Compliments of the Season

Historic Bentley snowflake photos for sale in US

2010-01-22T14:31:00.005-05:00

“Ten of the pioneering photos of snowflake crystals US farmer Wilson A Bentley began taking more than a century ago are to be sold in New York.

Bentley (1865-1931) is credited with capturing the first images of single snowflakes on camera. He made thousands of the jewel-like prints, no two alike.

His photomicrography technique involved a microscope and a bellows camera.

He caught pneumonia in a blizzard and died just weeks after the publication of his book Snow Crystals.” [... continued @ BBC]

[more details @ Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley & Carl Hammer Gallery]

Beautiful examples @ the Hammer Gallery site ... in the hands of someone with graphics expertise (which excludes me) some of those old pictures would be great wallpapers or CD covers.

Recall: Pier 1 Imports Santa Tea Light Holders

2010-01-15T10:02:00.004-05:00

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Ceramic Santa Tea Light Holders

Units: About 61,500 United States and 5,500 in Canada

Importer: Pier 1 Imports (U.S.), Inc., of Fort Worth, Texas

Hazard: The flame from tea lights can ignite these tea light holders, posing a fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received three reports of the tea light holders burning. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The Ceramic Santa Tea Light Holder is red and white and designed in the image of Santa Claus. The tea light holder measures approximately 7-1/2 inches tall and 3-1/2 inches wide with a red metal hat and an opening in the back to place a tea light candle. SKU number 2417274 is printed on the bottom of the tea light holder.

Sold at: Pier 1 Imports in the U.S. and Canada from September 2009 through December 2009 for about $10.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the Ceramic Santa Tea Light Holder immediately and return it to their nearest Pier 1 Imports retail store for a full refund or merchandise credit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Pier 1 Imports at (800) 245-4595 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. CST Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.pier1.com

Note: Health Canada’s press release can be seen at: http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/recall-retrait-eng.jsp?re_id=943

'tis the Season for Sharity

2010-01-02T08:30:00.000-05:00

Here's a little listing I'll try to keep up-dating as the year moves along. Album shares from sources who normally cover other fields of music. Links are to the original blog posts where you'll usually find some background on the album or the share. While there, have a look around, who knows what else may strike your fancy. Be sure to say thanks on your way out to these generous folks.

* = latest additions to list

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T23:59:00.002-05:00

Happy
New Year

All the
best in
2010!

Happy Kwanzaa!

2009-12-26T00:26:00.002-05:00

Happy Kwanzaa to everybody!

Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration held in the United States honoring universal African heritage and culture, marked by participants lighting a kinara (candle holder). It is observed from December 26 to January 1 each year, primarily in the United States.

Kwanzaa consists of seven days of celebration, featuring activities such as candle-lighting and libations, and culminating in a feast and gift giving. It was created by Ron Karenga and was first celebrated from December 26, 1966 to January 1, 1967 ... (continued @ Wikipedia)

[@ Amazon / DVD / CD / Book ]

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T00:25:00.001-05:00

Merry
Christmas

More Christmas TV Than You Can Handle

2009-12-23T12:25:00.000-05:00

Head on over to a huge listing of TV shows @ WFMU's Beware of the Blog. Over 150 shows are listed ranging from 1949 to 1988, including

The Ruggles Christmas Episode (1949)

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Christmas Episode (1950)

You Asked For It Christmas Episode (1951)

Green Guild Playhouse (1951)

Beat the Clock Christmas Episode (1952)

The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet Christmas Episode (1952)

Studio One Christmas Episode (1952)

Racket Squad Christmas Episode (1952)

Dragnet Christmas Episode (1952)

The Ray Milland Show Christmas Episode (1953)

The Garry Moore Show Christmas Episode (1953)

The Liberace Show Christmas Episode (1954)

Father Knows Best Christmas Episode (1954 - USA Only)

Meet Corliss Archer Christmas Episode (1954)

The Honeymooners Christmas Episode (1955)

Love That Bob Christmas Episode (1955)

The Bob Hope Show Christmas Episode (1955)

Your Hit Parade Christmas Episode (1955)

What's My Line Christmas Episode (1955)

I Love Lucy Christmas Episode (1956)

Alfred Hitchcock Presents Christmas Episode (1956)

with well over 100 more listed ... if you watch then all, I'll see you at Easter.

Seinfeldian: Festivus

2009-12-23T02:15:00.003-05:00

I got a lot of problems with you people! And now, you're gonna hear about it. We'll discuss it at dinner before the Feats of Strength ...

