daddy's gonna kill ralphie

First-nighters, packed earmuff-to-earmuff, jostled in wonderment before a golden, tinkling display of mechanized, electronic joy!

2011-12-23T11:52:00.000-08:00

Yes, that is my family. I am more nostalgic at Christmas time more than any other time of the year. I'm guessing it's the same for many people (maybe not). Certain songs, smells or images will set off my favorite memories. As an adult I look forward to the Christmas season for some different reasons than when I was a kid, but even then I knew the real meaning of Christmas. Even when I didn't always get what I wanted I never had a bad Christmas because of all the love my family shared for each other.

That being said, I did get some pretty kick butt gifts. Here are a few vivid memories of opening life changing material treasures. Keep in mind I was born in 1980, so this is a time capsule.

Teddy Ruxpin

Mr. Ruxpin was something magical back in those days. He not only spoke, but if you put one of his cassette tapes in his back his lips would move as he told the story and he would blink his eyes. I remember playing non Ruxpin tapes in him, but he just gave be a zombi like dead stare. Unfortunately Mr. Ruxpin had an accident that rendered him some what useless. Sitting on the kitchen floor playing with him I saw a neon green centipede next to me. In terror I smashed the bear's face a top of my deadly attacker. I should mention that I had also received a bunch of neon green glow in the dark bugs for Christmas that year. I must have been so caught up in story time that I didn't have a clear head. Teddy Ruxpin's lower jaw lay there on the floor. Plastic broken and un-fixable. Sure I could still play tapes in him and he would blink at me, but his mouth would never moved again.

G.I. Joe and Transformers were my go to toys and TV shows. I wish to the Dear Lord that I had kept all my figures and toys, but many of them ended up being buried in the back yard or on the roof with a parachute tied to their backs. The following are a few favorites:

Cobra Night Raven was probably my favorite G.I. Joe vehicle with Mad Dog as a close second:

I'm not one who really approves of targeting kids as consumers, but how could I not want this...

One gift I wanted but never got was this ridiculously huge G.I. Joe Aircraft Carrier

I was also a huge Construx fan...

Another favorite Christmas memories from childhood will always be the morning I walked into my living room to find that an Optimus Prime tent had been set up as I slept. Inside was a Gilligan's Island toys set for the bath tub. I often wonder if I am making some of these memories up, but a quick Google search for a Gilligan's Island toys set for the bath tub yields results and Christmas memory validation.

Now for my final and greatest Christmas toy memory. MASK was another cartoon created to sell toys kind of show, and I really loved it. I wanted Rhino, the main vehicle of the show more than anything that year, but was not sure I would get it.

Knowing I may not find it under the tree Christmas morning, I gave my mother a list of other MASK characters and vehicles:

I asked for buzzard:

T-Bob and Hurricane:

Well I got all of those, and I also got Rihno. I literally remember opening it and jumping up and down in crazy joy. My mother joined me. Here excitement for me having some stupid toy will always stick in my head. Not so much as a memory of her giving me anything I wanted, but the joy I saw in her because I was happy.

This will probably be my final post till Christmas day due to tomorrow be a traveling day for me, but I will do a Christmas day post, and just maybe a few post-christmas-posts. Thank you for all the fun this season! It's always awesome to stroll down memory lane this time of year and remember the best times, but my hopes are always for men of good will live in peace again. That stupid political arguments or religious differences don't drive wedges of hate between families and friends. That we let go and forgive the wrongs done to us, and that we see the millions of people all over the world living in utter despair and we make some sort of step to make it better. I celebrate the birth of a Savior, but whatever you celebrate may it be filled with Love, Joy and Peace.

Happy Holidays!!!

Don't worry. We'll make it though... somehow.

2011-12-22T08:47:00.000-08:00

Here is another great vintage video. This one in about the history of the Christmas Carol, Silent Night.

Uh..Uh...Uh Santa Claus probably put it there.

2011-12-21T15:29:00.000-08:00

We were all told that "it is more blessed to give than receive" but as a kid, that pretty much goes out the door at Christmas. How many times did my parents bestow upon me waaaaaay more awesome gifts than I could ever give back to them? Sorry, guys. It was a bit early in my career.

They weren't left completely giftless though. Somewhere, in the recesses of a kid mind that still enjoyed recess, do I remember going through a holiday-themed school store that catered just to elementary school children. There were more tacky coffee mugs, keychains and wallets than one could shake a candy cane at, but it was a quick, cheap and easy way for a kid to spend their ten dollars of chore-earned cash on Christmas gifts for ones they loved. Luckily my parents never dipped into the same store that I shopped for our presents from about age five until eleven.

I've got to say, as far as the "getting" goes, my sister and I really cleaned up. Looking back, we got some pretty awesome things. A few of my favorites were completely fitting for the time period. The first was a Holly Hobby kitchen set, complete with the pots, pans, plates and two wee-sized aprons for little four and five year old Beth and Jill.

There's home video of us looking, in absolute awe and excitement at a gift that we ended up playing the heck out of. Some people, whose name just happens to start with a "B" and ends with an "H", like it so much that she, I mean 'they', were caught on film pushing me out of the way. Fully, "You best move out of the way, beeotch" hip bumping a certain older sister.

A couple of years later, after my long flowing golden locks had been murdered and turned into a Dorothy Hamill (aka "mushroom cut") and I had suffered an earlier pre-Cabbage Patch Kid incident (it was a homemade fake CPK - my mom wanted to test it out to make sure I was ready for a 'real' one), Beth and I finally achieved true 80's kid stardom with our very own CPKs. Mine had blond hair and was named Nicolette Fay.

As I aged and moved into the teenage years, my taste in Christmas pressies matured…although my taste in clothing quite faltered. Hey, it was the 90s. Further awesome gifts ranged from a pink and grey 10-speed bicycle, a mammoth-sized Caboodle makeup case, leather brown bomber jacket and a full-fledged boombox (with my first CD player, mind you). My former squeals now turned to "Wow, like, totally cool!" but inside that giddiness was still there.

As a grown-up, it's hard for me to think of even a few things that I "want" anymore. The desire to "get" has changed and I've discovered that it really is more blessed to give than receive. But I will never forget the excitement and wonderful memories that were waiting at the bottom of the stairs for my childhood eyes on Christmas morn.

Starving people would be happy to have that...

2011-12-20T12:11:00.000-08:00

Five days till Christmas, and you were probably wondering when I was going to be posting some A Christmas Story study materials, right? Well wonder no more:

Click HERE for some awesomeness. I found this pdf on the internets and it's packed with goodies. Enjoy

The heavenly aroma still hung in the house...

2011-12-15T18:33:00.000-08:00

Want your Kitchen/Apartment/Home to smell like Christmas? Don't have a real tree? Used that last Christmas candle? Well that was my issue. So here is what I did, and just maybe so should you...

In a pot I put:
Cranberries, Clove, Cinnamon sticks, Apple Cider, Orange Slices, Lemon Slices, Vanilla, Any Orange, Lemon or fruity loose leaf tea, Cranberries juice. Put it on simmer, and now I live in magic. It's true.

If you don't have these exact ingredients, you can substitute. I just suggest you use some sort of cider, orange juice and Cinnamon. It is a delight!

Oh, for cripes sake, open up the damper will ya?

2011-12-15T10:17:00.000-08:00

Let's just say things were a bit different back then...

Yeah, mind power, Swede, mind power.

2011-12-14T15:25:00.000-08:00

My mother had not had a hot meal for herself in fifteen years...

2011-12-13T09:50:00.000-08:00

I was visiting with some South African friends a couple of weeks ago, and as happens this time of year, the conversation turned to Christmas. They had asked me if I had seen something called Dinner for One. I had not, and they quickly gave me an education.

Written for the theater in the 1920s, this 11 minute single take black-and-white 1963 TV recording featuring British comedians Freddie Frinton and May Warden has become a tradition every New Years Eve on many European television sets. It has also been preformed live and recorded in many other countries. Here is the British version from 1963.

Our hillbilly neighbors, the Bumpuses, had at least 785 smelly hound dogs...

2011-12-12T09:28:00.000-08:00

I love finding strange, unique, and sometimes bizarre records at local shops, and when you add Christmas in the mix, it's just straight up holiday magic. Let's take a look at some wonderful Christmas kitsch.

I don't need all this jazz about smugglers and pirates...

2011-12-07T12:22:00.000-08:00

The Christmas ep that I recorded with a few friends and my wife is still being mixed and will be shared as soon as it if finished. With the urge to work on something else while the ep is still in the microwave, Jill and I, armed only with a non-pro tools wielding laptop, a cheap Yamaha acoustic guitar, a bathroom, a closet and a bottle of cheap brandy, set sail to tell the tale of star-crossed lovers longing for each other on Christmas (maybe we enjoyed the brandy a bit much). Below is the song on youtube, and you can CLICK HERE to download the song for free if you so desire.

Enjoy

You know this wine ain't bad. You want a sip?

2011-12-05T14:05:00.000-08:00

Many of us have our favorite Christmas albums, movies,television specials etc. Sounds and images that trigger nostalgia and reassure us the the season is in full swing. A Christmas Story, Ella Fitzgereld's Christmas album and A Charlie Brown Christmas Special are always at the top of the list for me, but the journey for undiscovered and sometimes forgotten Christmas adventures always calls to me. File this list of Christmas Television Specials under "not so popular/guilty pleasure/non classic" or maybe just horrible. Still, I remember watching them, and I'm a fan of them and I'm gonna share them with you.

