Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?

December 19, 1843 -

Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol, on this date. Dickens wrote the novel after his first commercial failure. His previous novel, Martin Chuzzlewit had flopped, and he was suddenly strapped for cash. Martin Chuzzlewit had been satirical and pessimistic, and Dickens thought he might be more successful if he wrote a heartwarming tale with a holiday theme.



He got the idea for the book in late October of 1843, the story of the heartless Ebenezer Scrooge, who has so little Christmas spirit that he wants his assistant Bob Cratchit to work on Christmas Day.



Dickens struggled to finish the book in time for Christmas. He no longer had a publisher so he published the book himself, ordering illustrations, gilt-edged pages and a lavish red bound cover. He priced the book at a mere 5 shillings, in hopes of making it affordable to everyone. It was released within a week of Christmas and was a huge success, selling six thousand copies the first few days, and the demand was so great that it quickly went to second and third editions.



God bless us, everyone!!!


Today’s Christmas video countdown – A Christmas Carol
Richard Williams' A Christmas Carol




A Christmas Carol: The Shortest Version Ever Told...




Tom Lehrer- A Christmas Carol




"Weird Al" Yankovic Christmas At Ground Zero




Mickey's Christmas Carol




Looney Toons- Christmas Carol

Fah who foraze! Fah who foraze!

December 18, 1966 -
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas aired for the first time on CBS on this date.



Dr. Seuss was initially uninterested in animating this or any of his books, but Chuck Jones managed to persuade him.


Today’s Christmas video countdown: Christmas Cartoons Classics

Snow Foolin'




The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives




Christmas Comes But Once a Year




Christmas Night




Bedtime for Sniffles




Santa's Workshop

Does anybody really roast chestnuts on an open fire?

December 17, 1989 -
Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire, also known as The Simpsons Christmas Special, the first full-length episode of The Simpsons, premiered on this date.



There is no Blackboard or Couch gag in this episode's opening titles, owing to the holiday theme of the episode making the title sequence different.


Today’s Christmas video countdown – Japanese Ukulele Christmas Songs
U900 trailer




Sleigh Ride




Jingle Bells




HAPPY XMAS (War Is Over)




Silent Night




Kuro-chan's Xmas

You should start thinking about your Christmas menu

Coquito

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 first drink recipe that I'm posting is for Eggnog.

Coquito, a Puerto Rican twist on the classic, is a family favorite and my sister asked me for our family recipe – I have become the repository for family recipes. 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 to 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 & 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.


Today's Christmas gift - That film that TBS plays all day long on Christmas



For anyone keeping count, Ralphie says he wants the Red Ryder BB Gun 28 times throughout the course of the movie. Mythbusters tested whether it was possible to get your tongue truly stuck on a piece of cold metal. Guess what? It is. So don’t triple dog dare your best friend to try it.

Christmas video countdown - Male Rockers


Merry Christmas Baby Bruce Springsteen -




Merry Christmas (I don't wanna fight tonight) Joey Ramone -




Jingle Bell Rock Bobby Helms -




Please Come Home For Christmas The Eagles -




Pretty Paper Roy Orbison -




It's Christmas Once Again Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers -




Christmas Time (Is Here Again) The Beatles -




Fairytale of New York the Pogues -




White Christmas Flaming Lips -

It's cold enough to feel like Christmas

Today's Christmas gift - March of the Wooden Soldiers (Babes in Toyland)



Look carefully at the back wall in the Three Little Pigs' house, and you'll be able to spot framed photographs of "Mother" and "Father" - a plate of sausages and a football, respectively.

Christmas video countdown - Female Rockers


2000 Miles The Pretenders -




God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Annie Lennox -




It's Christmas Time Melissa Etheridge -




Little Drummer Boy Joan Jett -




Christmas Wrapping The Waitresses -




Silent Night Stevie Nicks -




Oi To The World No Doubt -




Run Rudolph Run Sheryl Crow -

Put One Foot In Front Of The Other

December 14, 1970 -
Another holiday special from Rankin & Bass, Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town premiered on this date.



The film tells the story of how Santa Claus and several Claus-related Christmas traditions came to be. It is based on the Christmas hit of the same name, which was introduced on radio by Eddie Cantor in 1934.


I've been waiting for this - this year's Misery Bear's Christmas



Your holidays can't be as bad as his


Christmas video countdown - Songs from Christmas cartoons


Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town Fred Astaire -




Blue Christmas




Frosty The Snowman Jimmy Durante -




Little Drummer Boy




Silver & Gold Burl Ives -




Charlie Brown Christmas




Do you remember Dolly Madison?

It has nothing to do with Christmas

But I thought you would like to see it -

It just makes the day a little lighter

Today's Christmas countdown - Mobbed Up Christmas. This is not to say that any of these singers are in anyway associated with organized crime. It's just some gentlemen (Frankie No Neck, Clams Vincenzo, Joey Walnuts, etc) 'requested' these songs.

Adeste Fideles Vic Damone -




Baby's First Christmas Connie Francis -




O Holy Night Al Martino -




Shake Hands with Santa Claus Louis Prima -




It's Christmas Everywhere Paul Anka -