1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve Camray. 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you welcome to stuff you should know 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 1: from house Stuff Works dot com? Ho ho ho, and 4 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh Clark with me as 5 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,639 Speaker 1: always is Charles W. Shuck. I heart Christmas time, Briant, 6 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 1: Yours is way better than mine. Mine. Sounded like a 7 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 1: an Irish priest leprin. Yeah, terrible, going great, Yeah, this 8 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: should be coming out right at Christmas. Yeah, we're gonna 9 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,639 Speaker 1: We're gonna plan for that. So if it is, it's 10 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: all of you listening out there in podcast land. We 11 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,879 Speaker 1: hope you're having a great holiday season. Yeah, yeah, and 12 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 1: safe and well and with family and and uh we 13 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: wish you all a merry Christmas and Hanukah and Kwanza 14 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: and whatever each used to celebrate ted what's that? I 15 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:06,759 Speaker 1: think that's a Buddhist New Year. Um, there's all sorts 16 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: of stuff going on this time of year. Yeah, big time. Yeah, 17 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: but we chose to talk about Christmas. Chuck was brought Baptist, 18 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: I was raised Catholic. It's what we know. And it's 19 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: a pretty interesting story too. And if you're Jewish and 20 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: you hate Christmas. You're gonna stick around because you're gonna 21 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: love this one, right, Yeah, and you know what, next year, 22 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 1: we will do one on Hanakah. Okay, deal, Yeah, I 23 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: actually know a significant amount about Hankka. Well, let's do 24 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: it next year, and then a book it and we'll 25 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: eventually do Quansa too. Yeah, we'll do that in eleven maybe, 26 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: or maybe we'll do like a holiday extravaganza. Buddy. If 27 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: if we're still around in two thousand eleven, then we're 28 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: either doing something right or something wrong. Haven't decided which. Okay, 29 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: all right, Josh Chromas, is that what we're calling it? Christmas? Okay? So, Chuck, 30 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: have you ever engaged in um Christmas? Yes, Josh, what's 31 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: a year? I've engaged in thirty eight of them? Wow? 32 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: That pretty nice, Thank you? That was my int alright, 33 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: let's talk about this man. It's so ubiquitous. There's um 34 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: people who are usually drunk, dressed up as Santa Claus, 35 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: ringing bells asking for donations. There's little kids like screeching 36 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: in the middle of aisles and toy stores. There are 37 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: um minds like elbowing one another in the face. To 38 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 1: get to that last line, and then there's people who 39 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: are um punching Walmart greeters in the stomach for saying 40 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 1: Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. It's the most contentious 41 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: time of the year. Do you know where I am. 42 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: I'm at home and I am shopping online. Dude, it 43 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: is the way to go. Never again. And you know 44 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:42,959 Speaker 1: what we got to Ohio. I just had the gifts 45 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,959 Speaker 1: ship straight to my in law's house. Very smart, no must, 46 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: no fuss. Yeah, it's as long as you order early 47 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 1: enough to make sure you're not spending the last week 48 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: biting your nails when they arrive in time. I can 49 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: tell you, um by experience, that people are very forgiving 50 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 1: if their gifts aren't there. All you do was you 51 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 1: get a little card, you right it inside like you're 52 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 1: getting this, or you print out a picture of it. 53 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: It's like it's coming, I promise, and then a coupon 54 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:12,239 Speaker 1: for a free BackRub. I did do coupons once. One year. 55 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: I was so broken. I had a friend take a 56 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: picture of me standing there with my pockets turned out, 57 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:20,679 Speaker 1: me going like it's like, no, it wasn't last year. 58 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: It was like five years ago. And um that was that, 59 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:25,840 Speaker 1: Like everybody kept it. No one turned it in. They 60 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 1: just like they're sure tickets so much. I made birdhouses 61 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,799 Speaker 1: one year when I was broken. They were good to sure, 62 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: they're nice alright. So let's talk about Christis How do this? 63 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: How did this jam get started? Well, Josh, the roots 64 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: of Christmas are varied, to say the least. You cannot 65 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: riotously very You cannot point to one single thing and 66 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: say Christmas was born out of this Jesus's birthday on December. 