Special Program: The History of Christmas and Christmas Traditions

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In this special program (recorded originally from Bob’s broadcast show on 12-2-18) Bob goes through the history of Christmas, starting with a defense of miracles such as the Virgin Birth for any who would claim that the Bible is unscientific and therefore unreliable. Bob then moves through the history of the Christmas holiday itself.

Topics include:

-A God who reveals Himself to those who seek Him

-A reconciliation of Jesus’ genealogies in Luke and Matthew

-Why the Messiah HAD to be born of a virgin in order to avoid a curse placed by God upon King Jehoiachin (also called Jeconiah)

-A response to skeptics who claim that the records of Christ’s birth in Matthew and Luke contradict ancient history

-How several early church leaders suggested December 25 as the date of Christ’s birth

-How the Roman festival of Saturnalia on December 25 eventually became Christmas

-Why the conversion of a pagan holiday to a Christian holiday is not a problem

-The rowdy Christmas celebrations eventually banned in England

-The real St. Nicholas

-The development and origin of various Santa Claus legends in Europe and America: Where did ideas such as elves, flying reindeer and North Pole habitat originate? How Rudolph was invented as a store product.

-Additional Christmas trivia: trees, egg nog, Poinsettia plants, etc.

NOTE FROM BOB SIEGEL: To clarify some facts that could have been better worded:

Christ’s birth was estimated between 3-4BC

King Herod died in 4BC

Ramsey was educated in the late 19th CENTURY and made significant discoveries in the EARLY 1900s.

The Puritans banned Christmas from 1659-1681.

NOTE: While the program is a repeat, you will hear a current commercial for Bob’s children’s novel, The Dangerous Christmas Ornament. If you are somebody who hates it when Christmas ends too quickly, this book is especially for you! Meet Mike’s eccentric Aunt Loureen who celebrates Christmas five months out of the year, from November through March! In her words, “If we’re going to have winter, we may as well have Christmas along with it.”

If you love Christmas as much as Bob, try reading a few chapters of this story. It will pull you in right away. Told in the first person by a twelve- year old sixth grade boy, it is enjoyed by all ages. Don’t let the title fool you. In the story, Christmas Day takes place only in Chapter One. After that, the story moves into late December and the first few weeks of January.

A fun, adventurous novel that kids have not been able to put down and yet it teaches them Judeo-Christian values!