Stocking Stuffers

 

Ho ho ho no! Christmas Day is just mere days away! I'm as busy as everyone else is during this home stretch to the holidays, so I'll keep this short. Consider these various short clips as "stocking stuffers" to enjoy until the big day arrives!

Here is a lovely rendition of "Frosty The Snowman" by the late great Leon Redbone and Dr. John!

It's The Brave and The Bold starring Batman & Robin and...Santa Claus!

One commercial I remember seeing frequently on TV when I was a kid was this commercial for Disneyland Records's collection of Christmas songs recording specifically for release by Disney. This instantly brings me back to my childhood Christmases!

A couple of weeks ago we lost actor Eddie Mekka, who played Carmine Ragusa, "The Big Ragu," on Laverne & Shirley. Here he is from a famous Christmas episode of the series singing and dancing to "Jingle Bell Rock!"

Finally, here is a wonderfully fun recording of "The Merry Old Philosopher," by comedian Eddie Lawrence. The Old Philosopher was a long-running act of Lawrence's that spawned many novelty records; this one may be my favorite!

This will likely be my last post before Christmas Day, but I hope to have my Christmas greeting on the day itself, followed by a couple articles during my annual Christmas vacation next week.

If you don't get a chance to stop by before Saturday, I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Classic Christmas TV Commercials 2021 Edition Part 2

 

As we return to the Countdown to Christmas, we check in with a promised second edition of classic Christmas TV commercials!

We start with our pals at Wendy's again, doing their best to sell their restaurants as holiday destinations.

This commercial for retailer McDade's helps men find the perfect gift for that "special lady."

Department store Wieboldt's hopes their gifts help make it a "Wonderful World of Christmas!"

The late, lamented Gimbel's helps you "Bring Christmas Home."

Finally, a double shot from our friends at Kmart. Long before Walmart and Target were a thing in my area, Kmart was key for Christmas shopping!

Now go do some Christmas shopping!

Michael Nesmith, 1942-2021

Man. This sucks.

I've mentioned several times before my deep love for the Monkees, but I don't know if I've mentioned that I've always found Michael Nesmith the most talented members of the band (no disrespect to the other members at all). His songwriting was excellent, and he was just so funny too. I watched his Television Parts series on NBC as a kid and highly enjoyed it, without knowing he was a Monkee. He could pretty much do it all.

And now we've lost him.

When I heard of his death, I was surprised but also not surprised. I followed Nesmith on social media, and he didn't look well, even for his age. Plus he had to postpone a previous tour a couple years ago due to health issues, so I've suspected for awhile that he was not in the best of health. Still, I was sad to hear of his passing, and I couldn't let his death go unnoted here.

Here is a clip from The Monkees in which he espouses the love for music and for life that guides musicians, including his bandmate Peter Tork.

Here are just a few of my many favorite Nesmith-penned tunes.

While we're in the Christmas season, please see my previous post from several years ago featuring the one and only Christmas episode of The Monkees here.

Rest in peace, Mike. Share a drink with Davey and Peter for us.

Classic Christmas Commercials 2021 Edition

 

It's time for one of my favorite blog articles of the year! It's my annual look at fun Christmas commercials of the past. Let's get going!

Cats could use Commodore computers in the '80s. It's true.

Sticking with the electronics theme, Sears was a great place to get these new things called video games in 1981!

The holidays are definitely the best times to get the best homemade food, but even then it's convenient to stop at Wendy's in a pinch.

K-Mart was such an important Christmas shopping destination growing up. Where else could you buy an affordable butter melter? And yes, that IS Tim Allen at the very end of the commercial.

Why look, it's our friends at Sears again! And looking very '80s!

It wouldn't be the Christmas season without listening to the classic Time-Life Treasury of Christmas music collection!

Lastly, if cookies for Santa are in short supply, you can't go wrong with Little Debbie snack cakes!

I hope to have more great commercials later this season. Thanks!

Classic Promos for Classic Christmas TV Specials

Happy Saint Nicholas Day! I hope he left candy in your shoes last night!

