The hottest Christmas Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Culture Topics

Composing 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'

Animation Obsessive • 13095 implied HN points • 20 Dec 24
🎭️ Culture Christmas
  1. The music of 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' by Vince Guaraldi became a key part of what makes the special so beloved. Many people love this Christmas classic mainly because of its wonderful soundtrack.
  2. Guaraldi wasn't widely known when he composed the score, and he thought it was just another gig. Yet, this music changed his career and became defining for the 'Peanuts' series.
  3. The show faced tight deadlines and a small budget, which made the team worried it would flop. Surprisingly, it became a big success and has remained a holiday favorite for years.

The Abundance Christmas Quiz!

Odds and Ends of History • 469 implied HN points • 22 Dec 25
🎙 Podcasts Christmas
  1. A special Christmas quiz episode focuses on transport, infrastructure and urbanism topics in a festive format.
  2. The quiz is hosted by Only Connect question-writer Stephen Jorgenson-Murray and features panellists CityEd and comedian/author Andrew Hunter Murray.
  3. The episode is part of The Abundance Agenda podcast, available on major platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and Substack, with links to hosts' newsletters and a request for listeners to share and leave reviews.

Gifts of the Magi

Letters from Fiddler's Greene • 1198 implied HN points • 19 Dec 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Christmas
  1. The Millennial generation faces criticism for societal decline and lack of positive contributions.
  2. Advent teaches lessons of humility, community, and the power of smallness for navigating challenging times.
  3. Finding joy in the anticipation and possibility of a new beginning is essential, especially during the Christmas season.

Dear AI, Please Draw me Historical London Christmas Scenes

Londonist: Time Machine • 659 implied HN points • 27 Dec 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Christmas
  1. Londonist and Matt Brown collaborated to create historical Christmas scenes of London using an AI image generator.
  2. The festive edition of Londonist included these AI-generated images, deviating from their usual historical content.
  3. To view the full post and access the archives, readers were encouraged to start a 7-day free trial of Londonist: Time Machine.

A Christmas Wish: White Wine in the Sun

God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger • 40 implied HN points • 25 Dec 25
🎶 Music Christmas
  1. Some songs celebrate the simple comfort of being with people who make you feel safe, and that feeling matters especially at Christmas.
  2. The best response to uncertainty is to live well: be courageous, resilient, loving, forgive, and focus on what you can control.
  3. Embrace seasonal warmth and simple traditions that remind you of human goodness, since they help you feel safe and connected.
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Chartbook 257: Santa's workshop economy and the question of unfree elvish labour.

Chartbook • 1716 implied HN points • 24 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Christmas
  1. The economics of Santa's workshop involves serious questions about sovereignty over the North Pole.
  2. There is debate about whether elvish labor in Santa's workshop can be considered as unfree or 'slave' labor.
  3. Reindeer play a crucial role in Santa's workshop economy, with an interesting fact being that all of Santa's reindeer with antlers are female.

A Meaning of Christmas

Atlas of Wonders and Monsters • 390 implied HN points • 21 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Christmas
  1. Christmas carols often emphasize the birth of a baby, connecting Christmas to celebrating new life and happiness.
  2. Being pro-natalist means believing in the value of having more babies for philosophical, practical, economic, and cultural reasons.
  3. Reflecting on the declining fertility rates globally, there is a cultural importance in considering the celebration of birth and supporting the idea of having children during Christmas.

Make Your Own Festive Biscuit Box

Vittles • 125 implied HN points • 05 Dec 24
🍲 Food & Drink Christmas
  1. You can easily make your own festive biscuit box with simple recipes. It's a fun way to share baked treats with friends and family during Christmas.
  2. There are three easy biscuit recipes: chocolate-dipped oat cookies, spiced ginger thins, and saffron shortbread. Each can be prepared quickly and adapted to your taste.
  3. Baking for others is a great way to spread joy during the holidays. You don't need to be an expert to create something special for your loved ones.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

The Reactionary • 145 implied HN points • 24 Dec 23
📚 Literature Christmas
  1. Art can bring solace and meaning to both creators and audiences.
  2. Personal tragedies and despair can inspire profound and enduring works of art.
  3. The famous Christmas song 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' was born out of a poignant moment during the Civil War and personal hardships faced by the poet.

Letter from the Western Front, Christmas Day 1914

Logos • 19 implied HN points • 20 Dec 23
💾 History Christmas
  1. During the Christmas truce of 1914, British and German soldiers stopped fighting to sing carols and celebrate together. This surprising moment of peace showed their shared humanity despite being enemies.
  2. Soldiers exchanged gifts, stories, and even laughter, realizing they had things in common like hope, fears, and loved ones back home. It highlighted that they were not just soldiers but human beings with feelings.
  3. The letter reflects on how this brief friendship made the soldiers question the nature of war. It suggests that if countries could communicate with kindness instead of hostility, perhaps conflicts could be resolved more peacefully.

December, twenty years ago

The Leftovers • 39 implied HN points • 24 Dec 21
🎭️ Culture Christmas
  1. During Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere, looting used to be a sign that the holiday was close due to issues like poverty, inflation, and unemployment.
  2. TV pundits often commented on the ethics of looting, mentioning the types of items looted and the reasons behind it.
  3. The combination of poverty, anger, inequality, and high temperatures in December created a tense environment that led to looting incidents.

Who Really Won Christmas Day? The NBA, NFL, or Netflix?

Huddle Up • 11 implied HN points • 27 Dec 24
🎾 Sports Christmas
  1. The NBA has traditionally been the main sports attraction on Christmas Day. It has built a strong audience over the years for their holiday games.
  2. The NFL is gaining popularity and has started to compete with the NBA for viewership on Christmas. This shows that preferences in sports are shifting.
  3. Netflix is also becoming a competitor for viewers on Christmas, highlighting how streaming services are changing how people spend their holiday time.

Christmas Roundup!

Silent Lunch, The David Zweig Newsletter • 8 implied HN points • 25 Dec 23
🎭️ Culture Christmas
  1. Some Christmas traditions can be seen through a different, critical lens, like a Latinx perspective on the holiday.
  2. It's important to consider the historical and cultural context behind popular Christmas narratives.
  3. Scholarly articles can provide insightful perspectives that challenge mainstream ideas.

Christmas in the Victorian hospital

The Quack Doctor • 0 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
💾 History Christmas
  1. In the 1890s, hospitals in London made efforts to bring Christmas cheer to patients with gifts, carol singing, festive decorations, and special meals.
  2. Hospital staff, including medical students, actively participated in the celebrations, dressing up, performing shows, and organizing activities to lift spirits.
  3. Charitable donations from local communities funded the Christmas celebrations in hospitals, highlighting the importance of bringing comfort and joy to those in need during the festive season.

Greensleeves (What Child is This)

Variations on a Theme • 0 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
🎶 Music Christmas
  1. Greensleeves, also known as 'What Child is This,' is a traditional English song from the 16th century associated with Christmas.
  2. The song has an interesting history, with its lyrics tying to the idea of Lady Green Sleeves, and it was associated with Christmas as far back as 1686.
  3. Different lyrics variations are connected to the song, with one popular version being William Chatterton Dix's 'What Child Is This.'

Christmas, Best-ofs, Sports Media, Meritocracy and More

Counting Atoms • 0 implied HN points • 13 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Christmas
  1. The post shares various interesting links and articles on topics like Christmas, sports media, and meritocracy.
  2. The writer is clearing out browser tabs and sharing thoughts on different articles and blog posts.
  3. There are reflections on music, sports media, meritocracy arguments, and emotional dependence on celebrities in the post.