67 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: You can't even point to the aspects of Christmas and 68 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: say that each one was born out of this. You can't. Basically, 69 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: Christmas is a bunch of different groups that are from 70 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 1: antiquity brought together, right, Yeah. Like, Uh. Most of these 71 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: early um versions of Christmas, I guess, if you even 72 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 1: want to call it that were festivals that marked the 73 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 1: winter solstice in Europe, mainly Uh and um Rome. True 74 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: Rome had a big one called Saturnalia German pagans. They 75 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:29,039 Speaker 1: honored Odin, who was a god who flew over settlements 76 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:33,039 Speaker 1: at night, blessing some houses and cursing others. Sounds like 77 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: coal and switches or treats to me. So that was 78 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:43,599 Speaker 1: a pagan god. Yeah, yeah, Germanic um and then also 79 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: you have the Druids who like to contribute um things 80 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: like garland and holly to the whole mix. Kissing under 81 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:57,720 Speaker 1: the mistletoe actually is apparently a um euphemism for some 82 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 1: of the sexual practices that went on to the Druidic 83 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: Winter Solstice festivals. People probably didn't think they were going 84 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 1: to hear those words in the Christmas podcast. Yeah it's 85 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 1: true though, Oh yeah, um, Christmas was rife with sexuality 86 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 1: and one could even say perversion and and just crazy 87 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: parties and in some cases, are you're talking about Rome? That? Yeah, 88 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: the Druids were big into it too, apparently the Celts right, 89 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: But in Rome they celebrated the pretty Rockets festival called 90 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: the Saturnalia from December seventeen. Is that now how you 91 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: pronounce it? Okay? I thought you're gonna correct me. And 92 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,160 Speaker 1: that honors Saturn, the god of agriculture. And they had 93 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: a big carnival and they feasted and gambled and gave 94 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:44,039 Speaker 1: gifts and corrals and got drunk wasted for days. This 95 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: is Rome, Yeah, one party like they did. They also 96 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: apparently love to stuff um Jews with food until they 97 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: were like so full that they could barely move and 98 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: then make them raise each other naked through the streets 99 00:05:56,600 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: for everyone else's enjoyment. So there's Christmas. Um, these are 100 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:03,600 Speaker 1: the roots of it. And then, of course, um, you 101 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,599 Speaker 1: have Christianity, which effectively took it over in the fourth 102 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 1: century a D. Yeah, they say, we need our own 103 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: holiday to rival all these winter solstice shenanigans, right the 104 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: fourth the fourth century a D. Really and we are 105 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,719 Speaker 1: ce depending on who you are, Um, really kind of 106 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 1: change things. This is when Christianity stepped it up a bit. 107 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: That's been saying Augustine was supposedly issuing all these proclamations. Um. Basically, 108 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 1: the Church just made some moves and it it worked. 109 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: And they chose December, the day of the Feast of 110 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,600 Speaker 1: the Nativity is what it was originally called. And since 111 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 1: they said, hey, pagans, you come over to our religion, 112 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 1: we've got something over here. Uh. It celebrates the birth 113 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: of our savior and all that. But you can still 114 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,040 Speaker 1: throw down. We're just gonna this is gonna be the 115 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:51,919 Speaker 1: last day. Much like um, fat to ash Wednesday, right 116 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 1: right right fat to Marty gral leads up to ash 117 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 1: Wednesday and the party stops on ash Wednesday, but they 118 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: go crazy ahead of time, very much the same thing. 