Little Christmas: December Almanac

Little Christmas: December Almanac

Author: Fair Folk December 6, 2023 Duration: 47:41
This episode surveys the folklore of the first half of December, including St. Nicholas' Day on Dec 6th, St. Lucia's day on Dec. 13th, and the solstice. As we approach the darkest point of winter, I ask you to follow the rhythm of nature and turn your gaze to the small, the domestic and the precious. Sign up for the ONLINE Pagan Carols Singalong!: https://winter-lion-59052.myflodesk.com/sgn5zaflv8/ Sign up for the IN-PERSON Pagan Carols Singalong in Victoria BC: https://winter-lion-59052.myflodesk.com/yl53dvqx1w Join my mailing list: view.flodesk.com/pages/62d72c01da642d55a9868141 Music in this episode: St. Nicholas by Anúna Buy this track: anuna.bandcamp.com/track/st-nicholas-2 Luciavisa by Lisa (singer Emma Härdelin) Buy this track: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/luciavisa/204432292?i=204434789 There is no Rose by the King’s Singers Buy this track: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/there-is-no-rose/79623724?i=79623213 Orientis Partibus by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels Buy music by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels here: www.medievalminstrels.com/ Kąlėdų rytų saulė pražydo (The Sun Blossomed on Christmas Morning) by Sedula Buy this track: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/kal%C4%97d%C5%B3-ryt%C4%85-saul%C4%97-pra%C5%BEydo/1427982403?i=1427982982 Rex Tua Nolo Munera by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels Buy music by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels here: www.medievalminstrels.com/ Sources for this episode: Lyrics to The Sun Blossomed on Christmas Morning by Sedula: www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=5162 Some more information about medieval animal carols: http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/friendly_beasts.htm More information about medieval carols: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology-south-east/news/2020/dec/evolution-medieval-christmas-carols The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen: https://americanliterature.com/author/hans-christian-andersen/short-story/the-snow-queen

There's a deep, resonant history woven into the melodies passed down through generations across Europe, and Fair Folk Podcast is an invitation to listen closely. Each episode feels less like a lecture and more like a quiet conversation in a familiar room, where the focus rests entirely on the music itself-the ancient carols, the seasonal ballads, the work songs that carried people through their days. We explore these traditions not as dusty artifacts, but as living expressions of community, spirituality, and the human experience. You'll hear the songs in their raw, often haunting beauty, accompanied by reflections on their origins and the cultures that sustained them. This isn't about polished production; it's about authenticity and connection. Tuning into this podcast offers a rare space to slow down and let these timeless sounds settle in, revealing stories and emotions that feel both profoundly old and surprisingly immediate. It's a journey for anyone curious about the roots of folk music, the power of sacred song, or simply the comfort found in a melody that has weathered centuries. The Fair Folk podcast serves as a gentle guide, ensuring these resonant traditions find new ears and continue to echo into the future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 67

Fair Folk Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Lughnasadh Special with Scottish storyteller Daniel Allison [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:29
Subscribe to my Substack newsletter: https://enthusiastica.substack.com/ Join the Cave of Dreams workshop series: https://www.houseoflegends.me/cave-of-dreams In this episode, Daniel Allison tells the story of the god Lu…
The Twelve Days: December Almanac [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:03
This episode explores folklore and pagan origins of the 12 days of Christmas, with a focus on the feminine winter figures of Perchta, Holle, and Grýla, featuring a conversation with Jenn Campus, author of A Guide to Cele…
The Banquet Beyond the Veil - Halloween Almanac [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:39
In this episode I gently interrogate what we mean when we say "the veil is thin" at Halloween, and offer a vision of the whole of winter as a season of hospitality between humans and the otherworld(s) through fire, story…
Fire & Water: June Almanac [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:42
We have reached the energetic peak of the year. The main ancient and folkloric themes of June ritualise the human relationship to two of our primary life-givers, the sun and water. Our romance with these elements (and on…
The Generous Wood: May Almanac [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:11
This episode outlines the key themes of May folklore embodied in the celebrations of May 1st, aka May Day or Beltane: bonfires for purification and protection, veneration of plants and trees, the leading of animals to gr…
Bear Culture: Scandinavian bear folklore with Olle Möllervärn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:51
This episode my guest is Olle Möllervärn, Swedish folklore and paganism researcher and bear nerd! In this episode we discuss animism and how it brings us into more ethical relationship with animals, the connection betwee…
Dawn Rising: April Almanac [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:39
This episode outlines the folklore of April in northern Europe: April Fool's day, Palm Sunday, Easter, St. George's day, and the history of gathering greenery for ritual and soups, rising at the dawn to worship a goddess…
Wolf Milk: February Almanac [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:11
This almanac episode dives into the folklore of February through the lens of the Ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia on February 15th, tracing the themes of birth, milk, wolves, wildness, purification, death, twilight,…
Ploughboy's Glory: January Almanac [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:52
In this January almanac episode, I share about how English Plough Sunday and Plough Monday rituals dovetail with pagan midwinter worship of Odin to present a quandary as rich today as ever: How do we hold sacred the huma…