The Santa Claus we know was shaped by 19th-century poems, stories, and illustrations. In his new book, Searching for Santa Claus, @thomasruyssmith explores these roots. Today, he returns to Christmas Past to trace the literary birth of an icon.

#santaclaus #christmashistory #literarychristmas

Before it was a cake, the Bûche de Noël was a real log. Then, 19th-century French bakers reimagined it. Hear all about it in this 2017 episode of Christmas Past. Link in the bio

#BucheDeNoel #YuleLog #ChristmasDessert #FrenchChristmas #VintageChristmas #HolidayBaking #YuleLogCake

We're only a week past Halloween, but the Christmas movies are here! 🎄🎥 Are you watching any yet?

Today, I'm joined by author and film critic, @aduralde.bsky.social. A revised and updated edition of his book, Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas is out now! 🎁📚

#ChristmasMovies #HolidayFilms

When The Nutcracker premiered in 1892, it was a bit of a flop. But decades later, it became the sound of Christmas. From Russia to New York to every hometown stage, it danced its way into our holiday hearts. Hear the full story in this 2017 episode. #TheNutcracker #Tchaikovsky #NutcrackerBallet

🌿✨ 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

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

🍬✨ 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

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.

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