Sunday 28 December 2025

 

The ‘casts -

(Notes spoken to Siri, and edited later if I remember

(Changed tactic now where starred dialogue denotes quoting from the show’s own notes

Sleigh Bells & Mistletoe Christmas Podcast - 27 November 2025: *Christmas Toys - Marketing and advertising experts, Wendy Hansen and Brent Wilhite, join the podcast again to talk about Christmas toys. / Unpacking the Long History of Christmas Toy Traditions / From Teddy Bears to Lincoln Logs: Early Toy Innovations / Hula Hoops, Barbie, and Board Games / From GI Joe to Pet Rock / Cabbage Patch Kids and Nintendo / Tamagotchi, Furbies, and Media-Driven Toy Crazes / The Dark Side of Toys: Hazardous and Recalled Products / From Boba Fett to Barbie: Toys as Valuable Collectibles / Recalling Childhood Toy Memories 

Bite-Size Britain - episode 7: 5 August 2022: *House of Frankenstein, Bath - To commemorate the recent first anniversary of the attraction's launch, in this episode Chris features the impeccable immersive House of Frankenstein, situated in the centre of Bath. / Over the years, it has seldom been acknowledged that Mary Shelley wrote much of her groundbreaking novel in the city itself, giving the House of Frankenstein even more importance of its own, as the first attraction of its kind to pay homage to Shelley. / This episode features highlights from Chris' interview with co-creators Jonathan Willis & Chris Harris, recorded last year for Dead Men Talk. / For further information on what lies within the House of Frankenstein, where to find them and to book tickets, be sure to visit www.houseoffrankenstein.com

Tis the Podcast - episode 463: 24 December 2025: *Christmas Eve 2025 Story - Anthony Caruso's "'Twas The Night Before 'Tis-Mas" - Merry Christmas Eve, Christmas Fanatics! / We made it! Can you believe it? Somehow, Christmas Eve is already here! This year absolutely flew by! / As tradition dictates, we're thrilled to bring you our annual Christmas Eve story, lovingly recorded by the elves just for you. This year's tale is an original piece written by our very own Anthony, titled "Twas the Night Before ‘Tis-Mas"—a festive celebration of "Tis the Podcast", all the Christmas movies we adore, as well as the ones we love to roast. / So put the finishing touches on your wrapping, cozy up beside the Christmas tree with your favorite holiday beverage, sit back, and enjoy. / Thank you, as always, for the love and support! And thanks for counting down to Christmas 2025 with us! We can't wait to spend the year ahead counting down to Christmas 2026 right alongside you! 

7 Good Minutes - 12 October 2025: *Start with Awareness, End with Impact 

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day - 28 December 2025: yen

The Slowdown - episode 1237: 12 November 2024: Today's poem is Shadow Play by Jessica Fisher.

StarDate - 27 December 2025: Orion's Shield

Womanica - 4 June 2021: Natalie Clifford Barney

7 Good Minutes - 12 October 2025: 7 Good Minutes: Extra - The most powerful changes...

Season's Readings - 14 November 2025: *Jimmy Scarecrow's Christmas:  A Classic Holiday Story by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman - A quiet winter story about something overlooked... and the gentle miracle of being seen. / A tale with soft edges, stillness, and a bit of warmth where you least expect it.

7 Minutes For Yourself - 19 Jun 2024: Love the Skin You're In: Embracing our Unique Beauty

Daily Dad Jokes - 23 July 2025: National Parents Day!

Christmas Pop-up Channel - 3 December 2025: The husband who fell through the ceiling

Science Quickly - 2 March 2015: *Climate Skeptic Senator Burned after Snowball Stunt - Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe carried a snowball onto the Senate floor to insinuate that climate change was not real, after which Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse torched Inhofe's argument. Steve Mirsky

reports. 

BirdNote Daily - 25 July 2023: *Birds, Nests, and Camouflage - Bird nests can be hard to find, often hidden in plain sight. Is the clever camouflage simply the result of using building materials that the birds happen to find? A Scottish research team used birds popular in the pet trade, Zebra Finches, to try and find out. The team gave nesting Zebra Finches two sources of paper to build their nests from: one that matched the papered walls of their cage, and one that did not. By and large, the finches built nests that blended in with their background.