First up is The Neil Diamond Christmas Album and Television Special. I remember seeing this thing back in 1992 and being memorized by Mr. Diamond's tan. Still, I will never speak ill of "The Diamond".

Let's not forget the opening to the Pat Boone Family Christmas Special. Debbie was my favorite.

Andy Williams is a Christmas time staple, and he had many a Christmas special. Here are a few clips from him. I had to post a couple, because he is always rather fun and jolly.

Here is one with Andy, and his less successful Williams Brothers.

The Internets are full of these treasures, and I'll probably be posting more of them this season.

Ah, baloney. What would your old man know about anything?

2011-12-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season for sharing, and I love to share what my fellow Christmas Brothers in arms are up to at this time of the year.

Red Letter Agent are a Nashville based band who I have known for quite some time, and have just today released a Christmas EP called Rejoice. O Come,O Come Emmanuel & Rejoice are definitely the stand out tracks, and fill my head with visions of Luis Bacalov & Ennio Morricone sitting down and making a Christmas record. It's worth a listen, and at $3.96 it's worth a buy! Nice going boys!
Check out and buy the EP HERE

Grant's Advent Calendar is the longest running holiday video podcast on the web, and I don't mean they are long podcasts (each episode is actually quite short), I mean it is the only holiday video podcast still around since the dawn of the holiday video podcasts. I'm glad it has stuck around, because it's great fun! As with a real life advent calender, there is a surprise for you everyday. Check him out over at www.grantsadventcalendar.com

Here is a promo for this year's season featuring Rowdy Roddy Piper. Yes I said Rowdy Roddy Piper.

I think I see Aunt Clara's gift to you right over there...

2011-12-01T09:02:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are, December first. Twenty five days. Today is the day that all the Humbugs who tell me it's to early to listen to Christmas music bite their tongues. No more will I hear, It's not even December yet. Yes folks, welcome to full blown Christmas Bacchanalia!

In celebration of such a glorious moment, I am sharing my annual Christmas mix with all of you! A few days before Halloween, I start pulling together all my resources, and any discovery that might be found in a vintage store or some deep dark corridor of the internets. This is why some of these songs may have some old school record pop and scratch noises. Think of it as culture!

Click on the link below to download! I will guide you through the steps if you are not familiar with the process.

Daddy's Gonna Kill Ralphie Presents Mikey's Christmas Mix 2011

Click on the above link to download directly to your computer. The download will be in a folder called Daddy's Gonna Kill Ralphie Presents Mikey's Christmas Mix 2011. Drag that folder into itunes or whatever music player you use on your computer. It's just that simple.

I have listed the track order below just in case something funky happens with the order, but I have tested everything on two computers, and everything should be locked in!

1. Santa's Night Before Christmas///Santa
2. Christmas Wrapping///The Waitresses
3. What Will Santa Claus Say When He Finds Everybody Swinging?///Louis Prima
4. I Want To Spend Christmas With Elvis (Heartbreak Noel)///The Holly Twins
5. Dasher///Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
6. Christmas Shopping///The Shoppers
7. Christmas Wish///NRBQ
8. Merry Christmas, Baby///The Beach Boys
9. All I want For Christmas is a Go-Go Girl///Ben Hinds
10. Christmas Day///Detroit Junior
11. Merry, Merry Christmas Baby///Dodie Stevens
12. Christmas Greeting From Hawaii///The Islands
13. Mele Kalikimaka///Arthur Lyman
14. Christmas Island///Bob Atcher & the Dinning Sisters
15. Exotic Night///Martin Denny
16. Sleigh Ride///The Ventures
17. My Favorite Things///Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
18. The Bell That Couldn't Jingle///Burt Bacharach
19. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town///Arthur Treacher
20. Here Comes Santa Claus///Bob Dylan
21. YULESVILLE///Edd Kookie Byrnes
22. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas///Ramsey Lewis
23. We Three Kings///Jack Brokensha Quartet
24. Christmas Time Is Here///Starflyer 59
25. Santa Claus On Mars///Voldar
26. Santa Done Got Hip///The Marques
27. Futuristic Christmas Tree///Dick Horner and The Camaradahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
28. Jingle Bells///The Three Suns
29. Sun Valley Ski Run///Esquivel
30. Silent Night///Tom Waits
31. What Is A Santa Claus?///Stan Kenton
32. Santa Has To Go Now!///Santa

I hope this collection brings you tidings of comfort and joy, and may just expand your Christmas collection pallet beyond Bing Crosby and Andy Williams (no disrespect to those fellas, I do love them as well). Enjoy!

Oh! Don't forget, you can download last year's mix RIGHT HERE! Happy December first!

Randy? Wake up , Randy.

2011-11-30T14:56:00.000-08:00

One more day till Mikey's Christmas Mix 2011 is released upon the earth! Every year I scour the deep dark corners of record stores and the Internet for the strange and unusual Christmas songs. We have all heard Bing Crosby's White Christmas and Wham's Last Christmas, but have you ever heard Christmas Day by Detroit Junior or All I want For Christmas is a Go-Go Girl by Ben Hinds? Well you will tomorrow! I am never a fan of just plain stupid songs, or song that are weird just to be weird. Trust me when I say you will think some of these are bazaar, but I know you will still enjoy.

Today I am giving each and every last one of you a copy of Mikey's Christmas Mix 2010! I must say, last years was pretty great, and I was worried about how I could possibly out do myself, but I think when you hear 2011 you will think it the perfect companion piece! Click on the link below to download!

Daddy's Gonna Kill Ralphie Presents: Mikey's Christmas Mix 2010

Let's go over a few favorite tracks from 2010:

Space Age Santa Claus//Hal Bradley Orchestra w/Patty Marie Jay. (1961)
The A-side of a single written by Ross Christman...hmmm, and performed by the Hal Bradley Orchestra with Patty Marie Jay on vocals. Height of the Space Age goodness! Love the echo on the guitars.

Cool Yule//The J's with Jamie
I'm sure you have all heard the Louis Armstrong version of this song, but I actually like this one best. The awesome harmonies and lounge white bread America spin on this one makes me quite happy.

Snow Flake//Pebbles & Bamm-Bamm
Yes this is supposed to be the same Pebbles & Bamm-Bamm from the Flintstones, and I believe this was from a kids Christmas record, but I love the dreamy guitars and vocals.

Come On Ring Those Bells//Evie Torn
The Norwegian invasion of Evie Torn makes me nostalgic for Christmas in a 1985 snowy Detroit Michigan.

Christmas Journey//Wayne Newton
Again, the dreamy sounds on this one put me in such a happy place. On a side note, I played this for my wife the other day and she asked if it was Judy Garland.

Enjoy the tunes!!!

Even something as momentous as the Scut Farkus affair....

2011-11-28T14:44:00.000-08:00

Hope your Thanksgiving was super!

I will be releasing Mikey's Annual Christmas Mix in two days right here on Daddy's Gonna Kill Ralphie, and I thought it may be time to take a look at what I'm listening to this year. Thanks to the power of Spotify, I am able to keep a vast collection of my Christmas favorites at my fingertips, and continue to find new and old gems. Still, I always try and have a hard copy for those times I am not around any of the internets. Remember to click on any of the highlighted words for fun links!

I was very happy to discover the official Christmas story soundtrack was available on Spotify and in stores. This thing has been available for a few years, but for some strange reason, I never thought to look for it till just days ago. Now I can relive the Black Bart shoot out, Bumpus Hounds wreaking havoc in the kitchen and the Scut Farkus yellow eyes scenes in living stereo glory.

Now, you may think you see a typo in the previous paragraph when I mentioned Scut Farkus. Believe me, I would have thought the very same just two weeks ago. How on earth have I seen the greatest holiday movie, dare I say the most influential experience of my life countless times, and the namesake of the very blog you are reading now, and have never noticed who I thought to be Scott was indeed Scut? I, your humble narrator and creator of all things Daddy's Gonna Kill Ralphie, must hang my head in holiday shame for a brief moment and ask for your forgiveness.

OK, let's get back to the music. As any in any great Christmas film, the score for A Christmas Story automatically brings visions of the film to mind and fills my ears with nostalgia of Christmas past. Written by Carl Zittrer and Paul Zaza, and I believe released in 2009 by Rhino records, it is now on constant play, and even though not all the music is necessarily "Christmas music", it is directly from the film and therefore counts as Christmas music in my book!

Here is a little sample...

Next up is Christmas With Jimmy McGriff (1963). I am familiar with Mr. McGriff from many a Lounge music compilation. His haunting Hammond B-3 organ graced Sleigh Ride/Jingle Bells Medley with Al Caiola (one of my favorite Christmas recordings). I was recently joyed when I found his Christmas album. I'm not gonna lie, it may have been the cover photo that brought it to my attention at first, but then I noticed the name. Here is a sample. Just listen to that organ!

Check back tomorrow for some more selections of what I am playing this season, and don't forget December 1st Daddy's Gonna Kill Ralphie's Third Annual Christmas mix!

What is a lamp, you nincompoop? It's a Major Award. I won it!

2011-11-23T08:29:00.000-08:00

One more day till the Feast of Thankfulness! I have a few things to share with you that you will in turn be thankful for. Although this is not my highly anticipated annual Mikey's Christmas Mix (still to come), this is a great four hour collection of Christmas tunes that I meticulously slaved over for you to enjoy as you slave over that bird, ham or tofurkey!

You will need spotify to partake in the audio cheer, but it's free, and you will not be sorry you signed up! just click this link to be directed to the playlist.

I also found some pretty neat Thanksgiving commercials and such.....

Dadgummit! Blow out!

