Weird Christmas Podcast
51 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 months ago - ★★★★★ - 91 ratingsAll things holly, jolly, and odd-ly.
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Episodes
2023 Weird Christmas Flash Fiction Contest Results Show
December 31, 2023 13:28 - 1 hour - 127 MBPlease see WeirdChristmas.com for text and info on all the stories and writers.
Nisser and Tomtar (Scandinavian Elves) with Benito Cereno
December 23, 2023 20:48 - 50 minutes - 70 MBCraig talks with the ever knowledgeable and jolly Benito Cereno about Scandinavian elves, which you're starting to see more and more places in decorations and movies. All links mentioned on the show, along with info on Benito, can be found at WeirdChristmas.com at this link: https://weirdchristmas.com/2023/12/23/nisser-and-tomtar-scandinavian-elves-with-benito-cereno/ If you’re feeling generous, you can leave a donation at Ko-Fi.com. It’s probably Christmas-time (ish) when you’re reading t...
2022 Weird Christmas Flash Fiction Contest (5th Annual Results Show)
December 31, 2022 08:03 - 1 hour - 104 MBThe best show of the year: 19 stories of Christmas Weirdness from the annual Weird Christmas Flash Fiction Contest. Please visit WeirdChristmas.com to get information on the authors and to read the stories again. If you want to support the contest and help make more and bigger prizes for the writers next year, please visit Ko-Fi.com/weirdchristmas to donate any amount.
Ancient Christmas with Earl Fontainelle of the SHWEP
December 24, 2022 02:08 - 1 hour - 127 MBI talk to Earl Fontainelle of the SHWEP (Secret History of Western Esotericism Podcast). We try to trace down any textual evidence that would connect the origins of Christmas to ancient pagan sources, namely the Mithras cult and Emperor Constantine’s Sol Invictus cult. Listen here, on your favorite podcast app, or at the Podbean site. The SHWEP The SHWEP Oddcast Music: "Scriaben Christmas Time is Here" by Kurt Knecht "Christmas is a Pagan Holiday" by Matt Potako If you’...
Mari Lwyd with Benito Cereno
December 19, 2022 16:13 - 57 minutes - 79.5 MBBenito and I discuss the traditions surrounding the Mari Lwyd, getting into similarities with other European wassailing and hobby horse traditions. A recording of the Mari Lwyd rhyme in action by the BBC. Benito's Links: Benito’s Christmas history videos Benito’s writing at Gumroad Apocrypals podcast Friends ‘Till the End podcast Progressively Horrified Music: "Here Comes the Mari Lwyd" by The Eugenes "Mari Lwyd" by Colorama If you’re feeling generous, you can leave a donation at ...
The Ghost Story of Christmas 2021ish ”A Strange Christmas Game” by Charlotte Riddell
August 01, 2022 04:35 - 58 minutes - 80.3 MBSURPRISE CHRISTMAS IN JULY PODCAST! I never quite got this show finished during the season, so my humble apologies. All is now well. Thank you to Meghan Arcuri for talking to me about Charlotte Riddell! Her collection of Riddell’s stories will be out very soon. And here are some links to her work, which I encourage everyone to check out: A Little Purple Book of Sharp Wit by Charlotte Riddel, ed. Meghan Arcuri Arcuri’s stories: “Because You’re Mine” “Green with Hunger” “Am I Missing th...
Christmas Past, American Xmas Literary History with Thomas Ruys Smith
January 10, 2022 05:46 - 54 minutes - 75.1 MBI chat with Thomas Ruys Smith, editor of Christmas Past: An Anthology of Seasonal Stories from Nineteenth Century America and Professor of American Literature and Culture at the University of East Anglia. Links from the show: Christmas Past: An Anthology of Seasonal Stories from Nineteenth Century America [publisher] [Amazon] Thomas Ruys Smith's author website Bumper music: Usual opening: “O Holy Night” by Tiny Tim, “Christmas Doesn’t Last” by Make Like Monkeys, “Santa Claus Boogie” by ...