119 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: And it can any like this for many many centuries. Yeah, 120 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 1: and and initially it wasn't um. It still wasn't the 121 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: big daddy, I mean, Eastern Good Friday still ruled in 122 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: the feast, and the Nativity was kind of the lesser 123 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 1: of the three. And um, the Puritans had some problems 124 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: with this though they did pretty much any group that 125 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: was very doer about um about religion. And we're Christians, 126 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: uh outlawed or banned Christmas festivities because yeah, he did 127 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 1: when he took Christmas in and the Puritans in New 128 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: England outlawed it. Uh what from sixteen fifty nine to 129 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: sixteen eighty one in Boston, no Christmas none And actually 130 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: Cromwell um had soldiers patrolling the streets to make sure 131 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:50,239 Speaker 1: there was no revelry whatsoever. And we're told to arrest 132 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:54,119 Speaker 1: anybody they found celebrating Christmas when he outlawed it, um. 133 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: And still today Jehovah's witnesses, Christians Christian sect um don't 134 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: sell lebrate Christmas because they clearly see it as or 135 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: they see it as a clearly pagan holiday. And that 136 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: all of these roots have have all these pagan roots 137 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 1: have come together and just got a Christian stamp of approval. 138 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 1: But it ain't. It's really just pagan, right. Yeah. So, uh, 139 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 1: let's move forward a little bit in our in our 140 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 1: time machine to the eighteenth and nineteenth century. This is 141 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: when things start to calm down a little bit and 142 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 1: it becomes a little bit more like the Christmas we 143 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:30,680 Speaker 1: know and love, including eighteen forty six when Queen Victoria's 144 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: German husband Albert, Prince Albert, he introduced a Christmas tree 145 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:38,839 Speaker 1: to the castle and they essentially got their picture made 146 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: in front of it. It was an engraving at the time. 147 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: Of course they had to stand there for four weeks. Yeah, 148 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 1: but it was their children in them in front of 149 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: the tree, and that's kind of may have been the 150 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: first Christmas card like we do today. That's nice. You 151 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: send Christmas cards. No, I don't even know. I'm such 152 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 1: a slacker. I've never sent Christmas cards. Yeah, so don't 153 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: be offended. Friends who listened. None of my friends listen 154 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 1: to this. But when I don't see Christmas cards, I 155 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: just don't do it. I haven't done it. I'll do 156 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:08,079 Speaker 1: that one day. Um, okay, So Chuck, let's talk about 157 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:12,319 Speaker 1: gift giving. Okay. In two thousand seven, Consumer Reports said 158 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: that they issued an article in November of two seven, 159 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:20,079 Speaker 1: I said twelve million Americans were still paying off Christmas 160 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 1: from the year prior. Just a year later, twelve million 161 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 1: Americans were still making payments on their credit card gifts. 162 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: So in addition to hearing is that Santas slagh and 163 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: jingle bells, I hear Josh flying overhead? I think you're hallucinating, 164 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 1: am I. I don't hear anything. In addition to that, 165 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: do you know what I hear is the sound of 166 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: credit card machines being well, yeah that's old, but yeah, 167 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 1: the swipe of the credit cards over a number of things. 168 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 1: Thank you. That's what I hear. It is decidedly commercial 169 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: now and one of the reasons why people are still 170 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 1: paying it off is, um, we spend an ass load 171 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 1: of money on Christmas presents and decorations, eight billion dollars 172 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 1: on lights alone. Nuts. Listen to this dude in the 173 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 1: National Retail Federation, which likes to come out with their 174 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 1: annual forecast of how much Americans are going to spend 175 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: on holiday gifts and just anything that has to do 176 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:13,839 Speaker 1: with the holidays. They forecasted a hundred and seventy three 177 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: billion in nineteen ninety eight. Wow, this is this is 178 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: the height of the dot com bubble and everybody was 179 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 1: rich back then. Everybody You weren't rich either, should uh? 180 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:31,719 Speaker 1: Two thousand nine, this year, the National Retail Federation projects 181 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,319 Speaker 1: that we will spend four hundred and thirty seven point 182 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:39,559 Speaker 1: six billion dollars in a recession. That's not Yeah, I 183 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 1: don't drop that much on Christmas. We're gonna spend half 184 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 1: a trillion dollars on Christmas in a recession. That's a 185 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: bad year. I know. And you know what, I think. 