Home in Progress: The Christmas Extravaganza 2025

Home in Progress: The Christmas Extravaganza 2025

Author: Dan Hansen/RepcoLite Paints December 20, 2025 Duration: 37:01

In this special annual Christmas episode of Home in Progress, sponsored by RepcoLite Paints and Benjamin Moore, Dan Hansen steps away from the usual home improvement topics to celebrate the season—and give back to listeners.

This year’s Extravaganza includes a festive giveaway: ten $100 gift certificates, awarded to listeners who share their favorite Christmas songs, memories, or traditions via email.

Dan opens the show with a humorous and heartfelt story about a long-ago family Christmas card featuring a screaming toddler—an unexpected reminder of how the most genuine moments often become the most meaningful memories. From there, the episode dives into the fascinating history behind familiar holiday traditions.

You’ll hear how Christmas cards originated in Victorian England, why they were once criticized as cold and impersonal, and how they eventually became a beloved seasonal ritual. Dan also explores the birth of Christmas music on the radio, beginning with the groundbreaking Christmas Eve broadcast of 1906, and how radio forever changed the way the holiday is shared and experienced.

The episode wraps up with the story of Christmas lights—from the risky early days of candle-lit trees to the invention and widespread adoption of electric lights that transformed holiday decorating. The show closes with warm Christmas wishes and a reminder to enter the holiday giveaway.


Episode Timeline

00:00 — Welcome to the Annual Christmas Extravaganza

01:49 — Christmas Card Chaos: A Family Story

04:37 — The Controversial Origins of Christmas Cards

09:58 — How Christmas Communication Evolved

11:25 — The Birth of Christmas on the Radio

18:25 — The First Christmas Eve Broadcast (1906)

22:32 — Radio’s Impact on Holiday Traditions

24:46 — The History of Christmas Lights

28:40 — Candles, Symbolism, and Seasonal Danger

32:23 — The Rise of Electric Christmas Lights

35:16 — Modern Christmas Light Displays

35:33 — Final Thoughts, Christmas Wishes, and the Giveaway


Home In Progress is a weekly conversation hosted by Dan Hansen from RepcoLite Paints, born from the belief that a home is never truly finished. It’s a constant, often charming, series of projects and adjustments. This podcast digs into that reality, covering everything from choosing the right paint sheen and troubleshooting a stubborn plumbing issue to planning a garden layout or refreshing a room with a new design perspective. The tone is practical and approachable, blending useful advice with a genuine sense of humor about the inevitable mishaps that come with DIY. You’ll hear specific tips on materials and techniques, discussions on balancing aesthetics with function, and honest talk about what it really takes to maintain and improve your space. Each episode aims to leave you with a tangible takeaway, whether it’s the confidence to tackle a small repair or inspiration for a larger weekend project. It’s for anyone who views their home as a living project-a place of leisure, creativity, and continuous learning. Listen for a mix of straightforward education and relatable stories that make the process of caring for a house feel less like a chore and more like a rewarding part of life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 302

Home In Progress
Podcast Episodes
The Bold New Colors of Kohler! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:12
On Today's EpisodeToday's show is really all about sneaking pops of color into unexpected places! It can have a huge impact on your interior design . . . but where do you draw the line? How much is too much? And which sp…
Plywood and Interior Design: A Bridge Too Far? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:22
On Today's EpisodeOn this episode, we focus on a design trend that's been "a thing" for a while: using plywood as a finish material in interior design. We discuss the idea and toss around a few things to consider if you'…
Things You Need to Know When Decorating with Bold Colors! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:21
On Today's EpisodeLaundry Bag Hacks [00:00 - 06:14]You've heard of mesh laundry bags, I'm sure. And maybe you've had good luck using them for their intended purpose: laundry. But there are a lot of other creative uses fo…
Give Yourself A Break! (And Other Lessons We Learned in 2022) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:32
On Today's EpisodeRodents and PEX Piping [00:00 - 06:37]PEX piping is becoming more and more popular and for good reason! There are a ton of pros to using PEX . However, there is one BIG CON. Dan and Hailey discuss how t…
The RepcoLite Christmas Extravaganza [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:31
On Today's EpisodeThe History of the Christmas Orange[00:00 - 08:12]Many of us decorate with oranges for Christmas. A few of us even continue the tradition of giving them out as gifts. But where does that tradition come…
Last Minute Winter Checklist: Are You Ready? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:29
On Today's EpisodeThe Best Dishwasher Detergents [00:00 - 06:50]The right dishwasher detergent matters--not just for sparkly results, but also in the protection of your dishwasher and even the prevention of food poisonin…
Painting the Subfloor: Pros and Cons; Board Game Shenanigans and More [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:30
On Today's EpisodeToday's a HUGE day! We cover a cool project, talk about some great board games, and finally (and more importantly) launch our big Christmas Scavenger Hunt for 2022! The Pros and Cons of Painting the Sub…