Thursday Dec 15, 2022

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

 

 

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