It's unimaginable to celebrate Christmas without the classic Christmas TV specials that have aired for decades, from Charlie Brown to Rudolph to Frosty and beyond. When watching TV during the holidays, a minute of excitement would arise when a quick promotional spot for these specials would air during regular programming, letting us know that our beloved favorites were on their way.

Here are several shorts promos for classic Christmas TV specials from various years and networks. Let them remind you to keep an eye out for these classics this year, whether on broadcast TV, cable, and streaming services.

Enjoy!

The Magic of Christmas at Disneyland (1992)

 

The Countdown to Christmas begins in earnest with the family friendly special The Magic of Christmas at Disneyland!

This was a special released by Disney in 1992 that was available on VHS and sold exclusively at Disney parks, not in stores. Thanks to the magic of the 'Net, it's here for all Disney fans to enjoy.

So, enjoy!

Welcome to the Countdown to Christmas!

 

Happy Holidays! Welcome to the inaugural Countdown to Christmas at Me and You and a Blog Named Boo!

Of course, I've always posted Christmas content from the blog's inception--it's one of my main reasons for blogging! But I thought, why not simply call it what it is, a Countdown to Christmas! It works for Halloween!

There is no multi-site Christmas countdown that I'm aware of (if so, please let me know!), so I'm flying solo here. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and are ready to move on to the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

To kick things off, I'd like to feature videos of some classic Christmas songs with new animation created by the music companies. There have been several of these the past couple of years, and they're a great way to put a fresh coat of paint on these songs which, while wonderful, do get stale thanks to overplay on radio stations and streaming services.

Enjoy! And welcome once again to the Countdown to Christmas!

Philadelphia's Thanksgiving Day Parade

 

Thanksgiving is almost here--the start of the holiday season! Most of you will likely tune in to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, but I prefer to watch the parade in my hometown of Philadelphia. Philly's parade is in fact the first and oldest Thanksgiving parade, starting in 1920 and sponsored by Gimbel's department store. The store closed in the '80s, but the parade lives on today.

Here is a stretch of the parade from 1934. It looks quite different from parades today!

These next clips are from the late 70s and early 80s, the golden age of my childhood, so this is the parade as I remember it! The parade was carried on the local ABC affiliate WPVI-TV Channel 6, here hosted by Dave Roberts and the late great Jim O' Brien.

Here is more from '84, carried nationally by CBS with hosts Tim Reid and Catherine Bach.

You can enjoy this year's parade Thanksgiving morning, November 25th at 9am Eastern time at the following link: https://dig.abclocal.go.com/wpvi/html/2021tdp/index.html

However you spend the holiday, I wish you and yours a joyous, relaxing, and peaceful one.

Happy Thanksgiving!

But wait, what's this?

Oh bourbon indeed! The holiday season is just about here, and next week, I start the...

Countdown to Christmas!

Get ready for a steady stream of ho ho ho! See you then!

Thanksgiving Parade Balloons Gone Awry

 

Thanksgiving Day is less than two weeks away, and if you're like me, you enjoy watching a parade to start the holiday season, most likely the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. One of the most enjoyed spectacles in the parade are the many giant balloons that float through the city in grand fashion. While they may be a lot of fun to watch, they haven't always been the most, shall be way, durable parade attractions. The following photos demonstrate exactly what I mean!

This Mighty Mouse balloon from the '50s--not so mighty!

Bart Simpson may be known for being a cut up, but here, he is quite cut up himself!

Poor Kermit! I'm afraid here he's Gone With The Schwinn! (Points to you if you get the reference.)

McDonald's put marketing featuring Ronald McDonald on the shelf the past several years because so many people are creeped out by clowns. This photo of a low-flying Ronald ready to attack parade goers doesn't do the character any favors!

I don't even know who this dinosaur character is, but he looks extinct!

UPDATE AS OF NOVEMBER 16: Blog reader top_cat_james informs me in the comments that this is Rex the Dinosaur from the 1993 movie We're Back: A Dinosaur's Story. Thanks James!

Speaking of dinosaurs, no dinosaur or any other character in the parade may have suffered more than Barney. The photo is bad enough, but the video is even more chilling!

Yes, Thanksgiving parades aren't always pretty, but I can't imagine the big day without them. I look forward to them every year. However you spend Thanksgiving, I hope it's a happy and blessed one!

