I tried a little experiment and turned a podcast episode from two years ago into a video. This one was popular enough and lent itself to enough visual fun that I could play with some software just a bit. One thing I learned…MAKING VIDEOS TAKES A LOT OF TIME, especially if you’re not just putting yourself on camera.
But I hope you enjoy it! The show notes are back on the original podcast page at this link.
And if you enjoyed this and want more, please consider signing up for my Patreon page. I shared a trial version of this there and really appreciated peoples’ input. Plus, you can get REAL postcards mailed to you and other goodies throughout the year.
weirdchristmas.com 
Educating!
I’m all in for the notion, that Christmas-time has more to do with winter-solstice than with some saint of christian belief. What is more: – the date of birth of Christ, has more to do with competing, since Mithras – a god of light, fertility and strenght – was born on the same date.
I particularly like the observation about a more northern origin of The Yuleman, and an elder tradition way beyond the arbitrary year 0 AD.
But I really have my doubts about Rød Fluesvamp (Fly Agaric – Amanita Muscaria), as a hallucinogenic drug. Your primary experience, eating that thing, would be profound stomach-ache. But I rest my case, since I’m not a pharmacologist. On the other hand, I know that elfs/gnomes/gobs/nisser live under “mushrooms” (“Paddehatte” in danish), and disguise themselves as “padder” (Frogs) – hence “padde-hat”: “frog-hat”.
Nevertheless – or rather: apart from that notion – what a marvelous podcast! High-five 🙂
Regards, Henning
ps: – I’ll excuse misspellings, poor languange, lack of correct orthography, stating that: – I’m only danish 🙂
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Thanks for this! Gotta admit, I’m a little sketchy on the actual connection, despite what I say in the video. I think the idea’s really fun, but I’m not sure the direct connection holds up. Like you, though, I *DO* think that there’s a lot more to the northern myths still in what Santa looks like now than we usually think of. Gotta do a show just on that… 🙂
Thanks again! – Craig
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