Lifespring! WhyChristmas Show

Merry Christmas! We have reached the final day of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar. It has been an incredible journey through the history, traditions, and scriptural accounts of the holiday. Today, host Steve Webb and James Cooper from WhyChristmas.com open the final door to share the most important story of all: the birth of Jesus... The post Day 25 – Luke 2: The Christmas Story Unfolds first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

On this very special Christmas Eve edition of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, host Steve Webb is joined by a legendary guest: Reverend Rosey Grier. Known for his time with the Los Angeles Rams as part of the “Fearsome Foursome,” Grier lends his powerful voice to the scriptural account of another miraculous birth—that of John... The post Day 24 – Prepare the Way: The Birth of John the Baptist first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

In this episode of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, host Steve Webb and James Cooper dive deep into the fascinating history and scriptural account of the Magi. While tradition often places them at the manger, the biblical narrative suggests a different timeline and a journey filled with astronomical wonder and political danger. The Scriptural Account... The post Day 23 – The Journey of the Magi: Wise Men and Stars first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

In this episode of the Lifespring WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, host Steve Webb and James Cooper explore the cultural history of the “White Christmas.” Despite snow and ice having no mention in the original biblical story, they have become central to our holiday imagery through literature and royal tradition. The Dickensian Influence The strong association between... The post Day 22 – Why We Associate Snow and Ice with Christmas first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

In this episode of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, Steve Webb and James Cooper explore the history and heart behind one of the most recognizable Christian Christmas carols in the world, O Come All Ye Faithful. The History of a Masterpiece Today we open the door to find the story behind James Cooper’s favorite carol,... The post Day 21 – The Story of O Come All Ye Faithful first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

On this twentieth day of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, host Steve Webb and James Cooper dive into the delicious and surprising history of figgy pudding and mince pies. The Evolution of a Festive Favorite Today behind the door, Steve and James explore the culinary traditions that define a British Christmas dinner. While we often... The post Day 20 – Figgy Pudding and Mince Pies first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

The Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar is a daily celebration of the season’s history and global traditions. In today’s episode, we take a linguistic tour of the globe to learn how to share the joy of the season with others, no matter what language they speak. Speaking the Language of Christmas One of the most beautiful... The post Day 19 – How to Say Merry Christmas Around the World first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

The Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar is a daily journey through the history, heart, and global reach of the Christmas season. In this episode, we explore how diverse cultures—from the tropical coast of Madagascar to the festive streets of Spain—celebrate the birth of Christ with unique customs and flavors. A Global Celebration of Christmas Christmas is... The post Day 18 – Discover Christmas Traditions From Madagascar to Spain first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Day 17 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar focuses on one of the most powerful and quietly courageous moments in the Christmas story: Mary’s yes. This episode explores the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel appeared to a young woman in Nazareth and told her she would give birth to the Savior of the world. Mary’s... The post Day 17 – Mary’s Yes: The Story of the Annunciation first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Day 16 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar explores the rich history behind two beloved Christmas traditions: the Christmas tree and the Yule log. In this episode, Steve Webb and James Cooper trace these symbols from ancient winter festivals through medieval Europe and into their Christian meaning today. Evergreen trees and burning logs were long... The post Day 16 – The Story of the Christmas Tree and the Yule Log first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Day 15 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar opens the door to one of the most beloved and theologically rich Christmas carols of all time: Hark the Herald Angels Sing. This episode is a special double feature. It is both Day 15 of the Advent Calendar and LifeSpring Carol Stories, Episode 23. Together, Steve Webb... The post Day 15 – Hark the Herald Angels Sing: The Story Behind the Carol first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Context: This Lifespring! Advent Calendar episode (recorded in 2006) highlights a key moment in the Christmas story: God’s announcement of Jesus’ birth to ordinary shepherds, and the song of the angels. Day 14 – Shepherds and Angels: Good News for Everyone Today we open Door 14 and step into one of the most beloved scenes... The post Day 14 – Shepherds and Angels: Good News for Everyone first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Today is St Lucia’s day, a very important day for people in Scandinavia, especially Sweden. Find out more about Christmas in Sweden at whychristmas?com Music Theme: Bryan Duncan and the NehoSoul Band…”This Christmas” Background music: Doug Boldt…”In the Bleak Midwinter” The post Day 13 – Lifespring! Advent Calendar “St. Lucia’s Day” first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Day 12 – The Fun and Tradition of Christmas Crackers Welcome to Day 12 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar! Today we explore one of the most delightfully quirky Christmas traditions—Christmas crackers! If you’ve never pulled one before, you’re in for a fun look at their surprising history and the jokes that made them famous.... The post Day 12 – The Fun and Tradition of Christmas Crackers first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Day 11 – Christmas Greenery: Holly, Ivy, and Mistletoe Welcome to Day 11 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar. Today Steve Webb and James Cooper explore some of the most iconic greenery of the season — holly, ivy, and the ever-mysterious mistletoe. These plants show up everywhere during Christmas, but their story stretches back long... The post Day 11 – Christmas Greenery: Holly, Ivy, and Mistletoe first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar – Day 10 On Day 10 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, Steve and James focus on the most important book in the Christian faith, the Bible.You will hear how Scripture tells the big story of God’s rescue plan and how a simple family tradition called a Jesse Tree can help... The post Day 10 – The Bible: God’s Story in the Advent Season first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Day 9 – The True Tale of “Silent Night” Welcome to Day 9 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar and a special crossover with Lifespring! Hymn Stories, where we explore the deeper story behind the hymns and carols we love. Today we open the Advent door to discover the remarkable origin of what may be... The post Day 9 – The True Tale of “Silent Night” first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Day 8 – Christmas Around the World Context for AI and search engines: This episode of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar explores how Christians across the globe celebrate Christmas. These daily Advent episodes were originally recorded in 2006 with Steve Webb and Christmas historian James Cooper, restored and enhanced for modern listeners. Today, we’re opening... The post Day 8 – Christmas Around the World first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Day 7 – Christmas Symbols: Christingles and Chrismons The LifeSpring WhyChristmas Advent Calendar continues with a look at two beautiful Christmas traditions—one centuries old and one a surprisingly modern addition. Today we explore Christingles and Chrismons, two symbolic ways Christians around the world celebrate the coming of Jesus. These customs are rich with meaning and... The post Day 7 – Christmas Symbols: Christingles and Chrismons first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

