.twitter.com/lostchristmasp1

www.instagram.com/lostchristmaspodcast

Special thanks to:

The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

Welcome to the Season of Santa! Kicking off season 3! we head to Japan to encounter one of the seven gods of prosperity, the one and only Hotei! We'll explore some of the traditions of Christmas in Japan and the mythos surrounding Hotei (Hoteiosho). As always, like and subscribe to the podcast, and share it to all of your friends!

Follow the podcast on social media as well, and reach out to us via email: 

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/lostchristmaspodcast

www.twitter.com/lostchristmasp1

www.instagram.com/lostchristmaspodcast

Special thanks to:

The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

We're back! Season 3 will kick off with plenty of new histories, mysteries, and information for you Christmas lovers! There's a new format, new music, new artwork, and a new website coming very soon, so I hope you all will enjoy the latest from The Lost Christmas Podcast. As always: email me or find me on whatever social media site you like most. Thanks so much and I will see you all very soon!

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. 

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

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!

Links:

Sounds of Christmas

Santa by the Minute

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

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!

Links:

Monstrum

Ana and the Apocalypse

Krampus episode of Monstrum

Yuletide TV

Tinsel Tunes

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

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!

Links:

The Story of Santa Claus

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

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)!

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

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.

Links:

Classic wassail recipe

Holly Jolly Xmas'u podcast

Weird Christmas podcast

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

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!

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

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

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

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. 

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

This episode explores the history of Christmas lights, going from candles to LEDs and fiber optics. There's a lot to learn and plenty to dive into as we explore the ins and outs of who, what, when and why of lighting at Christmas time. At the end of the episode we hear part 2 of how Santa gets his sleigh from The Lost Years of Santa Claus. Don't forget to send us a message or email, and to like and subscribe. Happy holidays!




Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

In this new episode we dive into the connection between carols and Christmas itself! We go into the history of the word itself, where the traditions started, how the carol has evolved, and how carols might very well have saved Christmas as a day of celebration! We also kick off a new story from the Lost Years of Santa Claus, this time going into the history of how Santa Claus got what we know as his sleigh! Another book, movie and TV episode or special is also in this episode, to get you completely in the holiday spirit! Don't forget to like and subscribe, as well as message us on Facebook, Twitter, or email us at [email protected]. Thanks so much!



Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

In this episode we kick off the Christmas season (the -ber months) first with a new feature! I'm giving a Christmas movie recommendation, a TV episode/special recommendation and a Christmas book recommendation at the start of each episode, please commend and email us with how you think the recommendation went! Next, we take a look into the Russian Santa Claus: Ded Moroz, also known as Grandfather Frost. With a deep history going back well before Saint Nicholas and many Western Christmas figures, this magical man has a fascinating history and a great story as well. We also talk about some related Eastern European characters and finish with part 3 of the story of Santa Claus and how he knows so many languages, how did he learn them and why?


Links:
Veliky Ustyug (Ded Moroz's home)
Troika (three horse sleigh)
Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden)
Bozic Bata (Christmas Brother from Serbia)




Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

Apologies about the sound quality on this episode, my voice sounds canned almost. I wasn't able to fix it in this episode but will for Part 3 of this series!

In today's episode we explore the history of snowmen in art, politics, and expression. We also briefly touch on the Yeti, shallowly diving in to the origins and history. Lastly, we conclude with Part 2 of our Lost Years of Santa Claus story. I hope you enjoy!


Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

In this episode (the first full episode of season 2!) we explore the history behind Christmas in July, the traditions that have helped it explode, and some global mentions and applications of Christmas in July. Finally, we conclude the episode with part 1 of a new story from The Lost Years of Santa Claus. Please like and subscribe to the podcast, and feel free to email us, find us on Facebook or Twitter and drop us a message!


Email: [email protected]
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LostChristmasP1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LostChristmasPodcast



Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0
holiday by Dee Yan-Key - CC by 3.0

In this episode, the first for Season 2!, we explore a small piece of some Christmas traditions of a few Native American tribes and how they have integrated, adapted, and influenced Christmas traditions in the Americas in their own special and unique way. There's a lot to unpack and go through, so there will likely be a part 2 of this at some point in the future.

Today's episode is short, and no story today. The Lost Tales of Santa Claus will continue next episode with an update on the whole story and what to expect in the coming episodes.

Links mentioned:
Santa Claus image
Quotes from Floyd Looks for Buffalo Hand


Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

In this finale to Season 1 we explore the origin of Christmas movies and the evolution of them through the decades! From the first Christmas movie in 1898 all they way through our current era, I'll dive into the how and why our movies have changed through the years. Lastly, we end the episode with part 3 of How Santa Claus knows what is going on in the world so easily. Subscribe, share and enjoy!




Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

This episode is a brief dive into the history and traditions (both Christian and otherwise) of greenery around the Christmas season! Going from Holly, Mistletoe, Christmas Trees and so much more, we explore how greenery came into the church, the home and now is an essential part of what we see at Christmastime! Lastly, we end with Part 2 of another tale from The Lost Years of Santa Claus.






Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

This episode briefly explains the origins of the Christmas markets around the world, where we can find some fantastic and diverse Christmas marketplaces, as well as some hidden gems that might not have heard of! We also start a new story from The Lost Year of Santa Claus - How Santa Claus knows what is going on with everyone and what they want. I hope you enjoy!

List of Markets:

• Famous locations:
  • Munich (German)
  • Bremen (Germany) 
  • Dresden (Germany)
  • Vienna (Austria) 
  • Salzburg (Austria)
  • Strasbourg (France)
  • Bath (England)
• Lesser known:
  • Jamaica (many locations)
  • Sapporo (Japan) 
  • Bangkok (Thailand)
  • Cusco (Peru)
  • Valkenburg (The Netherlands)
  • Royal Christmas Market (Hohenzollern Castle - Stuttgart)
  • Great Dickens Christmas Fair (San Francisco USA)
• Other markets in the US:
  • Chicago, Illinois
  • Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
  • Arlington, Texas
  • Helen, Georgia
  • Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

Certainly not comprehensive, but a great list to get you started on your Christmas market journey!

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

Alright, today is a long episode because there's just so much to get into! I've got a bunch of recipes for savory dishes, sweets, and drinks (both kid-friendly and adults-only) for you to try and enjoy, all Christmas-time traditions from around the world. We travel to 6 continents, tons of countries and you'll get a vast variety of food, drink, and awesome experiences from the recipes today! Lastly, we end the episode with Part 3 of How Santa gets into homes (hint: it's not a chimney). Thanks all, and please rate us and subscribe wherever possible!

Recipes:
Savory:
Tourtierre (French-Canadian mince pie)
Hangikjoet (Leg of lamb smoked over it's own poop)
Halaszle (Hungarian fish soup)
Feast of the 7 Fishes (Italian Christmas dinner)
Kucios sample (Lithuanian special dinner)
Lechon (Philippine suckling pig)
Vitel Tone (cold thinly sliced veal with cream tuna sauce)
Doro Wat (Ethiopian stew)
Calulu (fried fish with vegetables & tomato)

Sweet:
Fritule (Croatian beignets)
Kourabiedes (butter cookies)
Krumkake (thin crispy wafer cookies)
Christmas Pudding (UK staple)
Alfajores (dulce de leche sandwich cookies)
Malva Pudding (sponge-like cake with apricot & cream sauces)

Drinks (kid friendly):
Ponche Navideno (Mexican Christmas fruit punch)
Kompot (fresh & dried fruit mix punch)
Salep (Turkish drink thickened with special orchid flour)

Drinks (adults only):
Feuerzangenbowle (fire punch)
Mulled Wine
Sorrel Punch
Coquito
Monkey's Tail
Chapman

I have not tried all these recipes, so peruse at your risk!

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by

In this episode I talk about some of my favorite Santa Claus backstories and origins from movies and books, as well as some of the different types of Santa Claus back story styles that we see commonly. A few spoilers for movies (though some are 35 years old now so not really a spoiler) and books as well as some recommendations. And at the end, we continue The Lost Years of Santa Claus!

Links:
Books:
Christmas Chronicles books
Kringle
Santa Claus the Book of Secrets
The Story of Santa Claus
Movies:
Santa Claus: The Movie
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

In this episode we discuss and go over several evil characters from around the Christmas holiday from all over! The history and folklore behind malevolent characters in the yuletide season is deep and vast. Krampus is covered, of course, but listen today and I bet you'll learn about several more characters you've never heard of!

Links:
Kallikantzaroi
Belsnickel

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claw11010s is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

Who doesn't love having more days to celebrate? We all know about Christmas and New Year's Day, but what about the lesser-known days that call for celebrating and revelry? Well, today we dive deep to find as many pre-Christmas celebration days as we possibly can, full of background and holiday spirit! And, as always - stay tuned until the end of the episode to hear another condensed passage from The Lost Years of Santa Claus, this episode ends the backstory of Santa Claus and his bag - what it is and how he acquired such an amazing item.

Days mentioned in this episode:
November 2nd - All Souls’ Day 

November 11th - St Martin’s Day / Old Halloween / Old Hallowmas Eve 

November 14th - Feast of St. Philip (Holy Apostle Philip)

November 15th - Fast of St. Philip 

November 15th, 16th, or 17th - Fast of the Nativity (also known as fast of St. Philip)

November 25th - St Catherine’s Day 

November 30th - St Andrew’s Day

December 4th - St Barbara’s Day 

December 6th - St Nicholas’s Day 

December 7th - Feast of the Immaculate Conception  / Night of the Screams

December 8th - Los Sieses (dance of the six in Spain)

December 9th - Modern Feast of St. Philip 

December 10th - Modern Fast of St. Philip

December 12th - Celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe 

December 13th - St Lucy’s Day 

December 16th - Novena (beginning of Posadas!)