186 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: They've said that during recessions even sometimes you go out 187 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: of your way to make Christmas special because you've pinched 188 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: all year long, So that might infinitely do it. You've 189 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 1: done what because you pinched your pennies all year long? 190 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 1: You pinched all year long? Yes, I didn't hear that. Okay, 191 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:06,679 Speaker 1: But gift giving, Josh, what is this? Where did it 192 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:08,440 Speaker 1: come from? Well, like I said, a lot of these 193 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 1: pagan rituals they gave gifts, but uh, the roots almost 194 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: all of them did, Strange, Lena, But the roots are 195 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 1: generally traced to Um the Bible and Jesus being born 196 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 1: and the Three Kings, the Magi that traveled to Bethlehem 197 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 1: with their three gifts of gold. Frankinsincein mur right and 198 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:31,560 Speaker 1: actually um Eastern Orthodox Christians tend to celebrate Three Kings 199 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: Day in January six, which is the day they think 200 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: that the magi arrived with their gifts. Yeah, okay, because 201 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 1: it took them a while. Sure, yeah, yeah, everybody's writing 202 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 1: mules back then, answer forever. Things kind of progressed like 203 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: this for a while, and then in eighteen twenty, do 204 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: you know what first appeared? Josh stores began placing Christmas 205 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 1: themed ads and newspapers and magazines. Yeah, and for the 206 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 1: first time even before then, though, um Macy's stayed open 207 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: I think for the first time until midnight Christmas Eve 208 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 1: in eighteen sixty seven. That was after that. But yeah, 209 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: I thought you said, I'm sorry, that's losing my mind here, 210 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: But yeah, in eighteen sixty seven, they they stayed open 211 00:12:10,800 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: for those last minute Christmas shoppers. So by the by 212 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:17,440 Speaker 1: eighteen sixty seven, it was already a frenzy. Should we 213 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 1: talk about Boxing Day real quick? Sure? Just cover that 214 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: for all the Brits out there, if you're in England, Australia, 215 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: Canada or New Zealand. Uh, Christmas does not end on No, 216 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 1: it continues on to the twenty six Boxing Day. So 217 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: what is that, Josh? Well, apparently it grew out of 218 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:41,719 Speaker 1: a tradition where servants who had to work on Christmas 219 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 1: all day serving the rich families of New England or 220 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:50,959 Speaker 1: New Zealand, Australia and Great Britain and Canada. Um, they 221 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 1: were given the next day off, the twenty six. They 222 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: have their own Christmas, their own servant version of Christmas. 223 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 1: And apparently that was taken over by the rich at 224 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: cats as well. Right, so there's a Boxing Day and Christmas, 225 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:06,079 Speaker 1: I take it in those countries. That's the way I 226 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 1: understand it, Chuck, Josh, let's keep going on with this 227 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: origin stuff. This stuff is very interesting. Can can we 228 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: talk about St Nick for a second? Yeah? So you 229 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: know there really was a St. Nick? Right? I do know? 230 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 1: School me. Uh he was actually canonized in the I 231 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 1: think nineteenth century. But he was born in two seventy 232 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 1: CE in Turkey. Uh. He was a Mediterranean dude. Turkish 233 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 1: was he He was Turkish? And I think he died 234 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:43,520 Speaker 1: in three forty, so he was old. Um. He was 235 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:46,720 Speaker 1: worshiped by a group of sailors who formed a cult 236 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 1: around him, the St. Nicholas Cult or the Nicholas cult. 237 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: Before he was canonized, a group of sailors, a group 238 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:56,959 Speaker 1: of sailors just idolized this guy, like literally, so these sailors, actually, 239 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 1: I guess, sailed to Turkey and said, we're gonna take 240 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 1: Nick's bones where they're being kept in a shrine in Turkey, 241 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 1: bring his bones out exactly, okay. Or they went in 242 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: and got them themselves, one of