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10th Anniversary of the Merry Podcast
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10th Anniversary of the Merry Podcast

This special episode marks our 10th anniversary of the Merry Podcast. What better way to celebrate International Podcast Day?

Given the harshness of our times  in 2020 we thought the best way to celebrate this milestone would be to take a look back at some of the best moments of the Christmas community online. In other words, we’re not making this episode about us – it’s about YOU!

If you’re down, weary, worried, concerned, fed-up, or depressed this episode is for you. You will smile. You may laugh a little. You could even shed a tear. But you’ll feel better. You WILL feel the Christmas Spirit.

In this episode we get another great conversation with Ballcoach, one of our cherished members of the Merry Forums of MyMerryChristmas.com. He delivers once again a great conversation that’s all Christmas – showcasing in no small measure just what Christmas community online means.

Then we take a look back at Merry Podcast history. The world has changed a lot in just a decade – and so has the Merry Podcast. We discuss some special podcast contributions that have come from our members, including a great Christmas memory surrounding one of the classic songs of Christmas.

And speaking of music, there’s plenty in this episode to enjoy that will uplift and inspire.

We take a look as well at the community efforts of Santa’s Sleigh – our coordinated little crowd-sourced outreach to folks in need.

Can it really be 10 years already?

Look at the Christmases we have had!

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Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: 10th Anniversary of the Merry Podcast

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Scrooge
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Scrooge is the most recognizable character in the history of Christmas, second only to Santa Claus. The mere mention of his name immediately brings to mind images that are both good and bad.

His story – A Christmas Carol – is known around the world, in multiple languages, and in nearly every corner of the world. Every year, it is a story told and retold on stages large and small. It is a story read and re-read by Christmas fans everywhere.

Charles Dickens did not invent Christmas but he did invite Scrooge, a difficult man who reflects all of us more than he contrasts with us. In fact, the long we study Ebenezer Scrooge the more we begin to see all that we share in common with him.

Who played him best? Was it Alastair Sim? Was it Michael Caine? Was it Patrick Stewart?

We found that the better the Jacob Marley, the better the Scrooge. In fact, we delve a little into the necessity of having the right Marley and how he makes Scrooge that much more interesting.

In this new episode of the Merry Little Podcast we examine Scrooge and the many performances given to us of Scrooge on film. We discuss his creation and just what his character means to those of love Christmas.

We are also introduced to the first new Christmas music of the 2020 season. You hear the first new offering from Jim Brickman, a great new Christmas original titled Winter Waltz:

Jim Brickman

We are also fortunate enough to have a sneak peek at a new album by Luke McMaster and his new song, Christmas Present:

Luke McMaster

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Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: Scrooge

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The Victorian Christmas Part VI
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Merry Little PodcastOur series on the Victorian Christmas concludes with an in-depth look at the stuff of Christmas – the décor, the music, the food and the celebration.

We also get a good look at the fads, which include the runaway tradition of Christmas cards that, for some, got a bit out of hand. The dialogue, the poetry and the debates of Christmas cards are discussed as part of an exploration of the relationships between men and women – and they their gift giving differed during the late 19th century.

We also share the unforgotten classical Christmas music of the Santa Claus Christmas Symphony, a masterpiece written before Jingle Bells in the early 1850s and we explain why it hasn’t achieved the well-known status of other Christmas music of the time. You can hear this great piece of music via this video:

The Victorian Era closes with the well-known story of Virginia O’Hanlon and her query “Is there really a Santa Claus?” You know that story.

But what you might not know is why she could have posed the question in the first place. We explore the blow back that developed late in the 1890s not only to the idea of Santa Claus but also to the idea of the Christmas tree, Christmas decorating and holiday gift giving.

No discussion of this time would be complete without exploring the food of the time and we cover the big items of Christmas turkey, cookies, eggnog…and rum.

Images of Christmas during the 1880s and 1890s:








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Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: The Victorian Christmas Part VI

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The Victorian Christmas, Part V
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The Victorian Christmas is named after England’s Queen Victoria. Victoria very famously and quite unexpectedly became Queen around the age of 18 or so. She was young, pretty and different compared to England’s royalty of the past. Her coronation took the world by storm and was big news, especially in America.

She was an iconic figure during an expansive time. But did she really do anything for Christmas?

Modern historians on both sides of the Atlantic credit Victoria and her German husband, Prince Albert, for influencing Christmas in the 19th Century. Biography.com, Wikipedia, History.com, the BBC and Victoriana Magazine are all examples of credible publications making such claims.

