Dr. Caligari's cabinet is now so crammed that he had to stow stuff in the Cupboard. Time may wound all heels but once in a while you need a cup of tea.
Although the new year has been celebrated since prehistoric times, it was celebrated on the vernal equinox rather than what we now consider the first of the year. The Romans were the first to recognize New Years Day on January first. Rather than tie the day to some significant astronomical or agricultural event, in 153BC the Romans selected it for civil reasons. It was the day after elections in which the newly elected assumed their positions.
Years later, Julius Caesar wanted to change the date to a more logical date but that year, January 1, 45 BC was the date of a new moon. To change it would have been bad luck. He did, however, change the calendar system from the Egyptian solar calendar to the "Julian" calendar, named for Caesar. July, the month of Caesar's birth, was also named after him to recognize him for his calendar reform. And look what it got him.
Up unto 1582, Christian Europe continued to celebrate New Years Day on March 25. Pope Gregory XIII instituted additional calendar reforms bringing us the calendaring system of the day. The Gregorian calendar was adopted by Catholic countries immediately while the reformists, suspect of any papal policy, only adapted it after some time. Today most countries around the world have adopted this calendaring system.
From primitive man to today, it has been recognized as a day in which rites were done to abolished the past so there could be a rejuvenation for the new year. Rituals included purgations, purifications, exorcisms, extinguishing and rekindling fires, masked processions (masks representing the dead), and other similar activities. Often exorcisms and purgations were performed with much noise as if to scare away the evil spirits. In China, Ying, the forces of light fought Yang, the forces of darkness with cymbals, noisemakers, and firecrackers.
Early European-Americans adopted the New Year celebrations from their homelands. However, it was noted by early settlers that native Americans already honored News Years Day with their own customs. Their rituals coincided with those around the world including fires, explosions of evil spirits, and celebrations. Today many of the New Year celebrations actually begin with a countdown to the New Year on the evening prior. It is customary to kiss your sweetheart when the clock strikes midnight as one of the customs of these New Years Eve parties.
Around the world, different cultures have their own traditions for welcoming the new year. The Japanese hang a rope of straw across the front of their houses to keep out evil spirits and bring happiness and good luck. They also have a good laugh as the year begins to get things started on a lucky note. In Argentina, people wear brand-new pink underwear to attract love. While in Brazil, people wear none; that usually works better.
In Germany, every year on December 31st, TV networks broadcast an 18-minute-long skit in English called Dinner for One.
In 1963, Germany’s Norddeutscher Rundfunk television station recorded the sketch, performed by the British comics Freddie Frinton and May Warden. Since its initial recording, the clip has become a New Year’s Eve staple in Germany. The clip holds the Guinness World Record for Most Frequently Repeated TV Program, (although Dinner For One has never been broadcast in the U. S. or Canada.)
In Siberia, brave divers plant the New Year's Tree underneath frozen lakes — sort of like a polar plunge. Much like a Christmas tree, the Siberian New Year Tree (or yolka) is supposed to signify the coming of Father Frost, but its planting also symbolizes starting over. The jumping-into-a-frozen-lake challenge is just another addition to the year-end festivities.
In Italy, nothing says “Happy New Year” like red underpants. Red underwear is a staple of the New Year’s tradition in Italy. The color choice invokes centuries-old superstition that the color keeps bad luck and evil at bay, and encourages good luck. Now, even if you find yourself in Rome without a pair of rosy unmentionables, no worries. Shops and street vendors have plenty for sale.
In South Africa, people throw appliances out the window (watch out!!). In Denmark, you break a dish for a friend. They save their old dishes only to throw them by the dozen at the doorsteps of family friends on New Years. In theory, the bigger the pile of broken dishes you find on your door steps, the bigger pile of friends you have.
