Hello you beautiful person!

It’s another fun filled episode of the TCP.

We start with a very crappy version of A Christmas Carol. This was part of the ‘Tales from Dickens’ TV series and stars Basil Rathbone as an actor who’s career has fallen so far that he’s reduced to wearing a traffic cone on his head to play Ebenezer Scrooge.
I don’t recommend watching it, but if you really must, here’s a link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LdUtugLbK4&t=3s

We have another Joke from Benji Pearson.

Then it’s the return of Santa Claus is NOT Coming to Town.  I had to scour the internet for stories and managed to find a half decent one.  When will parents learn that when it comes to Santa, you can lie your way out of anything.

Next up we look at a lovely cover version of the Bowie and Crosby classic Little Drummer Boy / Peace on Earth.  This one was recorded for Children in Need and sees two stalwarts of British broadcasting, Aled Jones and Terry Wogan.
If you want to have a look and a listen here’s a link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AWdrUUMsYU

Whilst researching the little drummer boy I found out about The Little Drummer Boy challenge, and also Whamageddon.  Both are games where you try to avoid hearing the song during the festive season.

This episodes recommendation is Ooh Spooky, one of the funniest podcasts I’ve had the pleasure of listening to.
Definitely check this one out, they don’t have a website, so here’s the facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/OoohSpooky/

If you want to get in touch, email totalchristmas@gmail.com

The website is totalchristmaspodcast.com

Merry Christmas

Hooray!  It’s me, The Total Christmas Podcast and I’m here to spread some joy and a load of old drivel.  Hooray!

First up it’s our Christmas Not So Classic and we look at All I Need Is Love, the CeeLo Green and The Muppets Christmas song from 2012.  It has a fantastic video (and needs it cause the song ain’t so special).
Check it out here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEgcLrgxUOw&t=193s

Then we discuss the tale of Babushka and the 3 Kings.  It’s about an old lady who spends all her time cooking and cleaning her house then one day she gets a visit from the 3 kings and  they stay at her house and tell her about the baby they’re going to visit and…  hang on, maybe you should just listen to the episode.  The story is read out in full by The Right Honorable Jacklington Fordhampton the 3rd.

This episode’s version of A Christmas Carol is naff.
Here’s a link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqMfGq3okZY&t=17s

The recommendation this week is Kath and Kim.  It’s a great sitcom from Australia and is very funny.  If you’re in Australia you’ve probably seen it, but if not, it’s on Netflix.
Here’s a link:  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0272397/

If you want to get in touch the email is:  totalchristmas@gmail.com

The website is:  totalchristmaspodcast.com

Merry Christmas

Hello you beautiful person.  It’s here, Episode 30, was it worth the 2 weeks wait?
Probably not.

We start by discussing At This Time of Year by Big Brother UK winner Craig Philips.  As songs go, let’s just say it’s as good as you’d expect from a reality show winner, but it is for a worthy cause.  Fancy a listen?  here’s a link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhxbP5o9DoE

We have another joke from our listener Benji Pearson, will it match the hilarity of last episode’s joke.  You decide.

We have a book review of The National Geographic Kids Weird But True Christmas.
300 “facts” to bore your friends with.

Then we look at X-mas Marks The Spot, a Christmas episode of The Real Ghostbusters cartoon where the Ghostbusters meet Scrooge and the 3 Christmas Ghosts.
If you fancy watching it, here’s a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0Dx2JIVWx8

This episode’s recommendation is the podcast Imagined Life from Wondery.
Here’s a link:  https://wondery.com/shows/imagined-life/

If you want to get in touch, the email is: totalchristmas@gmail.com

and the website is: totalchristmaspodcast.com

Merry Christmas

It’s Episode 28 and if my knowledge of numerology is correct, I foresee that this show will be full of the usual stuff.

After last week’s wonderful rendition of Jingle Bells, Batman Smells we revisit the song to learn a bit about it’s origins and Robin sings some of the numerous versions of the song.

We have a fantastic quiz about the book A Christmas Carol.  It’s your chance to find out if you know as much as you think you know about this great classic.

Then we look at Bugs Bunny’s Looney Tunes Christmas Tales, 3 Christmas stories, one of which is perhaps the laziest version of A Christmas Carol I’ve ever seen.
If you want to watch it here’s a link:  https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5ji4wa

This episode’s recommendation is Advent Calendar House hosted by Mike Westfall.  It’s a great podcast that looks at holiday specials, particularly Christmas ones.
Here’s a link:  https://adventcalendar.house/

If you want to get in touch, the email is totalchristmas@gmail.com

Or you can visit the website at totalchristmaspodcast.com

Merry Christmas

After the fiasco of last episode things can only get better.
Well rest assured they do (by a very small amount).

This episode we look at the British dessert of trifle.  If you’ve never had trifle you are seriously missing out.  Since its heyday of the 1970s the popularity of trifle has waned somewhat, but don’t let that stop you.

We have 2 stories from listeners, a wonderful story about elfing from Ali and a very funny story of shame from our American Scandinavian correspondent Benji.