2021 Weird Christmas Flash Fiction Contest (4th Annual Results Show)
January 03, 2022 05:26 - 1 hour - 121 MBIt’s out later than I would have preferred, but like the inevitability of New Year’s following Christmas, it is here. To read the stories, get bio information and links on the authors, and for all other show notes, please check out WeirdChristmas.com. Results: Overall Winner: “The Fight” by Elizabeth Guilt “Weird Cards” Category Winner: “If the Suit Fits” by Michelle Christophorou “There Was a Man Dwelt by a Churchyard” Category Winner: “A Churchyard Carol” by Dan Fields “Stocking Stuf...
Ghost Stories, Weird Poetry, and All Manner of Old Xmas Weirdness with Christopher Philippo
December 21, 2021 17:35 - 55 minutes - 76.4 MBTalking with Christopher Philippo, editor of Volumes 4 and 5 of the Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories. Chris' Goodreads site Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories, Volume 4 (the American stories) [Amazon] Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories, Volume 5 [Amazon] Links to the poems and other goodies from the show are at WeirdChristmas.com. If you’re feeling generous, check out my Patreon page here where you can get all kinds of bonuses thro...
The Perchten with Al Ridenour
December 09, 2021 22:08 - 50 minutes - 69.9 MBAl Ridenour is back after talking to us last year about Krampus, but this time to help unpack the lore and traditions around the Perchten, Krampus-esque goblin-ish creatures tied to both Krampus and Frau Perchta. Links mentioned on the episode: Bone and Sickle Podcast Ep. 80 "America and the Old, Dark Christmas" Ep. 58 "The Hellish Harlequin: Phantom Hordes to Father Christmas" Ep. 38 "Frau Perchta the Belly-Slitter" Ep. 17 "Christmas Ghosts" Ep. 15 "Saint, Devil, Sugar-Bread, & Whip...
Christmas Murder Ballads with James Wynn
November 25, 2021 05:14 - 1 hour - 89.3 MBHappy Thanksgiving! We dive deep into the history of Christmas murder ballads with my friend (and cohost from the ReReading Wolfe Podcast) James Wynn. I'll get links to all the songs from the episode up here shortly. But for now, here are links for James: ReReading Wolfe Podcast RRW on Twitter Our Xmas episodes of RRWolfe: 2020 (we discuss 3 stories), 2019 (we read one story) Bumper music: Usual opening: "O Holy Night" by Tiny Tim, "Christmas Doesn't Last" by Make Like Monkeys, "Santa ...
Christmas Witches with Benito Cereno
November 15, 2021 04:25 - 1 hour - 111 MBLa Befana, Perchta, Holda, and so many more! We chat with the always encyclopedic Benito Cereno about all the Christmas witch folklore in Christmas history. Links: Benito's Christmas history videos Benito's writing at Gumroad Apocrypals podcast Friends 'Till the End podcast Progressively Horrified Music: "La Befana" by Make Like Monkeys "Perchta" by The Champagne Drops "Christmas Witch" by ChatterBox "The Christmas Witch" by CountD If you’re feeling generous, check ou...
2020 Weird Christmas Flash Fiction Contest Results Show
December 23, 2020 18:58 - 1 hour - 90.8 MBFull text of all the winners are at WeirdChristmas.com along with bios, information, and links for all the authors. All fiction copyright 2020 by the authors. Please visit WeirdChristmas.com for full information.
Philosophy, Christmas, and Does Santa Exist by Eric Linus Kaplan who wrote Big Bang Theory which I mentioned here totally for clicks
December 21, 2020 07:30 - 54 minutes - 74.3 MBSometimes when you have a podcast, you talk to people who interest you and you don’t worry so much about how it relates to the show or your topic or what your hard-won audience really cares about. So you put out a show that’s all about really, really narrow interests you have. This is half that. The other half is about an amazing book about whether or not you should believe in Santa. Links from the show: Does Santa Exist: A Philosophical Investigation (buy on Amazon) Eric’s blog Eric’s W...
The Ghost Story of Christmas 2020 "Between the Lights" by EF Benson
December 15, 2020 07:38 - 42 minutes - 58.3 MB“…And scary ghost stories of Christmasses long, long ago!” Ghost stories from previous years if you’re in a spooky mood: 2019, 2018, 2017 Next year, we should break open this boys’ club with a tale from this… Links from the show: Full text of the story, “Between the Lights” A bit about Benson Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories, Vol. 4 by Christopher Philippo. Our narrators this year: Christohper Stanley (@allthosestrings, author of The Lamppost Huggers which has a a...