2011-11-22T13:04:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is the day after tomorrow, and what a extravaganza I have planned( for my belly and for the blog). Turkey Day will kick the Christmas season into full gear, and this blog along with it. So here is the two day countdown to start he Christmas countdown!

I thought this would be very educational for you all to watch before you make a gluttonous fool of yourself...

I Tripple Dog Dare You!!!

2011-11-01T11:48:00.001-07:00

well here we are. the day after halloween, and in my book the beginning of the christmas season. i couldn't pass up a post today, and was super happy to find this on the internets this morning. i'm planning out some fun stuff for this year, and this could be one of them....

A Christmas Story Video Contest

keep checking back!

The line waiting to see Santa stretched all the way back to Terra Hote!

2010-12-20T06:05:00.000-08:00

/s400/shopp.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552999682520504514" />
today was the first time i have hit up the malls for shopping this year. like always, it was quite an adventure. fun at first, and as always, ready to get out after a few hours. anyway, i was reminded of some older posts about this very thing....

Get out the Sears catalogue. Put on your brown polyester pants suit, and head to the land of Burnt Orange and Gamboge. It's your local indoor shopping center circa 1970 whatever. I love me some Christmas music, and my newest obsession is 1960's/1970's Christmas Mall Music. It's not your typical mall muzak...well it really is, but it's Christmas songs. So I put together a little glimpse of Christmas shopping in days of yonder. Listen as the music seems to echo through the rafters of JCPenny.

Here is some more Christmas Mall music. My good friend Charlie sent this to me about the last mall video I posted:

I remember the malls and Lazarus department store in Columbus Ohio where I grew up, and they would play this music at Christmas time. Couldn't wait to get up to the 6th floor to see Santa but my mom would have to stop and look at drapes or something while on our way. Little Charlie would look up at her with big (woman, you can look at drapes anytime, can't you see this is important?) eyes.

There was a shot in that video of Santa and a helicopter. We used to go to the Northern Lights shopping center to wait for Santa to come in by chopper. They used to rope off a big parking lot and he'd land and get out with his sack of crappy trinkets but is was great because he came by helicopter. Great memories.

Thanks Chuck!

I am loving this stuff.

Mikey

Next to me in the blackness lay my oiled blue steel beauty.

2010-12-19T17:40:00.000-08:00

look who i spotted around town today....

The Queen-Mother Of Dirty Words.....

2010-12-19T06:24:00.001-08:00

Made it to Detroit & woke up realizing there is a winter wonderland outside my door. I have been behind on my posts, but now that I am officially on christmas vacation (and in such a place of winter wonder), it will be much more frequent. my friend grant over at grant's advent calendar shared this with me, and it is something really special! make sure you thank him by heading over to his site for a daily dose of christmas cheer!

let's get on with it! I don't need all this jazz about smugglers and pirates...

2010-12-15T10:55:00.000-08:00

another one of my favorite things to do is listen to old time radio, and many are available for free download. of course there is a huge collection christmas episodes featuring Bob Hope, Fibber McGee and Molly, Bing Crosby, Abbott and Costello, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy and many more! gather the family, turn off the television, build a fire (if you have a fireplace) pour some christmas cheer and listen to these old time radio christmas specials.

CLICK HERE

Oh NO! It's.... OLD BLUE! OH NO!

2010-12-10T10:11:00.000-08:00

no one likes a sad christmas...right? well, i sure don't (i know this from experince), but i do enjoy a bit of a melancholy feeling here and there around the season. it puts me in a reflecting mood. the song "Christmas Memories" has a line that says "funny, but comes December, and I remember every Christmas I've known." (here is the song and a review of that record).

there are plenty of joyous & fun-filled moments i love and always look forward to at christmas, but last night while house sitting for my dear friends who are moving far away and listening to christmas music surrounded by boxes piled to the ceiling, i felt a little sadness and began reflecting on my christmas memories. it's not a depression it's just a fond look back on past christmas seasons. i thought i would share this feeling in song with you. so, if you are making christmas cookies, sitting by the fireside, or sitting in an empty home surrounded by boxes, this mix is for you.

1. Evergreen - Jars Of Clay
2. Christmas Time Is Here - Starflyer 59
3. The First Noel - Red Letter Agent
4. Christmas Journey - Wayne Newton

It had to be firm, but subtle.

2010-12-08T13:36:00.000-08:00

you know that old christmas story, elves & nazis....

Don't you feel remorse for what you have done? Well, that's all I'm going to say about poor Flick.

2010-12-07T18:38:00.000-08:00

Leave me alone....I'm uh......thinking

2010-12-02T12:01:00.000-08:00

in a previous post, we took a look at some classic christmas television specials....well, along with some not so special. i think it's time to take a gander at a few more this year. i really miss those fun television specials we used to have. now days it seem it's filled with boring teen popstars. geez...kids these days. anyway, presented here in five parts, here is A Muppet Family Christmas:

...dumb, frattin', housesnickle viper!

2010-12-01T14:27:00.001-08:00

sometimes jews do christmas best (neil diamond, barbra streisand, jesus). now, i wouldn't go as far as to say Christmas Is In The Heart is the best christmas album, but it is some kind of wonderful. you may or may not know that mr. dylan has an interesting voice, and it's what makes this record so great. it's a joyous record that is at times tongue-in-cheek one moment and beautiful the next with a classic 1950's 1960's sound. the arrangements really are amazing but most importantly they are fun. fun is a must when it comes to christmas albums. yes i'll take the melancholy & reflective sounds of the season, but ya gotta give me some yuletide smiles from time to time.

the album starts off with the classic Here Comes Santa Claus. sleigh bells, banjos, jazz & slide guitar, and stupendous backing vocals give you a glimpse of what is to come. my favorite vocal performance is on Hark The Herald Angel Sing. think of your drunk uncle belting out the tune with all the passion he can muster. add a couple of fiddles and some really pretty female backing vocals, and you have christmas magic. O' Little Town Of Bethlehem, the album closer, has got some pretty amazing vocals on it as well.

the pinnacle of the record comes with Must Be Santa. it's an orgy of accordions, mandolins, drums on the backbeat, gang vocals and dylan naming past presidents in with all the reindeer. the video is absolutely fantastic. it fits the song so perfectly, and is mr. dylan in his pajamas? take a look and tell me i'm not wrong....

Christmas Is In The Heart is a new classic, and really will be in my christmas record rotation forever. get it. get it now.

Ain't no needles coming off this here tree...

2010-11-30T14:41:00.000-08:00

tonight is the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony! if you are not feeling the holiday spirit yet, tonight may be your night!

here are some Rockefeller tree facts:

Rockefeller Center's yearly Yule tree has grown from a modest fir that construction crews set up during the Great Depression into a holiday extravaganza drawing millions of visitors from across the globe.

20 feet: the height of the original Balsam fir that workmen set up in the complex's muddy construction site in 1931.

2010's Norway spruce towers 74 feet and weighs 12 tons.

This year's tree is approximately 75 years old.

700 lights were used during Rockefeller Center's first official tree-lighting ceremony in 1933.

Today, 30,000 multi-colored LED lights wrapped on 5 miles of wire make the iconic tree glow.

2.5 million spectators visit the tree each year.

The tree drinks up to 90 gallons of water a day at the outset, which lessens over time.

The Swarovski crystal star atop the tree is 9 ½ feet in diameter and weighs 550 pounds.

25,000 crystals and one million facets illuminated by 720 LED bulbs make the star shine bright.

The trees have ranged from 50-foot pines to 100-foot Norway spruces.

The tallest was a 100-foot spruce from Killingworth, Connecticut. in 1999.

In 1946 the tree is painted silver to look like snow.

The first tree from outside the U.S. came from Canada in 1966.

Christmas Day 1936: The famous Rockefeller Plaza Outdoor Ice Skating Pond opens, and the lighting ceremony includes a skating pageant for the first time.

3 trees were set up in 1942, one decorated red, one in white and one in blue, to support the troops serving in WWII.

1951: NBC Televises the tree lighting for the first time on "The Katie Smith Show".

2007: The tree goes green with energy-efficient LED lights that save 2,213 kilowatt hours per day – as much as a single family would use in a month to power a 2,000 square foot house.

Now, the tree consumes 1,297 kilowatt hours of electricity per day!

Let's hope this years show is a little more exciting than this....

He looks like a derranged Easter Bunny.

2010-11-29T16:11:00.000-08:00

a co-worker of mine celebrates this season with what is the longest running holiday video podcast on the web! Grant's Advent Calendar Video Podcast is another daily dose of christmas fun you should enjoy. here is an episode from a few years ago. you may recognize the location....

check out the site!
http://www.throwingtoasters.com/advent/

My little brother had not eaten voluntarily in over three years.

2010-11-28T19:53:00.000-08:00

as always, my promises on this blog fall by the wayside. my "play-by-play" thanksgiving updates never happened. in fact, i have been silent these past few days. i blame it on food coma. however, my co-blogger, velvet, has posted all the glories of our feast on her blog. here is the link. check back tomorrow, and everyday in December for more updates! 'tis really is the season now!

It could be a bowling alley!

2010-11-24T11:02:00.000-08:00

i have been silent for the past week, but i'm prepping for turkey day, and i'm spending it with fellow blog hosts velvet & jillsie! we are planning some holiday surprises & joy tomorrow. look for some behind the scenes play-by-play thanksgiving post tomorrow! it's going to be a big day!

if you are looking for that last minute recipe, here is something that is been in my family since i can remember....

