00:00 This section of the podcast is a Christmas special where the hosts discuss their favorite Christmas songs.

04:28 The hosts discuss the origins of Christmas caroling and its connection to pagan holidays.

09:07 The hosts discuss the origins of Christmas caroling and how it evolved from secular songs to upbeat carols about the nativity.

13:09 Poinsettias, the official plant of Christmas, are native to Mexico and became associated with the holiday thanks to America's first diplomat to Mexico, Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, and they are often scorned for being poisonous.

18:02 Poinsettias can cause diarrhea if eaten, but it would take a child eating about 500 bracts for it to be toxic; they are also somewhat toxic to cats, but not deadly.

22:26 During World War I, trenches were used for warfare and were often only 30 yards apart, resulting in soldiers being in extremely close quarters and experiencing horrific conditions, but in one small part of the trenches in Flanders, Belgium, a truce was called on Christmas Day and the Germans and Allies exchanged gifts and even sang carols to each other.

26:48 During the Christmas truce in 1914, soldiers from both sides in the trenches exchanged gifts, sang carols, played soccer, and defied their commanding officers to spend time together in No Man's Land, but unfortunately, they had to go back to fighting and killing each other.

31:29 The tradition of hanging stockings during Christmas originated from the story of St. Nicholas throwing gold coins down chimneys into stockings to help poor maidens, and it may have been influenced by the custom of Dutch children leaving their wooden shoes out for presents from Sinterklaas.

35:43 Bing Crosby popularized the song "White Christmas," and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) has a map that shows the chances of having a White Christmas based on weather data.

39:59 The hosts read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Dr. Clement C. Moore.