In this shocking episode we have to debunk that and expose the truth that when it came to Christmas England’s Queen Victoria and Prince Albert actually contributed little.

Victoria’s story was pushed by an American woman’s magazine who used a London newspaper’s image of Victoria’s Christmas and changed it. The magazine “Americanized” the Royal family shown in the picture. Here are the pictures side-by-side:

Queen Victoria Christmas

Is this 19th century “fake news”? Can you spot the differences? Did the new image actually mean anything? How many people of 1850 actually saw the picture? And more importantly did the image inspire Americans to actually go out and bring Christmas trees into their home?

This episode explores what actually happened with the evolution of the Christmas tree in America – and what really drove it. We take a look at Christmas ornaments of the time — and how they differed between the UK and the US.

This episode tells the story of the Little Match Girl, the Holly and the Ivy, and the “rugged individualism” of American Christmas decorations and Christmas Eve traditions. Exposed as well is yet another version of the Christmas pickle story and just what stocking stuffers during the 19th century looked like.

And, back by popular demand, is another salute to the American Christmas tradition of pumpkin, including a classic American story of General Ulysses S. Grant that you just have to hear.

In all, this is a surprising episode of the Christmas stuff of the Victorian Christmas. And there’s more yet to come!

Sponsor of this episode:

 

 

 

 

 

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Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: The Victorian Christmas, Part V

 

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The Victorian Christmas, Part IV
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The Victorian Christmas had it all. In this episode, it takes a dark turn thanks to the powerful lessons brought on by the American Civil War.

Is it wrong to say this is an important episode?

Candidly, I tell you few episodes have affected me as emotionally as this one did. It was necessary to dig deep into journals and letters from this time period. What they went through, how they felt and what they said is frankly haunting.

Thomas Nast Civil War ChristmasChristmas was, up to the time of the war, a more joyous time.

For these years, what happened with the war turned Christmas into a sobering, reflective time for everyone.

Nobody was immune and all had to endure Christmases that were frankly painful for what they missed. But Christmas was also a heartfelt teacher during these years. Their lessons are ones we simply cannot ignore.

Nobody teaches us more about the tragedy of the times and the meaning of Christmas — and Thanksgiving — than the singular and surprising figure of Abraham Lincoln.

We explore Lincoln’s personal Christmas history like few have ever done. While it is not noted at all by most historians we give Lincoln his due not because he was a huge fan of Christmas but because he understood the joy and the pain of Christmas to nearly every generation around him.

He saw it — and he reacted to it in brilliant, significant ways.

Lincoln partnered with a much younger but infinitely talented man named Thomas Nast. The Victorian Christmas would be marked by the imprint of Santa’s image that Nast left behind.

Though Lincoln’s tenure was brief his impact on both Thanksgiving and Christmas should never be forgotten. He helped shape what we call today the American Christmas.

The Civil War was also a huge turning point in technology. We explore all of that in this episode. How trains changed mass transportation — and Christmas. And how what was bought for Christmas shifted so quickly after the power of industries adjusted to post-war life. We learn that Christmas turned from the homemade to the store-bought largely due to the advances brought on by the war.

We explore how the war left emotional scars that are still felt today. We dig into the numbers of the Civil War. And we break it all down to a very personal level, as well.

If you listen to only one episode in this series about the Victorian Christmas, make it this one. That’s how important it is.

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Title: The Victorian Christmas, Part IV

 

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The Victorian Christmas, Part III
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The Victorian Christmas is defined by many diverse things over a 60-year period of the 19th century. In this episode of the Merry Little Podcast we explore the struggle the media had in defining the very face of Christmas during the Victorian Era – Santa Claus.

Moore’s poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas, made very clear who Santa was and what he looked like. But from the start of the century to the end, Santa evolved into two really different looking men — thanks to the media, to product producers and merchants who all laid claim to him.

This episode explains why and how that happened.

We also delve into Christmas for the American slave, the song O Little Town of Bethlehem, and we share the names of great Christmas influencers of the century that we don’t hear much about any more – namely the writers Edgar Allan Poe and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

This episode also touches on the emerging 19th century trend in recognizing Thanksgiving as an official holiday. Although Thanksgiving had enjoyed better than 200 years of celebration in the United States it really came together with Christmas in the mid-19th century as part of one very meaningful season for Victorian celebrants. Thanksgiving, too, brought its share of superstars to the 19th century Christmas table.