Skoby's Creamed Corn:
16 oz. frozen whole kernel corn
1 tsp white pepper
2 cups half and half
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp butter
seasoned breadcrumbs or baguette

Thaw corn. Melt butter in a small saute pan. Add flour and mix well to make a smooth consistency. Heat half and half in a 2-quart saucepan. Add pepper, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil; gradually whisk in the flour mixture. Stir continuously until a sauce consistency is achieved. Stir in corn until evenly distributed. Portion into individual ramekins or a casserole dish. Top with seasoned breadcrumbs crumbled baguette and brown under the broiler.

enjoy!

when our joy is at its zenith....

2010-11-15T08:59:00.000-08:00

one of my favorite christmas memories from childhood will always be the morning i walked into my living room to find that an optimus prime tent had been set up as i slept. it was the very one i had seen in the jc penney catalog just weeks ago, and wanted more than anything. twenty five-years later (this past weekend), i stumbled across some images from that very same catalog, and to my surprise and joy, i found that same picture that set my optimus prime desire in motion. i also began finding pictures of toys, sleeping bags, bedsheets & so much more that i have not thought of since that year. yet, they are as familiar to me now as they were to that five year old boy. so here's to you optimus, teddy ruxpin, mask, toys'r'us, and all my other dear friends that will forever live in that magical & glorious land known as christmas in the 1980s.

p.s. i am not the little girl getting the teddy ruxpin in the video below....

horrified, i heard myself blurt it out.

2010-11-11T18:48:00.000-08:00

a little night music, sharkey style...

xoxo, velvet

It was his true medium; a master.

2010-11-10T08:23:00.000-08:00

attention all Sufjan fans!!! do you want to call your grandmother for christmas? want to see how many christmas candles you can light before the match burns out? wanna see some really cool dancing elves? well, click this link, and be transported to a Sufjan Stevens christmas wonderland! as if this years Age Of ADZ wasn't enough of a gift.

and let's not forget about his fantastic christmas record, for which all this christmas joy is based on!

If you know Sufjan's music already you will expect this to be far from conventional. This 42 track record(a collection of christmas extended plays), explores many different sounds and, the lyrics range from the wonderfully absurd to worship. Some of the songs are short interludes and variations on segments of classic songs, but he has written a good amount of original stuff as well. Enjoy a live performance here here and a music video here. Such a beautiful album.

I have since heard of people under extreme duress speaking in strange tongues.

2010-11-08T12:17:00.000-08:00

in what may be the perfect melding of everything i love about christmas(shopping and worship?), the Opera Company of Philadelphia burst into what they called a "random act of culture" by singing Hallelujah from Handel’s Messiah in the middle of a downtown Macy’s this past saturday. they were accompanied by the worlds largest pipe organ. watch this video and see how amazing this world would be if we would incorporate a little more culture in our day to day lives.

I like The Wizard of Oz. I like the Tin Man.

2010-11-07T22:26:00.000-08:00

Hello! My name is Jillsie and this is my first time in the Christmas blog scene. Mikey begged me to join him in his yearly digital expression of the wonderfulness of the holiday season. He is very persistent and I'm secretly a a softy (especially after a glass or two of wine) so here I am, ready or not.

Christmas is also my favorite time of year, but there have always been rules, very, very strict rules about how much of it I could take before getting sick of Santa by the first of December. Somehow, by Mikey's sly influence, there is a Charlie Brown tree with a singular red bulb presently staring at me across the room. The Jillsie who for years has proclaimed, "no Christmas decorations, music or movies until Thanksgiving!" has left the building. I am officially doomed (in the best way possible).

Jillsie

Didn't I get a tie this year?

2010-11-07T20:47:00.000-08:00

conan o'brien's new show starts tonight, so in the spirit of his triumphant return, here is a look at a christmas show from years past. knock em' dead tonight conan!

Wake up, Stupid! Wake up!

2010-11-06T01:57:00.000-07:00

i have to admit, i was a huge fan of homestar runner back in the day. it has been a few years since i have visited the site with any regularity, except when it comes to their halloween and christmas (or as they call it "decemberween") specials. i still find them quite funny. i thought it would be fun to take a look at one of them.

What happened son? Who did this to you?

2010-11-03T22:45:00.000-07:00

due to the crazy weather in the great state california, i made a stop for some medication on my way home from work. to my delight, i saw my first christmas trees of the season right next to a stack of coca-cola cans adorned by old saint nick himself.

it made the not so fun stop a bit more merrier. returning home i saw two back to back christmas television commercials. i turned the tv off, started up some music and lit some candles to put up the tree. yes, the tree is a towering six inches, but it's glorious to me!

(post script) as i am writing this, alex, my roommate is watching the David Bowie, Bing Crosby video. let's watch it together..

peace on earth. let it be.

mikey

Yeah, another one of my silly puzzles. This one could be worth FIFTY THOUSAND BUCKS.

2010-11-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

mere child's play compared to what surely awaited me.

2010-11-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

so here we are, 54 days until christmas. many say it is way to early to be celebrating the christmas season, but i will live by my rule of christrmas music starts the day after halloween. no christmas movies till thanksgiving, but the music is fair game. i need time to make new discoveries and gather gems for my annual christmas mix. velvet (the once involved but now mostly m.i.a. partner of this blog) put her tree and decorations up last night! that won't happen for me untill around thanksgiving, but more power to her!!!

people say celebrating christmas to early takes the spotlight away from thanksgiving, but you know what i'm thankful for? christmas! and come on, macey's thanksgiving day parade is almost just as much about christmas now. anyway, this years blog will be way more fun and fancy free than the last two! expect to see lots of music, movie clips, pictures, recipes and post from a new contributor or two! keep checking back!

I want a red rider 200 shot carbine action range model air rifle with a compass and this thing which tells time built right in the stock.

2009-12-02T19:17:00.000-08:00

Well, no tree yet, and I have been awol because of a flu bug. However, I did have a Christmas party this past Monday Night. That's right, a Christmas party on November 30th with no Christmas tree or any holiday decor. There were cheese logs, Velveeta & rotel, Christmas cookies, Nog & Rum, Hot Apple Cider (and rum), pecan pie, and of course my Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts.

Here is the Recipe for the Chestnut goodness:

Here is what you need:

1 Pound of Bacon (cut into thirds)
16 Ounce Canned Water Chestnuts (cut large ones in half)
1 Cup of Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup of Chili Sauce
1 Cup of Miracle Whip
Toothpicks

Preheat oven at 350
Wrap bacon around the water chestnuts and secure it by inserting toothpicks to hold them upright.
Position them into an ungreased baking dish.
Bake for 45 min minutes

While the Water Chestnuts are baking, mix the Brown Sugar, Chili Sauce & Miracle Whip together in a bowl.

Remove the Water Chestnuts from the oven and drain the dish of all the grease.
Pour the Sauce over the Baked Water Chestnuts. Again, make sure you drain them before pouring the sauce on them!!!

Now bake them for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove them and enjoy my favorite Christmas Snack of all time!

I made a kick butt Christmas mix, we watched Rudolph, and a great time was had by all. This is by no means my only Christmas party of the season. The big one is yet to come, and VELVET better make it to this one!!!!

That's... what I thought you said. Get in the car

2009-11-29T08:32:00.000-08:00

We are going out to get a real tree today. I'll share all about it when we get back. Until then enjoy these...

....I'm not color blind either.

2009-11-28T09:16:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is over, and It's officially The Christmas Season!!! It's time to start giving this blog's namesake some due! Lets take a look at one of my favorite scenes from my favorite Christmas movie. Enjoy!

Mikey

The Old Man gathered up the sad remains of his shattered Major Award

2009-11-27T09:00:00.001-08:00

In honor of Black Friday, here are some vintage Christmas
Print advertisements. The song is Holiday On Skis preformed by Al Caiola & Riz Ortolani. It's available for download right here along with 4 other songs from my Christmas mix. Enjoy!!!

Mere child's play compared to what surely awaited me.

2009-11-25T10:45:00.000-08:00

Happy Turkey Day!!!!! It's time for me to hit the Scotch Eggs while the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade plays in the background. let's look at some past years highlights....

Rick Astley????????

Can we please have more like this?!?!?!

Don't leave, come back! Come back! Don't leave me, come back!

2009-11-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Turkey Day and all across this great land of ours, people are taking Planes, Trains, and Automobiles to the Thanksgiving feast. Hopefully it is nothing like this...

I am very excited to start cooking tonight and tomorrow morning. Lots of pressure for The Scotch Eggs! Anyway, I'm not & I'm sure you are not spending the day before Thanksgiving in a kitchen like this, with company like this, but it would kinda be fun.

I have a lot to do today, so I'll keep this one short. Have safe travels today kids!!!!

That son of a bitch would freeze up in the middle of summer on the equator!

2009-11-24T12:59:00.000-08:00

Watched A Christmas Story last night with my roommates Travis & Ryan. I swear Ryan is Ralphie's grown up twin! Anyway, I am really in the Christmas mood today! My parents fly in tomorrow to celebrate Thanksgiving with me, and I went shopping today for the big meal. Our fridge and cupboards are now stocked with holiday delight!

So as I sit here blogging with a glass of nog in hand while Mr. Johnny Mathis sings Silver Bells to me, I am thinking of just how thankful I am to be surrounded by family and friends who show me love. I know this is a Christmas blog, but I am so very excited for Thursday. Besides, Thanksgiving is just like Christmas without the presents!

Sometimes, at the height of our revelries, when our joy is at it's zenith....

2009-11-23T16:43:00.000-08:00

As another gift to you, here is a free download of O Holy Night preformed by Red Letter Agent. Enjoy!!!

I have since heard of people under extreme duress speaking in strange tongues.

