Good evening, everybody. This is Radio Free Mormon on the air, broadcasting behind enemy lines.

Tonight's episode is number 430 of Radio Free Mormon. The title is Beating the Christmas Blues.

I'm going to tell you tonight about my struggle with Christmas. Yes, this show could be subtitled, how I came to make peace with Christmas. Yes, this show could be subtitled how I came to make peace with Christmas.

So first off, you have to understand what our relationship was like, me and Christmas early on,

how it was that we broke up, and how it was that after many decades, we finally got back together.

And what I'm thinking is, is that maybe I can share the trick I use.

Trick is probably too small a word.

The wisdom that I received from a person who lived 2,000 years ago

that helped me understand once again the true meaning of Christmas.

So hopefully you'll stay tuned for that.

Now, in the middle of this entire podcast,

which should not take longer than an hour,

in the middle of this podcast,

I'm going to tell you a story about a Christmas experience I had as a child

that also ended up giving me a new and unexpected perspective on section 132 of the

doctrine and covenants the revelation from god commanding joseph smith to practice polygamy in which

he passed on to several of his very good friends so that they can practice polygamy as well so let's get

started shall we I've got a

slide show that I have prepared for this very purpose. It's called Beating the Christmas Blues,

or how I came to make peace with Christmas. So when I was a kid, I was probably like a lot of you

out there in that as soon as the calendar shifted over to December there was a magical

rush of Christmas spirit that I felt in my heart it was magical and I don't know how to describe it

...