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Artwork for Christmas Past

Christmas Past

Brian Earl
Christmas
Christmas Traditions
Christmas Movies
Christmas Memories
Christmas Truce
Christmas Music
Christmas Lights
Twelve Days Of Christmas
Tangiwai Disaster
World War I
Folklore
A Christmas Carol
Shortbread
Mari Lwyd
St. Stephen's Day
Independent Musicians
December 25th
Jesus Christ
New York City
Christmas Eve

Behind every Christmas tradition is a story, often a forgotten one. Every year as we put up a tree and pour the eggnog, we’re continuing generations-old narratives, while being mostly unaware of their starting chapters. Join Brian Earl to explore the fascinating stories behind the most wonderful time of the year. It's equal parts nerdy deep dive and warmhearted celebration. Think: NPR meets Clemen... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes250Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureKids & Family

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Artwork for Christmas Past

Latest Episodes

It's a Wonderful Life turns 80 years old this year. When it first hit theaters in 1946, there was little indication that it would become the juggernaut it is. 

Film critic and author Emily St. James joins Brian to discuss the history and legacy of t... more

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Christmas Past is turning 10 this year! To celebrate a decade of Christmas storytelling, throughout the season, we'll look back at episodes from previous years. Today, it's the history behind writing letters to Santa. This episode first appeared in s... more

YouTube

Christmas Past is turning 10 this year! To celebrate a decade of Christmas storytelling, throughout the season, we'll look back at episodes from previous years. Today, it's Gift Wrap, which appeared in season one, released on December 9, 2016. 

May ... more

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Happy Halloween! 👻 And welcome to another season of Christmas Past. 

We're continuing our tradition of kicking things off with a ghost story from my friends at Biblioasis Books. Every season, they issue a set of three classic ghost stories for Chri... more

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Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Emily St. James
Film critic and author of Every Time a Bell Rings.
Episode: Interview: Emily St. James, author of Every Time a Bell Rings
Gus Ruiz
Spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service in the San Francisco Bay Area
United States Postal Service
Episode: [Regifting] Letters to Santa
Nancy Pope
Head curator at the National Postal Museum
National Postal Museum
Episode: [Regifting] Letters to Santa
Pat Lavin
Author of a history of Denison Manufacturing Company and volunteer at the Framingham History Center
Framingham History Center
Episode: [Regifting] Gift Wrap
Heather Finn
Granddaughter of Annie Ide, who inherited the unique birthday gift from Robert Louis Stevenson.
Episode: The Birthday Gift
Vaughn Joy
Author and historian focusing on popular culture
Author of Selling Out Santa
Episode: Interview: Vaughn Joy, Author of Selling Out Santa
Thomas Ruys Smith
Professor of American Literature and Culture at the University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia
Episode: Interview: Thomas Ruys Smith, author of Searching for Santa Claus
Alonso Duralde
Film critic and author
Episode: Interview: Alonso Duralde, author of Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas
Terry Gunnell
Professor emeritus of folkloristics at the University of Iceland
University of Iceland
Episode: Backstory: The Yule Lads

Host

Brian Earl
Author of two books about Christmas traditions and history

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1.2k ratings
  • Fantastic holiday podcast!

    Love this podcast for its historical and tradition-focused subject matter. Brian does a fantastic job surfacing all our beloved holiday traditions and their origins. Loved his book as well!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    christmaseveryminute.com
    United States5 months ago
  • Catching up

    I’m a bit late, but listening to season 10 right now. I love the birthday gift episode. That’s my 5 year old’s birthday! Happy holidays to everyone. 🥳

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jackie Mo8
    United States10 months ago
  • Perfect for Christmasaholics like myself!

    Every episode is interesting and well done. Brian’s voice is also very soothing as I am kinda particular about voices when listening to podcasts! Highly recommend.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jordypocket
    United Statesa year ago
  • My new fave

    I’m so glad I found this! My new soundtrack to making Christmas cookies 😊

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ladeebugmak
    United Statesa year ago
  • So warm and interesting

    Christmas history and interesting facts about the best time of the year!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    marlainreallife
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners would welcome longer episodes or deeper treatment of individual subjects, while others appreciate the concise format.
Brian's narration and speaking voice are frequently praised as warm, soothing and engaging.
Listeners return across holiday seasons and often recommend the episodes to relatives, including children and grown-up family members.
Short episodes, clear storytelling and polished production make the series easy to enjoy during holiday chores, commutes and family time.
Listeners value the blend of Christmas history, tradition and surprising details, with many describing it as informative as well as festive.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

[Regifting] Letters to Santa
Q: What were they going to do with all these letters?
Undeliverable letters were supposed to be returned to their senders or sent to the dead letter office, but some postmasters passed them to charities or newspapers instead.
Interview: Emily St. James, author of Every Time a Bell Rings
Q: What have we been missing over these last 80 years when talking about Mary?
St. James says Donna Reed's quieter performance is often overshadowed by James Stewart's iconic one, and argues that Mary's love and presence also contribute to George's sense of being trapped.
Interview: Emily St. James, author of Every Time a Bell Rings
Q: Why did It's a Wonderful Life become a Christmas movie juggernaut?
St. James points to the film's temporary public-domain status, its quality, and its nostalgic appeal to audiences in the 1970s.
The Birthday Gift
Q: How do you celebrate it?
We always have a bottle of champagne and my mom likes to celebrate it with me.
The Birthday Gift
Q: Do you celebrate the November 13th now?
Yes, we do. Every year we have to celebrate it or it goes back to the president of the United States.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas Past

What is Christmas Past about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Warm, concise stories uncover the history behind Christmas traditions, customs, music and seasonal moments. Brian Earl narrates researched historical accounts, linking familiar celebrations to the people and events that shaped them, from the origins of electric tree lights to stories of wartime kindness and holiday memories shared by listeners. The subject matter also reaches into science, literature and major historical events when they intersect with Christmas. Listener memories add a personal, intergenerational thread alongside the solo storytelling. Episodes balance curiosity and historical detail with a celebratory, reflective tone, making them easy to fit into seasonal routines such as decorating, cooking or driving. The combination o... more

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How many listeners does Christmas Past get?

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How many subscribers and views does Christmas Past have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Christmas Past has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Christmas Past?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Christmas Past:

1. Christmas Countdown
2. Can't Wait for Christmas
3. Lore
4. Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities
5. The Midnight Library

How many episodes of Christmas Past are there?

Christmas Past launched 10 years ago and published 250 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Christmas Past?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Christmas Past?

Recent guests on Christmas Past include:

1. Emily St. James
2. Gus Ruiz
3. Nancy Pope
4. Pat Lavin
5. Heather Finn
6. Vaughn Joy
7. Thomas Ruys Smith
8. Alonso Duralde

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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