the two. Uh, and 243 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,679 Speaker 1: then they take it back to They take the bones 244 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: back to Italy and place him in a shrine. But 245 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: when they do so, they displaced this pagan idol known 246 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 1: as the Grandmother capital T capital g. The Grandmother had 247 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 1: a reputation for placing um gifts in children's stockings. St. Nick, 248 00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: who was who was a real person, was a Christian 249 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: martyr I believe takes over this lady's shrine and the 250 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 1: association with gifts and him giving gifts and even gifts 251 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: and stockings her. Her reputation goes to him. So it 252 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 1: originally started with a woman huh in ten seven. That's 253 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 1: when the sailors went, we're not done yet here. My 254 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 1: friend Santa Claus has a very long, in circuitous route. 255 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 1: But it's amazing how it all comes together. I'm roasting chestnuts, 256 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 1: by the way, while I'm listening to this. Because the 257 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 1: in the Nicholas Colt gave each other gifts, right um. 258 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: And since they gave, they were known for giving gifts. 259 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 1: They were one of the more popular cults around. So 260 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 1: when they spread north, people were like, hey, you're kind 261 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 1: of cool, let's hang out. And um they were converted. 262 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 1: They were a very powerful cult. And when they moved 263 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 1: into Germany or the Germanic areas. Uh, Odin remember you 264 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: mentioned him earlier, Long white Beard blew over houses, right. Uh. 265 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: Santa Claus as we know it today is the collision 266 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 1: of Odin and St. Nick and the Grandmother. Technically I 267 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: had something to do with Germany. I remember hearing that one. 268 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 1: So Santa Claus was um I think a Dutch word 269 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: for this conception. But it wasn't until eighteen o nine 270 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: that Washington Irving wrote a satire of Dutch culture and said, um. 271 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 1: He used the name Santa Claus, the Dutch name which 272 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 1: introduced the name to the English. A few decades after that, 273 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 1: guy named Thomas Nast, an illustrator, starts drawing his conception. 274 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: Santa Claus. Adds the the north pole, the elves, the workshop, 275 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: all that stuff, and then finally Santa Claus, who we 276 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: know and love today, the jolly fat man with the 277 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 1: red coat and the white trimming. All these things have 278 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 1: accumulated up to this point, and then our image are 279 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 1: iconic image of Santa Claus was thanks to an illustrator 280 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: who was contracted by the Coca Cola company in n 281 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: and seen, there's Santa Claus and that crazy. That is crazy. 282 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 1: What a cool history? I think, so too and slightly 283 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: disappointing a little bit. Where's the magic? There's no magic? No, 284 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: al right, Okay, so go ahead, Chuck. I've talked way 285 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 1: too much for now. I guess we should talk about 286 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:46,960 Speaker 1: trees a little bit. Um evergreen trees and garlands. We're 287 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: used to decorate symbols of eternal life by everyone from 288 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: ancient Chinese to Hebrews and Egyptians and European Pagans even 289 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: worship these trees. Yeah, I remember we talked about the 290 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 1: ruids and u sexual proclivities right, So fast forward a 291 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,680 Speaker 1: little bit. When Western Germans used fir trees to represent 292 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 1: the Tree of Paradise and plays about Adam and Eve. 293 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: They decorated these trees with apples and wafers and stuff, 294 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:18,679 Speaker 1: and that got more and more popular until they were 295 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 1: introduced in North America in the seventeenth century, and then 296 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: people started decorating them with mistletoe and holly and stuff 297 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: like that, and like you said, they really took off 298 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 1: thanks to Prince Albert and that engraving. Yeah, and in 299 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:34,639 Speaker 1: Christmas lights clearly, which were introduced in eighteen ninety or 300 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 1: in the eighteen nineties. And also, as I understand that 301 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:42,640 Speaker 1: gingerbread men, Yeah, that is based on a Saturnalia tradition 302 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 1: from the ancient Romans where they