Steve Webb 0:02 Hello and welcome to the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the beloved Lifespring Why Christmas show hosted by the Christmas expert James Cooper, creator of perhaps the largest source of Christmas facts on the internet. Why christmas.com and me Steve Webb, the OG God caster. I've been podcasting since 2004, and thought that this would be a fun member of the Lifespring family of podcasts to bring back from December 1 to Christmas day you'll hear an episode from the 2009 season, so be sure to follow or subscribe. Enjoy the show. Steve Webb 0:55 Hello, and welcome to the Lifespring Why Christmas show for 2009. If you're a regular Lifespring Why Christmas listener, then welcome back. And if this is your first time listening to the Lifespring Why Christmas show, or any Lifespring show, then welcome. It's great to have you with us. The Lifespring Why Christmas shows a joint project between the Lifespring media family and the WhyChristmas.com website. James Cooper from whychristmas.com is back again this year to help me. So what are we up to this year James? James Cooper 1:27 Well, hello everybody. It's good to be back. This yes show could be renamed the Lifespring Why Christmas minute ish as the shows will be short and sharp. Many of the shows will only last a minute or so. But some will be longer when we need them to be. Steven I will be doing some shows each and then we'll be joining together. For more interactive shows. Steve Webb 1:46 On one show we'll be finding out how to say Merry Christmas in some different languages. Remember the fun we had last year. And in one we'll be telling you a few Christmas cracker jokes. So if you can help us with those, please get in touch on the Lifespring listener line at 951-732-8511. Or send an audio file or a normal email to Steve at Lifespring media.com or info at Whychristmas.com. And we'll also be having a Christmas trivia competition where you can win a signed copy of Brian Duncan's Christmas album and Neil soul Christmas. So keep listening to the shows to find out how James Cooper 2:22 to get us into the Christmas mood. Let's find out a bit about Advent and the run up to Christmas. Advent is the start of the Church year and is the period of four Sundays in weeks before Christmas. Or in Advent Calendars and the Lifespring boy Christmas show from the first of December to Christmas Day. This year Advent Sunday. The official start of Advent was a few days ago. On November the 29th. Advent means come in Latin. Christians use the Force Sundays and weeks of Advent to prepare and remember the real meaning of Christmas Jesus the Son of God being born. Advent is often counted down using a calendar or by using Advent candles. My family uses an Advent candle where you'd like to bid each day and burn it down throughout December. You just have to remember not to burn too much down. In many churches, a different kind of Advent candles are used. They're called Advent crowns. They consist of five candles for candles around the outside and one in the middle or a separate place. Steve Webb 3:14 Well, that sounds like a great way to start preparing for the Christmas season. Tomorrow I'll be telling you why Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December. James Cooper 3:22 And remember if you want to find out more about Advent, or any of the subjects on the Lifespring Why Christmas show, then head on over to www dot Why christmas.com. Steve Webb 3:30 And you can also open up an advent calendar on Why christmas.com. And I also believe this year that you can get the Advent Calendar via Twitter Zed, right James James Cooper 3:39 A did indeed just follow x y Christmas and it will come to you every day. Steve Webb 3:43 Well make sure you come back tomorrow for another Lifespring Why Christmas show. And if you want some great Christmas music, then head on over to pod save christmas.com which is hosted by our great friend, Mr. Ed Roberts. Thanks, James and thank you for listening to the Lifespring Why Christmas Show. I'm Steve Webb, your host Transcribed by https://otter.ai