69. How the Dickens stole Christmas
The Allusionist
Helen Zaltzman
4.7 • 3.8K Ratings
🗓️ 9 December 2017
⏱️ 29 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Charles Dickens wrote about the plight of the impoverished and destitute members of British society. So how come his name is a synonym for rosy-cheeked, full-stomached, fattened-goose, hearty merry “God bless us every one” Christmas?
Avery Trufelman and Katie Mingle of 99% Invisible report from the streets of Victorian London at the annual Dickens Christmas Fair in Daly City, California, while historian Greg Jenner explains the origins of the festive traditions for which Dickens gets the credit, without even wanting the credit – in fact, his motivation for writing A Christmas Carol was far from a cash-in on Christmas.
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Transcript
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| 1:29.7 | in shout-at language, what's today my flying fellow, and language shrugs and says, I don't |
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| 1:54.4 | So we're in the parking lot of Cow Palace. There's a gun show happening at the same time. |
| 1:59.4 | Yeah, it says welcome patriots. We are here for the Dickensfest. Excuse me. |
| 2:08.4 | Katie Mingle and Avery Truffelman of 99% Invisible are about to enter Victorian London. |
| 2:15.4 | In the Cow Palace arena in Daily City, just south of San Francisco, California. |
| 2:20.4 | It's also like semi-60-ish degrees. It feels not Christmasy at all. |
| 2:31.4 | The great Dickens Christmas Fair entrance. It's a giant portrait of Santa Claus as you walk in. |
| 2:39.4 | The Dickens Christmas Fair has been an annual event in the Bay Area since 1970, founded by husband |
| 2:45.4 | wife team Ron and Phyllis Paterson, who previously had started the Renaissance fairs in the backyard of their home in Los Angeles. |
| 2:52.4 | Their kids are on the Dickens Fair now. It's held on five weekends prior to Christmas and is 120,000 square feet of Victorian London festivity. |
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