Podcast Summary:

Something You Should Know – The Real Stories Behind Christmas Traditions and Songs
Host: Mike Carruthers | Guest: Ace Collins
Date: December 23, 2025

Overview

In this special holiday bonus episode, host Mike Carruthers chats with Ace Collins, author of Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas and Stories behind the Best Loved Songs of Christmas. Together, they uncover the fascinating, and sometimes surprising, origins of the Christmas traditions and songs we know and love, from mistletoe to Santa Claus, and “Silent Night” to “Jingle Bells.” With a mixture of historical insight, engaging backstories, and memorable anecdotes, this episode will forever change how you view the trappings and tunes of the holiday season.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The NORAD Santa Tracker: From Typos to Tradition

[03:23]

• The famous NORAD Santa Tracker, which millions now use on Christmas Eve, began in 1955 due to a misprinted phone number in a Sears ad.
• Instead of reaching Santa, kids called the Continental Air Defense Command. An officer decided to play along, and the tradition of “tracking Santa” was born.
• “What began as a Cold War accident has turned into a beloved annual tradition that's been running for nearly 70 years.” – Mike Carruthers

Mistletoe: From Norse Symbol to Kissing Plant

[05:39 & 00:41]

• Mistletoe’s association with Christmas predates Christianity, tracing back to the Vikings, who admired it as “this incredible plant…able to grow out of dead wood in the wintertime.”
• Early Christian missionaries reinterpreted mistletoe as a symbol for Christ's resurrection, with the green symbolizing eternal life, red for the blood, and white for purity.
• The tradition of kissing under it originated from wedding rituals, but only the “kissing” part endures today.
• Quote: “The only thing we remember about the mistletoe plant is the kissing part.” – Ace Collins [06:45]

Christmas Before the 1840s: More Mardi Gras Than Mass

[07:01]

• Early American and English Christmases were unruly, drunken affairs similar to “Mardi Gras on steroids.”
• Gangs roamed, caroling for booze or money, sometimes resorting to mischief if refused.
• It transformed into a family and child-focused holiday after the popularity of “'Twas the Night Before Christmas” and growing commercialism in the 1840s.
• Churches, once closed on Christmas, began holding services, and Congress started observing the day.
• Quote: “It was in the 1840s…when we finally had that old fashioned Christmas that everyone longs for today.” – Ace Collins [08:36]

Dickens and the Spirit of Giving

[08:46]

• Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol both reflected and influenced changing attitudes, highlighting compassion and social justice at Christmas.
• Modern practices of charity—like street-corner Santas—can be traced to the ethos Dickens helped popularize.
• Quote: “Dickens…opened up the door for…social justice.” – Ace Collins [09:55]

The History of Christmas Trees

[10:14]

• Christmas trees trace their roots to the Middle Ages in Europe. Latvians first hung trees upside down in the 1500s.
• The tradition evolved from “creation trees,” symbols from church plays, to festive home décor, with Germany pioneering the decorated indoor tree.
• America embraced Christmas trees in the mid-1800s; the first tree lot was in NYC in the 1870s.
• Wreaths originated from extra clippings.

Ornaments: From Nativity Scenes to Shiny Glass

[11:30]

• Early ornaments were wooden nativity carvings; later, homemade items like popcorn, berries, and paper.
• German glass ornaments appeared 250 years ago and became common in the U.S. after the Civil War.

Poinsettias: A North American Addition

[12:26]

• Poinsettias, long used by the Aztecs, became a Christmas emblem due to a Mexican legend:
  • A young girl offers the plant at a Christmas service; its leaves turn red as a miracle.
• The U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Mr. Poinsett, popularized the plant in America in the 1800s, making it a rare American-born tradition.

The Evolution of Santa Claus

[17:07]

• The legendary figure is based on St. Nicholas of Bari, a charitable Catholic bishop who anonymously left gifts for the poor—often in stockings hung by the fire to dry.
• St. Nicholas’s story introduced traditions like gift-giving in stockings or shoes.
• The modern image of Santa—a jolly, red-coated figure—was cemented by Haddon Sundblom’s Coca-Cola ads in the 20th century.
• Quote: “Sunbloom definitely created the Santa Claus that we celebrate and see everywhere today.” – Ace Collins [18:59]

The Nutcracker and Christmas Shows

[19:33]

• The Nutcracker began as an adult-oriented story but became a beloved children’s ballet. Its U.S. popularity exploded after Russian ballet tours post-World War II.