Then we look at An American Christmas Carol, with none other than Arthur Fonzarelli (or Henry Winkler) as Scrooge…    sorry as Benedict Slade who is Scrooge by another name.
It’s a decent version and you can watch it here:

We have another book review (the 2nd one in a whole year, so don’t tell me I’m not cultured).  It’s the delightful Family Trees by Aurelio O’Brien and it is highly recommended.
If you want to grab a copy, here’s a link:

This episode’s recommendation is Superstore.  It’s a great sitcom set in a big box store in St Louis and it stars America Ferrera from Ugly Betty.  It’s a lovely show and very funny.  I’ve been binging it on Netflix.

If you want to get in touch please email me at  totalchristmas@gmail.com
Or visit the website:   totalchristmaspodcast.com

Merry Christmas

Here we are with a bunch more of the usual stuff.

First off we have an exciting book review.  Is ‘The Funniest Christmas Joke Book Ever’ the funniest Christmas joke book ever?  The short answer is ‘no’ but listen to the review anyway.

Then we find out about Band Aid 2.
5 years after the first Band Aid, a collection of popstars got together to record the song again, and it could be worse.

Last week we discussed the 1984 version of A Christmas Carol starring George C Scott.  This week we have an interview with the man who played the body double for both The Ghost of Christmas Present and The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come.  His name’s Martin Wood and not only is he a generally lovely bloke he’s also the world’s tallest town Crier.
Here’s  a link to his website:  https://towncriermartin.com/

This episode’s recommendation is Workaholics.  It’s the sort of fun we need to brighten up these dog days of Winter.

If you want to get in touch please email me at  totalchristmas@gmail.com
Or visit the website:   totalchristmaspodcast.com

Merry Christmas

We’re back baby!
and don’t pretend you haven’t missed us.

It’s a brand new year and what better way to get the new season off to a start than having some technical problems.  That’s right kids, you’ll be sure to notice some sound issues with this one and there’s a simple explanation. . .   I’m crap.

First off Robin and Juno sing the all time classic Jingle Bells.

Then we have an interview with the wonderful Tilly Smith who runs the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre in Scotland.  To learn a bit more here’s a link:
www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk

This week’s version of A Christmas Carol is the very forgettable (or at least I hope I can forget it) version by Pink Fong.  It’s only 5 minutes long so you may as well have a gander, here’s a link:

The recommendation is The Truth from Radiotopia.  It’s a great podcast and each episode is a different story / radio play.  I highly recommend the episode Naughty or Nice which is about some elves at the North Pole.  Here’s your link:
http://www.thetruthpodcast.com/story/2015/10/7/naughty-or-nice

If you want to get in touch please email me at  totalchristmas@gmail.com

Merry Christmas

It’s the last full episode before Christmas, and do we have a show for you?

Yes… the answer is yes.

We’ve had lots of emails and stories from listeners so we start the show with some of those and we have a brand new member of the team, our self-appointed CEO of Correspondents Britton Wilson.

Then our US correspondent tries a mince pie for the first time.  Will he love it, will he hate it?

We also have our first ever book review and it’s for Skipping Christmas by John Grisham,  This book was turned into the film Christmas With The Kranks and it’s not bad.

Robins Sings the all time classic White Christmas.

Then we have an interview with the man behind the fantastic website Why Christmas.  He tells all about the site and some of the bizarre things he’s learnt while making the site.
Have a look at his site here:  whychristmas.com

Then it’s the last of the Yule Lads, Candle Beggar.  Find out why he’s the most popular one of the Yule Lads in Iceland.

If you want to get in touch you can email us at totalchristmas@gmail.com or visit the website totalchristmaspodcast.com

Merry Christmas

It’s Episode 18, and this one is actually over an hour long.  Who’d have thought we’d have enough exciting stuff to fill an hour?  Well we don’t it’s about 3 minutes of gold and the rest is drivel, but don’t let that stop you.

The present suggestion is to adopt an animal on behalf of someone.  They’ll get a pack of pictures and stuff and usually you get the change to visit the zoo or sanctuary for free, plus it’s helping a good cause.
Because it’s Christmas, why not adopt a reindeer.  Here’s a link to the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre in Scotland:  https://www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk/

We have a story of shame that is also a Christmas unsolved mystery.

Then we find out how the boys from Jingle Jank Podcast found out the truth about Santa Claus.

Robin sings that all time Christmas Classic:  When Santa Got Stuck Up The Chimney.

Then for a change we feature some great Christmas tunes from some independent artists.
We have songs from Johanna Jones, Sarah Glassman and Rob Vischer.   You should definitely give their stuff a listen.

Then it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for.  It’s the return of the Christmas Movie Quiz.  This time Sean Sotka from the Christmas Podcasts Podcast tries his hand and I’ve got to say, he does pretty well.
Here’s a link to Sean’s podcast:  https://christmaspodcasts.com/series/christmas-podcasts-podcast/

This episode’s Yule Lad is Door Sniffer and it’s not as exciting as it sounds.

The recommendation this week is Weird Christmas with Craig Kringle and if you’ve never listened, you should.  Here’s a link:   https://weirdchristmas.com/category/podcast/

Then I repeat the offer of a handmade card from our resident artist Robin, all you have to do is record and send us a story.

If you want to get in touch you can email us at totalchristmas@gmail.com or visit the website totalchristmaspodcast.com.

Merry Christmas