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On this episode of Our American Stories, every winter, the same question makes its rounds: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? It premiered in the heat of July, packed with explosions instead of sleigh bells, but something strange happened once audiences got hold of it. The film began drifting toward December as if it had been invited all along. Stephen Follows walks us through that slow migration, pulling together the data, the patterns, and the odd cultural habits that turned a barefooted cop into holiday comfort viewing.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, every winter, the same question makes its rounds: Is Die Hard&nbsp;a Christmas movie? It premiered in the heat of July, packed with explosions instead of sleigh bells, but something strange happened once audiences got hold of it. The film began drifting toward December as if it had been invited all along. Stephen Follows walks us through that slow migration, pulling together the data, the patterns, and the odd cultural habits that turned a barefooted cop into holiday comfort viewing.
Support the show (<a href="https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)">https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)</a>

Our American Stories tells stories that aren’t being told. Positive stories about generosity and courage, resilience and redemption, faith and love. Stories about the past and present. And stories about ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things each and every day. Stories from our listeners about their lives. And their history. In that pursuit, we hope we’ll be a place where listeners can refresh their spirit, and be inspired by our stories.

Our American Stories

Why Die Hard Became a Modern Christmas Classic

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0349981d-2fb4-4e38-8542-b3b40165d203/transcript

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On this episode of Our American Stories, every December, families chase the idea of a perfect Christmas tree. Sometimes you find it standing in a snowy field. Sometimes you find it in a grocery-store parking lot when the sun’s already down, and the good ones are gone. Jim Johnson knows that chase better than most. His search took him through freezing Minnesota afternoons, crowded tree farms, and a few humbling lessons about real trees, fake trees, and the fragile rituals we build around the holidays. What he discovers along the way says as much about American Christmas traditions as it does about balsam vs. Fraser fir, and why this simple hunt for a tree still pulls us out into the cold every year.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

On this episode of Our American Stories, every December, families chase the idea of a perfect Christmas tree. Sometimes you find it standing in a snowy field. Sometimes you find it in a grocery-store parking lot when the sun&rsquo;s already down, and the good ones are gone. Jim Johnson knows that chase better than most. His search took him through freezing Minnesota afternoons, crowded tree farms, and a few humbling lessons about real trees, fake trees, and the fragile rituals we build around the holidays. What he discovers along the way says as much about American Christmas traditions as it does about balsam vs. Fraser fir, and why this simple hunt for a tree still pulls us out into the cold every year.
Support the show (<a href="https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)">https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)</a>

A Family Man's Search for the Perfect Christmas Tree

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/45fbcdd6-6062-4ac9-87d9-b3b40165d202/transcript

On this episode of Our American Stories, the most famous reindeer in the world was voiced by someone most people have never heard of. Billie Mae Richards, a Canadian actress and mother of five, gave Rudolph his voice in the 1964 holiday special that became a staple of American television. She recorded the part in just a few hours, never expecting the character to last. What followed were decades of reruns, toy lines, and a place in Christmas history. In this rare archival interview, Richards shares how she landed the role, what it meant to her family, and why she’s proud to have played a misfit who found his way.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

On this episode of Our American Stories, the most famous reindeer in the world was voiced by someone most people have never heard of. Billie Mae Richards, a Canadian actress and mother of five, gave Rudolph his voice in the 1964 holiday special that became a staple of American television. She recorded the part in just a few hours, never expecting the character to last. What followed were decades of reruns, toy lines, and a place in Christmas history. In this rare archival interview, Richards shares how she landed the role, what it meant to her family, and why she&rsquo;s proud to have played a misfit who found his way.
Support the show (<a href="https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)">https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)</a>

The Woman Who Voiced Rudolph

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/ea7432fb-7cc3-4a3d-8c0d-b3b40165d201/transcript

On this episode of Our American Stories, Harvard is often defined by its oldest traditions and its most privileged stories, but some of its lasting influence came from students who began far from that world. James Bradley Thayer and Chauncey Wright grew up in the rural corners of Massachusetts at a time when Harvard seemed reserved only for Boston’s elite. Their path into the university reshaped their lives in uneven ways, revealing how talent, timing, and circumstance can intersect. Andrew Porwancher traces how these two boys reached Harvard Yard and their ongoing legacy.

Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)

On this episode of Our American Stories, Harvard is often defined by its oldest traditions and its most privileged stories, but some of its lasting influence came from students who began far from that world. James Bradley Thayer and Chauncey Wright grew up in the rural corners of Massachusetts at a time when Harvard seemed reserved only for Boston&rsquo;s elite. Their path into the university reshaped their lives in uneven ways, revealing how talent, timing, and circumstance can intersect. Andrew Porwancher traces how these two boys reached Harvard Yard and their ongoing legacy.
Support the show (<a href="https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)">https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)</a>

Two Country Boys and the Making of a Harvard Legacy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/420f57e0-0e22-4977-91ed-b3b40165d203/transcript

Why Die Hard Became a Modern Christmas Classic

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