Weird Christmas Food with Glen Warren of the Season's Eatings Podcast
December 04, 2020 16:50 - 47 minutes - 65.5 MBTime to destroy your appetite! I talk to Glen Warren from the Season's Eatings Podcast about weird Christmas food throughout history. Links: Season's Eatings Podcast List of Christmas Podcasts (from Brian Earl's Christmas Past) Holly Jolly Xmasu (Japanese Christmas music podcast) Totally Rad Christmas ("Rudolph's Shiny New Year" episode with me) The Lamppost Huggers by Christopher Stanley (some Christmas horror stories) Valancourt Book of Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories, vol 4 edit...
Santa is NOT St Nick - Tom Jerman and Santa Claus Worldwide
November 26, 2020 07:51 - 1 hour - 139 MBAs a Thanksgiving treat, enjoy a deep dive down the rabbit hole of Santa history with Tom Jerman, author of Santa Claus Worldwide: A History of St. Nicholas and Other Holiday Gift-Bringers. This is my favorite book of Santa history, and Tom and I covered a lot of ground. Links mentioned in the show: Buy the book! From Amazon From McFarland Publishers Tom's new website A Collection of Santas with new blog posts summarizing topics in Santa history and other treats. Books mentioned: The...
Mumblecore Christmas with Stefanie Davis about her film The Christmas Ride
November 17, 2020 18:09 - 33 minutes - 45.7 MBI'm not usually your go-to source for new movies. But this one is worth your time. The Christmas Ride is a mumblecore (improvised dialogue) film about a ride share driver getting an emotional gut punch on Christmas day. I talked to the producer/director Stefanie Davis, and I hope you'll check it out. Here's the trailer for a taste: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y45euwomp9g&t You can stream it from Amazon (free with Prime) and Vimeo: Stream from Amazon Prime Watch on Vimeo ($4.99 righ...
Krampus with Al Ridenour
October 31, 2020 05:59 - 1 hour - 105 MBKrampus. Seems like I should have done a show on Krampus years ago, but I was waiting for the right person. And that person is Al Ridenour, author of The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil. This is the definitive book on Krampus, and Al fills us in on all the history and celebrations we could want. Links mentioned in the show: The book: The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas Bone & Sickle (Al's podcast) The Krampus episode (Saint, Devil, Sugar-...
Christmas Werewolves with Benito Cereno
October 15, 2020 03:42 - 43 minutes - 60 MBChristmas werewolves are a thing. I mean, I don't know if they're REAL real. But people really used to believe they were a thing. So Christmas expert Benito Cereno fills us in on their history Benito's been on the show before, talking about Christmas comics and the Yule Lads. Links mentioned in the show: Benito's werewolf Christmas story, "Two Gifts" Benito's YouTube channel Lives of St. Barbara and St. Nicholas Celebrating St. Nicholas Around the World and more... Apocrypals podcast...
Halloween Postcard Collecting with Eric Hinton
October 02, 2020 03:43 - 32 minutes - 44.3 MBThe first podcast episode of the 2020 {shiver} season. We do a bit of deep diving into the world of Halloween postcard collecting which, if you follow me on social media, you know is a small obsession of mine. Eric Hinton runs Halloween Postcards and has collected all, yes, ALL of the Halloween postcards printed before World War 2. We wander around some of the stranger examples and figure out what goes on in the musty corners of our collector-type-brains. This episode has a video version as...
WC# 25 Christmas and Zen Buddhism, a talk with Brad Warner
January 09, 2020 22:31 - 47 minutes - 64.9 MBA talk with Brad Warner, author of the new book Letters to a Dead Friend About Zen. How Buddhism can help calm holiday stress, and just stuff about Brad and Zen in general.
WC #24 Medieval Christmas with Misty Schieberle and Scott Smith
January 04, 2020 07:00 - 51 minutes - 70.4 MBWhat do we know about Christmas during the Middle Ages? Turns out it's kinda hard to find very much information. I talk to two medievalists, Misty Schieberle and Scott Smith, who help me trace what few mentions of Christmas there are in the English tradition.
WC #23 The Ghost Story of 2019, M.R. James' "The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance"
December 30, 2019 21:40 - 56 minutes - 77 MBThe 2019 Weird Christmas ghost story is "The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance" by M. R. James. I also get some help with background on James and Punch and Judy puppet shows (which show up in the story) from Jim Moon of the Hypnogoria Podcast.
