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So this episode is late.  The Festive Fans had to attend a family celebration and a memorable party, but it was not Christmas.  It was a wedding, an event that is surprisingly similar to our favorite holiday.  They are both bright, warm, and full of promise.  I thought about this while sitting on a beach in the dark, meditating about life, in the moonlit shadow of a beautiful Chicago skyline. Also, I considered how a tuxedo was never meant to be worn in the sand.

I sat there, half-buried in the beach, my shorts full of wet grit, staring at the horizon as the sun made its slow entrance.  I was thinking about how special times can create joy in our ordinary lives.  We crave these common rituals that bind us together, because they heighten our emotions when something special is taking place.

Like the day after Christmas, the morning after a wedding has the same touch of melancholy.  I felt a bit sad, but also was filled with gratitude and reflection, because the wedding event was over.  In my nostalgic funk, I also began to think about tonight’s movie, Bodies at Rest.  It is from 2019, but it feels like a retro 1980s thriller.  The story begins on a stormy Christmas Eve, when an armed force takes over a public facility to help cover for one of its gang, who recently committed a crime.  Now this may sound a lot like the premise for Die Hard 2, but it is instead a Chinese action flick, filmed in Hong Kong, and directed by the same Renny Harlin.  It features bad guys wearing Santa, Elf, and Rudolph masks, and a hero pathologist with the seasonally appropriate name of Nick.

My musings brought me full circle to Hong Kong, a region that offers the same enchantment of Christmas, with how it combines tradition and modernity together. It’s a place that dazzles with its brilliant glow.  Hong Kong has experienced a lot in the past 25 years when it transferred to China after 156 years of British rule. I considered all of this as I watched the sun crawl over the horizon in my disheveled outfit.  In the same way that the day after Christmas and the day after a wedding are not about endings, neither was the handover of Hong Kong.  While celebrations shine brightly for a time, the days that follow can feel empty and quiet when our memories shift from the present into the past. But, like a fragile ornament, if handled with care, the new times will endure and become stronger, lasting, and real.

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The Festive Fans decided to trek northeast to Greenland to see what the fuss was about.  We found an incredible place the land of the Vikings, filled with towering icebergs, spectacular fjords, incredible wildlife, and the Northern Lights.  OK, so now we get it.

We also watched a Christmas film called Krudt and Kaerlighed (Gunpowder and Love) from 2019, we learned about some of their favorite holiday traditions, and we discovered a spotty history with the U.S., and maybe the reason why the Greenlanders aren’t so enthused with our severe case of the gimmes.

We realize, it’s not easy being Greenland:

It’s Not Easy Being Greenland
(to the tune of “Bein’ Green”)

It’s not that easy being Greenland,
ice and snow is pretty much only what we have,
and then the U.S. comes and they want to take, or possess or own us
or make us the fifty-first state like that

Its not easy being Greenland,
When you were not planning to be offered up for sale,
But now we’re considered to be “prime real estate”,
with flashy elements and minerals
That now make you desirable

but Greenland’s what you are,
and you’re happily cold and friendly-like
and Greenland is
home
to glaciers
the land
of the Vikings
and lit
by the northern lights

When Greenland is all you want to be
It can make you wonder why
Why change it why change it
We are Greenland
And we do fine
we are Danish ruled
And we know it’s what we want to be

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Season 3, Episode 3 – Ukiutoqqami Pilluaritsi/Krudt and Kaerlighed “Happy New Year/Gunpowder & Love” (Greenland)

Festive Fans Unite! (send us a message)

And so it begins … in Estonia!

We kick off the Festive Fans new season in this small but mighty Eastern European country.  Estonia is a captivating place with considerable natural assets, and, as Mark reminds us, feminine beauty.  Just ask him to name five models from there.  It is no wonder that our film addresses Estonians deep respect for the outdoors.  This is one of the most forested countries in Europe, with over half of its land covered in dense woods, scenic coastlines, and well-preserved natural areas.

The best journeys often begin in the most unexpected places, so Estonia is the perfect location to launch our third season.  This location not only sports medieval streets and ancient castles, but it is a cutting-edge technology hub.  The blend of old world and modern technology is a lot like the Festive Fans – two senior guys who may have stumbled into a recording studio looking for the bathroom.

Our new season provides us fresh ideas and possibilities.  We want it to be a lot like Estonia – compact yet bold, and familiar but full of surprises.  Estonia, despite its size, has reinvented itself since regaining independence in the 1990s.  There is a sense of ambition and entrepreneurship there.  Despite our limited niche, we plan to embrace the scrappy, can-do spirit of Estonia and apply it to our podcast.  We will adopt that Estonian charm and love for surroundings, as we take you along on our yuletide adventures to those always curious but less explored places…  Let’s have a wild ride!