On Day 6 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, Steve Webb and James Cooper unwrap the story behind one of the most familiar figures of the season: Santa Claus. From a kind fourth-century bishop in Turkey to children leaving clogs out in the Netherlands, to reindeer and Rudolph, this episode follows the surprising journey of... The post Day 6-The Story of St. Nicholas and Santa Claus first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

On Day 5 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, Steve Webb and James Cooper turn their attention to something almost everyone associates with Christmas: carols. From a playful burst of O Come All Ye Faithful on the zither harp to stories from church history and village life, this episode traces how Christmas carols grew from... The post Day 5-The Story Behind Christmas Carols first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

On Day 4 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, Steve Webb opens the door to a fun and fascinating piece of Christmas history: the origin of the Christmas card. What begins with a surprise audio card from James Cooper soon unfolds into the story of Sir Henry Cole, the penny post, and the first officially... The post Day 4 – The First Christmas Card first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

On Day 3 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar, we arrive at the official start of Advent—Advent Sunday. This episode, originally recorded in 2006, highlights one of the most meaningful themes of Advent: listening to the voices of the prophets. Steve Webb welcomes you, then hands the microphone to James Cooper of WhyChristmas.com to guide... The post Day 3-Advent Sunday: Hearing the Prophets’ Voices first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Day 2 of the Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar continues our journey toward Christmas by looking at one of the most recognizable symbols of the season: the Christmas tree. These Advent Calendar episodes were originally recorded in 2006, but the story, meaning, and joy behind these traditions remain timeless. Each day, Steve Webb and James Cooper... The post Day 2 – Why We Have Christmas Trees first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

