Backstory: Chestnuts

In 1945, when songwriter Bob Wells first penned the line "chestnuts roasting on an open fire..." chestnuts were as much a part of the Christmas season as eggnog and gingerbread. And then, just a few years after Nat King Cole recorded his iconic version of that song...they weren't. What happened? It's one of the few examples from recent history of a Christmas tradition dying out — literally — in a single generation. Is it lost forever? Or are we poised for a roasty toasty Christmas comeback story? Thank you to Sarah Fitzsimmons, director of restoration with the American Chestnut Foundation, for appearing in this episode.Music in this episode"Home for the Holidays" — Chris Haugen, via Youtube Audio Library"Feelings of Twilight" — Shady Dave, via Freesound"Angles We Have Heard" — Kevin MacLeod, via Incompetech"Fresh Fallen Snow" — Chris Haugen, via Free Music Archive"The Christmas Song" — Don Maue, shared directly by the artistShare a Christmas memory on the podcast! Just record a voice memo into your phone and send it to [email protected]. Keep it reasonably short, clean and family friendly, and be sure to say your name and where you're from. Keep in [email protected] page: https://www.facebook.com/ChristmasPastPodcastFacebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/173778110150282Twitter: https://twitter.com/XmasPastPodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/christmaspastofficial/ Connect with Me Links to all the things https://christmaspastpodcast.com/links Email: [email protected] BooksOf Christmases Long, Long Ago: Surprising Traditions from Christmas Past (2025, Lyons Press and Recorded Books) It's Christmas as you've never seen it before, and it makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions (2022, Lyons Press and Recorded Books)