Christmas Past - 6 December 2025: *Christmas Memories 2025 volume 1 - The Christmas season is in full swing. The tree is up. The carols are playing. The shopping and baking merrymaking of all sorts is here once again. We're all doing a lot of the stuff that Christmas memories are made of. / And Christmas memories are what bring us together here today. This season on Christmas Past, I'm sharing your Christmas memories in special episodes dedicated just to them...like this one. / I want to share one of your memories in one of the several other episodes like that will arrive in the coming weeks. Listen to the episode for details on how to be on the show!

The Stupid History Minute - 28 December 2025: PlayStation 5

The Sheppertonian (for Shepperton village) - episode 1: 3 December 2024: *Join us as we dive into the festive spirit of Shepperton with an exciting preview of Big Tree Night, an annual celebration that brings the community together for an enchanting Christmas market. Organisers Chantal and Jane share the history of this beloved event, highlighting its growth from carols under the big tree to a vibrant market attracting thousands of visitors. You'll also hear from Aidan Hope of the Ferry Coffee Shop, who discusses the rich history of Ferry Point and the thriving independent businesses in the area. Along the way, we explore the importance of community support for local traders during the busy holiday season. With a variety of stalls, delicious food, and festive activities, this episode captures the essence of Shepperton's unique charm and the joys of coming together to celebrate the festive season.

Odd One Out - 10 December 2025: Poodle or Rottweiler?

Into The Podverse - 24 December 2025: *Global Podcasting in 2025: Growth, Gaps, and the African Signal - In 2025, global podcast listenership topped 584 million, marking a maturing industry with slower but steady growth. From an African view, the year felt like "settling", no explosive hype, but intentional expansion driven by community, niche content, and real-life needs like faith and grounding amid economic pressures. / While North America dominates billions in ad revenue, Africa's podcast scene builds independently: Nigeria's charts ruled by sermons, South Africa's deep listening habits, and Kenya's urban youth vibe. Creators prioritise owning their space over chasing metrics, using podcasts for education, advocacy, and culture, claiming power at their own pace. [congratulations to Tony on this, the one hundredth episode of the show. Well done my friend.] 

5 Good News Stories - 15 May 2025: The world's tallest dog meets the world's shortest dog

The Afternoon Tune - 17 December 2025: *Sisu: Road to Revenge: Movie Review - Hello, tune squad! On this episode of The Afternoon Tune, Josh reviews Sisu: Road to Revenge, a brutal and relentless action film that doubles down on grit, violence, and pure revenge-fueled momentum. We break down the film's intense action sequences, stylized brutality, and whether this follow-up captures the raw energy that made Sisu stand out. Does Road to Revenge raise the stakes or retread familiar ground? Watch our full review for thoughts, analysis, and our final verdict.

Odd One Out - 11 December 2025: Latte or Espresso?

The Calm Christmas Podcast with Beth Kempton - Season 5 Episode 5: 11 December 2025: *And Winter Came - One of the most gorgeous carols in the worlo reminds us of how bleak midwinter can be, and yet how there is beauty and even comfort in it. This episode is all about taking care of ourselves in the dark season, finding ways to stay warm, inspired, healthy and connected. It includes lots of love for trees, and hedgehogs, and suggestions for wellbeing in winter from listeners and experts alike. This episode includes: The single easiest step to radical self-care this winter / What to put into a Winter's Evening Care Package / Ways to keep warm without spending a fortune / The tradition of Christmas trees including research and insights from Canada's Christmas Tree Lab / The feeling of climbing a tree / How to contribute to the UK's Ancient Tree Inventory / A fresh way of thinking about sleep / Some love for hedgehogs / A wonderful Citrus Miso recipe from Rachel de Thample / Nature observation advice from Tristan Gooley / A thoughtful writing prompt / Dates for your diary / Get ahead tips. 

Audio Poem of the Day - Episode 1928: 20 September 2025: Sleeping Beauty by K. Iver 

7 Good Minutes - 13 October 2025: Your Energy is Yours to Shape

Odd One Out - 12 December 2025: Cats or Hamilton?

Daily Shower Thoughts - 14 October 2025

7 Good Minutes - 13 October 2025: 7 Good Minutes: Extra - The energy you carry is not...

Charles Dickens Ghost Stories - Season 1 Episode 3: 15 December 2025: *The Signalman - A lonely railway worker begins experiencing dark premonitions of death and destruction on the line. Is he losing his mind... or are the visions he sees trying to warn him of a deadly accident to come?