New Year Resolutions are simply another way to wish away the past in exchange for hopes of the future. It is where the phrase turning over a new leaf originated. I hope 2020 brings good health and better luck to all (especially all our idols.)
on new year’s eve - Evie Shockley
we make midnight a maquette of the year: frostlight glinting off snow to solemnize the vows we offer to ourselves in near silence: the competition shimmerwise
of champagne and chandeliers to attract laughter and cheers: the glow from the fireplace reflecting the burning intra-red pact between beloveds: we cosset the space
of a fey hour, anxious gods molding our hoped-for adams with this temporal clay: each of us edacious for shining or rash enough to think sacrifice will stay
this fugacious time: while stillness suspends vitality in balance, as passions struggle with passions for sway, the mind wends towards what’s to come: a callithump of fashions,
ersatz smiles, crowded days: a bloodless cut that severs soul from bone: a long aching quiet in which we will hear nothing but the clean crack of our promises breaking.
I think I have one more Christmas present for you that was stuck all the way in the back of the
tree - the 1947 film, Miracle On 34th Street -
Unbeknownst to most parade watchers, Edmund Gwenn played Santa Claus in the actual Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade held November 28, 1946. He fulfilled the duties of most parade Santas,
including addressing the crowd from the marquee of Macy's after the parade was over. He was
introduced to the crowd by Philip Tonge (who played Mr. Shellhammer in the movie.)
I'm cleaning off the desk and posting a few things I meant to do during the holidays but never got to it:
If you don't stop by tomorrow, have the happiest of New Years. And remember bunkies, don't
drink and drive tomorrow.
The last reason Hanukkah feels better than Christmas - Naked spin-the-dreidel games.
You've probably run out of gifts at this point, wrap your family's fresh laundry as the gift that shows you've done the laundry. At this point, look up a
local oil recycler - it will do better for everyone as a biofuel.
And here, I promise, is the last set of songs celebrating Hanukkah -
Hanukkah With Veronica Monica -
Hanukkah in Santa Monica Michael Feinstein -
SNL Celebrates Hanukkah -
Hanukkah Dance Watkins Family Hour -
Sanctuary Craig Wedren -
Gangsta Hanukkah Bush -
Hey, somebody has to clean up all of that wax on the break front. And somebody's got to call the guys who pick up used cooking oil for bio-fuel.
Before our feature presentation, ACME would like to start the evening with another Bugs Bunny Looney Tunes cartoon, the 1948 A-Lad-In His Lamp, directed by Robert McKimson.
Jim Backus, who voiced Smokey the genie, would also work with Mel Blanc in UPA's Mr. Magoo series, voicing canned vegetable tycoon Mr. Quincy Magoo, his manservant Worchestershire, his nephew Waldo, and a number of incidental characters
Most of the staff of ACME have taken the rest of the year off. But we didn't want to leave an empty space on your Saturday. So and you may be running around doing your last minute holiday shopping. So why not sit back and relax (quick, find the most comfortable seat on the sofa,) get a snack (perhaps, some popcorn,) and a beverage and join The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour in watching a few things we have for you on this last Saturday of 2019 -
That oil is a tad rancid
Open a window someone , it's the Seventh night of Hanukkah.
If you can stand it, more Hanukkah songs
Charlie Brown Hanukkah -
Give You Everything Buzzy Lee -
I Saw Hanukkah Harry Beat Up Santa Hal L. Singer -
Eight Nights A Week Loudon Wainwright III -
Elena's First Hanukkah!
Burning Latke Radioactive Chicken Heads -
Hmmm, maybe he converted?
In Memoriam
Another year has come and gone and we here at The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour would like to remember some of the people we lost in 2019. Here is a roll call of some (in no particular order) today
Danny Aiello
Diahann Carroll
Doris Day
Stanley Donen
Robert Evans
Albert Finney
Peter Fonda
João Gilberto
Valerie Harper
Rutger Hauer
Michel Legrand
Ron Liebman
Toni Morrison
Jessye Norman
IM Pei
Cokie Roberts
John Singleton
Caroll Spinney
Gloria Vanderbilt
Scott Walker
Demand Euphoria!
Before you go - Here's another year-end 2019 Movie Mash-up, (this time from a site known as Flick Fanatics) -
I was unfamiliar with the site but I've really like what I seen. I will put it on my must check out scene in 2020
Hang in there - It's the Sixth Day of Hanukkah, there are just a few more days to go
At this point you may want to skip the unnecessary calories and just drink the oil - but not too much. Mussolini used to use this as a torture for his political enemies.
