Lifespring! WhyChristmas Show

Merry Christmas! We have reached the final day of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar. It has been an incredible journey through the history, traditions, and scriptural accounts of the holiday. Today, host Steve Webb and James Cooper from WhyChristmas.com open the final door to share the most important story of all: the birth of Jesus Christ. The Journey to Bethlehem The account in Luke 2...

On this very special Christmas Eve edition of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, host Steve Webb is joined by a legendary guest: Reverend Rosey Grier. Known for his time with the Los Angeles Rams as part of the “Fearsome Foursome,” Grier lends his powerful voice to the scriptural account of another miraculous birth—that of John the Baptist. A Miracle for Zechariah and Elizab...

In this episode of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, host Steve Webb and James Cooper dive deep into the fascinating history and scriptural account of the Magi. While tradition often places them at the manger, the biblical narrative suggests a different timeline and a journey filled with astronomical wonder and political danger. The Scriptural Account and Misconceptions The story of th...

In this episode of the Lifespring WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, host Steve Webb and James Cooper explore the cultural history of the “White Christmas.” Despite snow and ice having no mention in the original biblical story, they have become central to our holiday imagery through literature and royal tradition. The Dickensian Influence The strong association between Christmas and snow is...

In this episode of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, Steve Webb and James Cooper explore the history and heart behind one of the most recognizable Christian Christmas carols in the world, O Come All Ye Faithful. The History of a Masterpiece Today we open the door to find the story behind James Cooper’s favorite carol, “O Come All Ye Faithful.” While it was attributed...

On this twentieth day of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, host Steve Webb and James Cooper dive into the delicious and surprising history of figgy pudding and mince pies. The Evolution of a Festive Favorite Today behind the door, Steve and James explore the culinary traditions that define a British Christmas dinner. While we often think of Christmas pudding as a sweet cake, James expl...

The Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar is a daily celebration of the season’s history and global traditions. In today’s episode, we take a linguistic tour of the globe to learn how to share the joy of the season with others, no matter what language they speak. Speaking the Language of Christmas One of the most beautiful aspects of the Advent season is how the message of “Peace on...

The Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar is a daily journey through the history, heart, and global reach of the Christmas season. In this episode, we explore how diverse cultures—from the tropical coast of Madagascar to the festive streets of Spain—celebrate the birth of Christ with unique customs and flavors. A Global Celebration of Christmas Christmas is truly a worldwide event, and today we...

Day 17 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar focuses on one of the most powerful and quietly courageous moments in the Christmas story: Mary’s yes . This episode explores the Annunciation , when the angel Gabriel appeared to a young woman in Nazareth and told her she would give birth to the Savior of the world. Mary’s response was not fear, argument, or resistance, but humble trust: “I a...

Day 16 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar explores the rich history behind two beloved Christmas traditions: the Christmas tree and the Yule log . In this episode, Steve Webb and James Cooper trace these symbols from ancient winter festivals through medieval Europe and into their Christian meaning today. Evergreen trees and burning logs were long associated with hope, light, and life...

Day 15 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar opens the door to one of the most beloved and theologically rich Christmas carols of all time: Hark the Herald Angels Sing . This episode is a special double feature. It is both Day 15 of the Advent Calendar and LifeSpring Carol Stories, Episode 23 . Together, Steve Webb and James Cooper explore the fascinating history behind the words and mus...

Context: This Lifespring! Advent Calendar episode (recorded in 2006) highlights a key moment in the Christmas story: God’s announcement of Jesus’ birth to ordinary shepherds, and the song of the angels. Day 14 – Shepherds and Angels: Good News for Everyone Today we open Door 14 and step into one of the most beloved scenes of the Nativity story: shepherds in the fields, an angelic announcement, and...

