Episode
The Pagan Origins of Christmas (Annual Re-release)
- Published
- Dec 19, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 2756
- Processing state
not_requested
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/midnight-facts-for-insomniacs-546858/episodes/the-pagan-origins-of-christmas-annual-re-release/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/midnight-facts-for-insomniacs-546858/the-pagan-origins-of-christmas-annual-re-release.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
-Merry Christmas, insomniacs! Here's a blast from the past. We hope you're having an amazing holiday season- How is Santa Claus connected to cannibalism? Which Christmastide holiday commemorates the slaughter of children? How should you decode the cryptic numerology message 20+C+M+B+22? And what's with all of those airborne reindeer? Welcome to Ghosts of Christmases Past, in which Shane and Duncan explore how tree-worship and animal sacrifice evolved into the bizarre, festive, highly commercialized holiday we know today. So whether you're feeling the Christmas spirit or just feeling jaded and grinchy, grab a cup of heavily-spiked eggnog, get cozy by the yule-log, and join the boys as they unpack the fascinating pagan history of Christmas. ~Become an Insomniac! Support the show on PATREON and unlock exclusive bonus content.~Join the community, chat with fellow insomniacs, and vote on episode topics via DISCORD~Send Shane and Duncan a message at [email protected]~Rep the show! Grab a tee or mug at the MIDNIGHT MERCH store and spread the word.~Follow us on INSTAGRAM