Happy Festivus! Why aren't there any Festivus songs? Shouldn't there be presents? Can I hang tinsel on my pole?

Festivus @ Wikipedia / Religious Tolerance / Amazon

Jamaican Christmas Mix - Coming Tomorrow Today!

2009-12-23T01:16:00.003-05:00

ALWAYS a joy to listen too ... the 2009 Jamaican Christmas Mix (as well as the three previous mixes) are slated to come out later today @ Distinctly Jamaican Sounds so be sure to head on over and be prepared for a slice o'nice.

Holmes for the Holidays @ TCM

2009-12-21T22:30:00.001-05:00

As you may know, I was inspired to name this blog and my blogger ID by the Sherlock Holmes short story, The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle ... a tale that takes place around Christmas ... Christmas and Sherlock ... does it get any better? It sure does on the cable channel Turner Classic Movies with their Christmas/Boxing day schedule of 24 hours of Sherlock.

Holmes for the Holidays @ TCM
Friday, December 25th to Saturday, December 26th 2009

8:00 pm - The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) (@ Amazon), starring Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Richard Greene and Wendy Barrie.

9:30 pm - The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939) (@ Amazon), starring Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce and Ida Lupino.

11:00 pm - The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) (@ Amazon), starring Robert Stephens, Colin Blakely and Genevieve Page.

1:15 am - Sherlock Holmes' Fatal Hour (1931) (@ Amazon), starring Arthur Wontner, Ian Fleming and Jane Welsh.

2:30 am - The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) (@ Amazon), starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Andre Morell and Maria Landi.

4:00 am - A Study in Terror (1965) (@ Amazon), starring John Neville, Donald Houston, Georgia Brown and Anthony Quayle.

6:00 am - 11 more Rathbone/Bruce Holmes films (@ Amazon)
to
8:00 pm

Winter Solstice

2009-12-21T08:47:00.001-05:00

Winter Solstice (aka Midwinter, Yalda, Soyal, Solar New Year, Longest Night and many, many other names), the shortest day and longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere occurs today @ 17:47 UTC / 12:47 pm EST. A great many celebrations, cultural and religious, occur at or around this event. So no matter what you celebrate or observe, may it be the best yet for you and yours.

Hindu: Happy Pancha Ganapati!

2009-12-21T00:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Pancha Ganapati to all our Hindu friends.

Happy (belated) 20th Birthday to Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire

2009-12-18T14:15:00.001-05:00

Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire first aired on Fox Sunday December 17th, 1989. A personal favorite and often chosen to start off our seasonal DVD watching.

"Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", also known as "The Simpsons Christmas Special", is the first full-length episode of The Simpsons to air despite originally being the eighth episode produced for season one. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 17, 1989. In the episode, Homer discovers that he will not be getting a Christmas bonus and thus the family has no money to buy Christmas presents. He decides to keep their financial troubles a secret and gets a job as a department store Santa, but later discovers that the job does not pay enough. Desperate for a miracle, Homer and Bart go to the dog racing track on Christmas Eve in hopes of earning some money ... (continued @ Wikipedia)

[@ Amazon / DVD / VHS ]

Happy 43rd Birthday to How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

2009-12-18T12:25:00.000-05:00

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! first aired on CBS Sunday December 18th, 1966. Dr. Seuss + Boris Karloff = Funtastic!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a 1966 American animated television special directed by Chuck Jones. It is based on the homonymous children's book by Dr. Seuss, the story of The Grinch trying to take away Christmas from the townsfolk below. The special, which is considered a short film as it runs less than an hour, is one of the very few Christmas specials from the 1960's to still be shown regularly on television. Boris Karloff narrates the film and also provides the speaking voice of The Grinch (the opening credits state, "The sounds of the Grinch are by Boris Karloff. And read by Boris Karloff, too!") ... (continued @ Wikipedia)

[@ Amazon / DVD / Blu-ray / CD / Book ]

Wanted: XMas Radio Spots

2009-12-17T16:59:00.004-05:00

As some of you know, people who do Halloween compilations/mixes occasionally will use old radio commercials for horror movies as filler or breaks between songs/sets. These radio spots frequently came out on 45's and were 30, 45 or 60 seconds long.

Of course the number of movies that would be appropriate for a Halloween mix far, far exceed the number of Christmas movies and are therefore much more available. In fact, other than a reference to some Christmas Vacation (@ Amazon) promo material, I can't remember seeing anything for us to use ... like I'd love to get the spots for Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (@ Amazon) or Santa Claus (@ Amazon) or any movie that would fit a Yuletide mix for that matter. So if you know where to find some, drop me a note in the comments with the URL(s).

