9 fun and lighthearted podcasts that will warm you up this holiday season

Some people bake cookies to get into the holiday spirit, some watch Christmas movies, some blast Mariah Carey, some imagine just having a cat that leaves their Christmas tree alone. And some, like us, hunt down the perfect holiday podcast. You’d think it’s too niche, too short of a season to base an entire podcast off of, but fear not.

We have podcasts about holiday movies and classic holiday TV episodes, we have Christmas audio dramas and Christmas love stories. We even have a Christmas podcast for those who are just a tad bit Scrooge-y.

Check out these podcasts that are sure to get you into the holiday spirit:

Deck The Hallmark

There’s nothing quite like a made-for-TV holiday movie. Join “Deck The Hallmark” as they review every Hallmark, Lifetime, and Netflix original Christmas movie in the known universe. Somehow, every single day, Bran, Panda, and Dan watch and review a new movie, giving us a little slice of Christmas cheer and genuine hilarity all year round.

Christmas Past

Host Brian Earl spreads holiday cheer and explores traditions on “Christmas Past.” Tune in for 7 seasons worth of stories diving into age-old traditions, narratives, stories, and forgotten facts.

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

iHeartRadio shares readings of the classic holiday story, “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” read by some of your favorite celebs. Hear the timeless story voiced by Santa Claus, Meghan Trainor, Bon Jovi, Alessia Cara, Paris Hilton, and more recognizable voices. With the awesome lineup of guest readers, listeners are in for a treat.

Meet Cute Rom-Coms

If you’re a sucker for a romantic meet-cute story, well, it doesn’t get more meet-cuter than this. “Meet Cute Rom-Coms” is exactly as advertised: original audio romantic comedies told in 15 minutes. Typically, these romantic comedy audio dramas are just three parts, and of course they have a Christmas-themed meet-cute out in time for the holidays. They are perfect little pick-me-ups to start (or end) your long day.

Yuletide TV: A Christmas Podcast

Every great television show needs a Christmas (or holiday) episode. And a really great television show has multiple Christmas episodes, just to show off. And here to separate the classics from the lumps of coal is “Yuletide TV: A Christmas Podcast.” They are on the hunt for the greatest Christmas episodes of television, from The Simpsons to Supernatural. Back in time for the holidays, they are watching classic Christmas episodes, from The Office to Friends to obviously the Fesitvus episode, The Strike, from Seinfeld. From classic cartoons like Recess to releases like Dash and Lily, “Yuletide TV: A Christmas Podcast” is sifting through the greatest holiday episodes of all time so you don’t have to.

It’s A Wonderful Lie

Nope, it’s not a typo. “It’s A Wonderful Lie” is truly the podcast we’ve all been waiting for. Our hosts, Ashley Flowers (of “Crime Junkie“), and comedians Holly Laurent and Greg Hess have gathered the holiday newsletters sent out by family, friends, and not-friends to read aloud. Our hosts then read between the lines of these letters, which are typically Facebook-esque humble-brags about how incredible their year was despite all of the boring details they elected to include, to call out all of the BS. It’s a 12-part series that is dedicated to those who roll their eyes at receiving the yearly Christmas update that no one asked for. Charming, funny, and certainly unique, “It’s A Wonderful Lie” truly encapsulates the reason for the season.

Welcome to Tinsel Town: A Christmas Adventure

A fictional Christmas drama for kids of all ages, “Welcome to Tinsel Town: A Christmas Adventure” is the story of Holly, whose wish upon the Christmas star finds her popping in and out of Tinsel Town, a magical place where it’s Christmas everyday. But after getting stuck there, she must find her way as things in Tinsel Town fall apart, and it seems to be Holly’s fault. Holly and her gang of misfits, a giant candy cane, a mysterious ornament, and a polar bear Queen, must find out what went wrong with her wish if she ever wants to get home.

Elf Centered

“Elf Centered” is a once a month, completely improvised broadcast directly from the North Pole. At the end of every month, we are given an update from Santa’s Village, and it’s not all about making toys.  Created by Grant Baciocco of The Jim Henson Company and Mystery Science Theatre 3000, Jayne Entwistle, and Chris Sheets, “Elf Centered” is like if “Welcome to Nightvale” met Christmas, and a lot less supernatural entities.

The Midnight Carols

Vincent Robert-Nicoud’s “The Midnight Carols” is a spooky holiday audio drama. In episodes, 4 friends swap horror stories on Christmas Eve and “join the Venerable Order of St Nicholas of Myra.” But what if their tales actually came to life?