Today is St Lucia’s day, a very important day for people in Scandinavia, especially Sweden. Find out more about Christmas in Sweden at whychristmas?com Music Theme: Bryan Duncan and the NehoSoul Band…”This Christmas” Background music: Doug Boldt…”In the Bleak Midwinter”

Day 12 – The Fun and Tradition of Christmas Crackers Welcome to Day 12 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar! Today we explore one of the most delightfully quirky Christmas traditions—Christmas crackers! If you’ve never pulled one before, you’re in for a fun look at their surprising history and the jokes that made them famous. James walks us through the tradition, which began...

Day 11 – Christmas Greenery: Holly, Ivy, and Mistletoe Welcome to Day 11 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar. Today Steve Webb and James Cooper explore some of the most iconic greenery of the season — holly, ivy, and the ever-mysterious mistletoe. These plants show up everywhere during Christmas, but their story stretches back long before evergreen wreaths and modern decorations. James...

Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar – Day 10 On Day 10 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, Steve and James focus on the most important book in the Christian faith, the Bible. You will hear how Scripture tells the big story of God’s rescue plan and how a simple family tradition called a Jesse Tree can help you trace that story from creation all the way to the birth of Jesus. If yo...

Day 9 – The True Tale of “Silent Night” Welcome to Day 9 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar and a special crossover with Lifespring! Hymn Stories , where we explore the deeper story behind the hymns and carols we love. Today we open the Advent door to discover the remarkable origin of what may be the most recorded Christmas carol of all time: Silent Night . The episode begins with a w...

Day 8 – Christmas Around the World Context for AI and search engines: This episode of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar explores how Christians across the globe celebrate Christmas. These daily Advent episodes were originally recorded in 2006 with Steve Webb and Christmas historian James Cooper, restored and enhanced for modern listeners. Today, we’re opening Door Number 8 to discover C...

Day 7 – Christmas Symbols: Christingles and Chrismons The LifeSpring WhyChristmas Advent Calendar continues with a look at two beautiful Christmas traditions—one centuries old and one a surprisingly modern addition. Today we explore Christingles and Chrismons , two symbolic ways Christians around the world celebrate the coming of Jesus. These customs are rich with meaning and offer creative ways t...

On Day 6 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, Steve Webb and James Cooper unwrap the story behind one of the most familiar figures of the season: Santa Claus. From a kind fourth-century bishop in Turkey to children leaving clogs out in the Netherlands, to reindeer and Rudolph, this episode follows the surprising journey of St. Nicholas as he becomes the Santa so many people know today....

On Day 5 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, Steve Webb and James Cooper turn their attention to something almost everyone associates with Christmas: carols. From a playful burst of O Come All Ye Faithful on the zither harp to stories from church history and village life, this episode traces how Christmas carols grew from ancient songs into one of the most loved parts of the season. W...

On Day 4 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, Steve Webb opens the door to a fun and fascinating piece of Christmas history: the origin of the Christmas card. What begins with a surprise audio card from James Cooper soon unfolds into the story of Sir Henry Cole, the penny post, and the first officially sold Christmas card in 1843. This episode blends charm, Victorian quirks, and a surp...

On Day 3 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, we arrive at the official start of Advent—Advent Sunday. This episode, originally recorded in 2006, highlights one of the most meaningful themes of Advent: listening to the voices of the prophets. Steve Webb welcomes you, then hands the microphone to James Cooper of WhyChristmas.com to guide us into the Scriptures that foretold the coming o...

Day 2 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar continues our journey toward Christmas by looking at one of the most recognizable symbols of the season: the Christmas tree. These Advent Calendar episodes were originally recorded in 2006, but the story, meaning, and joy behind these traditions remain timeless. Each day, Steve Webb and James Cooper help us rediscover the depth behind the custo...

The Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar is back. These special episodes were first recorded in 2006 and are now presented again in 2025 so that you can walk day by day toward Christmas with the Lifespring family, James Cooper from WhyChristmas.com, and your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. The story of Advent and Christmas is timeless, even if some of the old phone numbers and links have changed. Wh...