Roman: Io, Saturnalia!

2009-12-17T00:17:00.001-05:00

Io, Saturnalia! to all you ancient Romans

The War On ... Santa?

2009-12-15T00:25:00.002-05:00

The BBC is reporting that Santa Claus is apparently trying to muscle in on Austria ... Austria? A number of Austrians are fighting to save their traditional bringer of gifts, Christkind, from the tough tactics of the big guy. The ~~Bush administration~~ Americans are denying any involvement.

Judaism: (Belated) Happy Hanukkah!

2009-12-14T18:25:00.000-05:00

I know Hanukkah has already begun but would like to wish all our Jewish friends a Happy Hanukkah!

And for some audio treats for the ears, head on over to these sites:

Happy 40th Frosty!

2009-12-14T12:25:00.001-05:00

It was 40 years ago that Frosty the Snowman (@ Amazon)was first broadcast on CBS. It might be belated birthday wishes, Wikipedia uses both Dec 7th & Dec 14th as broadcast dates, the CBS site says Dec 7, 1969.

Hey ... Let's be careful out there

2009-12-14T00:25:00.001-05:00

Don't let health & safety issues be the Grinch to steal your seasonal joy this year. Our good friends from Ottawa are always looking out for us ... afterall, if we get hurt who's going to pay all the taxes?

Fun and Safe Holiday Season (Fact Sheet):
Some quick tips on the Holiday Tree, Toys and Gifts, Flames and Holiday Lights.

Holiday Safety:
Tips and links for more info on Fire and Light Safety, Healthy Eating and Food Safety, Responsible Drinking, Staying Active and Healthy, Travel Health, Toys and Gifts and Other Holiday Health Resources.

2009 Holiday Food Safety Advisory:
Health Canada tips on basic food safety.

~~2008 Holiday Food Safety Advisory~~:
Last years tips on basic food safety.

Too Much Christmas EP

2009-12-13T21:33:00.003-05:00

Season getting to you? Can't stand the 24/7 stream of all things Christmas? Well, what are you doing here then? Go find a song that sums up your feelings.

From the site ...

" The Jane Bradfords have written a Christmas song! Its nowhere near as good as the best Chistmas songs nor is it as bad as the worst.*

*No sleigh-bells were used in the creation of this song

Immediate download ⁺ of EP in your choice of 320k mp3, FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire. "
⁺ Requires you to sign up for their newsletter

and so on to Too Much Christmas EP

A Very Bootie Christmas 2

2009-12-13T12:25:00.000-05:00

Good things get mashed ... potatoes, barley, TV shows based on a movie based on a book written by a Hooker, and music ... in this case, Christmas music.

Head on over to BootieUSA to snag "A Very Bootie Christmas 2" and, if you missed it a few years ago, "A Very Bootie Christmas". A total of 31 mashed-up Yuletide tunes to get your toes-a-tapping and your hips-a-swaying ... why do I feel the need to search out some Yuletide Disco?

Tracklists:

A Very Bootie Christmas 2 (2009)

1. Go Home Productions -- High Tides and Blocked Peace Pipes
2. DJ Schmolli -- Pumping Up Christmas
3. Dan Phillips -- Jingles Are Jingles
4. King Of Pants -- Alala Falala Hasselhoff
5. Smash-Up Derby -- Christmas Bop
6. Secret Santa -- Santa's Silent Bum
7. Voicedude -- Dreidel All The Way
8. Voicedude -- Black Door Or White Santa
9. Jacqui Naylor -- Santa Claus Is Coming To Alabama (A+D Remix)
10. A Plus D -- Xmas Dick In A Box *
11. DJ BC -- Sugar Plum Fairy Coda (Recoda)
12. Little Drummer Bonzo -- DJ Topcat
13. Mojochronic -- Yuletide Zeppelin
14. Alexkid & DJ Seep -- Santa Baby (Remix)
15. Voicedude -- It's The Little Things

* - explicit lyrics

A Very Bootie Christmas (2006)

1. Bad Tattoo -- Are You Gonna Stop The White Xmas
2. Divide & Kreate -- Jingle Jane
3. Sam Flanagan -- Frosty DMC
4. Brat -- Funky Christmas
5. Divide & Kreate -- Every Christmas You Fake
6. DJ Schmolli -- Back Door Santa Getting It On
7. Lionel Vinyl -- Lionel's Xmas Wrapping
8. A Plus D -- Give Da Jew Girl Toys
9. Go Home Productions -- Christmas On The Block
10. Corporal Blossom -- White Christmas
11. DJ John -- Lonely Siberian Winter
12. Payroll -- Another Xmas Day Can Only Disappoint U
13. DJ Zebra -- The Xmas Kick
14. Divide & Kreate -- Achtung X-Mash
15. Go Home Productions -- Christmas In Boston
16. DJ BC -- Imagine Santa