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We’re sizzling all the way into a Festive Fans milestone moment — it’s our two-year anniversary and we’re inviting you to join the celebration!

For 50 episodes, we’ve been traveling the globe and unwrapping the world’s best gifts — Christmas movies, music, and memories found in so many different places.  We have visited nearly every continent and observed the unique traditions and customs found in other countries. It’s heartwarming to realize how, despite our language barriers and cultural differences, we all still enjoy a festive connection and share a little holiday magic, be it delivered by a saint, a goat, a witch, 3 Kings, or a log.

After two years, listeners should know that being a Festive Fan requires more than just curiosity.  Whether you’ve been with us from the start or just jumped aboard recently, we don’t believe the Christmas spirit is limited to one specific season.  You can always find time to share joy, wonder, and generosity throughout the year.

In a society that likes to highlight those unfortunate traits that set us apart, Festive Foreign Film Fans offers a welcome alternative.  Our podcast is a window into the colorful history and vibrant experiences of other cultures.  Knowledge provides the bridges we need to cross over our perceived divides of race, nationality, religion, and politics.  By embracing and understanding our foreign neighbors, we can focus on finding common ground instead of obsessing over our differences.  As Festive Fans, we should all feel a little more human together.

This is the true reason for our celebration.  So, grab an El Presidente Margarita and raise a toast to the festive stories, laughter, and community that we have enjoyed for these two wonderful years. And get ready for Season Three.  We are still going strong and the excitement is just starting to build!

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The Festive Fans take this episode to Ethiopia to answer that age-old question: “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”  Well, yes they do.  In fact, it’s a lot different than what you might imagine.  They like fasting, then eating, then playing a competitive field hockey game played like medieval combat.  It’s an ancient tradition carried on now with neighbor against neighbor or town against town.  Typically, it is played by men only, and it is supposed to be the game that the shepherds played the night that Jesus was born – “allegedly”.

Oh, and for Christmas, Ethiopians will dress in white.  And it’s not on December 25th, it’s on January 7, according to the calendar of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.  So, they do know how to celebrate.  In fact, they spend forty-three days getting ready.  Before all the feasting begins, they must fast to be physically and spiritually ready for the big event.  In Ethiopia, Christmas isn’t just a holiday—it’s a full-body experience – and they avoid eating meat, dairy, or animal products in those days leading up to Christmas. It is called the Fast of the Prophets.

When the families do gather to eat, they enjoy doro wat (spicy chicken stew), eaten with injera (a sourdough flatbread).  Someone will also usually butcher a goat in their backyard, which is another holiday custom.  Although, you won’t learn any of this from our featured film Crumbs, a post-apocalyptic futuristic sci-fi adventure featuring an angry Santa.  It may be avant-garde.  It may be alternative.  It may be independent.  You decide, but it’s just not festive.

We hope our visit here in 2025 may change some perceptions.  Too often, Ethiopia and Christmas are associated with the Band Aid song.  It may seem patronizing, culturally insensitive, or overly simplistic today, but let’s give it a break.  We know that the title of the song — Do They Know It’s Christmas? – may feel condescending.  Obviously, as Ethiopia is home to some of the oldest Christian traditions in the world, of course they know about Christmas.

However, this question is rhetorical.  It’s about how, at that time, with so many suffering from extreme hunger, whether anyone would feel that it’s Christmas. The song isn’t about questioning Ethiopian faith; it’s challenging how everyone else can celebrate in comfort while the Ethiopians were facing a natural disaster and a horrible famine, compounded by war, displacement, and logistical collapse. International aid was desperately needed and although the lyrics may seem awkward today, they did shock the world into awareness and action.  The song wasn’t written to teach about geography or theology. It was written to raise money for food aid and medical supplies, and it worked tremendously.

So let’s put the past aside.  Come enjoy a trip to celebrate a beautiful country that is, at times, vibrant, messy, joyful and holy, but always with a big heart and a proud heritage.

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The Festive Fans are on spring break, so we are veering off our main road to take  a new scenic route.  Instead of exploring a foreign country this episode, we are setting the way back machine 65 years to a magical time of those grand scale, over the top, larger than life films, with a literal army of extras and actors who don’t just act—they command the screen. We are instantly being transported back to Ancient Rome to witness the Biblical drama of Ben Hur.