2009-11-22T10:32:00.001-08:00

Enjoy some more magical Christmas moments....

Hey Dad! I bet you never guess what I got you for Christmas!

2009-11-21T17:45:00.000-08:00

As an early Christmas present, I am giving you the first 5 songs on my Christmas mix!!! Just click on the song titles to download...

Holiday On Skis - Al Caiola & Riz Ortolani

Sleigh Ride - Lenny Dee

Frosty The Snowman - Esquivel

Santa's Got A Brand New Bag - The Hollyridge Strings

Beatnik's Wish - Patsy Raye & the Beatniks

Schwartz created a slight breach of etiquette by skipping the triple dare and going right for the throat!

2009-11-21T11:50:00.000-08:00

Got a few Christmas DVDs in the mail from Netflix today! Gonna try and watch at least one of them tonight if my roommates will humor me. I can't wait to watch Stephen Colbert's Christmas Special "A Colbert Christmas-The Greatest Gift of All". It was a highlight of last years yuletide viewing. Enjoy a clip....

A Colbert Christmas: Colbert/Costello Duet

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

U.S. Speedskating

I can't get up. I can't get up! I can't get uuup!

2009-11-20T12:56:00.000-08:00

Took a trip to the grocery store yesterday to see if I could find some Christmas candles. My search was not a success, as I am very picky about my aromas. I did however pick up a case of Sam Adams Winter Classics Variety Pack. I remember getting one of these bad boys last year for my Christmas party, but as in many a festive celebrations, everyone had sampled the best ones before I could try them, but that's being a fantastic host! anyway. I thought I would pick up another for me and my roommates to enjoy. Here is what you get in the box:

2 Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig Ale
2 Samuel Adams Cranberry Lambic
2 Samuel Adams Holiday Porter
2 Samuel Adams Winter Lager
2 Samuel Adams Coastal Wheat
2 Samuel Adams Boston Lager

First things first, Samuel Adams Boston Lager & Samuel Adams Coastal Wheat are NOT WINTER BREWS!!!! Jip!!! Does this sound like Christmas: Coastal Wheat beer is a twist on the Hefeweizen style. Brewed with Eureka and Lisbon varieties of lemon that balance the character of the malt blend, resulting in a crisp wheat beer with subtle lemon aroma and flavor. Anyway, they are good beers.

I have been a big fan of The Winter Lager for a long time. The Holiday Porter is a great dark beer.

Old Fezziwig is not just fun to say, but it is really tasty! Comprised of deep malt character ranging from sweeter toffee and caramel notes to the darker, roasty chocolate notes. Cinnamon, ginger, and orange peel are added to add to the taste of the holiday season.

The worst is the Cranberry Lambic, a Belgian-style fruit beer that draws its flavor not just from the cranberries it is brewed with, but also from the unique fermentation character imparted by a rare wild yeast strain. The result is a flavor rich in fruitiness and reminiscent of cranberries, bananas, cloves, and nutmeg. The yeast fermentation also creates a slight sourness on the sides of the palate, a signature of the original Belgian lambics. Just to sweet!

There are enough good beers in the box for the price, and it is a fantastic set to bring to a Holiday party!

A fuse blew and I had gone out of my skull.

2009-11-20T11:41:00.000-08:00

Speaking of nog, here is a classic from two years ago....

Be sure to drink your Ovaltine. Ovaltine?! A crummy commercial?!

2009-11-20T10:30:00.000-08:00

Your first sip of eggnog of the season is always a good sign that you have given into the holiday spirit. Just like Christmas music, it fills my heart with nostalgic Christmas memories. However, I have always bought my nog from the store. This year I will actually be making my very own batch.

This is what you will need:

3 cups whole milk
7 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup bourbon
1/3 cup Cognac or other brandy
1 teaspoon vanilla

Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer
Garnish: freshly grated nutmeg

This is what you do:

Bring milk just to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Whisk together eggs and sugar in a large bowl, then add hot milk in a slow stream, whisking. Pour mixture into saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture registers 170°F on thermometer, 6 to 7 minutes.

Pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into cleaned large bowl and stir in cream, bourbon, brandy, and vanilla. Cool completely, uncovered, then chill, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours and up to 24.

Enjoy!

HOOOO... HOOO... HOO... And what's your name little boy?

2009-11-19T16:21:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is one week from today!!! Let us take a look at a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from days gone by...

It was his true medium; a master.

2009-11-18T20:55:00.000-08:00

Then....

& Now...

The heavenly aroma still hung in the house

2009-11-18T16:15:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is one week from tomorrow, and for most folks (excluding your humble narrator), it is the official kick off to the Christmas Season. This year I will be giving thanks at The Templeton residence. James & Natasha Templeton are opening their home to me, my Parents, and my roommate Travis (T-Bone, Buzz Saw, whatever you chose to call him). It is going to be a wonderful day filled with amazing food. Even though my mother will be doing most of the cooking, We are all going to do at least one dish. My contribution will be none other than the legendary Scotch Egg. I'm sure it is not typical Turkey Day fair, but I am convinced it will be a perfect pre-meal/Thanksgiving Parade watchin' treat!

I had heard of the mythical Scotch Egg for many years, but only have recently experienced it's goodness. In fact, not only have I experienced it's goodness, but I am now a master of it's creation! Yea, I recently had a Scotch Egg party with my gal-pals Kristin & Gabby. A Scotch egg is a hard-boiled egg wrapped in ground sausage coated in breadcrumbs, and then deep-fried. FOOD COMA GOODNESS.

Here is what you will need:

1 pound bulk sausage meat

3 tablespoons minced fresh chives

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 large egg

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

5 cups fresh breadcrumbs

1 cup all purpose flour

6 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled

Vegetable oil (for deep-frying)

Here is what you do:

Mix sausage, chives, and parsley in medium bowl to blend. Whisk egg and mustard in bowl to blend. Place breadcrumbs in large bowl. Place flour in another bowl. Roll 1 hard-boiled egg in flour. Using wet hands, press 1/3 cup sausage mixture around egg to coat. Brush egg with mustard mixture, then roll in breadcrumbs, covering completely and pressing to adhere. Place Scotch egg on plate. Repeat with remaining eggs. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Add enough oil to heavy large saucepan to reach depth of 1 1/2 inches. Attach deep-fry thermometer and heat oil to 325°F. Add 3 prepared eggs to oil; fry until sausage is cooked through and coating is deep brown, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer eggs to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining 3 eggs. Slice in half and serve warm.

You can add different spices and herbs if you feel the spirit leading you. I believe I will make a hollandaise sauce to drizzle over the eggs...maybe...I'll let you know.

Here is a picture of me enjoying my eggs at the Scotch Egg party. Eye shutting goodness!

Enjoy!

Dadgummit! Blow out!

2009-11-18T14:13:00.000-08:00

I'm back, and finally getting back into full Christmas cheer! It's been a crazy year for me, but I know This is gonna be a fantastic Holiday season!

This year's blog will not be a repeat of last years posts, but you can expect the same exciting yule extravaganza that I brought last year. That means crazy music, recipes, movie & television clips, and so much more. Keep coming back, I will not let you down!

You'll Shoot Your Eye Out

2008-12-31T09:40:00.000-08:00

On this eve of the new year, I feel the Christmas spirit starting to dissolve. It was a great Christmas for me all season long. Thank you guys so much for reading, listening, and watching along with us! We will see you next year!!!!

Until then keep up with Velvet & Mikey on our own blogs.

Mikey

with unconscious will my voice squeaked out 'football'

2008-12-28T07:52:00.000-08:00

it's christmas!

we started our celebrations on the 24th with the typical christmas eve traditions...

a dinner of yummy appetizers and finger foodswe let the kiddos open one gift each

and even though sky doesn't believe in santa, he still left out brownies, milk, and a message reminding him of what toys to bring.
(the apple slices and bin of water are for the reindeer, of course.)

christmas morning was fun, and the kids were really excited.

of course sharkey's favorite thing was not the huge batcave, t-ball set, or other cool toys, but rather a cheap little plastic gun that was in his stocking.

(this picture reminds me of ralphie's brother in a christmas story when he falls asleep under the tree with his zeppelin toy.)

although he did really like his farm set, too.

sky's life revolves around legos, so this ship was tops on his list. and look at his darling lego pjs! he LOVES those pajamas - sometimes i even catch him wearing them under his clothes.

sky's other favorite gift was from aunt candie...

he found out the hard way that they can't actually help you fly for real off the top of your bunk bed.

everyone knows i LOVE those sweet little christmas village displays with the lights and the tiny people and the fun shops and houses...and every single year i debate about starting my own collection of them. so this year pants surprised me and got me my very own christmas village! (i think he was just tired of hearing me always talking about them.) i am totally excited about it - i can't wait to keep adding to it!

and isn't this how you always end christmas day?

xoxo

velvet

What's that over there behind the desk?

2008-12-27T10:11:00.001-08:00

Well, I have been MIA due to the holiday, and I am finally back home. I will be posting a wrap up soon. Hope everyone had an amazing Christmas!

Mikey

four minutes. time me.