Sucka Pants XMas Mix '09

2009-12-13T05:18:00.002-05:00

A 21 track compilation, XMas Mix '09, over at Sucka Pants is definitely worth a listen. The Sonics "Santa Clause", "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" by Julian Casablancas and Kermit Ruffins "Crazy Cool Christmas" are my favs ... YMMV.

Tracklist:

All I Want For Christmas -- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight) -- Asobi Seksu
Winter Wonderland -- Cap'n Jazz
Oh Joseph -- Burning Hank
Come On Santa -- The Raveonettes
O Holy Night -- Benji Cossa
Santa Clause -- The Sonics
Christmas In Prison -- Emmy The Great & Lightspeed Champion
I Wish It Was Christmas Today -- Julian Casablancas
Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis -- Neko Case
It's Christmas But Not For You -- TIAC
Christmas Eve, Driving Home -- Frontier Ruckus
Run Away With Me -- Jens Lekman
Christmas Is For Losers -- Mike Nicolai
Ain't No Chimneys -- Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Oh Hanukah, Oh Hanukah -- Sinai Mountain Boys
Last Christmas -- Swearing at Motorists
Crazy Cool Christmas -- Kermit Ruffins
Hanukkah -- The Mountain Goats
X-Mas Eve (She Got up and Left Me) -- Rancid
Xmas Eve -- The Damnwells

25 worst Christmas album covers of all time

2009-12-08T10:33:00.004-05:00

Nothing says Christmas like a really bad album cover. Coming in at #1 according to the UKs' Telegraph is Stan and Doug yust go nuts at Christmas ... see the rest @ The 25 worst Christmas album covers of all time.

Corner Gas: "Christmas in Dog River"

2009-12-01T08:30:00.003-05:00

If you're Canadian, you know "Corner Gas" (S1 DVD @ Amazon) and if not, you need to try to catch it sometime if possible. Back in 2005, their first Christmas episode, "Merry Gasmas", aired. A Christmas single was released a few days before hand ... 50% promo, 50% song and 110% comedy ... the MP3 is still available for free download @
Brent Butt Releases First Ever Single, "Christmas in Dog River".

Oprah's Free Holiday Music Downloads

2009-11-30T20:36:00.001-05:00

Free Holiday Music Downloads

From November 30 at 10 a.m. CT to December 1 at 11 p.m. CT, download Andrea Bocelli's and Mary J. Blige's duet on "What Child Is This" and Sugarland's "Silent Night" for free! ... continue to oprah.com

USA: Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T18:34:00.005-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends ... or, as the Yuletide Bloggers say ...

"Ladies & Gentlemen, start your turntables!"

And as the belts get loosened and the turkey digests, take a spin around to Ernie (Not Bert), Christmas Music Everyday and The Old Time Radio Flier 12 for some special audio treats.

ASCAP Announces Top 25 Holiday Songs of the Decade

2009-11-24T18:54:00.002-05:00

New York, NY, November 23, 2009 (ASCAP): Even as the digital music generation embraces the latest technological innovations, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) reports that traditional favorites still rule the holiday airwaves -- and the iPod. Interpreted over the years by each decade's most popular artists, these Holiday favorites remain timeless classics appealing to young and old alike.

Topping ASCAP's holiday songs list of the decade is one of the oldest songs on the list: "Winter Wonderland." It was written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith, and was an instant hit for legendary bandleader Guy Lombardo And His Royal Canadians who took it to the #2 spot on the Billboard charts the same year. Recordings by the Andrews Sisters and Perry Como, in 1946, established the song as a Yuletide favorite. Versions by the Eurythmics, Jewel and Air Supply are frequently heard on radio today.

ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams knows something about holiday songs, having received an Emmy nomination this year for "I Wish I Could Be Santa Claus" from A Muppets Christmas: Letters To Santa, an original Christmas special with both story and songs by the renowned songwriter. He commented: "This is a tough list for any of us to break into. There's a sense that people tend to gravitate towards tradition, especially at the holidays, and our top 25 list confirms this. So, whether you're listening to holiday music on an iPod or a vintage record player, these time-honored favorites are sure to evoke the magic of the season and memories of holidays past."