Why, you might wonder, has your favorite podcast abandoned its Christmas pretense to tackle this epic Hollywood classic — trading in snow and boots for sandals and capes?  Well, while we love our cookies and eggnog, there are still times when we crave a jellybean or a Cadbury egg.  So, we have set off on a seasonal side quest to learn about the pastel fever dream that is spring’s answer to Christmas – yes, we are talking about Easter!  It’s still festive, full of sugar, and a good holiday-themed excuse to listen to ourselves talk. Think of it less like changing discussion topics and more like taking a holiday from our holiday… to talk about another holiday!

So, set down your bunny tail, grab a Peep and let’s kick back to enjoy the heavy eyeliner, dramatic pauses, and some wacky foreign Easter customs.  Ze smelten de Paashaas!

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A talking dog?  A racing turtle?  Pizza with ashes?  A one-eyed bald man? What does this all have to do with Christmas?

Find out this episode as we head out to one of the most biodiverse countries in the world to take on the Solar System or the Del Solar System.  From the Andes Mountains to the Amazon Rainforest, it is Christmas Eve in Peru — a place with a colorful history and a fascinating civilization — and the Festive Fans want to know how they celebrate.  Grab a hot chocolate and a piece of Paneton, slather it with butter, and settle down for a spirited evening at a home in Lima where an extended family is gathering for the holiday.  There will be fireworks, and not just at midnight.

Based on a popular play, El sistema solar is a Santa sack filled with outrageous lies, an intra-family love triangle, and shocking revelations, and that’s all before dinner is served. Come join us on an intriguing multicultural trip to one of the most culturally complex countries in the world, plus you get to learn how to say Merry Christmas in Quechuan!

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The Festive Fans are travelling this episode to a locale that is not known as being either festive or much of a Christmas fan, but it is the cradle of civilization. It is the birthplace of the first laws, written language, rich history and archaeological sites.  It is Iraq — a country that the U.S. has been fighting for more than three decades.  However, like the mythic Hatfield and McCoy feuding families, we often forget what initially led us down this path of combat.  It all started back in 1990, when Iraq’s dictator, Saddam Hussein, invaded its neighbor Kuwait to seize its oil reserves. The United States led a coalition of countries and liberated Kuwait in less than 40 days.  The simmering dispute with Saddam Hussein continued into the 2000s. After September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush was convinced that Saddam Hussan was behind the terrorist attacks and falsely believed he was developing weapons of mass destruction.  In March 2003, U.S. forces invaded Iraq vowing to destroy the weapons and end Saddam Hussein’s rule. We did topple Saddam Hussein, but only after spending $800 billion, and sacrificing the lives of 4,500 Americans and over 100,000 Iraqis. The long shadow of the invasion still looms over our relations with Iraq today, twenty years later.

Our effort here is simple.  We want to get beyond the bad feelings created through decades of war and learn how, if it all, Christmas is celebrated in Iraq.  We review a short film called Santa Claus in Baghdad from 2008, which is a modern Middle Eastern take on O. Henry’s Gift of the Magi.  The storyline is interesting, but with non-Iraqi actors, it does raise the question of how accurate it depicts modern day Iraq.  We also learn of the Assyrian Christians who have lived in this area for 6,000 years. They have faced consistent persecution for centuries but are still active in modern day Iraq with Christmas trees and Santa Claus.  Join us now as we embark on a journey through history and time to a land of expansive deserts, snow-covered mountains, and charming villages.  We all may still be recovering from years of conflict, but we can assist with the healing.

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2025 kicks off in a big way with a big country. We travel this episode to one of the cradles of civilization.  It’s a place with a rich history and a diverse geography.  Considered to be one of the four exceptional civilizations, it has nearly 18% of the world population, spans the equivalent of five time zones, and borders fourteen countries.  We are exploring the People’s Republic of China!  This is an ancient culture that has only recently begun to recognize Christmas in the last few decades, and yet China manufactures more than two thirds of the Christmas decorations in the world.  We discover Yiwu in tonight’s film, Merry Christmas, Yiwu, a documentary about a city in China with over 11 million residents and 600 factories.  It is an area surrounded by Christmas all year long.

Unlike our other holiday films, this one presents a different perspective.  It features real people living in crowded dormitories and dealing with long hours, chemical fumes, glitter and glue guns – all to make our Christmas celebrations shiny and bright.  We see workers gluing pompoms onto Christmas hats, dipping colored balls into glitter, checking Christmas tree lights, and assembling Santas and reindeers. Most of them do not know about Christmas. It is not a part of their culture and they do not understand what the fuss is about. It is a striking contrast to watch how these residents travel miles away from their families and loved ones to live at their jobs in order to provide for themselves, and for us. After watching this, Christmas decorating will never feel the same.

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Season 2, Episode 13 – Merry Christmas, Yiwu (The People’s Republic of China)