This week we're sharing one of our favourites from the archives: An episode full of stories sure to make you feel warm and fuzzy inside this holiday season.

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a holiday staple for many. But when you think about the legacy of Dickens’ it is a bit surprising that we associate him so closely with the holidays. For much of Charles Dickens' writing career, he wrote about the plight of the impoverished and destitute members of British society.

On The Allusionist, host Helen Zaltzman asks the question: how did Charles Dickens name become a synonym for “rosy-cheeked, full-stomached, fattened-goose, hearty, merry, "God bless us every one" Christmas?”

Then: there are a lot of weird jobs out there. Dog food taster. Snake milker. But what about the guy who writes the lyrics to the songs your kids’ toys sing? We hear from the premiere “toy songwriter” on how he comes up with ear worms for kids.

Those festive stories and more, this week on Podcast Playlist.

Featuring: Every Little Thing, The Allusionist, The Secret Life of Canada, The Moth.

For links and more info, head to http://cbc.ca/podcastplaylist.