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This week's Hearing Voices from NPR episode is "Christmas Mashup: Holy Days & Silent Nights." The entire hour will be at NPR.org/podcasts/. Here's one of the stories- A Christmas audio postcard sung by Zulu children in a South African orphanage. Produced by Jake Warga (2:14)

This week's Hearing Voices from NPR episode is "Spirit World: Angel on the Line." The entire hour will be at NPR.org/podcasts/. Here's one of the stories- Carmen Delzell samples the "Ritual Magic" of a voodoo Santera, soaks in a spirit bath, and prays for sex, adventure, and central heat. (4:39)

This week's Hearing Voices from NPR episode is "Portrait of a Plague: For AISDS Awareness Day" The entire hour will be at NPR.org/podcasts/. Here's one story we couldn't fit in our hour- AIDS workers in Africa share what's kept inside "memory books" and "memory boxes," keepsakes that help children orphaned by the AIDS virus to remember their parents. This "Memory Box Project" is a community outreach program of the University of Cape Town. Interviews courtesy of Bush Radio of South Africa and the First Voice International Africa Learning Channel. Produced by Sandra Rattley. (3:40)

This week's Hearing Voices from NPR episode is "Let's Wat: For Thanksgiving." The entire hour will be at NPR.org/podcasts/. Here's one of the stories- We tour a "Turkey Ranch," following the gobbler from farmyard to frozen food. Produced by Scott Carrier. (6:54)

This week's Hearing Voices from NPR episode is "1968: Summer of Hate." The entire hour will be at NPR.org/podcasts/. Here's one of the stories- Some of the voices from 1968 which shaped the events one late August night in Chicago at the Democratic National Convention. Mixed by Barrett Golding. (6:54)

This week's Hearing Voices from NPR episode is "To War: Getting In and Getting Out." The entire hour will be at NPR.org/podcasts/. Here's one of the stories- A collection of voices from citizens throughout the United States sharing their views on the ongoing war effort in Iraq and the War on Terror. Voices recorded by Scott Carrier and Barrett Golding. (Original music by Racket Ship.) (2:49)

This week's Hearing Voices from NPR episode is "Political People: On the Campaign Trail." The entire hour will be at NPR.org/podcasts/. Here's one of the stories- Almost half the eligible voters in this country don't bother to vote. But some people are passionate about politics. They pass out pamphlets, work the phones, write letters to the editor. We wondered why, when so many people couldn't care less about politics, these people care so much. So HV producer Barrett Golding went down to the party headquarters in Montana and asked them. (Original songs written for this story by Greg Keeler, trouball.com.). (7:53)

This week's Hearing Voices from NPR episode is "Soapbox: Sampling 20th Century Political Speech." The entire hour will be at NPR.org/podcasts/. Here's one of the stories- Producer (and this week's host) Sarah Vowell creates a place for the electoral losers. (3:16)

This week's Hearing Voices from NPR episode is "Nine to Five: The Work Week." The entire hour will be at NPR.org/podcasts/. Here's one of the stories- Producer Jeff Rice gets wet with professional golfball diver Paul Neibuhr. (2:14)

This week's Hearing Voices from NPR episode is "Old School: A Back-to-School Special." The entire hour will be at NPR.org/podcasts/. Here's one of the stories- Producer Hillary Frank gets the shy "Quiet Kids" to speak up. (3:24)

This week's Hearing Voices from NPR hour is "Caregiver." The entire hour will be at NPR.org/podcasts/. Here's one of the stories- "The Person I Admire Most" by Jake Warga: A day with Jenafir in Ethiopia, trying to save the world. (5:43)

Our story podcast is back with excerpts from the weekly hour Hearing Voices from NPR. This week's episode is "The Old Country: Back to the Homeland." The entire hour is at NPR.org/podcasts/. Here's an excerpt: "Eyes of Sibiu"- Andrei Codrescu returns to Romania, his homeland. "Look at the old lady looking out. She's been looking out for three hundred years. And she's still curious. She looks like she's seen everyone: the Romans in their sandals, Germans in jackboots, gypsies with feet of silver, and the communists in their dialectical slippers; and pretty soon, the rollerblades will be coming. She's not going anywhere." Produced by Larry Massett (16:49).