2008-12-24T19:36:00.000-08:00

it's a velvet and mikey extravaganza!!
this past weekend marked our annual velvet-pants-mikey-coco christmas celebration. the lovely lloyds showed up on our doorstep late saturday afternoon, and it was 24 hours of laughs, presents, yummies, and all-around holiday merriment.

saturday night menu:
pork tenderloin
homemade baked apples
sweet potato rounds
(these were GOOD! i just baked sweet potatoes in the oven early in the day, then fridged them. once they were cold, i just cut them into thick circles, and sprinkled them with olive oil, salt, and brown sugar. then i sauteed them in a pan till the bottoms were carmelized. yum!)
steamed green beans
salad ala coco
assorted ice cream for dessert

after dins, we enjoyed the fire pants made:
and we also opened gifts. i was SO stoked that i found a christmas story wrapping paper with pictures of ralphie and his fam all over it! i knew mikey would love it, of course, so i gave some to him as one of his gifts. hee hee!

we also laughed A LOT.

afterwards, we tried to play a game, laughed some more, then coco and mikey and i stayed up late chit-chatting. (poor pants went upstairs to put sky to bed and never made it back down. i found him asleep on sky's pillow when i went to bed around midnight.)
sunday found us eating cinnamon french toast and bacon for breakfast, doing some last-minute shopping, getting ready for the christmas program at church (pants was playing music in it), and still laughing.
there were lots of silly random things that kept happening. like the way sharkey kept using his new 'sword' (a blunted metal knife sharpener he pulled from the silverware drawer when i wasn't looking) inappropriately:

at least he found a handy way to carry it when not in use.

(guess it runs in the family.)

and the hand weights i accidentally left on the kitchen counter were apparently popular:

we had so much fun, you guys! wish it could be christmas with the lloyds every weekend!

xoxo

velvet

green pipe cleaners, part deux

2008-12-24T10:38:00.000-08:00

i guess sharkey read the comments about his previous rendition, since apparently he has been working on his pronunciation.

xoxo
velvet

Higbees' corner window was traditionally a high-water mark of the pre-Christmas season.

2008-12-23T21:50:00.000-08:00

We are so very close! One day and a few more posts and the whole reason for this blog will be upon us! I am trying to get all of my traditions in while I can. So I am watching White Christmas as I am writing this, and I still need to cram in It's a Wonderful Life, How The Grinch Stole Christmas and a few shorts and animated Christmas stuff in! I'm not so sure I'm going to make it!

One thing I always enjoy doing this time of year is checking out the festive lights. This past Sunday I went exploring Beverly Hills. We thought it would be fun to check out some of their crazy store window displays. It is a very interesting view....

Mikey

it's a clinker

2008-12-23T16:21:00.000-08:00

the kids and i just made some sweet little gifts for the neighbors - super easy, super cheap, and super yummy. i got some cute popcorn buckets from the dollar bin at target, then filled them with a paper bag of homemade caramel corn. throw on a jaunty ribbon, and voila! now that's my kind of holiday!

caramel corn
about 8-10 cups popped popcorn (i just made it like this)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup or 1/4 honey (i used the honey and it came out perfect)
1 stick butter
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

step 1
preheat oven to 250
line 2 baking sheets with greased foil, and spread popcorn over them
step 2
heat the brown sugar, honey, butter, and salt together till boiling. boil 2 minutes, stirring the whole time. take off the heat and stir in the vanilla and baking soda (the baking soda will bubble up a bit - don't be scared!)
step 3
pour caramel mixture over popcorn, stirring to coat
step 4
bake in oven 10 minutes, stir popcorn around, then bake 10 more minutes
step 5
let cool a minute or two (i just dumped the popcorn onto a new piece of foil on the counter), and enjoy!xoxo
velvet

upon which the entire kid year revolved

2008-12-23T10:09:00.000-08:00

holiday hair.

xoxo
velvet

didn't i get a tie this year?

2008-12-22T22:59:00.001-08:00

one christmas tradition i have never ever done in my life is decorate a gingerbread house. maybe it's lame, but for some reason i have ALWAYS wanted to do it. so i told myself this was the year. besides, it was something fun i could do with the kids, right?
so i bought one of the kits, and some extra candy. the boys and i were totally excited to make a super cute yummy-looking little house. (or more accurately, the boys were totally excited to get to eat a bunch of candy.) and although i will admit to seriously underestimating the mess factor and a certain 2-year-old, we did have a great time.
i gave up my perfect fancy gingerbread house fantasy after about 30 seconds, and just let the kids happily decorate it however they wanted to. initially, there was a slight problem getting the sides of the house to stay together with just the icing, but a little elmer's glue did the trick. (i know, gross. but we weren't planning on eating the actual house, anyway.)
the end result...was pretty much the most hideous gingerbread house i have ever seen. it's awesome. i think we've got a new christmas tradition on our hands!

xoxo
velvet

A fuse blew and I had gone out of my skull.

2008-12-22T22:40:00.000-08:00

Here is yet again a post from last year's blog. I think it is worth another look.

Mikey

holy smokes, it's the firemen!

2008-12-22T12:28:00.001-08:00

4 more days...

xoxo
velvet

He had yellow eyes! So help me God, yellow eyes.

2008-12-22T08:10:00.000-08:00

1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
Call it an obvious pick. I know it's probably the most famous of the five. I can't remember the first time I saw this special. I just remember always knowing about it. Everything works so well. Directed by Chuck Jones who is most famous for his work on the Loony Tunes shorts. You can see the similarity between some of his Loony Tunes from that period. Especially from the roadrunner and coyote stuff. Narrated and voiced by the iconic Boris Karloff, and the fantastically whimsical song lyrics and story by Dr. Seuss. It's a wonderfully redemptive story that always seems to stay relevant each year.

And there I am, with that dumb round face and that stupid stocking cap.

2008-12-20T09:01:00.000-08:00

Here are numbers 3 & 2 on the television special countdown.

3. The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas (1973)
You probably have never heard of this one. I have only actually seen it on television twice, but I own it the VHS (remember that unstoppable format). It stars Tom Smothers as Ted Edward Bear...get it (Ted E. Bear), a sweet little bear who lives in Bearbank....get it? As we all know, bears hibernate during the winter. Ted has always heard of this thing called Christmas. He decides to stay awake this year and find out for himself what it's all about. I am surprised this special has never found a bigger audience. Makes me sad.

You can actually find the whole thing on youtube HERE.

2. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Simple characters and simple drawings keep this classic so endearing. Charlie's adamant frustration with the commercialization of Christmas has always seamed funny to me because of his young age. The special celebrates everything great about Christmas from the picking out of the tree, to the Christmas pageant, to the most important part of Christmas, the birth of Christ. As mentioned in my top five favorite Christmas albums post, the soundtrack is my favorite Christmas album of all time. This special perfectly captures and celebrates the childlike spirit of Christmas.

Mikey

Okay, Black Bart, now you get yours.

2008-12-17T17:31:00.000-08:00

The weather is gloriously nasty out today and I am home sick watching the Food Network Christmas specials. It reminded me that some of the best Christmas television Specials are starting to air. Let's take a look at my 5 favorite.

5. Frosty the Snowman (1969)
Jimmy Durante narrates and sings this hand drawn classic. "Happy Birthday! Hey, I said my first words. But... but snowmen can't talk. Ha ha ha, come on now, what's the joke? Could I really be alive?" It's pretty much the song acted out... well drawn out, with a not so hot magician added as some what of a villain. But nobody stays naughty at Christmas time.

Watch the song HERE.

4. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
The first popular release from the Rankin-Bass team. Narrated by the great Burl Ives who also sings the famous title song and silver & gold. Fantastic characters like Hermey the elf who would rather be a dentist, Yukon Cornelius the self-proclaimed "greatest prospector in the north", The Abominable Snowmonster (a.k.a., "Bumble"), and all the misfit toys. Nothing says childhood Christmas like claymation.

HERE is a fun T.V. Spot.

Mikey

Adiós, Bart.

2008-12-16T18:05:00.000-08:00

Here is another strange gem of a Christmas song. It really is bad, but it's kind of haunting in parts and it grows on me. Either way, this thing has got to make you laugh.

Hurry Home For Christmas by Robert Goulet

Mikey

That Christmas would live in our memories as the Christmas when we were introduced to Chinese turkey.

2008-12-16T08:51:00.000-08:00

So.....Christmas is next week! I love finally being able to say that! One week from today is my last day of work before the holidays, we are having a little Christmas get together tonight (Thai food & Love Actually), Christmas with Velvet and her family is on Saturday, and day by day more Christmas cards & ordered presents arrive in our mail box. I know I need to slow down and enjoy the season instead of just wishing for that one day to arrive.

This year My wife and I will be spending Christmas with her Mom . Brother, Sister, and Grandmother in Leisure World! No it's not an amusement park. It's a retirement village. Christmas eve we are loading up the car and heading out to...P.F. Chang's? Oh well, I love new experiences. I have the menu set for Christmas Day! My Mother-In-Law will be in Grandmother-In-Law's kitchen fixin' up some ....Enchiladas? Why not? We will also be having lots of snacks & appetizers like my Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts, Cheese Log, Cheese Wreath, and so many other ways to have an extremely unhealthy day!

It is going to be a very different Christmas than I am used to, but I am so excited & know it's going to be fantastic!

Mikey

I couldn't believe my own ears. Tinkertoys?

2008-12-15T09:11:00.000-08:00

Here is another potential new classic. Sometimes when Modern artists do their take on Christmas songs it just sounds like...a punk version of this, or a pop version of that. Sixpence None The Richer have made a Christmas record completely in their style. They keep the songs familiar, but it is so obviously their arrangements. And the selection of songs is really great. Carol Of The Bells sounds like the perfect Christmas song for them to cover. Christmas Island is fun and whymsical, and the Joni Mitchell song River is a great choice.

Here is a sample of 3 others...