would eat human shaped biscuits. Yeah, 303 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:50,919 Speaker 1: I think about that's what a ginger modes. Yeah. I 304 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 1: love ginger cookies. Do you like those? Yeah? Are you 305 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:56,880 Speaker 1: with us? Okay, I'm having trouble enunciating during this one. 306 00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: I know it's strange, So Chuck, I think we've reached 307 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 1: the uh, the big finish, the finale it was Jesus 308 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:07,920 Speaker 1: born on December is that we're gonna talk about and also, 309 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,640 Speaker 1: do you want to pop into quick facts. Yeah, So 310 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:14,719 Speaker 1: where's the word Christmas come from? Uh? It comes from Mars. 311 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 1: It comes from an old English word or term Christ's 312 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:23,159 Speaker 1: mass right um or put together Christmas? And do you 313 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 1: know where xmus came from? No, X was the standard 314 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:31,919 Speaker 1: abbreviation of capital X was the standard abbreviation to represent Christ. 315 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 1: So really it's not taking Christ out of Christmas when 316 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:38,400 Speaker 1: you say x mess was an abbreviated version of christs. 317 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 1: Did not know that because a lot of people take 318 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:43,199 Speaker 1: offense when you write xmus. People get really runtled up 319 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: about this stuff. They do. They just need to drink 320 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: a little egg nog, right, yeah, with rum, right delicious rum. So, Josh, 321 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:55,160 Speaker 1: let's talk about December and was Jesus really born on December. 322 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 1: There is a one in three hundred and sixty five 323 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 1: or one and three hundred and sixty six chance, depending 324 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:05,399 Speaker 1: on whether or not it was leap here, that he 325 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 1: was born on December twenty Yeah, because the Bible doesn't 326 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,680 Speaker 1: say that Jesus was born on December twenty one. Thing 327 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:13,200 Speaker 1: I learned from this wonderful article written by our colleague 328 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 1: Sarah Dowdy, who hosts Stuff You missed in history class 329 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 1: um is that the early Church didn't care much about 330 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:24,920 Speaker 1: the Nativity about Jesus being born, that there was no celebration, 331 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:26,880 Speaker 1: didn't pick up, like we said, until the fourth century 332 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: a d. Right, right, So yeah, there wasn't a lot 333 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 1: of effort made to really date his birth early on. Yeah. Uh. 334 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:38,480 Speaker 1: There's some clues though that it was probably not on December. Uh. 335 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: In the chapter of Luke, they say that the shepherds 336 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:46,679 Speaker 1: are keeping watch over their flock by night day in night. Well, no, 337 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:50,280 Speaker 1: it just says they're flocked by night in the Bible. Whatever. 338 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: Don't challenge me on the Bible, buddy, I know my Bible. 339 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 1: But this suggests that it may have been actually in 340 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:58,640 Speaker 1: the spring, during spring lambing, because that is the only 341 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:01,679 Speaker 1: time of year where they you keep watch today and night. 342 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:03,920 Speaker 1: Otherwise it's just during the day, so day and night 343 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 1: in that case, yes, okay, and you're waiting on that. 344 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,639 Speaker 1: So this one Bible scholar, his first name was Dionysus, 345 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:15,800 Speaker 1: I can't remember his last name. Uh, he calculated that, Um. 346 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:19,879 Speaker 1: I think he was the one that calculated December twenty Yes, Josh, chronographers. 347 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 1: Here's another theory here that chronographers reckon that the world 348 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:28,760 Speaker 1: was created on the spring equinox, and then four days later, 349 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 1: on March, light was created because the earth was created 350 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 1: then got created light according to the Bible in Genesis, 351 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: and since the existence of Jesus UH signaled the beginning 352 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: of a new era of Christianity or creation Uh, the 353 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:46,200 Speaker 1: chronographers assumed that jesus conception would have fallen on March 354 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:52,360 Speaker 1: twenty five, which nine months after that would be which 355 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:56,200 Speaker 1: would be his birthday. Yeah, there's a modern Bible scholar 356 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 1: who has gone a little broader trying to hammer out 357 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: the extra a year and um by his reckoning, thanks 358 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 1: to Um the presence of Herod King Herod was still alive. 