This episode happily features the brilliant work of Tom Mucenieks with his song titled Jingle Bells: Sad Christmas. See his links at:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc2HRnNnK8o
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toms.mucenieks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toms.mucenieks2
Twitter: https://twitter.com/toms_mucenieks

Episode sponsor – Christmas Hall of Fame:
Christmas Hall of Fame

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Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: The Victorian Christmas, Part III

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The Victorian Christmas, Part II
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The Victorian Christmas is a complex thing. In this merry episode we pull back the layers to expose great music, great events and great traditions of the time. Not surprisingly much of it has survived and it influences our Christmas today.

For example, one of the great traditions of the era was sleigh rides. This was another holdover tradition from the 18th century but one that seemed to gain steam and attention in the quickly evolving media in the 19th century. That tradition gave rise to music associated with sleigh rides, most notably the song Jingle Bells. We explore the history of Jingle Bells and dispel the myth that the song only became popular after the advent of sound recordings.

That’s just not true. The song was a hit out the gate and it quickly became a favorite of Christmas. We explain how that is true and why it matters in this episode.

Curious enough, so much of the music of the Victorian Christmas was centered at Church. Even the very secular song of Jingle Bells debuted in a church. Churches were central to the celebration of Christmas in the 19th century. We explore why that is true and why it is important.

Dovetailing with all these religious and cultural things of the 19th century was the overarching theme of the Magi. The Magi were a popular theme in song, in worship, in art, in stage plays and especially music. All of these is discussed in depth.

There is a lot to learn about this time in Christmas history. And we’re not done yet. Part three discusses the rockstars of the 19th century and how all of them had ties to Christmas.

We’re pleased to feature the music of the Gardiner Sisters in this episode and we’re grateful for their gracious contribution. Please visit them at this link to hear more of their music.

We are grateful as well for our sponsor of this episode, Magic Christmas Ornament.

Magic Christmas Ornament

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Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: The Victorian Christmas, Part II

In this special edition of the Merry Little Podcast we get a little personal.

We often get asked about the Merry Forums and what makes it so special. This episode gives you a look into that world.

Added in 2004, the Merry Forums has been a gathering place for people online to celebrate Christmas together. In this episode one member of our forum family, BallCoach is what he goes by, asked if part of Christmas in July he could include a few personal conversations between him and other forum members.

That’s clue #1 about the Christmas community online. Folks are always stepping up — always contributing in creative ways.

I didn’t have a thing to do with this at all — other than putting it up here. In this conversation BallCoach talks with BradMac, a man we affectionately have dubbed Da Mayor of MyMerryChristmas.

What you are going to hear is pure Christmas between two guys who have known each other for years yet have never met in person.

It’s all Christmas. I guarantee you’ll smile, you’ll laugh — you may even shed a tear as they do what everyone on the Merry Forums does best: they share Christmas.

Thanks to BallCoach and BradMac for sharing this with us. This is the first in what we hope are several conversations that BallCoach has for Christmas in July.

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Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: Christmas Community Online Part 1

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The Victorian Christmas, Part 1
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Queen Victoria and Prince AlbertThe Victorian Christmas is one of curiosity for a lot of people today. It is a time in Christmas history with a very long reach. It influences today in everything from music to decorating in the modern Christmas.

But what exactly is the Victorian Christmas?

It is a time so big in Christmas history that we just can’t get it all into this episode. This is part one.

In this episode we explore how Christmas in Germany of the 18th century gave rise to Christmas in the Victorian Era. And yes, we take a long gander at Queen Victoria. The Queen, along with contemporary Charles Dickens, gets a lot of credit for the craze of the 19th century Christmas.

We have to myth-bust that a bit. Yes, Victoria deserves some credit for popularizing things like Christmas trees and Christmas cards.

But the truth is that as a child the young Princess Victoria enjoyed a royal Christmas. And so much of what she experienced before she became Queen carried over to when she raised her children under the spot light royalty.

It should be noted more for what the Victorian Christmas did NOT do for Christmas that many people think that it did. It did NOT give us Christmas trees. It did not give us Christmas greetings. It did not all of a sudden cause Christmas to be celebrated around the world.

What it did do is pour gasoline on the secular celebration of Christmas. Christmas accelerated in style and influence during the Victorian Era and that’s the story.

It’s too big of a story to tell in just one episode.