The Top 25 most performed ASCAP holiday songs of the decade are listed below. Each song includes songwriter credits, and cites the most popular artist version played on radio today. The data was compiled with the help of Mediaguide, the most comprehensive digital audio performance tracking technology in the world.

1. Winter Wonderland
Written by: Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith
Performed by: Eurythmics

2. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Written by: Mel Tormé, Robert Wells
Performed by: Nat "King" Cole

3. Sleigh Ride
Written by: Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
Performed by: The Ronettes

4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Written by: Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin
Performed by: The Pretenders

5. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Written by: Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie
Performed by: Bruce Springsteen

6. White Christmas
Written by: Irving Berlin
Performed by: Bing Crosby

7. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Written by: Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne
Performed by: Michael Bublé

8. Jingle Bell Rock
Written by: Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe
Performed by: Daryl Hall & John Oates

9. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Gene Autry

10. Little Drummer Boy
Written by: Katherine K. Davis, Henry V. Onorati, Harry Simeone
Performed by: The Harry Simeone Chorale & Orchestra

11. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Written by: Edward Pola, George Wyle
Performed by: Andy Williams

12. I'll Be Home For Christmas
Written by: Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram
Performed by: Josh Groban

13. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Brenda Lee

14. Silver Bells
Written by: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
Performed by: Anne Murray

15. Feliz Navidad
Written by: José Feliciano
Performed by: José Feliciano

16. Frosty The Snowman
Written by: Steve Nelson, Walter E. Rollins
Performed by: The Beach Boys

17. A Holly Jolly Christmas
Written by: Johnny Marks
Performed by: Burl Ives

18. Blue Christmas
Written by: Billy Hayes, Jay W. Johnson
Performed by: Elvis Presley

19. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
Written by: Meredith Willson
Performed by: Johnny Mathis

20. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Written by: Tommie Connor (PRS)
Performed by: John Mellencamp

21. Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)
Written by: Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman
Performed by: Gene Autry

22. (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays
Written by: Bob Allen, Al Stillman
Performed by: Perry Como

23. Carol Of The Bells
Written by: Peter J. Wilhousky, Mykola Leontovich
Performed by: David Foster (instrumental version)

24. Wonderful Christmastime
Written by: Paul McCartney (PRS)
Performed by: Paul McCartney

25. Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)
Written by: Midge Ure (PRS), Bob Geldof (PRS)
Performed by: Band Aid

Some facts about the Top 25 ASCAP Holiday Songs:

Oldest songs:
"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Winter Wonderland" (both 1934)

Newest song:
"Do They Know It's Christmas? (Feed the World)" (1984)

Most recorded Holiday song:
"White Christmas" with well over 500 versions in dozens of languages

Songs introduced in Film and Television:
"White Christmas" in Holiday Inn (1942)
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
"Silver Bells" in The Lemon Drop Kid (1950)
"A Holly Jolly Christmas" in TV special Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1962)

Writer with most top Holiday songs:
Johnny Marks with three - "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," and "A Holly Jolly Christmas"

"Sleigh Ride" is the only holiday song on the list written originally as an instrumental piece for a symphony orchestra. The Boston Pops Orchestra gave the first performance in a concert conducted by Arthur Fiedler at Symphony Hall in Boston, May 4, 1948. Mills Music published it that same year. The Boston Pops Orchestra recorded it in June of 1949. Mitchell Parish added lyrics in 1949.

Mediaguide, co-owned by ASCAP, monitors radio broadcast music in real-time and facilitates the accurate distribution of royalty payments to songwriters, composers and publishers. Its proprietary technology and network of over 2,500 radio stations currently tracks more stations and total airplay than any other monitoring service in the U.S.

Compilation: Retro Christmas

2009-11-19T16:26:00.006-05:00

Posted over @ Ultra Swank is a great 25 track 86MB compilation titled Retro Christmas that I think is a great addition to your playlists. CaptainOT did a review when it first came out. I'll sum up what he said and add my ditto ... great effort! So head on over and snag your very own copy right now.

BTW, you may notice Ultra Swank is another site that has wonderful graphics done up by the very talented BlueHipster. I just love his style. While you're visiting his site, be sure to snag some of his Exotica shares he has posted.

