Christmas in Old New York and a Chat with Charles Dickens

XXX. Christmas and the holiday season is always extra special in New York City. From all the lights and the traditional treats of the Radio City Rockettes to the tree at Rockefeller Center and performances around the city of The Nutcracker, it's hard not to feel festive.

In this episode, professional New York City tour guide and speaker, Jeff Dobbins joins Carl for a look at the city's holiday traditions dating back to the early Dutch days of New Amsterdam up the the Gilded Age and the early 20th century. Jeff shares how New Yorkers helped create the image of Santa Claus that we think of today, as well as how Hanukkah was celebrated and the influence of the waves of immigration on the city's traditions.

In the second half of the show, actor John Kevin Jones joins Carl. Kevin has been performing an annual one man adaptation of Charles Dickens's "A Christmas Carol" at the Merchant's House Museum, now in its 10th season. Kevin discusses the origins of Dickens's famous story, why he wrote it when he did and how he adapted it for the stage. Put on a woolly sweater, pour a glass of eggnog, and join The Gilded Gentleman to launch the holiday season.