Mikey

Daddy's Gonna Kill Ralphie

2008-12-15T08:15:00.000-08:00

1. A Christmas Story (1983)
It's no surprise that it's at the top. A Christmas Story is one of the most re-watchable films i have seen. It's a perfect movie. Bob Clark captures the 1940's so perfectly that I always thought it was an old film (when i was young). The narration played against Ralphie's facial expressions, Darren Mcgavin as the loving yet flawed father, Randy and the zeppelin. Everything Works. Nothing falls short. It's hilarious and sweet but never sappy. There is a reason it's played 24 hours straight every Christmas!

Check out this blast from the past

Mikey

The symbol of the old man's victory.

2008-12-13T17:36:00.000-08:00

3. Scrooge (1951) (a.k.a. A Christmas Carol)
My third favorite Christmas movie. There are many versions of this story. Most of them are great, but the best for my money is Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge. It's one of my favorite stories. Timeless, scary, funny, and powerfully redemptive. It gives me hope that all those scrooges in our lives may one day see the light.

Here is a colorized trailer

2. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
It's not only my second favorite Christmas movie, but it's one of my favorite movies of all time. It's almost cliché now, but the story of how one person can affect the lives of so many others is awesome to me. Capra and Stewart are at the top of their craft here. It's on every year. We have all seen it, but it never loses it's power. The final scene never fails to bring a tear to my eye.

Take a look at 9 minutes of some of the greatest Cinema ever created.

What will number one be....

Mikey

green pipe cleaners

2008-12-13T13:10:00.000-08:00

xoxo
velvet

i know that some of you put flick up to this.

2008-12-13T12:33:00.000-08:00

last night pants and i loaded up the kids with lap blankets and travel mugs of hot chocolate, and took them out for a drive to see the christmas lights in our area. we drove down to newport beach near the water and checked out some fancy neighborhoods with some killer light displays, then hopped a ferry over to balboa island to see some more.
the kids were really into seeing the lights, and sharkey kept saying, 'holy christmas!' while sky would yell out 'those lights are EXTREME!' it was really fun. i think we will go again next week and walk around near the waterfront so we can see all the boats decked out with holiday color. and i don't mind saying the best part was that sharkey fell asleep on the drive home!xoxo
velvet

Those icicles have been known to kill people.

2008-12-13T08:22:00.000-08:00

This is the only time of the year that you might catch me watching the Lifetime and Hallmark channels. Not because the movie are good, but because for some reason I am sucked in to their Christmas lineup. I know they are really cheesy, but i have always been forgiving when it comes to Christmas. The Following are my favorite Christmas movies. None here are cheesy (at least to me), and all are extremely re-watchable. Especially number one! So without further hubbub, I give you my top five favorite Christmas movies.

5. White Christmas (1954)

This is a horrible movie to watch with me. I promise you that i can recite 95 percent of this movie. Seriously, and I do. My Grandmother introduced me to this one when I was very young and I may have seen it more than any other film (i used to watch it in the summer). Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney & Vera-Ellen are the perfect cast to dance and sing their way through this classic. directed by Michael Curtiz (Casablanca), all songs
written by Irving Berlin, and the first film to be shot in Vistavision = Classic!

Here is a little scene to enjoy!

4. Miracle On 34th Street (1947)

Although the 1994 remake is charming, it lacks the magic of the original. With Edmund Gwenn as what may be the greatest Santa in movie history, Miracle's strength lays in it's cast. The beautiful Maureen O'Hara and the soft and sweet Natalie Wood. It's very inspirational and still holds up today.

Check out one of the strangest trailers in movie history here.

Stay tuned for more of the countdown...

Mikey

Don't bother me. I'm thinking.

2008-12-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

12 Days away!

One of our Christmas traditions is to prepare a bunch of appetizers to eat on Christmas Eve & Christmas day. A cornucopia of appetizers if you will. From my favorite Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts, to some simple pita bread with hummus or spicy crab dip. Here is a yummy and very easy one I have recently discovered.

Cream Cheese Log with Dried Beef

Here is what you will need:

1 container (8 ounces) reduced-fat, soft style cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon drained prepared horseradish
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (2 ounces)
2 ounces dried beef (finely chopped)
1/2 cup finely chopped chives or green onion tops

In a small bowl, with an electric mixer on high, beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and horseradish until creamy. Stir in Swiss cheese & dried beef. Shape the mixture into an 8-inch log. Wrap log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (will keep for 2 days).

Spread the chives on wax paper. Unwrap the log and carefully roll it in the chives, coating it completely. Re-wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until time to serve.

Enjoy!

Mikey

Do you know what your son just said?

2008-12-11T08:16:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day Is Two Weeks Away!

It seems so close yet so far away. I am so ready for it to be here, and still I know that it will mean the end of the season. How bitter sweet you are, Christmas. How bitter sweet you are.

So as I sit here watching A Christmas story for the 4th time since Thanksgiving (seriously, it's the best movie ever made), I shall reveal the final two picks for my favorite Christmas albums. Here we go...

2. Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas -
Not only a great Christmas album, I really believe this is one of Ella's finest moments in her carrier (and i love this woman so very much). Arranger Frank Devol (who composed music for The Dirty Dozen, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and the Brady Bunch to name a few), gives us some really fresh and beautiful arrangements. I have always considered Mrs. Fitzgerald's voice as my favorite from the fairer sex, and on this album she is perfect. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, What Are You Doing New Year's Eve, and Sleigh Ride have never sounded better, but the best part of the album comes at the end of Jingle Bells. Ella belts out that she is crazy about horses. Aren't we all Ella? Aren't we all.

Take a listen to Jingle bells...

And the number one Christmas album of all time according to me is...

1. Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas -
Nostalgia hits me in the ears from the very first note of "O Tannenbaum". I am taken back to the 1980's where December evenings in Detroit were spent watching television Christmas classics. Vince Guaraldi has completely put his signature on the classic tunes, and wrote some wonderful songs of his own. i ask you to show me a finer jazz Christmas album. Show me.

My favorite part of the album are the two versions of Christmas time is here. One is instrumental the other with a choir. Both wonderful and it is one of my favorite Christmas songs ever.

Now, any of you who kept up with my Christmas postings on my regular blog last year will not be surprised to see these same 5 albums here again. However this year I have discovered many Records that could take their places. Some old. Some new. Who knows. You will have to come back next year and see.

Now that I have reviled my musical wisdom to you, I shall reveal my top five favorite Christmas movies & television specials. So keep a look out over the next two weeks for these, and I'm sure you all agree with me when I say that Velvet is dearly missed around here. You know she is the only one who gets comments :) Don't be afraid of me kids. I really am a great person.

Mikey

The snap of a few sparks, a quick whiff of ozone...

2008-12-10T08:48:00.000-08:00

Don't you love putting two great things together? You know, like peanut butter and chocolate, tights and leg warmers, or bread and eggnog? Well, here is how you do the latter.

Here is what you will need to make Eggnog Bread:

3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cups sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 beaten egg
1 3/4 cups canned dairy eggnog
1/2 cups cooking oil
1/2 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cups golden raisins
1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 to 3 tsp. eggnog

In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powdered, salt, and nutmeg. Combine the egg, eggnog and oil; add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Stir in the nuts and raisins. Turn into a greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Bake in 350 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes. Cover with foil after 50 minutes if bread browns too quickly. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan; cool on a wire rack. Wrap bread store overnight. To serve, stir together powdered sugar and enough eggnog to make a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over bread.

If you don't like or want to use nuts and/or raisins may I suggest some dried cranberries? Enjoy!

Mikey

First nighters, packed earmuff to earmuff, jostled in wonderment...

2008-12-08T19:55:00.000-08:00

Mikey

Lovely, glorious, beautiful Christmas...

2008-12-08T10:03:00.000-08:00

Taking a break from our regularly scheduled countdown to mention my favorite recent Christmas Albums. These could become the "new" classic records. They don't quite bring me that wonderful nostalgic Christmas feeling, but they do offer a few new versions of old classics & add a few new ones into the mix.

Amie Mann's One More Drifter In The Snow is a relatively sparse & quiet record. She sings some classics like Winter Wonderland, I'll Be Home for Christmas, Whatever Happened to Christmas and a great version of You're a Mean One Mr Grinch. It's really becoming on of my favorite Christmas records. Here is a sample of the record.

Next up is Sufjan Stevens's Songs For Christmas. If you know Sufjan's music already you will expect this to be far from conventional. This 42 track record explores many different sounds and, the lyrics range from the wonderfully absurd to worship. Some of the songs are short interludes and variations on segments of classic songs, but he has written a good amount of original stuff as well. Enjoy a live performance here here and a music video here. Such a beautiful album.

More Christmas goodness coming soon...

Mikey

Downtown Hohman was prepared for it's yearly bacchanalia of peace on earth and good will to men.

2008-12-08T08:30:00.000-08:00

So deck those halls, trim those trees! Raise up cups of Christmas cheer! I know it Monday again, but this time of year each new day brings me closer to that day of magic! End of the weekend, where is your sting? 16 days my friends! 16 days away from that glorious day! 5 of those days are no work days for me. I have 2 Christmas parties to attend, and lots of after work outings for presents! This two week stretch is typically when all the late comers finally give in and put up the trees, lights, and partake of the nog.

Before you send me a figurine of Santa bowing down before baby Jesus, let me assure you that I know the true spirit behind Christmas. It is the most important thing to me by far. One important thing about me you must learn is that i think unimportant things are awesome. Sounds important doesn't it? So shopping, eggnog, yule logs, lights, fat sweaty Santas in small rural Georgia towns and such things won't bring peace to your soul, but it has got to bring a smile to your face!*

*recycling is good

Mikey

I was surrounded by happier kids who were all going to get what they wanted for Christmas.

2008-12-07T02:47:00.000-08:00

The countdown continues...

