136: The Hidden Origins of Christmas & Modern Holidays | Lara J. Day

What if the holidays you grew up with were never actually the real story?



In this episode, I sit down with Lara J. Day, whose work around the winter season grew out of her own frustration with commercial holidays and her unexpected discovery of a practice that changed how she moved through the entire year. She brings a careful, deeply researched lens to where our modern traditions came from and how they were reshaped long before we inherited them.

Old narratives begin to crumble when you hear how many of our rituals were engineered, borrowed, or rewritten. Fresh space opens when you realize there’s a quieter rhythm beneath the noise that most of us have never been taught to notice. The opportunity is choosing how you want to relate to this season without blindly repeating what was handed down. By the end, you’ll see why small shifts during this window can ripple through your entire year.

You’ll Learn:

[00:00] Introduction

[03:50] Why rejecting commercial holidays can open the door to a more meaningful ritual season

[06:26] What happens when solstice becomes the anchor that replaces the pressure of traditional celebrations

[08:14] The reason skepticism about holiday stories can point toward a deeper desire for truth

[10:05] How a practice discovered after becoming a parent reshaped an entire relationship to the season

[13:47] Why understanding the origins of holidays changes how you participate in them

[19:02] What the four-layer pattern behind modern holidays reveals about power, culture, and control

[23:39] How aligning with seasonal rhythms shifts your inner world during the darkest part of the year

[28:56] Why the curated version of Christmas was engineered to replace chaotic, older winter traditions

[36:30] What ancient myths about reindeer, mushrooms, and midwinter spirits hint about cultural blending

[44:05] How the 13-night practice uses nature, dreams, and synchronicity to map the coming year

Resources Mentioned:

The Battle for Christmas by Stephen Nissenbaum | Book or Audiobook

13 Sacred Nights Oracle Deck by Lara J. Day | Website

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Lara J. Day | Facebook

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Get Lara's 13 Sacred Nights Oracle deck in time for the winter solstice here and use code Reclamation20 for 20% off your order.

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