Another reason Hanukkah feels better than Christmas - Christmas isn’t the only holiday who has ugly sweaters! Hanukkah has some pretty tacky sweaters to compete with
Hanukkah in '96 Alex Frankel -
Burn The Maccabeats -
A Hanukkah Pap Smear CBS Cares -
So remember to give the smear that saves a life!
Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah Erran Baron Cohen -
Ocho Kandelikas Pink Martinis -
SHALOM Adele parody -
Remember, so far there has been no barking dog version ofI had a Little Dreidel. You might begin thinking about where you are going to store your Hanukkah decorations? (I don't mean to insinuate that you aren't normally observant. Perhaps you proudly display your heirloom menorah in your living room. I can't be everywhere.)
Here's the next mash-up of year end review videos: this one, the best films of 2019 by David Erhlich, is a yearly favorite of mine
Once again we ask, "How many of them have you seen?"
And on this last Friday of 2019, as I always say that it's 5 PM somewhere, please remember to drink til up drop this weekend and don't drive.
Another reason Hanukkah feels better than Christmas - No Dance of the Sugar-Plum Rebbe.
Impress your friends: The fifth night of Hanukkah is called 'the darkest night', not because it falls on one of the last days of the Hebrew month of Kislev (meaning there is no moon), but because it is the only night of Hanukkah that can NEVER fall on Shabbat
Sing It Now, Sing It Somehow The Flaming Lips -
The Candles of Chanukah Soul Aviv -
Miracle Matisyahu -
The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming -
Hanukkah New York Boys Choir -
I believe that oil fatigue may have already set in. Hold on, you will get through this.
Since it's the end of the year there are lots of year end review videos. I usually find the time to post a few: this one, United State of Pop 2019 (Run Away), is one of the more famous
I still have to ask the kids to tell me what some of the songs were.
Another reason Hanukkah feels better than Christmas -No need to clean the chimney.
Don't forget to light your menorah before sundown today
Adam Sandler had nothing better to do than to update his song yet again - Chanukah Song Part 4 -
It's run by a big eastern syndicate, you know.
If It Be Your Will Haim -
In the Market for a Miracle Ana Gasteyer -
How to Make a Little Dreidel Out of Clay -
Swingin around the Menorah -
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SevivonToronto Symphony Orchestra (at Union Station) -
After hosting the fourth night of Hanukkah,
maybe you'd like to catch a little holiday film.
Put your feet up and read a little bit about the History of Christmas
Christmas is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the world, although the form of its observation varies widely from nation to nation. In America, our cultural kleptomania has allowed us to assimilate the most enjoyable of those traditions while discarding any stupid superstitions associated with them.
But it's worth reviewing those superstitions along with our traditions, if only to amuse ourselves yet again at the expense of our ancestors.
The winter solstice had long been celebrated by ignorant barbarians throughout the northern hemisphere as the time of the year when the sun stopped getting smaller and smaller and finally started getting bigger and bigger. The sun was important to these poor primitive bastards, in much the same way that we poor modern bastards find it so important. It was, after all, the Sun.
To avoid having to go out much during the darkest and coldest days of the year, the poor shivering Nordic bastards of Scandinavia would bundle up and sally forth into the woods to bring home great big logs which would often burn for as long as twelve days. As long as the log burned they would stay in and eat and drink and fornicate. They believed that every spark their log set off foretold the birth of a calf or pig in the new year, which only underscores the irony of the Nobel prize being awarded in Sweden.
They believed the sun was a big wheel (hwoel) that rolled away from the earth until the winter solstice, at which point it began rolling back toward us. This quaint ignorance charmed the weak and flabby peoples over whom the Vikings later swept like an apocalyptic affliction. However, these peoples could not pronounce hwoel and therefore called it "yule." This irritated the Vikings and eventually forced their retreat.
While the Norse were hauling those logs into their houses, others throughout Europe were enjoying some of the finest dining of the year. Since it was too expensive to feed and shelter animals through the cold weather, those in northern climes killed their livestock at the onset of each winter. This provided their only steady supply of fresh meat all year, and went nicely with the wines and ales which had finally become fermented. The inevitable gastrointestinal distress that followed these binges is probably responsible for the primitive Germans' fear that the god Odin was flying around the sky above them during the solstice, deciding who was naughty and who was nice. It was not entirely academic: Odin's invariable sentence for the naughty was death.
