Ever wonder what's behind your favorite holiday traditions? From wassail to poinsettias to those classic holiday TV specials, Brian Earl will tell you the stories of how America influenced holiday traditions and how those traditions continue to influence America.

I'm a fan of the Christmas Past podcast so I had to grab this book when I heard it was out. The chapters are primarily rehashed episodes of the podcast but extra tidbits of information are scattered throughout. Earl narrates the audiobook with his usual cheer.

It's generally a light pop-culture style history book. Nothing overly academic. Some fun experts - like the actor who played Flick on Christmas Story and the only person in the world who know the recipe for the snow inside snow globes. Enjoyable and a good gift for anyone who likes history or Christmas.