Ded Moroz ("Grandfather Frost"), went from folk tale to fairy tale, from beloved symbol of Christmas to exile, and then back to beloved symbol, all in surprisingly short order. It’s a story of ups and downs, set against the backdrop of a violent social and political revolution, and which resulted in a strange stint as the “Soviet Santa Claus.”

Karen Petrone, University of Kentucky history professor and author of Life Has Become More Joyous, Comrades, joins Brian to tell the story.

Clara in Australia shares a Christmas memory in this episode. Check out her podcast, The Festivity Files.

Music in this episode

• "Waiting at the Hem" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music Archive
• "Reverie - Claude Debussy - Classic Concert Grand Piano" — JuliusH, via Pixabay
• "Heartstring Serenade" — Liudmyla Polishchuk, via Pixabay
• "Somewhere in my Memory - Xmas Piano" — Calvin Clavier, via Pixabay
• "O Come O Come Emmanuel" — Jon Sayles, freemusicpublicdomain.com

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Book

Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Available in hardcover and audiobook. Find it wherever books are sold, like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.