Tracklist:

01. Jack Jones - Sleigh Ride
02. Esquivel - Frosty The Snowman
03. The Hollyridge Strings - Santa's Got A Brand New Bag
04. John Barry - Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown
05. Dean Martin - Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
06. Henry Mancini - Winter Wonderland - Silver Bells
07. Eddie Dunstedter - I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus
08. John Klein - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
09. Esquivel - Sun Valley Ski Run
10. The Hollyridge Strings - Santa Claus is coming to Town
11. Henry Mancini - White Christmas
12. Burt Bacharach - The Bell That Couldn't Jingle
13. Esquivel - Here Comes Santa Claus
14. The Hollyridge Strings - Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas
15. Henry Mancini - Frosty The Snow Man
16. Al Caiola & Riz Ortolani - Holiday On Skis
17. Ferrante & Teicher and Les Baxter - Sleigh Ride
18. Esquivel - Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
19. Dean Martin - White Christmas
20. The Metro Strings - Christmas
21. Henry Mancini - The Christmas Song
22. John Klein - Winter Wonderland
23. Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians - Ring Those Christmas Bells
24. Julie London - I'd Like You For Christmas
25. Stan Kenton - What Is A Santa Claus

Create Your Own Santa's Elf Card

2009-11-17T14:44:00.003-05:00

Over at Santa's Quarters you can create your very own Santa's Elf ID card. Print it out on some card stock and laminate it for a real authentic looking ID the kids will love. Or, take it to the bar with you to impress the ladies ... ok, ok, it hasn't worked for me yet but I'm still hopeful.

While there, check out their Christmas Coloring Pages with 10+ items to print out for your budding Picasso's and, for the mathematician in all of us, calculate EXACTLY the number of lights and ornaments for your tree with their Christmas Decoration Toolset™ ... although I like my method better ... keep adding stuff till the branches start to creak & sag ... then remove the last item you put on and you're done.

Dormant & Deceased Sites

2009-11-15T14:43:00.005-05:00

Blogging is a tough business. I probably put forth 5% or less of the effort of those 'Yuletide Bloggers' who are digging through stacks of old vinyl, plunking down hard earned money for the wax, and lovingly transferring the sounds to digital for all us Christmas porkers to snarf up ... most of the time without even a simple "Thanks!" Is it any wonder people get tired and move on to other projects?

This year I'm going to try to remember to go back and say thanks for each little gem I download that has been so generously posted by the very talented vinyl restoration folks ... I hope you will join me and drop a few 'thanks' on these folks as well.

Sadly, it's too late for the following sites that have gone silent or dark. Listed here so you can update your links or bookmarks, and as a belated way of saying "Thanks!" to these wonderful people who helped make Christmas' past a lot more enjoyable.

77 Santas : 2009 announced as their final season

A Christmas Special : Last Post 2007.Dec

A Million Miles Away : Last Post/RIP 2009.March

Blog of 999 Dances : Last post 2007.Apr

Christmas for All : Last post 2007.Dec

Cool Kooky Hip and Groovy : RIP 2007.Oct

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday : RIP 2009.Jan

Musical Fruitcake : RIP 2007.May

Red Ryder BB Gun : Last post 2007.Jan

Santa and Me! : RIP c2006~2007

Why Fidelity : Last post 2007.Dec

Christmas on the Radio

2009-11-15T14:15:00.005-05:00

A few years back I became a big fan of Old Time Radio (OTR) and so naturally really liked listening to the Christmas episodes.

Jack Benny, Burns & Allen, Fred Allen, Bob Hope, Milton Berle, Red Skelton, Edgar Bergen, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Orson Welles, Fibber McGee & Molly, Amos & Andy, Abbott & Costello, Martin & Lewis, Ozzie & Harriet, Phil Harris & Alice Faye, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Dinah Shore, Kate Smith, Lucille Ball are some of the names from entertainments golden age that had their own radio shows. And if the names don't ring a bell, perhaps the shows will ... Archie Andrews, Blondie, Dragnet, Father Knows Best, Great Gildersleeve, The Green Hornet, Gunsmoke, Life of Riley, Lone Ranger, Our Miss Brooks, Red Ryder, The Saint, The Shadow, Sherlock Holmes, Superman, Tarzan, & Yours Truly Johnny Dollar.

If you, or someone you know is 65+ then these shows will almost certainly bring back some Christmas memories. And if you're under 65 then perhaps like me, you'll fall in love with these pre-television era gems.

If you have newsgroup access, your best bet is starting off in alt.binaries.sound.radio.oldtime or alt.binaries.sounds.radio.oldtime (absro). Be prepared for a very large selection dating back into the 1930s.

If you don't have access to newsgroups, you can still pick up some episodes on the web.