Peasants everywhere also liked to bring sprigs and boughs of evergreens into their homes around the time of the solstice to remind themselves that sooner or later all that awful cold and snow would end and it would get warm enough to eat, drink, and fornicate outdoors. The Druids of the British Isles brought evergreen boughs into their temples every winter as a sign of everlasting life, and the Vikings thought that evergreens were the particular plant of their own sun-god, Balder (so-named because they mistook the sun for his shiny, hairless cranium). Even the Egyptians worshiped their sun-god Ra's "recovery" by bringing palm rushes into their homes. It's not clear how this was intended to help poor Ra, but he always pulled through.
In ancient Rome, the festival of Saturnalia began the week before the solstice and lasted a full month. Romans ate and drank and fornicated during this festival in honor of Saturn, the god of Agriculture. They filled their homes with evergreen boughs to remind themselves that everything would be green again eventually. They also let slaves become masters for the duration of the festival, and the plebeians were put in charge of the city. It was a crazy, topsy-turvy time, with all sorts of nutty mix-ups. Overlapping with Saturnalia around the time of the solstice was Juvenalia, a feast to honor the children of the city.
The winter solstice fell on December 25 in the year 274, and the pagan Roman Emperor Aurelian declared that day a holiday: the festival of the birth of the Invincible Sun. The Invincible Sun was also known as Mithra. Mithra was an infant god who had been born from a rock (presumably virgin rock). The Roman upper classes, with their special fondness for rocks, honored this holiday as one of the most sacred in the year.
Meanwhile, the noisy little sect of Christianity had started to gather some steam.
St. Nicholas was born around this time in what is today Turkey, but was then just another primitive desert backwater full of bickering barbarians. One popular story about St. Nicholas was that he had saved three sisters from being sold into slavery or prostitution, or both, by sneaking money for dowries into their shoes and socks. He died on December 6, and this was subsequently celebrated as his feast day. It came to be considered a lucky day on which to buy things or get married. He was honored as a protector of children and sailors. By the Renaissance he had topped all the European charts to become the most popular saint ever, probably on account of widespread sailors and children.
In the fourth century, church leaders decided to begin celebrating the birth of Jesus, since it seemed morbid just celebrating his death. No one is really sure when Jesus was born, although most scholars are pretty sure it wasn't late December and most astrologists are quick to point out that Jesus doesn't seem like a Capricorn.
Pope Julius I chose to declare December 25 as Jesus' birthday, since people were already used to celebrating at that time of year. The holiday was called the Feast of the Nativity, and by the end of the eighth century it had spread across all of Europe, even to those remote and primitive corners where people still thought the Sun was a big yellow wheel.
By the middle ages Christianity had penetrated almost all of Europe, but Christmas was still a blend of ignorant barbarian superstitions and unbearable religious seriousness. Christians would attend a Christmas mass on December 25, then eat, drink, and fornicate like they did in the old days. They would crown some wretched beggar the "lord of misrule," and the drunken revelers would happily and laughingly obey his every command. The poor would show up at the doors of the rich and demand food and drink, and if they were denied they would often laughingly burn down the house, beat its inhabitants, and rape the womenfolk and livestock before moving on to the next house. It was a very jolly holiday.
Devout Christians of sixteenth century Germany began trying to outdo the rest of Europe with their usual humorless Teutonic ambition. Instead of hanging a few little evergreen boughs about the hearth at Christmastime, they began hauling whole trees into their homes. According to legend, Martin Luther himself was walking home from a sermon one night when he was struck by the beauty of the glittering stars among the pines. When he got home he promptly decorated his own tree with candles. Despite the obvious fire hazard, this quickly became a popular tradition.
After the Reformation, puritans decided there was too much eating, drinking, and fornication associated with Christmas and that it was therefore bad. Many rulers outlawed it altogether. This was not usually popular: in England, for example, Oliver Cromwell cancelled Christmas, resulting in the restoration of Charles II and the retaliatory cancellation of Mr. Cromwell's head.
