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Fascinating True Stories From the Flip Side of History

On the Web Since 1994

Podcasting Since January 2008

1955 – Wife Teed Off At Husband (Footnote)

Published on December 26, 2022

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Holidays & Celebrations, Humor, Love & Marriage

Lew Luquire made the mistake of not getting home in time after playing a round of golf. His wife decided to get even.

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1972 – Santa Claus Exists (Footnote)

Published on December 25, 2022

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Holidays & Celebrations

Just when a ten-year-old boy was starting to question the existence of Santa Claus, he confirmed that he really does exist.

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1965 – Santa Zapped By Power Line (Footnote)

Published on December 24, 2022

Posted in: Escape and Survival, Footnotes to History, Holidays & Celebrations

Santa needs to be more careful in the future. Trying to land using a parachute can be quite dangerous.

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1960 – Christmas Cards Arrive 20 Years Late (Footnote)

Published on December 23, 2022

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Footnotes to History, Holidays & Celebrations

Things do get lost in the mail, but the US Postal Service was unable to explain why these Christmas cards were delivered 20 years late.

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1952 – New Roof for Christmas (Footnote)

Published on December 22, 2022

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Holidays & Celebrations, Money & Financial

All Mrs. Delia Hagen of Los Angeles wanted for Christmas was a new roof, but she could not afford it.

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1949 – Could Beggar Be Santa Claus? (Footnote)

Published on December 21, 2022

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Holidays & Celebrations, Money & Financial

An Akron woman helped out a man who was down on his luck and he decided to pay her back for her generosity.

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Christmas Retrocast – Podcast #187

Published on December 20, 2022

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Holidays & Celebrations, Podcast, Retrocasts

A special holiday Retrocast featuring 10 true stories from Christmas past, plus a holiday song recorded in 1913.

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1949 – Boy Wishes for Stone for Mother’s Grave (Footnote)

Published on December 20, 2022

Posted in: Death and Murder, Footnotes to History, Holidays & Celebrations

All 11-year-old Bobby Lovell wanted for Christmas was a stone for his mother's grave. Would his wish come true?

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1947 – Gift Wrapper Raps in Vain (Footnote)

Published on December 19, 2022

Posted in: Escape and Survival, Footnotes to History, Holidays & Celebrations

Joe Gibson was so focused on his job of wrapping gifts that he lost track of time and was locked in a warehouse. With some rags, string, and wire, he worked toward escaping...

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1920 – Christmas Cactus Theft Epidemic (Footnote)

Published on December 18, 2022

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

Was there really a Christmas cactus theft epidemic hitting Santa Ana, California back in 1920?

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1915 – Bank Accounts of 41,000 Schoolchildren Saved (Footnote)

Published on December 18, 2022

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Money & Financial, Tidbits

When the Pittsburgh Bank for Savings abruptly closed its doors three days before Christmas, the deposits of 41,000 students were thought lost. One banker saved the accounts.

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200 Years of Twas the Night – Podcast #185

Published on December 5, 2022

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Podcast

Author Pamela McColl discusses the origins of the poem, the debate over who truly wrote it, and how it has gone on to be the most published and most often recited poem in the library of English literature.

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Arbor Day Turns 150! – Podcast #171

Published on April 28, 2022

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Podcast

Arbor Day is 150 years old! Learn the origins of the day, plus how one small upstate New York town continues the annual celebration.

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Footnote – 1958: Christmases Have Merry Christmas

Published on December 24, 2021

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

The Christmases got together in 1958 to celebrate Christmas. They had to deal with prank calls from people making fun of their last name.

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Footnote – 1953: Absent-Minded Santa Claus

Published on December 23, 2021

Posted in: Holidays & Celebrations, Tidbits

Sometimes Santa needs to be more focused on the job that he has chosen to do...

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