Why Some Songs Become Holiday Standards

[19:50 & 27:32]

• Timing can be everything: Songs like White Christmas, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas resonated due to WWII’s emotional context.
• White Christmas was written almost as an afterthought by Irving Berlin.
  • Quote: “After Bing Crosby heard White Christmas, he told Berlin...‘Nah, man, this is perfect. Don't change a word.’” – Ace Collins [20:38]

The Origin of Candy Canes

[21:42]

• Created in 1630 Cologne, Germany, by a choirmaster looking to keep kids quiet in church, candy sticks were bent into “shepherd’s staffs” as a symbolic and practical treat.

Christmas Cards Take Off

[22:55]

• Henry Cole in Victorian England, too busy to reply to holiday mail, commissioned the first Christmas card.
• The practice spread among the wealthy, becoming democratized with mass printing in the late 1800s and booming after 1900.

The Peculiar Case of "Jingle Bells"

[30:32]

• “Jingle Bells” was originally written for a Thanksgiving program in Massachusetts.
• Its popularity at Christmas grew after being performed at holiday services and spread via visiting relatives.
• The American vision of Christmas sleigh rides stems from the song and illustrations based on its lyrics.
• Jingle Bell Rock references “rocking” in a sleigh, not “rock and roll” music.
• Quote: “Jingle Bells is in truth the best known Thanksgiving song in the world.” – Ace Collins [30:32]

Why Some Christmas Songs Endure

[27:32]

• Most favorite holiday songs are decades or centuries old, with a few newer entries (e.g., Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You”) making the transition.
• The oldest “complete” carol is “O Come Emmanuel” (c. 1200s).
• “Silent Night” was written as a last-minute solution when a church organ failed; it spread via the “Johnny Appleseed of Silent Night”—the organ fixer who learned and taught it across Europe.
• “Silent Night” is now the most sung Christmas song.
• Quote: “Silent Night should have gone away. It should have never been heard again.” [29:02]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The only thing we remember about the mistletoe plant is the kissing part."
  – Ace Collins [06:45]

• "It was in the 1840s…when we finally had that old fashioned Christmas that everyone longs for today."
  – Ace Collins [08:36]

• “Dickens…opened up the door for…social justice.”
  – Ace Collins [09:55]

• "Sunbloom definitely created the Santa Claus that we celebrate and see everywhere today."
  – Ace Collins [18:59]

• "Jingle Bells is in truth the best known Thanksgiving song in the world."
  – Ace Collins [30:32]

• “Silent Night should have gone away. It should have never been heard again.”
  – Ace Collins [29:02]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:23] – NORAD Santa Tracker’s Origin Story
• [05:39] – The Real Roots of Mistletoe Tradition
• [07:01] – Rowdy Pre-1840s Christmases
• [08:46] – Dickens’ Impact and the Growth of Christmas Compassion
• [10:14] – Christmas Trees: From Medieval Churches to Modern Homes
• [12:26] – Poinsettias and Mexican Legend
• [17:07] – The Historical & Modern Santa Claus
• [19:33] – The Nutcracker and American Holiday Spectacle
• [21:42] – Candy Canes: More than Just a Sweet Treat
• [22:55] – The Birth of Christmas Cards
• [27:32] – Why Some Christmas Songs Last Forever
• [30:32] – “Jingle Bells”: Thanksgiving Song Turned Christmas Classic

Final Takeaway

With each tradition and melody, the Christmas season is layered with centuries of history, adaptation, and meaning. Whether it’s the humble beginnings of Christmas cards, the charitable roots of Santa Claus, or the accidental popularity of “Silent Night,” the stories behind the holiday are as rich and varied as the celebrations themselves.

“And that is something you should know.”