Christmas Past
christmaspast.bsky.social
Christmas Past
@christmaspast.bsky.social
170 followers 58 following 58 posts
The #1 podcast about Christmas, soon entering its 10th season. Host Brian Earl explores the fascinating stories behind the most wonderful time of the year. https://christmaspastpodcast.com/links
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Aaaaaannnd....we're back!! Happy Halloween, Sugarplums! And welcome to the 2025 preseason of Christmas Past

www.buzzsprout.com/2299135/epis...
www.buzzsprout.com
🌿✨ Before it decked our halls, holly was a sacred symbol of life in the dead of winter. Hear more about it in this 2017 episode of Christmas Past. Link in the bio for more info.
#ChristmasTraditions #Holly #DeckTheHalls #ChristmasDecor #ChristmasPast
🕰️ Tick tock, Sugarplums! It's really feeling close now. 🎃

Join me on Halloween for the first new episode of 2025!

Once again, I'll be kicking off the preseason with a ghost story from my friends at Biblioasis.

Join me...if you dare! 👻

#christmastimeisnear #ghoststory #holidayseason #bermonths
Before streaming marathons and CGI elves, there were clay figures and hand-drawn snowflakes. ❄️

In the 1960s, Rudolph, Charlie Brown, and The Grinch helped define what Christmas looked (and felt) like on television. #RetroChristmas #ChristmasSpecials #RankinBass #CharlieBrownChristmas #TheGrinch
Christmas trees once glowed with real candles. Then came one bright idea that changed everything. 💡🎄

In 1882, Edward Johnson, wired together a string of tiny electric bulbs. Christmas was forever changed.
Hear more in this 2017 episode. Link in the Bio.

#ChristmasHistory #ChristmasLights
❤️✨ Aw, thanks, Wishbook! Reviews help people discover the show. Not only that, but anyone who leaves a review will receive a Christmas Past sticker and a handwritten Christmas card....any time of year 🎄❤️
🍬✨ Visions of sugarplums…but what are they, really?

They're aren’t plums at all. In old times, they were a luxury treat, and they danced through Christmas history in more ways than one. 🎄 Hear all about it in this episode from 2016. Link in the Bio

#Sugarplums #HolidayHistory #ChristmasTraditions
Big day, Sugarplums! ✨🎄📕

My 2nd book, Of Christmases Long, Long Ago, is out now.

The book features 25 original full color illustrations from acclaimed illustrator and printmaker, Dorothy Siemens. I've included a sample. ❤️

Get it in hardcover, ebook, or audiobook, wherever books are sold.
Let's unwrap some fascinating Christmas history. From simple brown paper to shiny foil and glittering bows, discover how a humble tradition turned into a holiday essential...and how it reflects the way we celebrate Christmas itself.

🎧 Listen to the full episode. Link in the bio
It wouldn’t be Christmas without Christmas cards. But for most of history, they weren’t part of the season at all.

Born in Victorian England, these little greetings are a surprisingly recent tradition. ✨

Hear the full story in this episode from 2016. Link in the Bio.
🦌✨ Everyone knows Rudolph’s red nose…but not everyone knows the man who dreamed him up. Robert L. May was a struggling copywriter who wen to to write one of the most beloved holiday stories of all time.

🎧 Hear the full tale in the episode — link in bio.

#Rudolph #ChristmasHistory #Christmas
In this clip from a 2016 episode of the podcast, we dive into the surprising history of how Santa’s mailbag became part of Christmas.

🎧 Want the whole story? Listen to the full episode now. Link in bio.

#ChristmasHistory #LettersToSanta #Podcast
Why gingerbread? Why at Christmas? From medieval spice cookies to fairy-tale houses inspired by Hansel & Gretel (or was it the other way around), gingerbread has been part of winter celebrations for centuries. Find out how this spicy, sweet tradition became a Christmas classic.
Thank you, @thomasruyssmith.com! (And yes...do order your copies now!)
An exciting arrival today from @christmaspast.bsky.social! Congratulations Brian - order your copies now!
How did a real 4th Century bishop from modern day Turkey become a mythical gift bringer in a fur suit and a flying sleigh? It's a long story...with some surprising twists! Hear all about it in my three part series from 2016 on Christmas Past #podcast #christmas #santaclaus
Reposted by Christmas Past
Happy ‘Ber Months! There’s still time to pre-order the revised and expanded edition of my holiday-film guide Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas. #filmsky #booksky 📽 📚 preorder-movie-little-christmas.carrd.co
“Of Christmases Long, Long Ago” is my new book, arriving for the 2025 Christmas season.

Find out what Christmas was like centuries ago. Sneak preview: it was weird. And spooky. And rowdy. And kinda gross sometimes.

Available in hardcover and audiobook. Order yours today!

tinyurl.com/msz5f5vc
* taps mic * 🎤
This thing in?

Oh hi, Sugarplums! It’s September. 🗓️🍁
Time for me to come out of hibernation as we get ready for another Christmas season. 🎄

I hope everyone has had a great year. And I’m excited to share season 10 of Christmas Past with you! ❤️🔟

Stay festive. See you soon! #Christmas
Happy 2025, everyone! 🥳 Hope you had a great New Year’s Eve. We’re more of a “noon year’s eve” house. We tried to let Dash stay up till 9pm to see the ball drop on the east coast. By 8:15 he was 🤪😫🙃 so we just showed him a video of the New Zealand countdown and sent him to 🛌
Hey, sugarplums! It’s the final day of the year. Thanks to everyone who helped make 2024 another great year for the Christmas Past family. I hope everyone has something nice planned for the day. Merry seventh day of Christmas, and happy New Year’s Eve!
It’s “five golden rings“ day, sugarplums! I hope everyone is enjoying this “Twitxtmas” Sunday. It’s raining here in the Bay Area ☔️🌧️
I polished off the last of the mince pies this morning. And today was trash day, so we got rid of the mountain of wrapping paper and boxes. This is the part of the season where things still feel very festive, but also as if they are settling and tidying up a bit. I hope you’re enjoying it.