In today’s episode, Todd Killian from Christmas Clatter stops by and we enjoy a cozy chat. (This is the full interview that you heard a portion of in the Christmas Extravaganza episode.) Todd and I talk about:

-podcasting

-working at the USPS

-The Weather, Family, and Christmas

-The Killian Family Cookie Day

-Christmas Trees

-An exclusive never-before-told Todd Killian Christmas memory!

-I also share a story with Todd about why my sister sends me a penny at Christmas.

Check out Todd’s podcast at https://www.christmasclatter.com/ and sign up for his upcoming newsletter!

I’ll be back in a few days with an episode with a story and some listener memories. Take care everyone and have a Merry Christmas!

Help Support the show at https://ko-fi.com/cozychristmas

We have a tale of two musicians today in this 2nd part from yesterday’s Cozy Christmas Music episode.

First up is singer/songwriter Lucas Morgan. He is 17yo high school student who has just made his first album, called “Get Your Christmas On”. It was so fun talking to a young man who knows what he wants to do and is going after it with passion. We chat about his album, his favorite music, and Christmas! Keep an eye on this kid – I think he’s going to do great things!

You can find his album on amazon or sample it on youtube.

Here is his website: https://lucashuntermorgan.wixsite.com/lucasmorganmusic

His Spotify link:   Grab your Christmas bratwursts everyone, because next I talk to Jake from the Chardon Polka Band. Like Lucas, he began to get interested in music while in school. Now he is a full time musician and brings the joy of polka music where he goes. Their new album, A Very Polka Christmas, brings some much needed fun to 2020.   Hit the links below for more info and music! It’s polka-liscious.   www.chardonpolkaband.com facebook.com/thechardonpolkaband http://www.youtube.com/thechardonpolkaband

Have yourself a Totally Rad Christmas, Dudes!

Today’s guest is THE Gerry Davilla from A Totally Rad Christmas, and as you can tell right from the beginning, this episode is far out and gnarly and… all those other 1980’s terms I can’t remember. It begins with my very worst impression of one of my very favorite podcasters… and it derails from there… as you’ll hear in the interview, I left all the bloopers in. 🙂

Gerry and I get together and we laughed a lot, we told stories, we talked about movies, about the 80’s, we had some moments of loud laughter and deep thoughts about our families and a little bit about faith, too. Come sit with us by the cozy Christmas fire, and enjoy today’s episode!

I share a story a listener sent me about a special memory she has of her grandpa, and then I read “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry and reflect on the story for a few moments.

There’s a lot of fun you won’t want to miss! Later dudes…

Music Credits:

Deck the Halls by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100263

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Angels We Have Heard by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?collection=004&page=1

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

SILENT NIGHT by John Vallis (johnvallis.co.uk) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

It’s Part 1 of a 2 Part episode focused on A Christmas Carol!

In today’s episode, I sit down with author Gina Dalfonzo and talk about the theme of redemption in A Christmas Carol. She had a new book published this year called The Gospel in Dickens, and if you’re interested in the theology of Charles Dickens you should check it out.

So come on in, sit down by the Christmas fire as we discuss some of the theology found in A Christmas Carol.

And stay tuned for the next episode – it’s dropping on December 14, and we will have a very special guest who comes by to chat more about A Christmas Carol.

Note: Religion can be a touchy subject. I know that all my listeners will have different views in their beliefs, and I in no way want to exclude anyone from this episode or the conversation. I’m here to learn and my hope is that this episode gives us all a deeper understanding of the text of A Christmas Carol and the religious beliefs of Charles Dickens that did influence a lot of his writing.

More about Gina Dalfonzo:

Dickensblog

The Gospel in Dickens

You can help support the show: https://ko-fi.com/cozychristmas

Music:

Deck the Halls by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100263

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Pack your bags and grab your movie popcorn we’re going to Canada… I visit with author and Christmas movie lover Rachel McMillan and her new book “A Very Merry Holiday Movie Guide”! If you have a movie fan in your life – especially fans of Hallmark Christmas movies, this book is a great gift idea.

Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089K2BVBW/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Rachel McMillan’s Website: https://www.rachelmcmillan.net/

I also read an entry from my wife’s blog who is writing some advent reflections this year. togetherforgood.wordpress.com

(This episode was delayed because of COVID, and was supposed to air before Thanksgiving. That’s why you’ll hear me talk about Thanksgiving as if it were still coming.)

