Holiday Special 2014: Monkeys, Megachurches, and First Elves: The Moth Radio Hour

The Moth

Performing Arts, Arts

4.6 • 25.6K Ratings

🗓️ 23 December 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This episode originally aired on December 16th, 2014. If you've been moved by a story this year, text 'GIVE25' to 78679 to make a donation to The Moth today. A special holiday edition of The Moth Radio Hour: Simon Doonan encounters challenges when called on to decorate the White House for Christmas, a man is hesitant to work with a ‘Hollywood’ style church in his neighborhood, a Jewish girl meets Santa, and a boy thinks his dreams have finally come true when he gets an exotic pet. This hour is hosted by Catherine Burns. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Media in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Storytellers: Simon Doonan stirs up controversy with small details on his Christmas ball decorations. Mark Redmond works with a homeless shelter in Vermont. Ophira Eisenberg wanted to meet Santa Claus. Taylor Negron grows up “California Gothic” and must balance the joy of owning a monkey with his fear of Charles Manson. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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1:28.8	Okay.com.com. This is The Moth Radio Hour.
1:46.2	True Stories Told Live.
1:48.0	I'm Catherine Burns, and this is the Moth holiday special.
1:57.2	The spirit moves in a megachurch.
2:00.0	A Jewish girl from Canada pines for Christmas.
	...

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