All of this was bad for Christmas, but such was St. Nicholas' popularity that it did little to deter from his reputation. He remained on top of the charts. Nowhere was he more popular than in Holland, where he was venerated as Sint Nikolaas, or more familiarly as Sinter Klaas.
The puritan bastards who settled America avoided Christmas as part and parcel of their longstanding commitment to No Fun.Massachusetts Colony actually penalized anyone caught celebrating Christmas with a five-shilling fine. Since it was considered an English holiday, it was ostentatiously ignored in the years during and after the Revolution, and wasn't made a federal holiday until after the Civil War (on June 26, 1870.)
Washington Irving had done his part in sorting through barbarian superstitions for things that were wholesome, pleasant, and commercial enough to be made officially American, and in 1809 he referred to St. Nicholas as the Patron Saint of New York. In 1822 an Episcopalian minister named Clement Clarke Moore wrote a frivolous poem for his daughters entitled A Visit from St. Nicholas. Mr. Moore cleverly ignored all elements of the good saint's biography involving slavery, prostitution, dowries, and sailors. He focused instead on sleighs, reindeer, and presents for good little American boys and girls. It was so silly and frivolous that it became one of the most popular American poems ever—second only to the one about the guy from Nantucket.
By 1820, American stores had begun to advertise Christmas shopping, and by 1870 children were flocking to Macy's to see Santa Claus. And so it was that America began applying its curious collective genius for assimilation to the vast storehouse of silly and primitive traditions from throughout the world.
Thus we need not concern ourselves with St. Lucia, the patron saint of the blind, whom Scandinavians honor each December 23 (Little Yule) with elaborate pagan rituals involving candles, torches, and bonfires.
We need not worry about the witch Babouschka, who visits Russian children with gifts each Christmas to compensate for a nasty little joke she once played on the wise men,
or the Italian witch La Befana.
We need not trouble ourselves with the construction of piñatas each holiday season, as Mexican parents must.
We don't have to sit around our tables as they do in Ukraine, waiting for the evening star to appear before we begin our meal. We need not fear the kallikantzeri of Greece, nasty little goblins that cause mischief for the twelve days of Christmas.
And let's not even talk about Krampus
Between the 16th and 19th centuries global temperatures were significantly lower than normal in what was known as a “little ice age”. Charles Dickens grew up during this period and experienced snow for his first eight Christmases. This “White Christmas” experience influenced his writing and began a tradition of expectation for the holidays. Let's all take a moment during these troubled times to express our gratitude and admiration for our American traditions, which are so much better than the traditions of every other country.
I wish for all you gentle readers, a happy, healthy and joyous holiday.
Another reason Hanukkah feels better than Christmas -
Burl Ives doesn't sing Hanukkah songs.
Let's see what's on the ole turntable for Hanukkah this evening -
The Chanukah Song Part 3 Adam Sandler -
Dreidels of Fire Adam Green -
Dreidel Blue David Ross -
Chanukah is Here Jacob Spike Kraus -
In These Lights Josh Nelson -
8 Days (of Hanukkah) Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings -
Remember to eat some steamed vegetables or a bran muffin.
Most of the staff and their family have joined us for the Christmas Eve dinner of the seven fishes; we keep losing track of how many fishes we've consumed, (it might have something to do with the number of bottles of white wine that we've consumed. But please join us - there's always room at the table )
Here's a fun Christmas mashup from Eclectic Method to get you in the Christmas Spirit.
Well, maybe you were already in holiday way (especially if you've been playing the home version.)
Why not watch these cartoons for your family while we try to sober up -
Alias St. Nick -
Mr Magoo's Christmas Carol -
Toy Tinkers -
Bedtime for Sniffles -
Christmas Night-
One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.
Christmas and the Hard Luck Kid II Mary Tyler Moore -
Now that you're in the proper mood for the holidays - I'll leave you with these thoughts from Ogden Nash and his poem: The Boy Who Laughed At Santa Claus.
I've told my kids and maybe you'll tell yours - Dammit kids, get to bed! The sooner you go to sleep, the quicker Christmas will be here.