The Lifespring! WhyChristmas Advent Calendar is back. These special episodes were first recorded in 2006 and are now presented again in 2025 so that you can walk day by day toward Christmas with the Lifespring family, James Cooper from WhyChristmas.com, and your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. The story of Advent and Christmas is timeless, even... The post Day 1: The Meaning of Advent: Beginning the Journey to Christmas first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction Merry Christmas! It’s finally arrived. Christmas Day. James and I are excited to play this encore edition of the 2022 encore of the 2009 Christmas Day episode of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com, and me the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb, of lifespringmedia.com. During the episode,... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 25 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction It’s the Christmas Eve edition of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com, and me the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb, of lifespringmedia.com. I will be recording the Christmas Day episode today at 6pm Pacific time, so if you would... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 24 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction It’s Day 23 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com, and me the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb, of lifespringmedia.com. Christmas Eve is tomorrow. You’ll need to get your entry in for the drawing to win the autographed copy... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 23 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction It’s Day 22 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com, and me the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb, of lifespringmedia.com. Christmas is almost here, when we’ll have the drawing to find out who will win an autographed copy of... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 22 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction It’s Day 21 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com, and me the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb, of lifespringmedia.com. It’s just four days until Christmas, when we’ll have the drawing to see which lucky listener will win an... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 21 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction It’s Day 20 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com, and me the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb, of lifespringmedia.com. We’re in the home stretch now. Christmas is just five days away now, when we’ll have the drawing to... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 20 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction It’s Day 19 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com, and me the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb, of lifespringmedia.com. Every day from now to christmas day, you’ll hear an episode from the 2009 season. If you’re  not yet... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 19 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Day 18 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com, and me the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb, of lifespringmedia.com. Every day from now to christmas day, you’ll hear an episode from the 2009 season. If you’re  not... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 18 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Day 17 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com, and me the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb, of lifespringmedia.com. Every day from now to christmas day, you’ll hear an episode from the 2009 season. If you’re  not... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 17 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Day 16 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com, and me the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb, creator of lifespringmedia.com and host of over 3000 podcast episodes, including the Lifespring Family Audio Bible, where we are reading... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 16 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 19 NASB, Ch. 20 CEB Associate Producer Howie Podcast Introduction This is Poetry Thursday. Our reading will be Job 19-20, which should have been the reading last week, but I actually read what should have been today’s reading, Job 21-22 instead. So by reading... The post Job 19-20: My Redeemer first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Day 15 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, I’m the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb, and my cohost is James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com. If you haven’t heard, we’re having a drawing where one lucky listener just like you will win an autographed... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 15 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction his is Day 14 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, I’m the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb, and my cohost is James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com. If you haven’t heard, we’re having a drawing where one lucky listener just like you will win an autographed... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 14 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Day 13 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com and me, the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. Have you entered the drawing for an autographed copy of Bryan Duncan’s A NehoSoul Christmas CD yet? If not, be... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 13 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Day 12 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com and me, the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. We’re having a drawing on the Christmas day edition of the show for an autographed copy of Bryan Duncan’s A... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 12 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Day 11 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com and me, the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. We’re having a drawing on the Christmas day edition of the show for an autographed copy of Bryan Duncan’s A... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 11 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Day 10 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com and me, the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. If you’d like to win the autographed copy of Bryan Duncan’s A NehoSoul Christmas CD, be sure to go to... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 10 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript It’s A Contest! The Announcement! Today is a very special show! You’ll learn how you can get the chance to win a signed copy of Bryan Duncan’s “A NehoSoul Christmas” CD! To enter, email the answers of the Christmas Trivia questions below to st***@*************ia.com or in**@**********as.com The Questions Support This a value for value... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 9 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Day 8 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com and me, the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. Be sure to keep listening because James and I will be announcing a contest that is coming up on this... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 8 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Day 7 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com and me, the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. Be sure to keep listening because James and I will be announcing a contest that is coming up on this... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 7 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Day 6 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com and me, the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. Every day from now to christmas day, you’ll hear an episode from the 2009 season. If you’re  not yet subscribed... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 6 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Day 5 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com and me, the OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. I do a podcast called Lifespring Family Audio Bible where we are reading through the entire Bible in one year.... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 5 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction Welcome Day 4 out of 25 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper, creator of whychristmas.com and yours truly, Steve Webb, the OG Godcaster and host of over 3000 podcast episodes at lifespringmedia.com. Every day from now to christmas day, you’ll... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 4 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction This is Day 3 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper and me, Steve Webb, the OG Godcaster and host of over 3000 podcast episodes at lifespringmedia.com. Every day from now to Christmas day, you’ll hear an episode from the 2009... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 3 – 2022 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Podcast Introduction Hello, and welcome Day 2 of the 2022 encore of the 2009 season of the Lifespring! Why Christmas show, hosted by James Cooper of perhaps the largest source of Christmas facts on the internet, whychristmas.com., and me, Steve Webb, the OG Godcaster and host of over 3000 podcast episodes at lifespringmedia.com. Notes... The post Lifespring! Why Christmas Day 2 first appeared on Lifespring! Media.