BONUS: Ho Ho Hot History

Happy Friday! Today we are talking about the most successful pirate in history, and I don’t mean Jack Sparrow or Blackbeard - I’m talking about Ching Shih, the former sex worker turned pirate queen who controlled the South China Sea to such an extent the Qing dynasty paid her to ...  عرض المزيد

You guys have been asking for him, so today we are spending a full hour (and a bit) on Ra Ra Rasputin! From a Siberian village to the centre of imperial Russia, how did the ‘mad monk’ bring the 300 year old house of Romanov crumbling down? We cover it all from horse whispering to ...  عرض المزيد

YUUUULE! The true history of Christmas has been a mystery for us and on this episode we reveal the source of some of the Christmas traditions we know and love today. Don’t shoot the messenger, but documented history states that Christmas may not have had such a wholesome beginnin ...  عرض المزيد

On the fourth Thursday in November every year, American’s celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving. It is a holiday that originated in the Americas but has subsequently spread to many countries around the world. It is a holiday that is actually secular, but with some religious overt ...  عرض المزيد

The darkest nights of the year have long been the time for celebrations, from Yule and Mother Night, to Christmas and New Year's Eve. But where did these traditions come from? Who started kissing under the mistletoe? Why are trees decorated and brought into homes around this t ...

In addition to being the Queen of the United Kingdom and the vast British Empire, Victoria might also be lauded as the Queen of Christmas. She and her beloved husband Prince Albert popularized many of the quintessential holiday traditions that we still enjoy today including the C ...  عرض المزيد