In putting this together we would point you to some past episodes where we have talked about elements of the Victorian Christmas:

Giving Dickens the Dickens
Celebrating 200 Years of Silent Night
The Wildly Popular Custom of Christmas Greetings
The Deeper Meaning of Christmas Ornaments
The Legend of the Christmas Stocking

We would point you to the following features at MyMerryChristmas.com, too:
A Christmas Story of 1887
Mourning Dickens and Recognizing Christmas
A Prediction of Christmas Future from 1896
Santa Claus of the 19th Century
A Christmas Social Media Post from 1818
The Ghost Story of Mistletoe

Listen to this episode of the Merry Little Podcast
Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: The Victorian Christmas, Part 1

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Tinker Toys for Christmas 1920Christmas 1920 was a transformative time. The war was over and the deadly pandemic had subsided. Life could finally return to normal.

In this merry episode we take a long look at this epic Christmas of Tinker Toys, Prohibition, Lincoln Logs, Raggedy Ann, and getting a new car for Christmas.

We also discuss a bit about researching Christmas and the value of having newspaper records now available.

This look back at Christmas history also includes a tangent about Christmas of 1870 when Congress declared Christmas a national holiday. While we found little in the news archives that talked about that event we did find plenty of 150-year old Christmas opinion that we want to share.

Also discussed is the 19th century fad of mistletoe. First a poem and later a very popular song known as the Mistletoe Bough is explored. It is a ghost story of Christmas most people do not know about.

And finally we explore the tradition of Thanksgiving Day parades, which began in 1920, but not with Macy’s in New York City. That leads as well to a discussion of stores in 1920 — and their connection to stories in 2020.

This is a fascinating trip down Christmas memory lane.

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Title: Christmas 1920: One Hundred Years Ago

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Christmas of Puritans and Pilgrims is the stuff of legends. Unfortunately, most get what is real about the Puritan Christmas wrong because they believe the media and lazy historians.

This article, for example, is a good example of the bad history that out there. It is a mix of truth and just stupid assumption.

It doesn’t help that old images like this are floating around to support their conclusion that Christmas just didn’t happen in New England:

Christmas banned

The very same publications that provide that image also provide the proof that Christmas was celebrated in New England and it had been since the arrival of the Mayflower.

Consider this: the Mayflower arrived in 1620. The so-called ban didn’t happen until 1659 — nearly 40 years later. What gives? If they had to ban it then Christmas was a problem, right? If they had to ban Christmas, then it had to have been NOT banned for those 39 years, correct?

So what’s the story? What Christmas a thing for Puritans?

And what about the pilgrims? What is the difference between a Puritan and a Pilgrim? Did those who were NOT Puritans in America celebrate Christmas?

In this episode we answer all these questions. We think you will walk away not only with a better understanding of both Puritans and Pilgrims but of the history of Christmas itself.

If you are American there are good odds that you are descended from someone who came as a Pilgrim in 1607 or as a Puritan in 1620. It is one of the great and positive trends of this weird year of 2020 — the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Mayflower. Many are finding out just where their roots are in relation to this great and historic event.

If you want to understand those ancestors, then come to know their Christmas. It explains a lot about them all as people.

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Title: Christmas of Puritans and Pilgrims

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Covid for ChristmasPredictions for Christmas 2020 could ultimately prove to be an impossible task. Who foresaw what 2020 has been so far?

The mess that has been made of the world by way of Coronavirus and civil unrest no doubt means many things for Christmas. In this episode we take on that heavy topic and hopefully address some issues that perhaps folks just aren’t talking about yet.

We believe this Christmas will be far different than any other this century — including the Christmas of 2001, when Christmas fell in the shadow of 9/11. That Christmas was greatly impacted by world events. Christmas 2020 will likely be even more so affected. It will be, despite the news of June 2020, a Christmas in Crisis.

Take, for example, just the issue of Christmas trees. Have you any idea how expensive they might be this year?

Artificial trees come from China. The vast majority of them ship from China in the months of February and March. What was China doing in February and March 2020? Well, the were not shipping Christmas trees.

Real trees are grown locally for nearly every country in the world. But will those growers have survived the economic fall out of both Coronavirus and race riots? (Not to mention the naturally occurring disasters such as droughts).

Will folks be able to get Christmas trees in 2020?

It’s a real question — a question among dozens about Christmas this year.

Will we be able to attend Christmas concerts? Will Christmas lights be available to buy? Meat is already in supply — what about my Christmas turkey? Will planes be flying? Which stores are no longer bankrupt or looted? What about Santa? Will he wear a mask?

These are the questions of Christmas 2020 — and more.

What does Coronavirus mean for Christmas?

