Mansplaining
Welcome to Mansplaining, a podcast about the interesting things you can discover if you just take the time to learn. Mansplaining is brought to you by Mark, Joe, and so far nobody else. Join us as we try to learn a thing or two about a thing or two.
Mansplaining
Episode 121: Halloween: A Singularly American Stew
•
Mark and Joe
•
Season 1
•
Episode 121
Back in its early days, this podcast explored the cultural and economic juggernaut that is Christmas. Time now to take a gander at Halloween. It’s unique among American holidays in that it’s neither religious nor patriotic nor sentimental, yet it’s hugely and increasingly popular for kids and grown-ups alike. How did that come to be? Attention, trick-or-treaters—Joe and Mark leave this sweet offering for you: a tale about how Halloween’s centuries-long metamorphosis from pagan festival to secular holiday embodies America’s boundless power to assimilate seemingly contradictory cultural traditions and make them its own. (Recorded October 24, 2025.)