Why do we celebrate the birth of the United States by blowing up a bunch of pretty stuff in the sky? In this episode, we look at how fireworks became our go-to celebratory technique. America: It's a Boom-tiful county.

Music Credits
Intro music: Humorous and Comic Intro
By Free Music — soundcloud.com/fm_freemusic
Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Available at: chosic.com/download-audio/27133/
Music promoted by Chosic

Ever wonder how an annual backyard barbecue turns into a three-day weekend? In this episode, we trace the journey of holidays from folk traditions to federal recognition. With Thanksgiving and Juneteenth as our examples, we explore how people-powered celebrations rise through the ranks — from folk, to popular, to elite culture — ultimately becoming national events. Most holidays evolve from backyard handshakes, to celebrity hashtags, to federally-recognized holidays.

Music Credits
Intro music: Humorous and Comic Intro
By Free Music — soundcloud.com/fm_freemusic
Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Available at: chosic.com/download-audio/27133/
Music promoted by Chosic

Did your dad rule the thermostat like an ancient deity? He might be playing out the archetypical sky father motif from folklore.

This episode tackles the father of all tropes - the complicated dad. From sky gods to galaxy-ruining disappointments, we explore why folklore keeps handing out thunderbolts and daddy issues in equal measure.

Music Credits
Intro music: Humorous and Comic Intro
By Free Music — soundcloud.com/fm_freemusic
Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Available at: chosic.com/download-audio/27133/
Music promoted by Chosic