WC Whoops More To Come This Season!!!
December 24, 2019 15:56 - 47 secondsWC Whoops More To Come This Season!!! by Craig Kringle
WC #22 Underground Christmas Music with Christmas Underground
December 19, 2019 20:06 - 1 hour - 85.6 MBWeird Christmas talks to the indie music blog Christmas Underground about the world of Christmas mixes and how he finds great, unknown Christmas music all year long.
WC #21 Weird Christmas Flash Fiction 2019 (Contest results show)
December 15, 2019 20:07 - 57 minutes - 79.4 MBThe annual Weird Christmas Flash Fiction show with the results of the 2019 contest. Fourteen odd stories of Christmas uncanniness to get you out of that holiday spirit. Find the full text of all the stories along with author bios and their contact info at WeirdChristmas.com.
WC #20 Yule Lads and Icelandic Christmas
December 12, 2019 16:25 - 31 minutes - 43 MBWho are the Yule Lads, and why does Iceland have a bunch of trolls instead of Santa Claus? I talk to author Heidi Herman and Christmas expert Benito Cereno about where the legends of the Yule Lads came from and how they're celebrated today. (Next show is the contest results show...almost there!)
WC #Bonus Christmas Pickles with the Christmas Podcast Network
December 08, 2019 06:59 - 41 minutes - 56.7 MBBonus episode with Brian Earl of Christmas Past, Tim Babb of Can't Wait for Christmas, and Richard Parks III of Richard's Famous Food Podcast. This one's brought to you by the Christmas Podcast Network. We talk about Christmas pickles. Are they a "thing"? Well, that's what the show is about.
WC #19 (Almost) Unwatchable Christmas Movies with Alonso Duralde
December 03, 2019 17:45 - 49 minutes - 68 MBI chat with film critic Alonso Duralde about his book Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas, especially the chapter about the worst Christmas movies ever made. We discuss the Mexican film _Santa Claus_ (1959), the 70's gay bar flick _Some of My Best Friends Are..._, and the inexplicable _Magic Christmas Tree_. Lots of other good suggestions along the way.
WC #18 Christmas Elves and Linda Raedisch
November 24, 2019 18:39 - 35 minutes - 49.1 MBCraig Kringle talks with Linda Raedisch about Christmas elves, winter and solstice folklore surrounding fairies and elves, and even a bit of Halloween talk. Check the full show notes at WeirdChristmas.com as well as Linda's book _The Lore of Old Elfland."
WC #17 Lisa Morton and Halloween History
October 31, 2019 17:13 - 21 minutes - 29.4 MBWeird Christmas Podcast #17, a discussion of Halloween History with Lisa Morton. We discuss her three books about the history of Halloween along with talk of old forgotten Halloween traditions, such as youth riots and fortune telling with cabbages and kale. I also mention a site with tons of great Halloween postcards: https://vintagehalloweencards.blogspot.com/
WC#16 Christmas Summer Comet and Patreon Plug
August 28, 2019 18:29 - 21 minutes - 28.8 MBA bonus summer episode! Professor (and Sir) Colin Humphreys of Cambridge discusses the evidence putting Christmas in the spring or summer rather than December. And...I plug my new Patreon site where you can get episodes all year round. (And there's a longer version of THIS VERY EPISODE at Patreon.com/weirdchristmas with 45 more minutes of weirdness!)
WC #16 Christmas Summer Comet and Patreon Plug
August 28, 2019 18:29 - 21 minutes - 28.8 MBA bonus summer episode! Professor (and Sir) Colin Humphreys of Cambridge discusses the evidence putting Christmas in the spring or summer rather than December. And...I plug my new Patreon site where you can get episodes all year round. (And there's a longer version of THIS VERY EPISODE at Patreon.com/weirdchristmas with 45 more minutes of weirdness!)
WC #15 Christmas with MST3K, Rifftrax, and Connor Lastowka
January 01, 2019 04:44 - 29 minutes - 26.6 MBWeird Christmas explores the Christmas offerings of Mystery Science Theater 3000, Rifftrax, and Cinematic Titanic with Rifftrax writer Connor Lastowka.
WC #14 Weird Christmas Flash Fiction
December 18, 2018 05:04 - 36 minutes - 33.2 MBThe results show from the 2018 Weird Christmas Flash Fiction contest. 12 very, very short stories that will make you laugh, cringe, and fear Santa.
