Niche to Meet You
Leslie Thompson
Recent Episodes
The origins of the professional Santa.
- Email us with your favorite part of this episode or what it made you think about!
- TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Is there someone who should know about this project? Tell them. Seriously, just text them. Now!
- Find us on Instagram, or join our email list.
- Find pictures from Leslie’s time with Santas here.
EPISODE NOTES:
This first episode in the Professional Santa miniseries is about history: where Santa came from with historian Stephanie Fulbright, and when the culture of PORTRAYING him started with Santa Phil. We cover the viral poem that made him famous, the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade, and the Mount Rushmore of Professional Santas while hearing from actual Santa Portrayal Artists and Santa historians.
SANTAS FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE:
ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:
Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio, has been seen by millions through a recent viral instagram reel, and has been featured in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletters. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. We use miniseries and individual interviews to introduce listeners to folks involved with Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, wild turkey conservationists, and more.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.
SHOW CREDITS:
Creator/Reporter/host: Leslie Thompson (IG: @leslieeilerthompson)
Associate script producer: Chris Thiessen
Mastering by Kevin Morris
Show theme composed by Abigail Flowers with this holiday arrangement by Mike Hicks
Show artwork created by Rachel Hardacre
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions and Jon McLaughlin
Meet the Santas behind the beard.
- Email us with your favorite part of this episode or what it made you think about!
- TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Is there someone who should know about this project? Tell them. Seriously, just text them. Now!
- Find us on Instagram, or join our email list.
- Find pictures from Leslie’s time with Santas here.
EPISODE NOTES:
In the second episode of our Professional Santa miniseries we meet the folks who portray Santa and learn what it takes to do the job. From meetups and conferences to spending thousands on uniform, these Santas take their jobs seriously. We talk to Shed and George, Black santas wth a mission to see representation in the niche, and meet Jerusalem’s only certified Santa Issa. Then, we shadow a Santa Donald on a gig to a school serving children with low vision.
SANTAS FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Jerusalem Santa
- Santa Shed
- Santa George
- Santa Ben
- Santa Phil
- Santa Jay
- Santa Stephen
- Santa Lincoln (Green Gloves)
- Santa Hop
- Santa Chris
- Santa True
ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:
Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio, has been seen by millions through a recent viral instagram reel, and has been featured in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletters. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. We use miniseries and individual interviews to introduce listeners to folks involved with Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, wild turkey conservationists, and more.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.
SHOW CREDITS:
Creator/Reporter/host: Leslie Thompson (IG: @leslieeilerthompson)
Associate script producer: Chris Thiessen
Mastering by Kevin Morris
Show theme composed by Abigail Flowers with this holiday arrangement by Mike Hicks
Show artwork created by Rachel Hardacre
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions and Jon McLaughlin
Why Santa matters.
- Email us with your favorite part of this episode or what it made you think about!
- TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Is there someone who should know about this project? Tell them. Seriously, just text them. Now!
- Find us on Instagram, or join our email list.
- Find pictures from Leslie’s time with Santas here.
EPISODE NOTES:
The final episode in our series about professional Santas ends with relevance – why having Santas is crucial to the human experience and aids with flourishing amid suffering. In doing this, we learn why these folks deal with the heaviness of the undertaking and what we can learn from them. You’ll hear from a Santa who spends 200+ days a year in a suit (and has done that for 35 years), and from an educator who uses his Santa portrayal to motivate his students. We also welcome renowned UK Poet Malcolm Guite to explore what storytelling and imagination have to do with Santa and his role in our society.
SANTAS FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE:
- Jerusalem Santa
- Santa Shed
- Santa George
- Santa Ben
- Santa Phil
- Santa Jay
- Santa Stephen
- Santa Hop
- Santa Chris
- Santa True
ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:
Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio, has been seen by millions through a recent viral instagram reel, and has been featured in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletters. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. We use miniseries and individual interviews to introduce listeners to folks involved with Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, wild turkey conservationists, and more.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.
