The Ancient Calendar

It's the Great Global Do-Over! The world collectively hits the giant, red 'RESTART' button, yet we all know our ambition-filled software update is going to crash by January 15th. New Year's is humanity's oldest, most obsessive quest for order. We trace the messy, political journey of time itself: from the 12-day Babylonian festival of Akitu, to the resolutions Roman citizens ma...

If you're good, you get gifts. If you're bad, you get... something far more terrifying than a lump of coal. For centuries, the consequence of bad behavior was enforced by a squad of demonic companions. We venture into the dark side of the winter season to meet the punitive figures who carried the whips and switches. Learn why historical figures like Belsnickel and the legendary half-goat, half-dem...

Your host, Alexis Baxter, is taking a glorious, necessary detour! We’re diving into the historical and mythological gap between St. Nicholas and the jolly man in the red suit. Ever wonder why Santa has reindeer? Or why we drag a dead tree into our living rooms? This is the episode for you. ​We track Santa's identity from the 4th-century Turkish bishop, through the terrifying sky-rides of the Norse...

Our jolly, red-suited Santa is not a single story; he's a beautiful, chaotic remix. We trace the incredible journey of the original gift-giver: the humble 4th-century bishop St. Nicholas, whose secret acts of charity lit the first spark4. Follow that spark as it collides with the thunderous, sky-riding Norse god Odin and his eight-legged horse5. Find out how centuries of European folklore were fil...

Welcome to the Holiday Lasagna! Christmas is arguably the most ADHD holiday on the planet—a chaotic, glittery, cultural group project where every civilization added "just one little thing"1. This episode peels back the layers to explore the pagan solstice fires, the role-reversal chaos of Saturnalia, the quiet Christian faith, and the Victorian makeover that led to our modern, tinsel-covered spect...

Why do our holidays look the way they do? In The Ancient Calendar, we peel back the tinsel to uncover the wild, mythic, and sometimes chaotic origins behind our favorite traditions. From gift-givers and winter demons to ancient feasts and summer fire rituals, each episode reveals the folklore and history hidden inside the seasons we celebrate. New episodes every week.