OldTimeRadioFans.com has (on 2009.Nov.09) 6 shows available for free download. [Hint: Root around the site and you'll find more Christmas freebies]

Internet Archive has (on 2009.Nov.09) 6 shows available for free download. [Hint: A little searching and you'll also find more Christmas freebies here]

rand’s esoteric otr has (on 2009.Nov.15) 6 shows available for free download.

The Old Time Radio Fan has (on 2009.Nov.09) 20 shows available for free download.

Check out Old Time Radio Flier 23 @ Squidoo with a whooping 170+ shows (on 2009.Nov.09) available for free download.

Feel free to post links to others sources in the comments.

Desktop Themes

2009-11-04T19:02:00.003-05:00

There's about 700 Bazillion Christmas desktop themes available online ... unfortunately half them are probably some form of malware or boobie trapped site. I won't make any guarantees about the sites I list here but, I will say I've downloaded some of their themes, scanned them, and have not had a problem ... YMMV. ALWAYS scan your downloads! I'll keep adding sites here as I come across them and test some of their themes personally.

1. Patina's Treasures -- a handful of nice themes, not just Christmas, done between 2001-2004. I only tried the manual install themes and none of the screen savers.

... more to follow

Voices of Christmas Past

2009-10-31T13:55:00.009-04:00

It has to be November 01 somewhere sooooo ...

Title:	Voices of Christmas Past
Tracks:	23
Label:	Dawn of Sound
Cat No:	PPR 100
Year:	1999

This CD is OOP and going for $80US @ Amazon.com and in an odd move for a modern company, has been posted for everyone to enjoy.

Dawn of Sound collected 23 wonderful tunes from the late 1890s to 1922 that are now available for download @ the Internet Archive as Ogg Vorbis, Flac and VBR or 64 kpbs MP3 files. It should be a welcome addition to your Yuletide activities.

Also reviewed by Lee Hartsfeld & Richard Banks.

Tracklist:

01. Santa Claus Hides in the Phonograph (Ernest Hare, recorded 1922)
02. On A Christmas Morning (Prince’s Orchestra, recorded 1911)
03. Sleigh Ride Party / Jingle Bells (Edison Male Quartette, recorded 1898)
04. Messiah - And the Glory of the Lord (Victor Mixed Chorus, recorded 1915)
05. Hark the Herald Angels Sing (Henry Burr, recorded 1907)
06. Silent Night, Hallowed Night (Haydn Quartet, recorded 1905)
07. Christmas Time at Pumpkin’ Center (Cal Stewart, recorded 1905)
08. Christmas Hymns (Francis J. Lapitino, recorded 1917)
09. When the Christmas Chimes Are Ringing (Lewis James, recorded 1922)
10. The Star of Bethlehem (Harry MacDonough, recorded 1909)
11. Come and Spend Christmas With Me (Byron G. Harlan, recorded 1909)
12. Christmas Morning at Clancey’s (Steve Porter, recorded 1922)
13. Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem (Trinity Choir, Recorded 1916)
14. Adeste Fideles (John McCormack and William Reitz, recorded 1915)
15. Night Before Christmas (Ernest Hare, recorded 1920)
16. Nutcracker Ballet: Chinese Dance/Dance of the Mirilitons (Victor Herbert’s Orchestra, recorded 1913)
17. On A Good Old Time Sleigh Ride (Peerless Quartet, recorded 1913)
18. Angels from the Realms of Glory (Trinity Choir, recorded 1916)
19. While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night / Christians Awake (Trinity Quartet, recorded 1921)
20. Uncle Josh Plays Santa Claus (Cal Stewart, recorded 1907)
21. Christmas in Camp (Anonymous, recorded ca. 1917)
22. Noel (Holy Night) (Venetian Trio, recorded 1916)
23. Auld Lang Syne (Navada Van der Veer, recorded 1921)

Arthur Ferrante dies at 88

2009-09-22T00:00:00.010-04:00

Arthur Ferrante, half of the popular piano duo Ferrante & Teicher, dies

Arthur Ferrante, one half of the piano duo Ferrante and Teicher whose lush orchestral recordings of 1960s movie themes propelled them to popular and commercial success, has died. He was 88.

Ferrante died of natural causes early Saturday at his home in Longboat Key, Fla., his manager, Scott W. Smith, said Sunday. Lou Teicher died in August 2008 at age 83.

"Although we were two individuals, at the twin pianos our brains worked as one," Ferrante said last year after Teicher's death. ... (continued)

They produced some of my favorite Yuletide albums that I and my family have listened to for years. I could not imagine a Christmas without one of their albums being on our playlist.

