Christmas podcasts have earned their place in Christmas entertainment. There’s one for nearly every topic and taste. The tricky part, though, is finding them. Go ahead and try. Type “Christmas” into the search bar on any podcast app. You’ll see only a small fraction of what’s really out there. (Not only that, but they’ll also be mixed with lots of irrelevant results.)
Introducing: The Definitive Directory of Christmas Podcasts
Discovering Christmas podcasts shouldn’t be hard. That’s why Christmas Past created the Definitive Directory of Christmas Podcasts. It’s the result of painstaking searches on multiple platforms. As a result, it’s the most complete, up-to-date, and best organized list available anywhere. With 188 podcasts and 12 categories, it’s truly the definitive directory! I’ll update and correct it frequently, so be sure to bookmark this page and return often.
General Christmas cheer
These Christmas podcasts are an all-around salute to the warmth, magic, and nostalgia of the season.
Christmas history and culture
Are you the curious type? Do you love finding out where our Christmas traditions come from? Learning what Christmas is like in other part of the world? Tidbits and anecdotes from Christmas history? Then you’ll want to add these Christmas podcasts to your playlist!
Christmas movie and TV special reviews
What would Christmas be without the movies and TV specials? These podcasts make up the largest category in the directory. So, dig in!
Not exclusively Christmas podcasts
These are year-round celebrations of made-for-TV movies. True, they’re not necessarily Christmas podcasts. However, things get festive during the Christmas season!
Audio drama
Audio dramas are a feast for the imagination. Get your Christmas spirit on with these Christmas podcasts that immerse you in stories old and new.
Literature
There’s nothing quite like curling up with a blanket, a steaming mug of cocoa, and a good Christmas story. Embrace your inner bookworm with these podcasts.
Religion and spirituality
For many, celebrating the season is a time to reflect on religious and spiritual beliefs and rituals. So, if that’s you, you’ll want to check out these shows.
Christmas Music
It just wouldn’t be Christmas without the music. Sample different styles of Christmas music, and hear in-depth discussions about the songs of the season.
Muddle through somehow
Let’s face it: Christmas shopping, decorating, and entertaining is pretty darn stressful. That’s why you’ll want to let these podcasts help you manage Christmas.
Christmas podcasts for kids
Have you heard the news? Kids love Christmas. Who’d’ve thought? And there are plenty of Christmas podcasts made with just the little ones in mind. Add some kid-friendly fare to your podcast app for fun family listening.
Comedy
O’er the fields we go, laughing all the way. Tickle your Christmas funny bone with these funny and often irreverent takes on the season.
Professional and Christmas industry focus
For some of us, Christmas isn’t just a holiday; it’s a living. For those in the industry, these Christmas podcasts discuss the things that matter to you.
Odds and ends
Just because they didn’t fit into any of the categories above, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check them out!
Any Christmas podcasts missing from the list?
If you have a Christmas podcast, or know of one that belongs here, please contact me.
Special thanks
The Definitive Directory of Christmas Podcasts wouldn’t be as complete as it is without contributions from fellow Christmas lovers. I’d like to shout out to Craig Newmark from Weird Christmas and Twitter user @SleepyKittyPaw for their invaluable contributions.
A few notes about the Definitive Guide to Christmas Podcasts
- Some of the Christmas podcasts in the directory arguably belong to more than one category. I’ve done my best to put each one under the most appropriate category.
- I’ve decided not to include redundant podcasts. For example, there are several audiobook versions of A Christmas Carol that are available in podcast form. Listing all of them would be overkill. Likewise, there are many examples of podcasts that are essentially playlists of Christmas songs from an Internet radio station. These are barely distinguishable from each other.
- There are countless examples out there of obvious short-lived experiments or students’ class projects: one or two very short episodes posted on a free podcast hosting platform and then abandoned. I don’t include these here, unless I find the quality high enough to warrant it.
- While most podcasts in the list are available on most major platforms — Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc. — a small number are available only on a single platform.
