Podcast Episodes – Page 9

What We Learn About White Christmas from It’s a Wonderful Life

October 7, 2016/0 Comments/in Merry Little Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com/by Merry Podcaster

Merry Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com

What We Learn About White Christmas from It's a Wonderful Life

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The song White Christmas most certainly deserves a special place in the history of both music and Christmas. But some may go overboard lauding the song as a secular triumph.

In the Wall Street Journal this week a journalist claims White Christmas unleashed a waiting torrent of secular Christmas music that the world was just dying to hear.

Indeed, in the years immediately after the release of White Christmas the world embraced classics such as The Christmas Song, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Let it Snow, Sleigh Ride, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and I’ll be Home for Christmas.

We’re tellers of truth on the Merry Little Podcast. We embrace both the sacred and the secular Christmas. But we see White Christmas and its popularity quite differently.

You need only look as far as the story of It’s a Wonderful Life to understand why White Christmas is the great song it is in the history of Christmas.

White Christmas was immediately popular. It’s a Wonderful Life was not.

White Christmas stayed at or near #1 for almost 20 years. It’s a Wonderful Life was forgotten about much of that time.

And yet here we are more than 70 years later celebrating both with reverence as classics of Christmas.

How did that happen?

Our contention is that White Christmas is more than just a song. It is an anthem. Much like It’s a Wonderful Life is more than just a movie.

It is not when they were born that makes them popular and success. It is what they meant at different times that makes them classics. And in that vein, they are very much alike.

From the Mountains of Christmas She Comes

September 29, 2016/0 Comments/in Merry Little Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com/by Merry Podcaster

Merry Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com

From the Mountains of Christmas She Comes

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From the Mountains of Christmas she comes and the children of Iceland fear her. She is Gryla, one of the most horrific Christmas monsters you have ever heard of.

Gryla’s home in the mountains of Christmas is not one of joy — or peace. She is evil to the core.

Described as part witch and part Krampus she has physical characteristics that make children quiver in fear. She has a long nose, huge ears, hooves for feet and 13 tails on her backside. And all she does in hunt children — especially the naughty. Her gruesome legend is celebrated today with watered-down versions of her tales of terror.

She is not alone, however. She has 13 sons with equally insatiable appetites for the young and they too possess characteristics that are terrifying. Their legend has been so ingrained in Icelandic society that at one time children refused to even step out of doors during the month of December.

This episode of the Merry Podcast explores this monster from the mountains of Christmas and introduces a theme will pursue in the next full episode of the Merry Podcast about Christmas creeps.

The Myth and the Miracle of the Magi

September 23, 2016/0 Comments/in Merry Little Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com/by Merry Podcaster

Merry Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com

The Myth and the Miracle of the Magi

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The Magi represent one of the greatest mysteries of the Christmas story from the Bible. Who were they really and what was their purpose?

The world of historians, song writers and movie makers would have you believe the Magi were just a few guys out following a star. According to them, they incredibly show up at the manger scene with gifts ready-wrapped to give to the Baby.

That’s the perception. And it is wrong — dead wrong.

This episode of the Merry Little Podcast explores how the myths of the Magi have taken root and just what the Magi were really all about. It is a miraculous story.

There is no reason to believe that just because the Magi came from afar that they believed any differently than Joseph and Mary. The fact that they were solicited by King Herod – and then later gave him the slip – speaks to their wisdom and their vision.

Wouldn’t it be great to know their story? Wouldn’t it be awesome to have an eyewitness account of their travels, their experience and their vision?

It turns out that we have such an account.

A modern discovery of the Magi’s true origins turns the Christmas story into something even more incredible. In fact, it could be the greatest story never told when it comes to Christmas.

Top Ten Christmas Villains

August 31, 2016/0 Comments/in Merry Little Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com/by Merry Podcaster

Merry Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com

Top Ten Christmas Villains

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The newest episode of the Merry Little Podcast takes on the probing subject of Christmas bad guys in beloved Christmas movies.

Almost every story has a bad guy. But the bad guys of Christmas movies are special — because most of them are guys we don’t really hate when all is said and done. After all, it’s Christmas.

That’s just one of many Christmas top tens that we’re working these days. In an upcoming episode of the Merry Podcast we probe much, much deeper into Christmas top tens.

But this is a good list…and we’re sure you have Christmas villains of your own that maybe didn’t make our list and that you’d argue about. If so, take your list to the Merry Forums and tell us all about them.

For the Love of the Christmas Song

July 6, 2016/0 Comments/in Merry Little Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com/by Merry Podcaster

Merry Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com

For the Love of the Christmas Song

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Christmas purists are funny people.

Earlier this week we released a new podcast featuring the best selling songs of Christmas. We thought folks would be interested in this list. But no…..they seem to be a little upset by it, if our email is any indication.

The most feedback we have received has not been about the list itself but rather those songs that DIDN’T make the list. And the #1 song not on the list that has some Christmas music fans dismayed is The Christmas Song, by Nat King Cole.

Well, we’ve decided to issue a new episode of The Merry Little Podcast to address these concerns, which you can listen to below. Trust me, we explain it all.

And have no fear — The Christmas Song won’t be disappearing from your holiday radio station any time soon. If anything, this is one of those songs that has become nothing but more popular over time.

So relax…and listen to why it didn’t make the top ten.

Get Your Jingle On

June 28, 2016/0 Comments/in Merry Little Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com/by Merry Podcaster

Merry Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com

Get Your Jingle On

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Here it is — ten quick minutes (okay, eight) of merry bliss in episode #2 of the Merry Little Podcast where we discuss Christmas in July and the habits of year round Christmas fanatics.

We also invite you join the growing list of activities planned for Christmas in July right here on My Merry Christmas, including our next episode of the Merry Podcast which features the top best sellers of Christmas music. It is time to get your jingle on!

The Grinch that Stole Christmas Radio

June 11, 2016/0 Comments/in Merry Little Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com/by Merry Podcaster

Merry Podcast of MyMerryChristmas.com

The Grinch that Stole Christmas Radio

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We’re pleased to introduce The Merry Little Podcast — a tiny little preview of The Merry Podcast, now available exclusively for our premiere members.

The Merry Little Podcast will run about 10 minutes for each episode. It will remain available on iTunes and it is free to all users. This little snippet of merriment is being developed as a vehicle for us to bring you Christmas audio features faster and more often — and it will give a sneak peek to what’s upcoming in future episode of The Merry Podcast, which plays only on Kringle Radio and is available for download only to our premiere members.

In our first Merry Little Podcast we discuss The Grinch That Stole Christmas Radio. You’re going to HEAR a lot less Christmas online this year thanks to broad new broadcasting guidelines that have knocks thousands of Internet radio stations off the air.

We’re not going anywhere. But it is affecting us. This episode is dedicated to explaining how it happened and why.

And don’t panic — you can still get the Merry Podcast and Kringle Radio. But you’ll have to listen up if you want to get it…