Politically Correct Greetings

2008-12-24T15:53:00.005-05:00

While I would love to take credit for the following ... it's something I received years ago as an email and now send it out myself every few years

(¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯)

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all . . . . . and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2009, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make Canada and other western nations great, and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or sexual preference of the wishee.

(By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.)

CBC Radio 2 Holiday Program Schedule

2008-12-18T14:11:00.002-05:00

Radio 2 has a jam packed holiday schedule from 1800 (6pm) December 24 to 2300 (11pm) Christmas night. They also have an internet live stream if you can't get the over-the-air broadcasts. Also available are five 'Concerts on Demand':

Microsoft Internet Explorer ... the work of Scrooge or the Grinch?

2008-12-17T12:22:00.002-05:00

Still using Microsoft Internet Explorer instead of Firefox? Why? Go get Firefox NOW!

Serious security flaw found in IE

Users of Microsoft's Internet Explorer are being urged by experts to switch to a rival until a serious security flaw has been fixed ... more

Unpatched IE7 exploit imperils millions of computers

Vulnerability affects computers running IE7 on Windows XP regardless of the service pack version, Windows Server 2003 running Service Pack 1 or 2, Windows Vista and Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 as well as Windows Server 2008 ... more

All Internet Explorer versions caught the bug, says Microsoft

The unpatched bug in Internet Explorer 7exists in older versions of the browser, including the still-widely-used IE6 ... more

Health Canada Reminds Canadians of Holiday Food Safety

2008-12-15T12:22:00.002-05:00

Health Canada Reminds Canadians of Holiday Food Safety

OTTAWA - Food is an important part of many holiday celebrations. However, many of the foods found at holiday parties, such as baked goods, eggnog, cider, seafood and turkey, can carry bacteria that cause foodborne illness. You can help reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses for your family and friends during the holiday season by following some basic food safety tips.

... rest of the story @ Health Canada

ummmmm, Cookies

2008-12-13T08:31:00.003-05:00

Cookie a day until Christmas

Come back each day until Dec. 24 to open a new door on our interactive calendar, above, revealing a new cookie recipe.

@ The Toronto Star

(Why can't it be) Silent Night

2008-12-12T11:08:00.002-05:00

This story originally appeared in December 2005

It’s not Christmas I despise, it’s the soundtrack. As intrinsic to the holiday season as rock-hard fruitcakes, spiteful crowds and overpriced photo ops with mall Santas, Christmas singles creep onto radio playlists in mid-November and don’t stop chiming until the New Year. (There are even stations that devote the entire month of December to holiday music, but the less said about them, the better.)

There’s no shortage of pop singers willing to take a crack at an old chestnut or — heaven forfend! — compose a new one. Here are some of the worst holiday offerings.

... rest of the story @ the CBC

Hidden Gems

2008-12-09T15:50:00.003-05:00

The 'Yuletide Bloggers' listed on the right carry by far the most seasonal selections available. In fact, it's their raison d'etre.

But come the Yuletide, others get into the spirit of things as well ... finding them can be difficult though. Listed below are some searches that may bring forth some hidden gems to tempt you ...

Santas Working Overtime is on the lookout 24/7 for goodies like the above and much, much more. Clear some space on the hard drive and drop by for a visit.

The Year Christmas Almost Ended

2008-12-08T23:31:00.004-05:00

In the early 1950's Christmas almost came to an end. In what is still a classified military secret, I can confirm that a radar operator who had too much Eggnog and an interceptor pilot still steaming from being on the naughty list the year before almost caused Santa to be shot down. Only Santa's cool hand on the stick and Donner & Blitzen kicking in afterburners averted disaster.

As a result of that close call, the top brass took steps to ensure Santa was never again mistaken for a Soviet bomber. Times have changed but Santa still gets special treatment @ NORAD Tracks Santa. Oh sure, they have their cover story but we know better.

Previously leaked classified documents have surfaced @ A Christmas Yuleblog for 1968 and @ FaLaLaLaLa for 1964.

But shhhhhhhh, lets keep this between us.

Bell TV Seasonal Channels

2008-12-08T20:32:00.003-05:00

Those of you living in Canada and who get Bell TV (formerly Bell ExpressVu) should be aware that they are now running their seasonal channels:

99 - a 24/7 Yule log channel (en Français)
279 - a 24/7 Yule log channel
936 - Galaxie TraditionalHoliday audio channel
945 - Galaxie FrancoFêtes audio channel (en Français)

The Galaxie site has a few modest extras to share such as lyrics, games, and a few more.

I'm guessing other TV providers also have similar channels available.