But you can bet your boots ...

December 7, 1969 -
Another Rankin/Bass production, Frosty the Snowman, premiered on CBS-TV on this date.



Voice actress June Foray was cast for both Karen and the Teacher and had recorded vocals for both characters. However, only her recordings for the Teacher made it into the final special as another actress was called in to replace Foray's Karen, for reasons that even Foray herself to this day does not know.


The original recording of  Frosty The Snowman by Gene Autry was his seasonal follow-up to his successful recording of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1949.



This time he peaked at #7 in December 1950.


The Snow Man (1940)




Frosty The Snowman (1953)




Snowman's Dilemma (1960)




The Snowman (1982)



When this program first aired on PBS stations in the United States, the introduction featured a newly filmed introduction by David Bowie instead of Raymond Briggs on the grounds that the animation needed a star.



And so it goes.


There are 9 days until the start of Hanukkah.

There are 18 days until Christmas.

Be good for goodness sake!

It's the Feast of Saint Nicholas (yes, that St. Nick.) Amongst other things, he is the patron saint of children and was known for his generosity. He's also known as the patron saint of sailors, fishermen, merchants, the falsely accused, prostitutes (Huh), repentant thieves, pharmacists and broadcasters.

Let's check out some other ways St. Nick has been portrayed:

'Zat You Santa Claus -




Santa School  -




History of Santa -




It Must Be Santa -




Today is the 50th anniversary of the original broadcast of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, we have a second Christmas video countdown today - Rudolph!

Rudolph was born 75 years ago this Christmas season, at the Montgomery Ward department store headquarters in Chicago. He was the star of a humble coloring book, written by a copywriter, Robert May, who almost named the protagonist “Reginald.” May, who’d been lonely as a child, based the character on himself. Store executives fretted that shoppers might think Rudolph’s nose was red because he was drunk, but something about Rudolph’s story spoke to people. He was an outcast, down on his luck. When Santa gave him a job (it was the Great Depression, after all)—well, something clicked. That Christmas, the company passed out two and a half million copies of the book

Original Rankin/Bass Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer GE Commercials




Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer  1944 -




Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer  The Simpsons -




Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer  Destiny's Child -

There are 10 days until the start of Hanukkah.
There are 19 days until Christmas.

We interrupt our regular programming

Once again, we've asked back one of our guest programmers (I actually had no choice, I was court ordered,) to give us a few of her favorite holiday songs.  Take it away Julietta -

Last Christmas  Wham -




All I Want For Christmas Is You  Mariah Carey -




Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer  Elmo and Patsy -




Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer  Gene Autry -




Carol of the Bells  Trans-Siberian Orchestra -





There are 11 days until the start of Hanukkah.



There are 20 days until Christmas.

Nothing says Christmas more ...

... that a pair of ukelele playing knitted puppets - It's a U800 Christmas Special




There are 12 days until the start of Hanukkah.
There are 21 days until Christmas.

Elvis is still in the building (for the moment.)

As our tribute to the anniversary of St. Elvis' comeback - It's an Elvis Christmas today

Here comes Santa Claus (right down Santa Claus Lane) 




If I get home on Christmas Day




On a Snowy Christmas Night




Winter Wonderland




If you all tingly in your nether regions, don't worry, you're listening to Elvis; he understands.





There are 13 days until the start of Hanukkah.

There are 22 days until Christmas.

War is hell on the postal service

Today's Christmas theme - The holiday during wartime -


The Christmas Truce on the Western Front of 1914 -




White Christmas  Bing Crosby -




The Reason For The Season   Christmas message - Korean War -




Silent Night & the 11 O'Clock News  The Shurfine Singers -




Is It Christmas In Iraq? (2006)




Christmas in Afghanistan with 2-87 Infantry (2013)




Happy Xmas (War Is Over)




There are 14 days until the start of Hanukkah.

Our Seventh Annual Holiday video festival.

Once again the holiday season (for better or worse) is upon us.

Today, we bring you - Really Bad Christmas songs


Justin Bieber - Little Drummer Boy



I strongly advice you to just briefly listen to this song, listening to the entire clip may induce madness.


The Jingle Cats - White Christmas



I can only think of one reason to listen to this song, if you needed to break you lease.  Playing it continuously in your apartment, while you are safely in another state would drive your neighbors to beg your landlord to get rid of you.


Duck the Halls - Ragin' Cajun Redneck Christmas



The faux-down home family Robinson continue to pull the wool over the unsuspecting eyes of the gullible public with this awful tune about their 'simple country' Christmas celebrations.


The Cheeky Girls - Have A Cheeky Christmas



I can only believe that this group exist as a rejected Vladimir Putin Christmas gift


And our perennial favorite -

NewSong – The Christmas Shoes



What list of cheesy holiday songs would be complete without this wretched dreck concerning a filthy child's odd foot fetish with his dying mother - always an uplifting tune.



But I will give Patton the final word on the subject.



There are 16 days until the start of Hanukkah.

There are 25 days until Christmas.