Introduction & Chestnut History

• Josh, Chuck, and Jerry recording final episode of year - longest Christmas break yet
• Alexandra Stock listener suggestion about chestnuts
• "The Christmas Song" (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) by Nat King Cole recorded 1946
• American chestnut blight started 1904, killed almost all trees within 40 years
• Pre-blight: 4 billion chestnut trees, half of all trees from Maine to Alabama/Kentucky/Ohio
• Chestnuts were acorn-sized, nutty/sweet/carrot-like flavor when raw, sweeter when roasted
• Street corner roasters common in Eastern US cities - "smell of Christmas in America" for over a century
• Current imported chestnuts from Korea/Italy/China taste bland, potato-like - not same as American variety
• American Chestnut Foundation (since 1983) planted 73,000 test trees, crossbreeding with Asian varieties
• Test trees in North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Pennsylvania
• Hope for authentic American chestnuts within decade

Christmas Towns Around the World

• Rovaniemi, Finland - claims Santa's official birthplace
  • Santa Christmas house, post office full of children's letters, toy factory
• Drøbak, Norway - claims Santa born under rock outside town
  • Own post office for children's letters
• North Pole, Alaska - Santa Claus house
  • Candy cane-shaped light poles on Santa Claus Lane, St. Nicholas Drive, Snowman Lane
• Santa Claus, Indiana - possible summer home
  • Lake Rudolph campground, Rudolph light show, Santa's Candy Castle (Curtis Candy Corp 1935)
  • Santa Claus Museum
• Bethlehem, Pennsylvania - 81-foot star on South Mountain (built 1937)
  • City founded Christmas Eve 1741, Great Depression hope symbol
• Christmas, Florida - former Fort Christmas (Army stockade 1837)
  • Post office provides Christmas postmarks year-round

Worst Christmas Songs

Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer

• Written 1977 by Randy Brooks (Dallas songwriter)
• Inspired by country songs that "drag you into love with character then kill them off in third verse"
• Co-writer: "Johnny Walker Black" (whiskey)
• Dark lyrics: drunk grandma leaves party for medication, gets run over by Rudolph
• Family finds her with footprints on forehead, Santa claw marks on back
• Family celebrates Christmas in black mourning clothes, debates opening grandma's presents
• Grandpa handles it well - partying, watching football, drinking beer, playing cards
• Recorded by married duo Elmo and Patsy after hearing Brooks perform
• First played on San Francisco radio Christmas Day 1979
• Polarizing response - some loved it, others hated it
• Broke big in 1983 with MTV video in heavy rotation
• Hit #1 on Billboard holiday charts multiple years
• Went gold then platinum, spawned toys, ugly sweaters, cartoon, scented candles, hot chocolate mix
• "Grandma Got Run Over by a Podcast" - 29 episodes
• Elmo and Patsy divorced 1984

All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth

• Written ~30 minutes by Donald Gardner, music teacher at Smithtown Elementary, Long Island
• Inspired by 16 out of 22 second graders missing front teeth
• Initially just for school holiday sing-along (tradition continues today)
• Heard at teacher's conference, published by Witmark Music Company
• Recorded by Spike Jones and His City Slickers
• Hit #1 in 1949
• Covered notably by The Chipmunks

Peppermint & Christmas Connection

• Peppermint most Christmas-associated taste (besides extinct chestnuts)
• Found in Starbucks mochas, Frosty Trees ice cream treats
• Cool blast suggests winter in mouth
• Candy cane origin: German choirmaster in Cologne, late 17th century
• Created to quiet rowdy kids during live nativity - hour-long lasting candy
• Curved shape echoes shepherd's staff
• Originally white, red stripes added later
• Peppermint indigenous to Middle East/Europe, used medicinally
• Candy canes were plain sugar flavor for 200 years before becoming peppermint

Elvis and Christmas

• Elvis very family-oriented, loved Christmas season
• 1966 Memphis Press-Scimitar quote: "best season of the year man...Christmas carols, trees and lions just grab you"
• Celebrated 23 Christmases at Graceland (1954-1976)
• Graceland decorated with colored lights, 6-8 foot trees, blue lights up driveway
• Gave extravagant gifts: cash bonuses to employees, jewelry/cars/dogs to friends/family
• Key Christmas years:
  • 1954: Pre-fame, Alabama Street apartment, Louisiana Hayride appearance
  • 1956: Breakout year - 17 Billboard songs, 3 #1 hits
  • 1957: First Christmas at Graceland, received draft notice Christmas Eve
  • 1958: First Christmas without mother (died), stationed in Germany
  • 1959: First Christmas with Priscilla, sent French poodle to girlfriend Anita Wood
  • 1966: Proposed to Priscilla on Christmas Eve
  • 1974: Health problems, flew in Voice gospel group multiple times
  • 1976: Last Christmas, bizarre Las Vegas engagement, died 6.5 months later

Moose Milk Recipe

• Canadian military drink from WWII
• All Canadian military branches claim ownership
• Traditional Christmas/New Year's drink

Recipe 1 (Cape Breton News via Atlas Obscura):

• 1 cup cold coffee
• 1 cup half and half
• 1.5 cups good vanilla ice cream
• 2 oz rum/whiskey/vodka (military doubles alcohol)
• 1 tablespoon Kahlua
• Top with nutmeg or dark chocolate shavings

Recipe 2 (Bex - military wife):

• Vanilla ice cream
• Rum
• Eggnog
• Nutmeg
• Larger batch: 2 liters ice cream, 4 liters eggnog, 2 liters rum, 1 tablespoon nutmeg

Closing & Plugs

• Alex from work makes George Washington eggnog recipe annually
• Chuck appeared on "Parenting is a Joke" with Ophira Eisenberg (produced by Julie Smith)
• Episode includes Ruby adoption story + 45-second Ruby interview in credits
• Recommendation for Alex's "Ephemeral" podcast
• Holiday wishes for all celebrations, special thoughts for those struggling during holidays