4. Tony Bennett - Snowfall

Typical brassy sounding arrangements and Tony's smooth as rhubarb pitch perfect vocals make this one my number four choice. The album starts with my favorite things... not mine...the song from sound of music. I have never really considered it a Christmas song, and I don't like it as one. Just because the song says sleighbells it doesn't mean it's s Christmas song.

My favorite song is the title song, Snowfall. It's haunting. It's beautiful. It's magic.
Take a listen...

p.s. I have never held rhubarb in my hand, so that analogy might be worthless. Sorry.

3. The Beach Boys - The Beach Boys' Christmas Album

This was the last of three albums that The Beach Boys released in '64. Little Saint Nick kicks off the album, and is the first of five original tracks. Frosty the Snowman is the first of seven songs not written by the boys, but i am instantly excited to hear that Brian Wilson is capable of making unique arrangements here just like most Beach Boys albums from this period.

My favorite song on this record is We Three Kings. It is a song that I'm normally really not into, but the vocals are so powerful and beautiful here. Is that a tear I see? I also really dig how whimsical Santa Claus is Comin' to Town sounds.

Here is We Three Kings...

Mikey

What happened next was a family controversy for years.

2008-12-06T19:26:00.000-08:00

I had mentioned that I had recently watch TV Guide Looks at Christmas. A sort of spotlight on television Christmas Specials. I was totally expecting this to be really stupid, but I actually enjoyed it. Lots of childhood memories were sparked by this. I have taken a few of my favorite segments from the show and will be sharing them with you now and then.

Here is the intro...

I know that was kind of strange, and it gets even stranger...

But this one is truly great...

Mikey

A zeppelin!

2008-12-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

Nothing sets the Christmas mood so perfect as some great Christmas music. Let's take a look at my top 5 Christmas Albums of all time.

5. The Sinatra Christmas Album -

This is a strange choice for me for a few reasons. First of all there are four songs on this that I really don't like. Secondly, this is not my favorite period in Sinatra's career. That being said, this album has a few of my favorite arrangements and versions of Christmas classics ever. Have yourself a merry little Christmas (which is my favorite Christmas song ever) has never sounded better. This was also an album I remember listening to a lot growing up. lots of Christmas memories here.

My favorite song on the record is Christmas Memories. It's about....well....Christmas memories. He sings about typical Christmasey stuff like cookies baking, decorating the tree and so on and so forth. Than he sings this line:

I close my eyes and see shining faces
of all the children who now have children of their own
funny, but comes December, and I remember every Christmas I've known.

I can't hear that line without the tears. It's a song about Christmas memories, and I love Christmas memories.

Take a listen....

I will post my number 4 pick soon.

Mikey

I hate the smell of tapioca.

2008-12-06T09:51:00.000-08:00

Mikey

Some clodhopper down in Griffith, Indiana.

2008-12-05T09:17:00.000-08:00

Imagine if you will a world where there was no Grinch Christmas Television Special. Where there was no You're a Mean One Mr Grinch song. Where there was no Classic Boris Karloff narration or beautiful Chuck Jones animation. Zero Mostel (you probably know him playing Max Bialystock in the original producers movie) was asked to do a new narration of the story for a record. This may be a case of the most unneeded remake ever. I know it's just a record and not a television show, but it should have never happened. Still, for someone like me there is some joy in having this incredibly strange and at time very scary piece of history. I have edited together some of it's most "memorable" moments for your listening pleasure.

We would again get a horrible version of this classic with the Ron Howard & Jim Carry trainwreck, but I loath that so much & I shall speak of it no more.

Mikey

Be a good boy. Show Mommy how the piggies eat.

2008-12-05T07:44:00.000-08:00

Wanna make some Chewy Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies???

Here is what you need:

6 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour (1 1/2 c.)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
8 ounces unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
6 ounces dried cranberries (1 1/3 c.)
5 ounces chopped pecans (about 1 c.)

Set the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line sheet pans with parchment.
Mix the dry ingredients together, then stir in the oats.

Set aside.

Beat the butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, then scrape down the bowl; add the honey and vanilla and beat until blended.

Add the flour mixture in two additions, beating each until well combined.
Stir in the cranberries and pecans.

At this point, you can either bake, or freeze.
To freeze, just scrape the dough onto plastic wrap, roll into a log, wrap tightly, and freeze until ready to bake.
Then just take them out of the freezer, let sit for about 15 minutes, then slice into 3/16" thick slices and bake as directed.

To bake immediately: drop by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on parchment lined sheet pans.
Bake until the centers of the cookies are soft and no longer look wet; about 9-11 minutes.

Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool.

Enjoy!

Mikey

I could feel the Christmas noose beginning to tighten.

2008-12-04T07:53:00.000-08:00

On my quest for new Christmas finds I decided to tackle All I Want for Christmas. I remember when this movie came out in 1991, and even at age 11 it could not grab my attention. Now that I have seen it I realize 11 would have been the perfect viewing age. Think Parent Trap meets um....well any other Christmas movie. It stars a very young Thora Birch & Ethan Embryand who do a decent job except for how annoying Ethan's character is. He acts much to mature for his age, but like i said before I probably would have loved his character when I was younger. I may have seen him as a cool guy. It's kind of like meeting that kid who thinks he can hang with the adults because of the clever quips they can throw out. The movie had some other big names. Kevin Neilan plays the mothers new boyfriend, Lesley Neilson plays Santa Clause, and Lauren Bacall plays the Grandmother! All in all it was cute Christmas movie, but very forgettable and one I probably won't really ever have a desire to revisit.

You can enjoy the trailer here.

That's enough of that. In my next post I will be covering the Andy Williams & TV Guide Look at Christmas DVDs. Until than, check out this clip from the Andy Williams show. It may give you an idea of how it went.

Mikey

I don't need all that jazz about smugglers and pirates.

2008-12-03T08:54:00.000-08:00

I just received two dvds from Netflix. The first is The Best of Andy Williams: Christmas Shows it is a collection of his Christmas special highlights and judging by the cover it will be amazing.

The other is TV Guide Looks at Christmas. This one is a trip through the famous Christmas specials of days gone by. It's hosted by none other than Space Camp's own Lea Thompson! Again, this cover is also a winner.

I will post a review of these and more Christmas Specials after I watch these gems. Until then, here is a clip of one of my favorite Christmas Special moments. This is from Bing Crosby's final television special. Bing died before this aired. It's one of my favorite versions of this song. Bowie & Bing. Two amazing crooners!

peace on earth. let it be.

Mikey

Be sure to drink your Ovaltine. Ovaltine?

2008-12-02T09:15:00.000-08:00

Here is a yummy and simple recipe for making Mint Snowballs.

Here is what you will need:

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 Cup Shortening
1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Tsp Peppermint Flavoring
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tsp Salt
Mix sugar, shortening, butter, and extract thoroughly. Measure flour WITHOUT sifting into wax paper, add salt and blend well. Now add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Mix well. Form into one inch balls, place on cookie sheet and cook in 400 F oven 8-10minutes. Cool on rack. Dip tops in icing, pink and green, then in coconut. Yield 4-4 1/2 dozen.

Have Fun!

Mikey

Ralphie, on the double!

2008-12-01T19:21:00.000-08:00

Let the countdown begin! 25 days from today is the most wonderful day of the year, and the whole reason for this blog! After spending a wonderful thanksgiving with Velvet and her family, I am geared up for full celebration & posting mode. Gifts are under the tree, the advent calendar is out and I am watching A Christmas story right now as I write this post (and we watched it Thanksgiving day as well)! So, get ready for more activity on this blog. I hope you will enjoy what we will be bringing!

Mikey

Fraa - geel- ay. It must be Italian!

2008-11-24T00:17:00.001-08:00

Well, it's the week of Thanksgiving and I have flavored my home with Christmas decor. Nothing really fancy, but just like every year at this time, I pop on some Holiday Television Specials, light some Glade Christmas candles, spray some "Limited Edition" Fresh Evergreen & Snow Febreze, and put up the tree.

Then, after the air has cleared, the broken glass from the broken ornaments and bulbs is swept up, I baked "from a box" a delicious Christmas cake and coffee and nog did flow.

Then it's time to curl up on the couch and watch my first official Christmas movie of the year. This year it was the 1991 masterpiece All I want for Christmas. I will touch on that movie in a later post. All I'm saying is that I use the term masterpiece very lightly.

Mikey

My old man's spare tires were only actually tires in the academic sense. They were round and had once been made of rubber.

2008-11-23T16:19:00.000-08:00

Christmas Television Specials are...well...special. From the classic music performance specials, to the Rank & Bass stop motion, or Charlie Brown they all have a specific place in the season. However there are a few that I have recently discovered that I had never seen before. Once I saw them I understood why. I will be sharing a few of these with you over the next few weeks.

First up is The Mr. Ed Christmas Episode. Remember the talking horse show? It's very strange to watch this thing today. In the Christmas special Ed wants Wilbur to buy him and his horse friends some new "horse presents". Meanwhile Wilbur and his best friend Mr. Kirkwood try to talk their wives into bringing the Christmas budget down to $15.00 for each person. Well, hilarity ensues. Not really, but there is something fun about watching these shows now days. Take a look at how strange this thing is...

p.s. if i may say so, the title of this post is quite clever... and again...wrong & sad.

Mikey

Was there no end to this conspiracy of irrational prejudice against Red Ryder and his Peacemaker?

2008-11-23T10:21:00.000-08:00

I should have used the title from a few posts back, but this makes it more interesting. Enjoy another clip from one of the greatest movies ever made!

Mikey