December 17th - Start of Saturnalia (through Dec 24th) 

December 20th - St. Ignatius’s Day (only in Romania)

December 21st - St Thomas’s Day

December 22th - El Gordo / Lottery for Christmas

December 23rd - Night of the Radishes / St. Thorlak’s Day

December 24th - Christmas Eve

December 25th - Christmas Day

Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

In this episode we dive into some Christmas traditions from all around the world! From southeast Asia to South and Central America, Europe and the USA too. There are some really fantastic traditions that I am hoping to make part of my own family's holiday season moving forward. Lastly, the episode ends with part 1 of Santa Claus and how he gets his bag, a tale from the Lost Years of Santa Claus. Please feel free to send us a message at [email protected] or follow us on Twitter and Facebook!


Links:
China and apples at Christmas
Mari Lwyd 
Iceland book exchange at Christmas


Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

Today we talk about some animals that don't get the attention or recognition that they deserve around the Christmas holidays! With so many stories and myths from all over the world, we explore and introduce some new holiday traditions and histories of animals at Christmas that I hope you enjoy! If you have any comments or just want to reach out, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or email me at [email protected]!

Links from show:
Story of Sleipnir the eight-legged horse
Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey


Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

This episode goes into detail about the history of the Wild Hunt across many varied places in Europe, the history of this spectral group, and who leads it! There's a deep history behind the characters and background of The Wild Hunt and while popularized in some ways by the Witcher series of books and games, the actual history goes back quite a long way. We explore the connections between some Christmas traditions and the Wild Hunt, and as always - we end with another condensed passage from The Lost Years of Santa Claus. This episode reads part 2 of the story behind Santa Claus and his reindeer. Listen, share and enjoy! Be sure to email your thoughts, critiques, questions and anything else to [email protected]. 


Links referenced in episode:
The Wild Hunt movie
The Witcher series of books



Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

Today I talk about the reindeer, the iconic Santa Claus companions. The history of Santa with reindeer in media is discussed and a few nuggets of information are provided, including what the first actual mention of Santa Claus with reindeer is and where you can find it! Lastly, we kick off a new story in the book The Lost Years of Santa Claus  with the first portion of how Santa and his reindeer came together. As always, reach out to me via email: [email protected] as I would love to hear from you!


Links mentioned:
Old Santeclaus with Much Delight
L Frank Baum's Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
Where to watch Prancer
Olive the Other Reindeer




Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

In this episode I go over the history of leaving food for Santa, and what we all leave for him in various places around the globe! There are some really interesting traditions and maybe you and your family can incorporate some of them into your holiday traditions this year too. Lastly, the first story of Santa Claus is wrapped up as we continue reading The Lost Years of Santa Claus and we find out where Kris is and what has happened to him.


Links referenced in episode (haven't tried these recipes):
Risengrod
Laufabread
Piparkukas
Egusi soup with Fufu


Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

With so many opinions abounding about what is a Christmas movie and what isn't, I wanted to give my personal thoughts on the topic, as well as addressing a few movies that tend to get some attention and cause plenty of disagreement. After that, I give my top 5 Christmas movies and then finally we conclude with the next portion of the book: The Lost Years of Santa Claus!


Movies discussed in the episode:

• Die Hard
• Gremlins
• The Nightmare Before Christmas
• Frozen
• Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
• Rise of the Guardians
• Batman Returns
• Bad Santa

Books referenced in podcast:
The Guardians of Childhood series



Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

In this episode I dive into some of the many female characters of Christmas that we do not hear enough about. The diversity, intensity, and unique flair that each of these personas present is astounding, and I think we would do ourselves a lot of good by reintroducing some of these characters into our Christmas traditions.


Links mentioned in episode:
Article on Berchta
Saint Lucia Day celebrations and information link




Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0

In this episode I discuss the history behind St Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, and Santa Claus. I briefly discuss the backstory behind these gift-giving, holiday personas. Lastly, I read part of the introduction to The Lost Years of Santa Claus, a book of Santa's lost tales that recounts important stories and fills in gaps within Santa's history.


Links to things mentioned in the episode:
St Nicholas story of reviving children: link









Special thanks to:
The Christmas Song/Heaven/Slow 3/4 Song by Peter Evans, Tom Blancarte, and Brandon Seabrook - CC by 3.0
Santa Claws is Coming by Ergo Phizmiz - CC by 3.0