Ghosts of Christmases Past: The Pagan Origins of Christmas

How is Santa Claus connected to cannibalism? Which Christmastide holiday commemorates the slaughter of children? How should you decode the cryptic numerology message 20+C+M+B+22? And what's with all of those airborne reindeer? Welcome to Ghosts of Christmases Past, in which Shane and Duncan explore how tree-worship and animal sacrifice evolved into the bizarre, festive, highly commercialized holiday we know today. So whether you're feeling the Christmas spirit or just feeling jaded and grinchy, grab a cup of heavily-spiked eggnog, get cozy by the yule-log, and join the boys as they unpack the fascinating pagan history of Christmas.

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In this episode:  

• Christmastide
• Christmas Eve
• The Feast of Saint Stephen, Protomartyr
• Childermas, The Feast of the Holy Innocents
• Herod the Great
• The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ, Octave of the Nativity, Solemnity of Mary
• The Feast of the Holy Family
• 12th Night, Epiphany Eve
• Chalking the Door
• Saturnalia
• The Holiday of Yule
• Yule Boar, Yule Goat, Yule Log
• Anglican Revelers vs. Puritan Grinches
• The Story of the Nativity
• December 25th Becomes the Arbitrary DOB
• Christenmas, Christ Mass, and Xmas
• Christmas Trees
• Saint Nicholas of Myra, aka Saint Nick, aka Nicholas the Wonderworker
• Sinterklaas 
• Christmases Around the World
• Reindeer
• Thomas Nast
• Haddon Sundblom and Coca-Cola

 

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Episode Transcript