Season 2: Episode 46
A Cultural History of Christmas
Date Aired: 12/18/2023
Try as you might, you won’t find Santa Claus in the Bible. Or Christmas trees, or camel-riding Magi, or even December 25th! In the first centuries of Christianity, Christmas wasn’t really a “thing.” The birth of Jesus was far less important than his death and resurrection. So how did Christmas evolve from an afterthought into the biggest holiday on the planet? We’re thrilled to have Kyle Smith back on the podcast to present a deep-dive cultural history of Christmas. Why do we have so many different dates for Christmas? (12/25, 1/6, even 1/19!) Did the Three Kings have names (and were there actually three)? And how did Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century bishop from Turkey, transform into rosy-cheeked Saint Nick?
Listen to the episode on the Biblical Time Machine website or wherever you get your podcasts.
Disclaimer: The Society of Biblical Literature is not responsible for the content of this podcast. The opinions expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect those of the Society of Biblical Literature, its members, or its staff.
