EPISODE · Dec 25, 2025 · 33 MIN
Episode 451: Christmas 1942: The Plot To Overthrow Christmas
from The Good Old Days of Radio Show · host John Tefteller
Merry Christmas Day, everyone! Today we're presenting one of the most unusual Christmas broadcasts ever aired: Norman Corwin’s 1942 CBS play, The Plot to Overthrow Christmas. Told as a darkly comic rhyming fantasy, the story opens in Hades, where history’s greatest villains plot to wipe out Christmas once and for all. Their scheme sends Nero himself to the North Pole with orders to eliminate Santa Claus, but what follows is an unexpected and surprisingly moving turn toward redemption, sparked by the spirit of the season and the gift of a Stradivarius violin. Equal parts fantasy, poetry, and wartime artifact, this broadcast is a rare Christmas story that balances wit, wonder, and the enduring belief that even the darkest hearts can be changed. Visit our website: https://goodolddaysofradio.com/ Subscribe to our Facebook Group for news, discussions, and the latest podcast: https://www.facebook.com/groups/881779245938297 Our theme music is "Why Am I So Romantic?" from Animal Crackers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHJKAKS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_MK8MVCY4DVBAM8ZK39WD
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Episode 451: Christmas 1942: The Plot To Overthrow Christmas
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