Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

Paganism & Festive Traditions

The darkest nights of the year have long been the time for celebrations, from Yule and Mother Night, to Christmas and New Year's Eve. But where did these traditions come from? Who started kissing under the mistletoe? Why are trees decorated and brought into homes around this time of year? And how did the Romans bring in the New Year? Today Kate is joined Betwixt the Sheets by Ronald Hutton to find out how these celebrations originated and developed, and just what has stayed the same. Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Charlotte Long. Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &amp; Society. A podcast by History Hit. For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/sign-up-to-history-hit/?utm_source=timelinenewsletter&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=Timeline+Podcast+Campaign" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at<a href="https://access.historyhit.com/?utm_source=audio&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=Podcast+Campaign&amp;utm_id=Podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> History Hit</a> - subscribe today!

Join sex historian Kate Lister on Betwixt the Sheets as she gets intimate with the stories that would make your history teacher blush. What were the Victorians really like behind closed (bedroom) doors? How did the Black Death favour women in medieval England? And what was Caesar like in the sack?  She'll be bed-hopping around different time periods; from ancient civilisations, to the middle ages, to renaissance and early modern...right up to now. You’ll laugh, you’ll wince, and you’ll ask yourself how much has actually changed. So join Kate Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal &amp; Society - a podcast from History Hit.