359 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:11,639 Speaker 1: He dated it back and figured out that Jesus is 360 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 1: probably born in four BC. Four BC, so not too 361 00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:18,880 Speaker 1: far off as far as the year goes. Not bad. 362 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 1: And again we should remind people that this December twenty 363 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 1: thing was largely an attempt to steal um the winter 364 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: solstice from the Pagans to convert them over to Christianity, 365 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,199 Speaker 1: So no one knows when Jesus was born. Yeah, and 366 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 1: you know we're not saying all this to Pooh Pooh 367 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:37,199 Speaker 1: Christmas or the fact that Jesus may or may not 368 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:39,880 Speaker 1: have been born on December twenty. None of that matters. 369 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 1: The origin doesn't matter. What matters is is that is 370 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 1: the day that we celebrate it. And uh, all over 371 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 1: the world, they're different traditions. Some people open their gifts 372 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 1: and Christmas Eve, some people do it Christmas Day. Some 373 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: people don't do Christmas at all. Some people don't celebrate 374 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: it at all. You know, there's other religions out there. 375 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: You heard about these, yeah, and and we're gonna cut 376 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:02,440 Speaker 1: over these at some other point. But this one is 377 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 1: about Christmas. Yeah. Um. And if you think about it, 378 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 1: from the true origins of Christmas, all of these disparate 379 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: cultures being brought together and molded into this. Sure, you 380 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 1: know it was done surreptitiously and a little sneakily, but 381 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:20,359 Speaker 1: it kind of reminds you, at the very least, it 382 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:23,439 Speaker 1: explains how this whole season it's based around Christmas in 383 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:28,239 Speaker 1: the United States. Um, kind of touches everybody. Sure, So 384 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: that's Christmas, Chuck, Do we have any listener mail today? Oh? Yeah? 385 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:34,440 Speaker 1: If you want to know more about Christmas, you can 386 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 1: type the end the handy search bar at how Stuff 387 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:39,639 Speaker 1: Works dot com uh, which then I guess leads us 388 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:42,639 Speaker 1: to listener mayo. Indeed, Josh, we have a couple of 389 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:45,399 Speaker 1: requests which we don't often honor here on the show. 390 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 1: We're gonna this year. We love turning down people's requests 391 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 1: because I feel bad for people that are born right 392 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 1: around Christmas. Do because that just thinks. So, Hey, Josh 393 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 1: Chuck and Jerry Chucker and Jerry, I have a sad 394 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:00,920 Speaker 1: Christmas story followed by a huge favor. My story starts 395 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 1: almost twenty four years ago, the day after Christmas. That 396 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: was the day my husband Ian was born. The unfortunate 397 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:11,320 Speaker 1: timing of his birth has caused a ton of bitterness 398 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: over the years. It's all the gloom that comes after 399 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:16,160 Speaker 1: the presents are open. We are faced with the fact 400 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: that Christmas is gone for a whole year, and then 401 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:22,680 Speaker 1: it's his birthday. What a let down? Uh. He absolutely 402 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:24,919 Speaker 1: hates his birthday as a result, and often refers to 403 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 1: it as the most disappointing day of the year. It's awful. Uh. 404 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 1: He is constantly played by the yearly Christmas Birthday present, 405 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 1: of course, having his birthday gifts wrapped in Christmas paper. 406 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:38,960 Speaker 1: Just last year, he received a birthday gift with a 407 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:42,640 Speaker 1: candy cane tape to the front of it. That's awful. Uh. 408 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:44,280 Speaker 1: And he has never even had a birthday party in 409 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:45,879 Speaker 1: his whole life because no one ever wants to go 410 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: out the day after Christmas. He's a complete afterthought. So 411 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 1: here's my huge favor. Uh. He is a huge fan 412 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 1: of your you guys, and I mean huge. He watches 413 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 1: your live video cast every week. He must be the fan. 414 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: Then he watches the pobcast and listens to the podcast 415 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:06,160 Speaker 1: every Tuesday and Thursday. And he also does his best 416 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: to spread the word of stuff you should know to everyone, 417 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:13,159 Speaker 1: including me. So, by the way, now I'm Cloked's what 418 