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Gone Medieval

5 Medieval Christmas Traditions

Gone Medieval

History Hit

History

4.62.2K Ratings

🗓️ 11 December 2023

⏱️ 45 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this episode of Gone Medieval, our co-hosts Dr. Eleanor Janega and Matt Lewis get together to revive some of the Christmas traditions that were commonplace in the Middle Ages - from the literal origins of the Yule log to having a procession to celebrate finding a duck in a drain!


So grab a festive drink and a mince pie because Matt and Eleanor are ready to get serious about the silly season. 


This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Rob Weinberg.


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Transcript

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0:00.0

May I have your attention please you can now book your train tickets on Uber and get

0:08.0

10% back in credits to spend on your next Uber ride so you don't have to walk home in the brain again.

0:16.5

Trains now on Uber. T's and C's apply. Check the Uber app. Everyone leaves a legacy.

0:22.4

But a legacy can change over time as new generations re-examine old reputations.

0:28.0

From Wundery and Goalhanger Podcasts, I'm Afu Hirsch.

0:31.0

I'm Peter Frankepan, and in a brand new series we're exploring the lives of some of the biggest characters in history.

0:37.6

From Napoleon to Picasso. And asking what does their past tell us about our present? This is legacy.

0:44.8

Follow now, wherever you get your podcasts. We're tiptoeing ever closer to Christmas and a lot of us might be knee-deep in our festive traditions by this point.

1:10.0

Perhaps you have your tree up already and your presents are wrapped.

1:13.0

Maybe you have an advent calendar or a wreath on the go.

1:16.0

Maybe you're planning what to make for a blowout Christmas feast

1:20.0

featuring all of your family favorites.

1:22.0

I absolutely love a tradition myself, but what if I told you

1:26.8

that there are even weirder and more wonderful ways of marking the holidays that you might never have considered yet.

1:33.4

I'm Dr. Eleanor Yanega and today on Gone Medieval from History Hit,

1:37.3

I'm joined by my wonderful co-host Matt Lewis to talk weird medieval Christmas traditions.

1:42.8

Some like football, gift giving, or the Ullog

1:46.4

you might recognize in theory, but not in practice.

1:50.2

While others, like having a procession

1:52.2

to celebrate finding a duck in a drain

1:54.6

are a little bit more out there.

1:56.8

All of these celebrations allow us to consider how the subversion of social hierarchy

...

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