No, not presents… PRESENCE.

In today’s episode I interview singer songwriter Rehya Stevens. We talk about her album Celebrate and we have a lot of laughs sharing Christmas memories. We talk about the importance of giving our presence – that’s with a “c” not “t”! – and being there for our family and each other this during this difficult time. This is one of the most enjoyable interviews I’ve had so far, and I can’t wait for you all to hear it.

My listener memory comes from my sister, and she talks about the joy of baking Christmas cookies with our Grandma.

I know it’s past Thanksgiving, but I have another Thanksgiving story to share: I read A Mystery in the Kitchen by Olive Thorne Miller. It’s a tender story of a sister named Jessie who’s brother has run away from home. And why is Jessie sneaking around in the kitchen?

If you’d like to support the show: https://ko-fi.com/cozychristmas

The song that follows the story is called Song for a Winter’s Night by The Nancies. It’s a beautiful song, and you should check them out.

Music:

Deck the Halls by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100263

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Song for a Winters Night

URL: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/The_Nancies/Yuletide_Entertainments_2012/The_Nancies_-_Yuletide_Entertainments_2012_-_02_Song_for_a_Winters_Night

Comments: http://freemusicarchive.org/

Copyright: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Christmas Eve

http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Borrtex/Christmas_Time/03_Christmas_Eve

Comments: http://freemusicarchive.org/

Copyright: Attribution-NonCommercial: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Are you in the mood for a simple Christmas? In this episode, I have a phone interview with author Nancy Carey Johnson and talk about her book “The Vermont Homesteader’s Christmas Memories”. We talk about her book, homesteading, Christmas music, pets and we share heartwarming stories of family, friends, and Jolly the Christmas dog. It’s a conversation you won’t want to miss! And her book is full of many more wonderful stories.

Gracie and I have a chat about our hopes for Thanksgiving… she wants to see her Grandma and Grandpa, and I want to eat my weight in stuffing and turkey.

Then for our story, I read a couple of poems. “Christmas Carol” by Paul Laurence Dunbar, and “War Time Christmas” by World War I poet Joyce Kilmer.

Episode:

02:40 Interview with Nancy Carey Johnson

36:20 Gracie and I talk Thanksgiving!

44:18 Christmas Poems: Christmas Carol by Paul Laurence Dunbar, Wartime Christmas by Joyce Kilmer

Music Credits:

Deck the Halls by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100263

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Angels We Have Heard by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?collection=004&page=1

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

SILENT NIGHT by John Vallis (johnvallis.co.uk) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Hold on to your hats, I’m talking to three guests today!

There is a great community of Christmas fans that gather together on mymerrychristmas.com. Today I interview three of members of the website community that have used their creative talents to bring Christmas cheer.

I speak to Bill from thevillagecollector.com. He is a collector of Christmas villages and has an amazing website that showcases all of the decorative talents he and others have done over the years. We talk about his website, Christmas villages, and share some great family Christmas memories. 

Then, I’m joined on the phone by new author Sandra Macauley who has written a Christmas book called “A Town Called Festive”. We talk about her book, writing, and the joys of living in a small town. And of course we talk about Christmas too.

And finally, Sean from The Christmas Podcasts Podcast at https://christmaspodcasts.com/ stops by and we chat about podcasting, Christmas, Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and we share some of our favorite Christmas memories.

mymerrychristmas.com has gathered together an amazing group of creative peoples of all types and hobbies. Once you’ve enjoyed hearing these folks come on over to the forums!

Stories for Halloween, Vol 1, Part 3 The Goblins Who Stole a Sexton by Charles Dickens.

Happy Halloween! The final story in our trilogy of terror and weirdness comes from Charles Dickens. Gabriel Grub is a mean old sexton, and we find him digging a grave late on Christmas Eve. What could possibly go wrong?

This has been a fun way to celebrate Halloween during quarantine, and also to read some classic scary Christmas stories. I’ll have a new regular episode out on Monday! Stay safe, and eat lots of candy for me tonight.

Episode Music:

“Tiptoes” by Aaron Kenny

“Remembering Her”, “Piano Journey” by Esther Abrami

“Maestro Tlakaelel” by Jesse Gallagher