Dickensian London is iconic, but its plentiful snowdrifts bear little resemblance to the modern city. Is this artistic license? Or are Tiny Tim’s environs evidence of a centuries-long frosty period that gave us Frankenstein, witchcraft, and America?
Are our favorite traditions Christian, pagan, or something else entirely?
In lieu of a new podcast, let’s look back on the classics. A huge burning goat, Japan’s holiday KFC rituals, the man who poops twelve feet from Jesus, and, of course, Santa Claus.
This Christmas, a break from war.
If you’re good, he’ll break into your house and leave presents under a tree. If you’re not, he’ll supply you with valuable fossil fuels. But where did the man with the bag come from? Featuring St. Nicholas, Krampus, Jesus, and more. The gang’s all here.
Every Christmas, Catalonia prides itself on being fun, festive, and full of shit.
For some, Christmas is time to eat cookies, candy canes, and gingerbread. For 3.6 million families in Japan, ’tis the season for Kentucky Fried Chicken.
For the people of Gavle, a town in northern Sweden, it’s a Christmas tradition to build a 42 foot tall goat out of straw. For some of the people of Gavle, it’s tradition to try to burn it down.