WC #13 The Old Magic of Christmas with Linda Raedisch
December 12, 2018 22:17 - 30 minutes - 27.7 MBI talk to author Linda Raedisch about her book The Old Magic of Christmas: Yuletide Traditions for the Darkest Days of the Year. We discuss ancient pagan rituals, legends, and stories from pagan old Europe.
WC #12 Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories and Algernon Blackwood's "The Kit Bag"
December 04, 2018 21:52 - 49 minutes - 45.4 MBWhy did Victorian England love Christmas ghost stories? Why does Andy Williams sing about them? Why is Algernon Blackwood's "A Kit Bag" so freakin' awesome? Why did so many people volunteer to read for me? Why did an actual scholar (Tara Moore) come on this obscure podcast?
WC #11 Xmas Comics with Benito Cereno
November 30, 2018 07:18 - 41 minutes - 37.7 MBWeird Christmas Podcast #11. A discussion with Benito Cereno about the unlikely world of Christmas and comic books.
WC #Bonus Thanksgiving Gift of the Christmas Podcast Network
November 22, 2018 03:09 - 33 minutes - 45.8 MBWeird Christmas is part of a new thing: the Christmas Podcast Network. So this is a sampler of a bunch of the things you can find there. Different shows, different voices, and all in one place
WC #10 Christmalloween (or How I Mixed Up My Holidays)
October 31, 2018 18:44 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBHow many Christmas carols are actually about Halloween? Or vice versa? However many there are, they aren't very good...with a couple of exceptions.
WC #9 Christmas Music Junkies and Interview with Mitchell Kezin, Director of Jingle Bell Rocks!
December 21, 2017 23:14 - 36 minutes - 49.8 MBTalking about the underground world of Christmas music collectors with Mitchell Kezin, the director of Jingle Bell Rocks!, a documentary about people who hunt for the best and strangest Christmas music all year long.
WC #8 HP Lovecraft Christmas Poems (and one story)
December 15, 2017 22:59 - 34 minutes - 47.6 MBAll of HP Lovecraft's Christmas Poetry, with only minor bits of mind-bending terror. And his one "Christmas" story read by WC listeners, who are all awesome!
WC #7 Santa's a Magic Mushroom
December 11, 2017 23:20 - 18 minutes - 25.1 MBIn this episode, I delive into the world of shamanism, magic mushrooms, and Santa Claus. Travel with me on a trip to strange holiday destinations!
WC #6 Drunken Christmas Music
December 07, 2017 02:43 - 14 minutes - 13 MBChristmas songs full of the best tradition of the season: drinking! Country misery, drunk singing, and, believe it or not, some actually good stuff this time. But still weird.
WC #5 Weird Christmas TV and Movies with Joanna Wilson
December 01, 2017 06:01 - 33 minutes - 45.9 MBEpisode #5 of the Weird Christmas Podcast! Kicking off the 2017 Christmas season talking to Joanna Wilson, author of numerous books about Christmas tv. She gives some excellent recommendations to keep your holiday viewing weird.
WC #Bonus Episode, The House of Seven Santas, Part 5
December 01, 2017 05:45 - 8 minutes - 12.2 MBSPECIAL BONUS EPISODE! Join the Weird Christmas Podcast and six other podcasts for a multi-part holiday special retelling of the story "The House of Seven Santas." If you want to start from the beginning, check out the Christmas Past Podcast at http://christmaspastpodcast.com/.
WC #4 Thanksgiving Podcast 2017
November 22, 2017 22:30 - 7 minutes - 9.83 MBIt's the first episode of 2017 for Weird Christmas! I'm confused about Thanksgiving! I don't know what the hell it means!
WC #3 Weird Science Fiction Christmas Music Podcast
December 12, 2016 18:38 - 15 minutes - 21.8 MBWeird Christmas' science fiction extravaganza! Santa on the moon, Mars, rockets, your bachelor pad, and a bit of theramin for fun. Noel!
WC #2 Weird Christmas Annoying Music Show
December 01, 2016 02:41 - 15 minutes - 21.5 MBThe Weird Christmas Annoying Music Show. A variety of some of the strangest, most annoying Christmas music available. Check out WeirdChristmas.com for all the details.