SHOW CREDITS:
Creator/Reporter/host: Leslie Thompson (IG: @leslieeilerthompson)
Associate script producer: Chris Thiessen
Mastering by Kevin Morris
Show theme composed by Abigail Flowers with this holiday arrangement by Mike Hicks
Show artwork created by Rachel Hardacre
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions and Jon McLaughlin
Some moments that didn’t make the Wild Turkey Conservation miniseries.
- The full episode of The Bulletin with Matt and Mary releases on Friday the 29th. You will find it here.
- TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Is there someone who should know about this project? Tell them. Seriously, just text them. Now!
- Send feedback or tell us about your niche!
- Email us.
- Find us on Instagram, or join our email list.
EPISODE NOTES:
This week is Thanksgiving in America, though if you listen to Niche to Meet You, it’s felt like Thanksgiving since August. And we’ve got one more helping of turkey for you. Call it a Nichegiving special. and it includes all the makings for a perfectly spent Thanksgiving:
- Turkeys, of course.
- Football
- Family.
This short episode combines a few moments that didn’t make the Wild Turkey Conservation miniseries because they happened after it was already done. You’ll hear from a three-time superbowl champion, a retired archaeologist, and my dad.
Happy niche giving to you and your family. We are so very thankful for you.
Mentioned in this episode:
CONTACT US:
Send us an email at [email protected]
![🎅🏽 Niche to Meet You, Santa [SERIES TRAILER]](https://us-central1-podcastguru-217d6.cloudfunctions.net/gcf_get_image?image_url=https://artwork.captivate.fm/7b0aa0f3-4ba2-4978-9a28-c5f711bd2709/izujBy3qqn4TwwFEXbfQHj6J.jpg&width=300&height=300&api_key=xqFmUFX5BHLBTA)
Coming December 6th (St. Nicholas Day) – a three-episode series about Santa and the folks who portray him.
- TELL A FRIEND ABOUT US! Is there someone who should know about this project? Tell them. Seriously, just text them. Now!
- Send feedback or tell us about your niche!
- Email us.
- Find us on Instagram, or join our email list.
EPISODE NOTES:
Christmas is about more than just presents and decorations—it's about the spirit of giving, love, and bringing joy to others. Many of us anticipate this post-election Holiday season to be tense, perhaps even disheartening. This, in addition to the loss many of us feel during the holidays as loved ones have passed on, means the next few weeks are going to be hard. Really hard.
Professional Santas can help.
This special holiday series of episodes explores the history of Santa, all the way back to Saint Nicholas to today. We'll also tell personal stories from real-life Santas, like Santa Shed, a Middle Tennessee Black Santa who wants to see representation and diversity in the community. Or Santa Donald, who works at the Tennessee School for the Blind and has adapted the character for the children he's watched grow up at the school for decades. Or even Jerusalem Santa, who does his work in the heart of the Holy City in a 700-year-old building. You’ll join Leslie at the International Santa Celebration and meetups, and experience the role wonder and awe plays in the midst of suffering. For these Santas, it’s more than just a hobby. It’s a way of living–and it’s changing the world.
ABOUT NICHE TO MEET YOU:
Niche to Meet You is an investigative storytelling podcast about the little-known niche interests. Our work has been featured on Nashville Public Radio and has been seen by millions through a recent viral instagram reel and has been featured in the likes of The Guardian and the 1440 newsletter. It's like if Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and Revisionist History teamed up for a Netflix special. We use miniseries and individual interviews to introduce listeners to folks involved with Warhammer 40,000, Rubik’s cube enthusiasts and competitors, armored combat champions, professional Santas and Mrs. Clauses, and more.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW HERE.
SHOW CREDITS:
Senior creator/host: Leslie Thompson (IG: @leslieeilerthompson)
Associate producer: Chris Thiessen
Show theme composed by Abigail Flowers with this holiday arrangement by Mike Hicks
Show artwork created by Rachel Hardacre