It's the second night of Hanukkah. (It’s an excuse to eat donuts all day long.)
Gather your family around and listen to some more Hanukkah songs -
The Chanukah Song Part 2 Adam Sandler -
Dreidel Don McLean -
Boyz II Menorah: 'A Week and a Day' -
Oh Hanukkah Jack Black -
Almighty Light The Temple Rockers -
Pan Fry The Maccabeats -
Our second holiday theme today - sometimes TV is your only friend, so why not have a marathon of Christmas themed episodes.
Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas Community -
When you see the cast's reflection in the TV screen at the end of the episode, it's the real actors again, not their stop-motion versions.
Xmas Story Futurama -
One of the pets Fry considers buying is a one-eared rabbit, a reference to Bongo, a character from Matt Groening's comic strip Life in Hell.
Merry Christmas, Mr Bean Mr Bean -
One of the toys Mr. Bean plays with is a Dalek from Doctor Who. Rowan Atkinson would go on to play The Doctor in a Comic Relief special written by his Bean co-writer, Richard Curtis.
Ludachristmas 30 Rock -
Liz's father twice uses the phrase "Lemon party". While this makes sense on the surface because of the Lemon family's last name, it is also a risqué joke. Indeed, an internet search for "lemon party" leads to an image of a gay orgy of elderly men. The reference is confirmed when Liz's father says "It wouldn't be a Lemon party without old Dick".
My Own Personal Jesus Scrubs -
The version of The Twelve Days of Christmas that plays when Turk is in the On-Call room goes as follows: Twelve beaten children Eleven drive-by shootings Ten frozen homeless Nine amputations Eight burn victims Seven strangled shoppers Six random knifings Five suicides Four beaten wives Three O.D.'s Two shattered skulls And a drunk who drove into a tree
You add the candles from right to left but light them left to right.
So, let the serious eating commence.
Original Hanukkah Song Adam Sandler -
Eight Candles Yo La Tengo -
A Star Wars Chanukah Six13 -
The Dreidel Song Julie Silver -
Hanukkah The Living Sisters -
Please pace yourself - Eight days is a long time. And kids, know when a simple game becomes an addiction - please no actual gambling while
playing with your dreidels.
Gamblers Anonymous (718) 352-1671
Our second them for the night is a salute to prisoner 1073015 -
Through the mid-'60s, Phil Spector was focused on singles, with his definition of an album being "two hits and ten pieces of junk." He took a
different approach, however, when he put together a Christmas album in 1963, where he put a great deal of effort into every track. So please join us
at ACME while we listen to The Phil Spector Christmas Album.
The only original song on the album was Darlene Love'sChristmas (Baby Please Come Home), which he wrote with Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich.
Spector issued the song as a single when the album came out, but unfortunately this was the same day US president John F. Kennedy was shot and
killed. This seriously dampened the holiday mood and the single, as well as the album, were withdrawn.
I know it's not Christmas in our home unless we hear Darlene Love sing, so please enjoy Darlene Love's very first Christmas appearance on the
David Letterman Show
And here's her 2014 (and final) appearance on the David Letterman Show:
But fear not -
And she actually sings other holiday songs: All Alone on Christmas -
Before our feature presentation, ACME would like to start the evening with another Bugs Bunny Merry Melodies cartoon, the 1948 Hare Splitter, directed by Friz Freleng.
Please note: The fact that Daisy lives in a house instead of a rabbit hole like Bugs or Casbah is an oddity that goes unmentioned.
Christmas, Hanakkah and Festivus, (for that matter) are nigh (most of the staff of ACME have begun their serious holiday drinking; once again,
we're not insane,) and you may be running around doing your last minute holiday shopping. In case you've grown tired of all of those kids holiday specials, here's one that's a tad more adult - Pee Wee's Christmas Special - which was originally broadcast December 21, 1988. So we would like you to relax (quick, find the most comfortable seat on the sofa,) get a snack (perhaps, some popcorn,) and a beverage and join The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour in watching Pee Wee's Christmas Special (remember to scream 'really loud' when the secret word 'YEAR' is said.)
