Thursday 22 December 2016

FOLKLORE FLASHBACK #19 - In Search of Santa Part II



This week on Folklore Flashback we continue our festive investigations of the history and mystery of Santa Claus! And so, here are Parts III and IV of a truly epic podcast series revealing everything you need to know about the man with the bag! 



In the next leg of our epic investigation of the history and mystery of Santa Claus, we examine the development of his image through 19th century America, his appearances in Victorian England, and how he came to inhabit grottoes in our stores come December time! 

DIRECT DOWNLOAD -  In Search of Santa Part III 



In the final chapter of this epic festive investigation, Mr Jim Moon explores the history of the British Father Christmas, goes on the trail of the German Weihnachtsmann, and perhaps finally gets to the bottom of where Santa Claus really comes from!

HYPNOGORIA 26 – In Search of Santa Part IV
DIRECT DOWNLOAD -  In Search of Santa Part IV

Finally, here is a gallery showing the images mentioned in the shows above, depicting Santa Claus through the ages -

http://hypnogoria.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/in-search-of-santa-gallery.html

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

This article has finally got me in the mood for Christmas, been at it all day. When you work long hours its very easy to miss out on that elusive Christmas spirit and treat your festive trappings as mere windowsressing.
Well, today I've given an old dear a lift to the shops, cracked open a whisky and dropped my presents off to all and sundry before leaving best till: I spent about half an hour climbing up a holly tree to get Granny St.Claire a sprig with some berries on.

Just finished Robert Powell's readings of M.R James, absolutely excellent - I've said before he's a forgotten Master Of The Macabre and its a shame someone (you) doesnt get him in to read a few more.
So I sat down finally to the last part of your Christmas special and its put me right in the mood.
Merry Christmas to you Mr Moon for your continued excellence and and God Bless you all your readers.
VALUED SERVANT,
ST.CLAIRE

Anonymous said...

By some strange coincidence I did much the same today. Minus the old dear taxiing and climbing the holly tree. I did concentrate mostly on the whisky part it must be said.
I must concur regarding Powells prowess with the ghost story narration. Exemplary. I actually have the DVD somewhere but forgot all about it until just now. Coincidently, on my copy, Michael Bryant from the BBC's The Treasure of Abbott Thomas (1974) pops up in a bonus feature. Occasionally, I discover multiple genre dvds and books that I can't remember buying. I call it "tapping a rich seam", which always makes me think of Cornish tin mines.
Anyway, I digress. I'd like to sign off with this: Algernon Blackwood was a better writer of ghost stories than M.R. James. And I say that as a big fan of James.
Good evening and a very Merry Christmas to all.

Jim Moon said...

Merry Christmas and I'm honour to have brought a little festive cheer to your Christmases! I am already plotting what I shall be sreved up next Yuletide... :)

Anonymous said...

The above fellow sounds like a real genuine genre enthusiast. If anyone wishes to lose their life savings, please click on one of his links above.
ST.CLAIRE

Anonymous said...

For the first time in my life I'm glad I stood in the line marked "Quantity Surveying" and not "Civil Engineering" or I could have made a catastrophic error myself, there.
Occasionally, you get a bizarre comment from South East Asia on here.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone remember Hai Fat from The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)?

Anonymous said...

Yes. He took a Scaramanga assisted early retirement plan. Mr S is now Head Of The Board..
Love Mr S's tracksuit at the start. TMWTGG is the only Bond film id like to see remade. So much potential in Bond having a "dark twin" who is more polished and suave than the real thing, but under the surface is just a slightly -less -cheap thug.
ST.CLAIRE

Anonymous said...

We're obviously well off topic here but I must say I love the film. Especially the opening with Marc Lawrence in Scaramangas fun house. I'd most definately have been a regular at the Bottoms Up Club if given half the chance.
But who could do justice to the Scaramanga role?