Where did Santa Claus really come from? In this episode, we take a deep dive into the true origins of Santa Claus, tracing his evolution from ancient winter myths to the modern holiday icon we know today. Long before reindeer and chimneys, Santa’s roots stretch back to Norse mythology, including Odin and the Wild Hunt, and to the real-life Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bishop whose secret gift-giving inspired centuries of tradition.

We explore how European folklore shaped Santa across cultures — from Sinterklaas in the Netherlands and Father Christmas in England to darker figures like Krampus, and global gift-bringers such as La Befana, Ded Moroz, Julenisse, Joulupukki, the Christkind, and the Three Kings. The episode then follows Santa’s transformation in America through Washington Irving, ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, Thomas Nast’s illustrations, and finally the massive cultural influence of Coca-Cola’s 20th-century advertising.

Santa Claus is not a single legend, but a fusion of pagan gods, Christian saints, folklore, and modern media — constantly reshaped to reflect what people needed most during the darkest time of year. This episode uncovers the surprising, sometimes eerie, and often forgotten history behind one of the world’s most recognizable figures. Perfect for fans of history podcasts, mythology, Christmas traditions, and holiday folklore.

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What You Didn’t Hear, the podcast where we dive into the overlooked stories that happened on the same days as history’s biggest events. While the world was watching one headline, countless other stories quietly unfolded—some fascinating, some tragic, and some that changed lives in ways we’ve never heard about.

In each episode, we’ll take you beyond the front page and shine a light on the moments history forgot. Because every day holds more than one story—and it’s time those voices were heard.

Connect with me on Social Media! Comment your favorite parts, something interesting that you learned, or a topic that you would live a deeper dive into!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/didnthearpodcast/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatyoudidnthear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1613CrUZ37/?mibextid=wwXIfr

If you have any questions or recommendations for Deep Dive episode topics that you would like to hear, I can be reached by e-mail at whatyoudidnthear.podcast@gmail.com

December 17th isn’t just the day the Wright brothers changed the world forever — it’s also packed with forgotten betrayals, doomed rebellions, buried monuments, missing explorers, tragic disasters, and pop-culture milestones that somehow slipped through the cracks of history.

In this episode of What You Didn’t Hear, we dig beneath the famous headlines and uncover the strange, overlooked, and often disturbing events that also happened on December 17th. From ancient Rome to feudal Japan, from the depths of the ocean to the birth of modern aviation, this date proves history is far messier — and far more interesting — than textbooks admit.

We begin with the Wright brothers’ first successful powered flight in 1903, then rewind over a millennium to 546 AD, when Rome fell to the Ostrogoths through betrayal and starvation. Along the way, we explore assassinated dukes, papal scandals, inquisitors accused of serving Satan, teenage emperors, violent religious uprisings in Japan, and a massive Aztec monument deliberately buried to erase the past.

You’ll also hear about:

• The assassination of William Longsword, Duke of Normandy
• The rise and brutal end of the Shimabara Rebellion in Japan
• The rediscovery of the Aztec Sun Stone
• A lost Australian explorer who vanished without a trace
• France offering a cash prize for communicating with aliens
• The birth of diesel-electric locomotives in New York
• A haunting submarine disaster where sailors tapped out their final question: “Is there any hope?”
• The premiere of James Bond: Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, and the first-ever airing of The Simpsons

If you love on-this-day history, bizarre historical events, forgotten stories, and the kind of facts that make you sound dangerously well-informed at parties, this episode is for you.

History didn’t forget these stories — it just didn’t want to talk about them.

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What You Didn’t Hear, the podcast where we dive into the overlooked stories that happened on the same days as history’s biggest events. While the world was watching one headline, countless other stories quietly unfolded—some fascinating, some tragic, and some that changed lives in ways we’ve never heard about.

In each episode, we’ll take you beyond the front page and shine a light on the moments history forgot. Because every day holds more than one story—and it’s time those voices were heard.

Connect with me on Social Media! Comment your favorite parts, something interesting that you learned, or a topic that you would live a deeper dive into!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/didnthearpodcast/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatyoudidnthear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1613CrUZ37/?mibextid=wwXIfr

If you have any questions or recommendations for Deep Dive episode topics that you would like to hear, I can be reached by e-mail at whatyoudidnthear.podcast@gmail.com

In this deep-dive episode of What You Didn’t Hear, we uncover the surprising true story of William Bradford, the first Governor of the Plymouth Colony—and the Christmas he shut down.

Most people know the Pilgrims for the Mayflower and the First Thanksgiving, but few have heard about the tense December day in 1621 when Christmas became a battleground in early American history. Drawing directly from Bradford’s own journal, this episode explores how Puritan beliefs, cultural clashes, and the desperate reality of colonial survival led to what can only be described as America’s first Christmas crackdown.

Travel back to the brutal first winters of Plymouth, where nearly half the colonists perished, religious convictions ran deep, and even games like stoolball became acts of rebellion. When new settlers arrived with English Christmas traditions—sports, singing, and open celebration—Bradford faced a dilemma that revealed the fault lines between faith, authority, and personal freedom in the New World.

Was Christmas considered sinful by the Puritans? Why did the Pilgrims ban Christmas celebrations? And how did this forgotten moment shape New England’s relationship with the holiday for centuries to come?

From the frozen streets of Plymouth to the eventual return of Christmas as a national holiday, “The Governor Who Stole Christmas” reveals a lesser-known but deeply human story hiding between the pages of early American history.

If you’re fascinated by Pilgrim history, Puritan culture, the Mayflower, colonial America, or the real origins of Christmas in the United States, this episode will change how you see the holidays forever.

🎙️ Listen now and discover what you didn’t hear about the first Christmas in Plymouth.

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What You Didn’t Hear, the podcast where we dive into the overlooked stories that happened on the same days as history’s biggest events. While the world was watching one headline, countless other stories quietly unfolded—some fascinating, some tragic, and some that changed lives in ways we’ve never heard about.

In each episode, we’ll take you beyond the front page and shine a light on the moments history forgot. Because every day holds more than one story—and it’s time those voices were heard.

Connect with me on Social Media! Comment your favorite parts, something interesting that you learned, or a topic that you would live a deeper dive into!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/didnthearpodcast/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@whatyoudidnthear

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1613CrUZ37/?mibextid=wwXIfr

If you have any questions or recommendations for Deep Dive episode topics that you would like to hear, I can be reached by e-mail at whatyoudidnthear.podcast@gmail.com