The lighting apparatus used in Miss Yvonne's hair actually shorted and smoked during production and the crew had to intervene to remove the power pack from under her wardrobe and remove the wig which housed the lighting.
If you need more time to wrap your gifts or just relax, why not continue to listen to The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour Rockin Soul
Christmas Revue (Old School) Silver Bells The Supremes -
Away In A Manger Four Tops -
Purple Snowflakes Marvin Gaye -
Gee Whiz It's Christmas Carla Thomas -
Christmas Night In Harlem Louis Armstrong -
Jingle Bells Joe Williams –
Get Down Santa. The Jive Turkeys –
Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday The Sweet Inspirations -
The Frank Capra film It's had a preview showing for charity at New York City's Globe Theatre, (a day before its official premiere) on this date.
The film is regarded as a classic and is a staple of Christmas television around the world, although, due to its high production costs and stiff competition at the box office, financially, it was considered a flop.
There have been countless parody of this classic film -
(Another, more adult alternate ending of the film) -
Sometimes family is the place where we find the deepest heartache.
Happy families are all alike ... even kids abused by their domineering father - (the Motown edition)
Today's Christmas countdown - A Jackson Five Christmas
Up On The Housetop -
Benjamin Hanby's Up On The Housetop was the first Christmas song to mention Santa Claus in the lyrics. Written in 1864, Hanby was inspired Clement Moore's 1823 poem A Visit from Saint Nicholas.
Someday At Christmas -
This is one of the first Christmas songs with a social and political message. Released during the Vietnam War, it takes a stand for peace and for equality and compassion. John Lennon sent a similar message in his 1971 song Happy Xmas (War Is Over).
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus -
When this songs was released in 1953, some people thought it was a little too risqué, the thought of a married woman, possibly having an affair. A closer listen implies that Santa Claus is actually the child's father, but this didn't stop radio stations in some cities, including Boston, from banning it when it came out. Columbia Records appealed to the Council of Churches to clear the song where it was banned, sending it's original singer, the 13 year old Jimmy Boyd to plea with them personally. The tactic worked, and it became a Christmas favorite.
Give Love on Christmas Day -
The song was written by Berry Gordy, Deke Richards, Fonce Mizell, and Freddie Perren
Santa Claus Is Comin To Town -
The song was written in 1932 by Haven Gillespie and J. Fred Coots. They had trouble convincing anyone to produce it because it was seen as a kids' song, which would have been very hard to sell. The big break came when Eddie Cantor sang it on his radio show in 1934, and the song became an instant hit.
We here at ACME are wishing you time to enjoy the simple pleasures of this holiday season.
And if don't enjoy yourself, Joe will be coming by to give you the beating of your life.
Family love is messy, clinging, and of an annoying and repetitive pattern… like bad wallpaper.
No family is perfect - Even kids abused by their domineering father
Today's Christmas countdown - A Beach Boys Christmas
Toy Drive Public Service Announcement
Little Saint Nick -
Cars were a common theme in early Beach Boys songs, notably Little Deuce Coupe, which was the template for this song that envisions Santa's sleigh as a Nordic Hot Rod: candy apple red with a 4-speed stick. Brian Wilson wrote the song with Mike Love.
We Three Kings of Orient Are -
This carol was written in 1857 by the Reverend John Henry Hopkins. He wrote both words and music as part of a Christmas pageant for the General Theological Seminary in New York City.
Melekalikimaka -
The Beach Boys based this song on one of a number of popular Hawaiian songs that Robert Alexander Anderson composed within the Hapa haole genre (that Bing Crosby made famous with the Andrew Sisters in the 40s.) Honolulu, Hawaii-born Robert Alexander Anderson (1894-1995) was a successful businessman who turned his love of songwriting into a very successful second career.
(I Saw Santa) Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree -
This song was originally going to appear on the unreleased studio album Merry Christmas from the Beach Boys in 1977.
Another Christmas song they got around to sing in between the verbal abuse from their father
Frosty The Snowman -
Frosty The Snowman was the creation of the songwriters Steve Edward Nelson and Walter "Jack" Rollins, where were looking for a seasonal follow-up to "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer," which was a #1 hit the year before. Unlike "Rudolph," which was based on a book written 10 years earlier, "Frosty" was an original story. Like "Rudolph," it was recorded by Gene Autry and also became a seasonal favorite.
