{"podcast":{"title":"Decoder Ring","slug":"decoder-ring-232078","podcast_index_feed_id":232078,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/696572d375c092ac4e159c27","website_url":"https://slate.com/podcasts/decoder-ring","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/696572d375c092ac4e159c27/show-cover.jpg","author":"Slate Podcasts","episode_count":156,"summary":"Decoder Ring is the show about cracking cultural mysteries. In each episode, host Willa Paskin takes a cultural question, object, or habit; examines its history; and tries to figure out what it means and why it matters. Get more of Decoder Ring with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of Decoder Ring and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Decoder Ring show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/decoderplus for access wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-17T16:21:53.588125+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/decoder-ring-232078"},"episode":{"title":"The Slate Culture Gift Guide","slug":"the-slate-culture-gift-guide","published_at":"2025-11-12T08:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/decoder-ring-232078/the-slate-culture-gift-guide","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/decoder-ring-232078","url":"https://shows.acast.com/decoder-ring/episodes/696572e9d87c2ca348b6f6a2","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/696572d375c092ac4e159c27/e/c187a698-be4e-11f0-8be0-63ba7607ec58/media.mp3","summary":"Hark, the holiday season is upon us—and with it the most solemn of festive traditions: a gift guide! In this video and podcast special, Slate hosts Dana Stevens, Chris Molanphy, and Willa Paskin beam-in from their collective hearths to deliver unto the internet their favorite gifts for culture lovers this holiday. In addition to sharing gifts, they also discuss the cultural artifact that is the “holiday gift guide,” and its history going back to the early 20th century, up to the modern day. See the entirety of the 1910 gift guide Our Special Holiday Gift-Book from Greenhut-Siegel Cooper, and Esquire’s ultra-mod gift guide from 1961. Check out our gift recommendations below: Dana Stevens’ Cozy Movie Night-In: The Salbree Collapsible Silicone Microwave Popcorn Popper & Amish Country Popcorn L'agraty Chunky Knit Blanket Throw The Adventures of Antoine Doinel, The Criterion Collection Box Set Chris Molanphy’s Hit Parade Collection: The Beatles’ Revolver CD Box Set Mad Men Blu-Ray Box Set Can't Slow Down: How 1984 Became Pop's Blockbuster Year, by Michaelangelo Matos Willa Paskin’s Fruit-Themed Trompe-l'œil Housewares: Cantaloupe-shaped bowls in the style of Bordallo Pinheiro 4-Pack Orange-Shaped Candle Stocking Stuffer Cherry-Shaped Toilet Brush The Slate Culture Gift Guide is produced for Slate Studios by Benjamin Frisch and Micah Phillips, with Meryl Bezrutczyk and Andrew Harding. Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com, check out our FAQ at slate.com/podcastfaqs for easy instructions. Members subscribed via Apple Podcasts get automatic access—no setup required. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","meta_description":"Hark, the holiday season is upon us—and with it the most solemn of festive traditions: a gift guide! In this video and podcast special, Slate hosts Dana S…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2894,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/decoder-ring-232078/episodes/the-slate-culture-gift-guide/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/decoder-ring-232078/the-slate-culture-gift-guide.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}