The Welcome back, everyone, the 1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories, and Mysteries podcast.

This is your host, John Haggador.

And this is a great time to explore some American traditions, especially when it comes to

Christmas. Today's story, Christmas and Appalachia, superstitions, old wives tales, and lots of

memories. Coming right up. I think some of the best values we share as Americans are those of maintaining strong family ties,

appreciating what we have, helping others in need, and honoring our faith and traditions.

In today's story, we'll cover some very interesting Christmas traditions from Appalachia,

including a few that

will surprise you. And then we'll share some Christmas memories from celebrities who grew up

poor in the Central Mountain States, like Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina.

Ever wonder what Brad Paisley, Luke Combs, Don Knott's, Steve Harvey, Dolly Parton, and Earl Hamner have in common.

To find out, we're headed to the snow-covered, as I write this anyway, Appalachian Mountain Region.

Here's the bird's-eye view you'll get as you're escorted by the Ghost of Christmas Past,

or, if you prefer, a more tangible means, using your own imagination.

So buckle up. It's time for yet another one of John's journeys into American Arcana.

The Appalachian Mountains are vast and ancient. A system running along the eastern side of North Carolina

and stretching over 2,000 miles from Newfoundland, Canada,

down through Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina,

Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, and into Alabama and Mississippi.

Those famous white mountains, green mountains, Blue Ridge Mountains, and Great Smokies are

sub-ranges of the Appalachians, with the highest elevation being Mount Mitchell in North Carolina

at 6,884 feet.

...