Ep. 41 Christmas: How a Specific Religious Event Exploded Into a Worldwide Phenomenon

History Fix

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In this episode, I explore the history of Christmas traditions including Santa Claus, stockings, and Christmas trees. I'll also uncover the pagan roots behind Christmas and examine how it has evolved from a religious holiday celebrating the birth of Christ to a secular day of excessive spending. Chances are you've been celebrating Christmas your entire life, carrying out these strange rituals, without ever really knowing why. Better late than never!
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Sources:

• National Retail Federation "NRF Predicts Healthy Holiday Sales as Consumers Navigate Economic Headwinds"
• Pew Research Center "Modeling the Future of Religion in America"
• The New York Times "Is Christmas a Religious Holiday? A Growing Number of Americans Say No"
• Time Magazine "The Surprising First Fighters in the War on Christmas"
• Time Magazine "The Surprising Story of Christmas in the United States"
• Library of Congress "Immigration to the United States 1851 - 1900"
• Live Science "When Was Jesus Born?"
• History.com "History of Christmas"
• Encyclopedia Britannica "St. Nicholas"
• History.com "History of Christmas Trees"
• Smithsonian Magazine "The Legend of the Christmas Stocking"
• Business Insider interview with Christa Pitts

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Chapters

1. Ep. 41 Christmas: How a Specific Religious Event Exploded Into a Worldwide Phenomenon (00:00:00)

2. [Ad] The Family Histories Podcast (00:11:13)

3. (Cont.) Ep. 41 Christmas: How a Specific Religious Event Exploded Into a Worldwide Phenomenon (00:11:14)