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,359 Speaker 1: she said. So I'm hoping you could make this the 419 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:19,920 Speaker 1: best birthday ever. From Ashley the birthday Fairy. Ashley, we're 420 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 1: gonna give your husband a huge happy birthday here, Happy birthday, 421 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:26,439 Speaker 1: Happy birthday. And we're sorry you were born on the 422 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 1: be glad you were born at all. That's what I say. 423 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:32,359 Speaker 1: But I'm sorry, dude, that stinks. And we're sending you 424 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 1: like a T shirt or something. And she wanted to 425 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 1: sign T shirt but with a candy cane tape to it. Yeah, 426 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: we should totally do s Ian. You've got something coming 427 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:42,240 Speaker 1: your way, but it's not gonna be there by, But 428 00:24:42,320 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: a happy birthday anyway, Ian, Josh, we have another one. Okay, 429 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 1: this from Karen. I just wanted to ask for a 430 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:50,240 Speaker 1: huge favor. My partner, Tristan is a big fan of 431 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:53,000 Speaker 1: your show. In fact, thanks to you guys, he now 432 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:55,120 Speaker 1: has opinions on a range of subjects and it drives 433 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:58,720 Speaker 1: me crazy. He turns thirty on Christmas Eve, and that 434 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:02,399 Speaker 1: is today, if I'm not mistaken, and I'm trying to 435 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:04,919 Speaker 1: make it a little special by surprising him with thirty gifts, 436 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 1: and it would freak him out if he was listening 437 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:10,399 Speaker 1: to your podcast and you wish him a happy birthday? 438 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: Could you help me out? That would be awesome. So, Tristan, 439 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 1: today actually is your birthday. Happy birthday, Happy birthday, Tristan. 440 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:24,719 Speaker 1: Are you freaked out thirty gifts? Yeah? So hopefully you're 441 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 1: freaked out there in Australia, Tristan, Chris, Tristan, we're talking 442 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 1: about you right now, Tristan. Yeah. Uh. And Josh, beyond that, 443 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:36,719 Speaker 1: do you want to say a few words here? I do. Actually, 444 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 1: I want to wish my darling five ft one and 445 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:44,679 Speaker 1: a half inch half okanow and girlfriend you me happy 446 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 1: birthday too. Her birthday is December, so she's one of 447 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 1: those poor afflicted people born around Christmas time. Happy birthday, shortcake, Yeah, 448 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:57,120 Speaker 1: happy birthday. You mean you call a shortcake? I call 449 00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 1: a sugar little sweet. Yeah. So John here, we are 450 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 1: close to the end of the year, and we'll go 451 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,639 Speaker 1: ahead and say our salutations here on Christmas Eve to 452 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:10,119 Speaker 1: everyone raise a toast of eggnog. Stuff you should know, Army. 453 00:26:10,280 --> 00:26:13,399 Speaker 1: We're proud of you, guys. We're proud of each other. Jerry, 454 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 1: we had a great year. It's been awesome. Great response 455 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:20,520 Speaker 1: has been a really big year. Yeah, it's just been awesome, 456 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:22,880 Speaker 1: and we feel great about it. And we feel awesome 457 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:25,679 Speaker 1: about the stuff. You should known. Army coming together and 458 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 1: being so involved and donating tens of thousands of dollars, 459 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 1: that's good stuff. As Josh says on the Keyva thing, 460 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:37,560 Speaker 1: what the finest people that have never met. That's close. 461 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 1: That's what I feel like we are. Yeah. Well, thanks 462 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 1: to all of you out there in s Y s 463 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:46,160 Speaker 1: k Land. We hope that your sugar plum dreams are 464 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:50,680 Speaker 1: all fulfilled, that you're all tucked in tight in your 465 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 1: warm beds with somebody you love and who loves you. 466 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 1: And we'll see in after two more episodes, and we 467 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,240 Speaker 1: will see to it that we keep you as informed 468 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 1: and entertained in as we did in two thousand nine. 469 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:12,840 Speaker 1: We ain't going nowhere exactly. Um, Happy holidays? Is that 470 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 1: it is that we're going to end this? Is that heartfelt? Enough? Yep? Okay? 471 00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:25,720 Speaker 1: For more on this and thousands of other topics, is 472 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:29,240 Speaker 1: it how stuff works dot Com? Want more how stuff works? 473 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:31,679 Speaker 1: Check out our blogs on the house. Stuff works dot 474 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 1: com home page. Brought to you by the reinvented two 475 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:39,520 Speaker 1: thousand twelve Camray. It's ready, are you