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December 16, 2025 32 mins
Christmas decorations are meant to be cheerful — but some have been anything but. Over the years, certain holiday decorations have turned out to be creepy, hazardous, and even deadly. This episode begins with some of the strangest and most dangerous examples. https://www.epa.gov/radtown/radioactivity-antiques?utm Many classic Christmas songs have surprising backstories. Brenda Lee was only 13 when she recorded Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas was tossed in the trash before becoming a holiday staple. Music journalist Annie Zaleski joins me to share these and many other stories. She is author of This Is Christmas, Song by Song: The Stories Behind 100 Holiday Hits (https://amzn.to/3ZomPBn). There’s a lot of myth and speculation surrounding The Twelve Days of Christmas. We take a closer look at where the song came from, what it was really about, and how much all those gifts would actually cost if you bought them today. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/12-facts-about-12-days-christmas-180967569/ PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! AURA FRAMES: Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://AuraFrames.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get $45 off Aura's best selling Carver Mat frames by using promo code SOMETHING at checkout. INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ right now! QUINCE: Give and get timeless holiday staples that last this season with Quince.  Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! DELL: Your new Dell PC with Intel Core Ultra helps you handle a lotwhen your holiday to-dos get to be…a lot.Shop now at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Dell.com/deals ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AG1: Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://DrinkAG1.com/SYSK ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get a FREE Welcome Kit with an AG1 Flavor Sampler and a bottle of Vitamin D3 plus K2, when you first subscribe!  NOTION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Notion brings all your notes, docs, and projects into one connected space that just works . It's seamless, flexible, powerful, and actually fun to use! Try Notion, now with Notion Agent, at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://notion.com/something⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: In partnership with Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative, this… is Planet Visionaries. Listen or watch on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at⁠ https://Shopify.com/sysk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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