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Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: Predictions for Christmas 2020

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James Stewart Nominee 2020The Christmas Hall of Fame launched in 2019 to give the true Christmas enthusiast a voice and a place to memorialize the best of Christmas.

In this merry episode of the Merry Little Podcast we discuss how the Christmas Hall of Fame works by extending a conversation that began with Tim Babb of the Can’t Wait for Christmas Podcast. Tim nominates and argues for Sesame Street and Muppet Creator Jim Henson for the Christmas Hall of Fame. We argue against him.

Well, it’s not really all about Jim Henson. It is about the many discussions we need to have about the Christmas famous — and who belongs and why.

This project begins a massive Christmas community outreach. We have contacted Christmas museums, websites, social media channels, podcasts and forums of all type to help spread the word and to nominate people, places, events and things related to Christmas. We need to hear from thousands as voting begins and continues in the years ahead.

Who would you nominate and why?

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Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: The Christmas Hall of Fame

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Christmas 1918The world we knew is now a thing of the past. Whatever you call this thing — a pandemic, the Coronavirus, COVID-19 — it seems to have changed everything.

Does that mean it has changed Christmas too?

While the answer to that question is yet to be written we can safely assume at this point in time, Spring of 2020, that we can look to our Christmases past to see if this has happened before.

It has. In this episode of the Merry Little Podcast we explore the theme of Christmas in Crisis — times when a hard reset of life resulted in Christmas done differently. We find that we have been through this before. Many times.

How do you think it will go? What just might be different? From the American Civil War to World War II we appear to be repeating a pattern.

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Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: Christmas in Crisis

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Christmas EveWhich is bigger for you? Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

In this merry little episode we take a longer look at Christmas Eve and why it is what it is. Why do we celebrate the night before in a bigger way, in many cases, than the day of Christmas? For some, there is no bigger day of the year than December 24th. What is the magic of those hours — especially at night?

In reality and in fiction when it comes to Christmas it is Christmas Eve that is bigger. Every Christmas people hang their stockings, sing of Jesus, gather families, eat special foods and celebrate Christmas — all in the hours before Christmas on Christmas Eve.

Why do we do that?

Christmas Eve is where the real blending of Christianty and Paganism comes together. There’s magic in the darkness. And there has been for thousands of years.

This episode is sponsored by:

Wasatch Wagyu

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Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: Christmas Eve

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They were years of change and uncertainty. For Christmas, they were years that made Christmas a whole new thing. They were the years of 1941, 1942, 1943 and 1944.

How could these war years make Christmas different?

That’s the topic of this podcast episode which features the stories and letters of real folks who experienced all that Christmas was about at that time.

What would you do, as a young man or young woman aged 19 or 20, away from home for the first time at Christmas with the knowledge that you might never return?

What would you do if you just didn’t know when you would ever be able to return home for Christmas?

What would you do if you were a parent to one of these young people now spending Christmas in harm’s way? How would you feel not knowing if they could ever spend another Christmas with you?

These were the realities for millions of people during these years.

No wonder Christmas was different during this time. And no wonder Christmas was different thereafter, too.

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Title: The Christmases of World War II

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Long before the Babe of Bethlehem was born Christmas was celebrated. In this episode we explore the spiritual and very real celebration of Christmas about Christ…before Christ.

Historians, dependent upon physical evidence and validated truth, are quick to dismiss anything Christmas related before Christ as Pagan. We say not so fast.

The evidence of Christmas before Christ about Christ is abundant. There were witnesses aplenty and in this episode we discuss their story and the evidence they left behind.

Of most curious interest is the case of the Shepherds, those famous night time guardians who so joyously spread the news of Christ’s birth. We know now these were not men of ignorance. They knew about Christ long before the Angels showed up.

We also talk of others who knew as well.

It is time this part of the Christmas story is shared.

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Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: Christmas Before Christ

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Everyone, it seems, is a Christmas music critic these days.

The Christmas season of 2018 has been marked with those emphasizing what they don’t like about Christmas music. 

Headlining the news has been the new debate about an old song, Baby It’s Cold Outside. Some are calling it the date rape song. 

This despite the fact the song is better than 70 Christmases old. 

Politics and movements aside, it should be pointed out that bad Christmas music is a thing. And it has always been a thing. 

In this merry episode we go down that road — and share — some awful, no good, very bad Christmas music with you. 

You’re welcome. And Merry Christmas. 

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Author: Merry Podcaster
Title: Awful, No Good, Very Bad Christmas Music