65 The WPIX Yule Log
December 10, 2011 
From Christmas 2011: Ever since I discovered there was a period of time around Christmas Eve/Day that there was just a shot of a burning fireplace on TV, I’ve been fascinated. How did that happen? Introduce the show like Brian did at MyChristmasStocking.net and listen to some episodes, too. Email TopElf at MyChristmasStocking.net. Follow us on Twitter.com/XmasStocking. Join us on Facebook. And add the Christmas Stocking to your circles on Google+.
Click here to download the show to your device.
Featured music:
“Do You Hear What I Hear” by Lisa McClowry from “Do You Hear What I Hear ” (World Stage International)
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More On This Album
Background music:
“Silent Night (Jazz Trio Version)” by John Stebbe (from MacJams.com)
“Ode to Joy” by Lenny Marcus from “The Jazz of Beethoven”
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” by Michael Ryan from “A Classical Guitar Christmas”
More information:
Wikipedia teaches us both about the real Yule log and the television Yule Log.
You can learn much more about the WPIX Yule Log from the official fan site. Where can you find the original Yule Log this year? Or perhaps you’d just like to download it to your phone.
The Christmas Stocking 
Hi, Lee, Kuzibah here. Thanks so much for taking my suggestion and mentioning my name on the podcast! So, I have another idea for you. NPR did a story last week about some people in my neck of the woods (Philadelphia) putting on a Krampus parade, Krampus being a wicked spirit who accompanies St. Nick and punishes bad children. My family has the tradition of Belsnickel, one of Santa’s elves who takes any toys that aren’t put away in the weeks leading up to Christmas. I know other countries have similar “bad cops” to Santa’s “good cop.” Maybe a podcast or two on those traditions (and maybe the Halloween Haunter could guest host, since those spirits can be pretty frightening…)
Thanks for all you do, Lee. I really look forward to your podcasts every year. Happy Christmas to you and your family.
Hi, Kuzibah,
No problem! Thanks for the idea.
I’ve had a few requests for Krampus lately. I almost put it on the list last minute this year, but it didn’t fit the mix I was going for. I have a feeling I’ll cover it next year. The Yule Lads sound similar, and I did an episode on them, but I haven’t researched Krampus enough to be sure.
There’s no way I could get the Halloween Haunter to be on this show. He can’t bring himself to say the word “Christmas,” let alone appear on a show devoted to it. He kind of creeps me out, anyway, even though he’s always been nice to me.
Thanks for your kind words. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
–Lee
Krampus does sound a bit like the Yule Lads, but much more terrifying. I have a friend here in town who is an artist and did a picture a few years ago of a Krampus-like figure, and it was ghastly! Horns and long, lolling tongue. Brr.
Anyway, looking forward to the rest of this year’s podcasts, and next year’s, too. Take care and Merry Christmas.
Hi, Nina/Kuzibah,
Yes, Krampus does sound scarier. I think I want to have plenty of space between scary topics; I don’t want to change the tone of the show. But I’ll talk about him(?), maybe next season.
Thanks for all your support! Merry Christmas.
–Lee