Beware them both, but most of all, beware this boy!
There are literally dozens of adaptations of A Christmas Carol. Let's take a look at a few of them:
A Christmas Carol. (1910) -
This is one of the earliest film adaptations of the story. It featured Marc McDermott as Ebenezer Scrooge and Charles S. Ogle as Bob Cratchit.
A Christmas Carol. (1938) -
Even though the film is based on the book the film adds different twists from the novel and most other film versions. In this film Fred is more of a supporting character rather than being a minor character. Bob is sacked by Scrooge in this film. And in the end Scrooge rehires Bob and makes Fred his new partner.
The Christmas Carol (1949 TV special) -
This is a very rare example of a 1940s television broadcast still surviving in entirety. In the infancy of television, programs were always broadcast live because videotape recording technology did not yet exist.Although crude (a film camera was pointed at a television monitor filming the broadcast,) it was the only available method to record a live broadcast during the earliest days of television.
Scrooge (1951) -
Scrooge was likely based on a real person named John Meggot, (born John Elwes), who was a local celebrity, a member of Parliament, and a famous miser from Dickens' part of England, and who was dead by the time Dickens was born, but whom Dickens heard much local lore and urban legends from the English townspeople where Scrooge grew up; family, friends, etc.
Scrooge (1970) -
Although the music was composed by Leslie Bricusse and nominated for two Academy Awards, Bricusse could not write music. He would dictate lyrics and melody to music supervisor Ian Fraser who would transcribe and arrange them for Scrooge's score. Bricusse did so on many other movies to much acclaim.
A Christmas Carol (1971) -
This was the only film version of A Christmas Carol to win an Oscar. After this television short won the Oscar, the Academy changed its rules so that a made-for-television cartoon could never again win this honor, even if it was shown theatrically.
Blackadders Christmas Carol (1988) -
It has been noticed by some that Robbie Coltrane's costume and character in this Christmas special, has a nearly identical portrayal to his much later role as Hagrid, in the film versions of J.K.Rowling's series of Harry Potter books. Also, its been claimed that JK Rowling herself had said Robbie Coltrane was always intended to have been cast as Hagrid in the films, suggesting that this Blackadder episode may in part have inspired the creation of Hagrid.
This could be the greatest mash-up ever, or at least the most labor intensive. Heath Waterman has spent 18 months putting together this labor of love, retelling the story of Ebenezer Scrooge in his video Twelve Hundred Ghosts - A Christmas Carol in Supercut.
Mr. Waterman uses clips from over over 400 versions of the holiday classic. (Make it your business to watch this!)
And there is no better way to get into the holiday spirit than drinking spirits -
Eggnog is usually thought of as a Christmas beverage and to tell the truth I am not a huge fan of Eggnog. So I find it amusing that the recipe that I'm posting is for Eggnog (Above is a copy of my family recipe - my father sent it to his sister in 1962.)
Coquito, a Puerto Rican twist on the classic, is a family favorite and I thought I'd share it with you and perhaps you can try it out on your family.
Please note: these drinks go down quite smoothly and are very potent - they could be administered as a calmative for frayed nerves during the holiday season.
Ingredients:
* 4 large egg yolks
* 1/4 cup of sugar
* 1/2 can of (14-ounces) condensed milk
* 1 14-ounce cans evaporated milk
* 1 1/2 cans of 15-ounce cans cream of coconut
* 1/2 of a Fifth of white rum (or more)
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon coconut (or vanilla) extract
Tools:
* Drink Blender
* Can opener
* Glass
Directions:
Add the egg yolks, sugar, spices and vanilla into the blender. Mix until well blended.
Add the evaporated and condensed milk to the blender and briefly mix. (Condensed milk is very thick - you may want to open the can up all the way and scrap out all of the milk with a spatula.)
Vigorously shack the can of cream of coconut (it tends to separate.) Pour the cream of coconut into the blender and mix well. Scrap out any remaining coconut stuff from the can.
Add the rum and mix. Taste. If you think you need more rum, add it.
Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Serve cold.