Thanks!

The Serenity of November

 

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a great Halloween season and are looking forward to the final weeks of 2021 ahead.

Considering how many of my Internet friends are diehard autumn and Halloween fans, it's common for me to see them lament the arrival of November. For them, November means not only the end of their beloved Halloween, but the start of the Christmas season and all of its hustle and bustle.

I also love October and Halloween--I wouldn't participate in the Countdown to Halloween if I didn't--but instead of being sad about the end of that season, I embrace the new month.

I love November!

For me, November is the perfect transition from the gothic nature of October to the grandeur and pomp of December. November allows time for contemplation and reflection, a time to pause between two months defined by the fantastic and the spectacular. November is a more sober month than October or December, and I'm very glad it is.

For me, November is the most autumnal of months, at least in my area of the country. September is basically Summer Lite, and October still has plenty of greenery and warmth. November is the one month that is consistently "fall." Cool temperatures, changing leaves, earlier darkness--everything people love about autumn really doesn't hit its stride until this month.

These conditions allow for the contemplation I mentioned earlier. November is a month to feel the nip in the air and take a deep breath while you meditate on your place in the world and how you wish to spend your time on this earth. It's a great month to get a handle on your mental health. I recommend you take full advantage of it.

So go for a stroll through your neighborhood after sunset. Feel the cool wind embrace you. Smell the neighbor's fire pit and enjoy the scent of burning hickory. Let November wash over you. You've earned it. You deserve it.

Enjoy November!

Happy Halloween 2021!

 

And that's a wrap!

So ends yet another spooky stroll to October 31st. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for spending your month with me at the Countdown to Halloween. I'm afraid I wasn't as prolific as in years past, but it's been that kind of a year. Life is very different than when I started this blog (exactly 14 years ago today as I write this), and time is scarce. What time I did spare for the blog, however, I gave my all.

Be safe, have fun, and most of all, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

But still to come...

Don't Go to Sleep (1982 TV-Movie)

 

Today's feature is the 1982 TV-movie Don't Go to Sleep.

In this movie, a mother, father, son, daughter, and grandmother move into a new house in the hopes of putting behind a family tragedy that took the like of another daughter. After moving into the house, the surviving daughter claims that her deceased sister is still alive and living under her bed. The family is of course weary of her claim, but a series of strange occurrences leads the family to take the daughter's claim seriously.

This movie is a reminder that made for TV horror from back in the day may not have had the freedoms that theatrical horror has had, but it could still be just as chilling regardless.

Enjoy!

Pulsar, Halloween (1977)

 

I usually save longer features for Fridays during the Countdown, but with only a few days left, I'm bending my own rules. Today's post is the 1977 progressive rock album Halloween by the French prog band Pulsar.

This was the third album for the band and their most noteworthy album. While not directly tied into the holiday, it's eerie and ethereal enough to fit in with the season.

Enjoy!

Ghost Cartoons of Louie Zong

 

One week to go in the Countdown to Halloween. One. Week. Let's make it count, folks!

Today I offer a couple of short yet delightful cartoons from animator Louie Zong. Zong's work features short musical cartoons without words that are whimsical, sweet, and simple. Some of his most popular cartoons feature adorable ghosts singing a soft tune, which is actually the sound of a theramin-like instrument.

Below I feature all of Zong's ghost cartoons I could find, including his latest at the bottom which was just released last week.

For all of Louie Zong's animations, visit his YouTube channel here.

Enjoy!

The Vampires, "At The Monster Ball"

 

Happy Friday! As with all Countdown to Halloween Fridays, I present a longer-form item for you to enjoy. This week I present the novelty music album At The Monster Ball by The Vampires!

The Vampires aren't a real band, alas; they're a group of session players brought together for this fun album of goofy monster-related songs. Published in 1964 and produced by legendary TV and movie music conductor Milton Delugg (he wrote the Munsters theme!), this album is perfect for Halloween listening. Pure innocent fun for all!

Enjoy! Have a great weekend! Be spooky!

Halloween TV Commercials 2021 Edition Part 2: Local TV Commercials

 

With today being October 20th, it means we're now in the home stretch of the season. No more playing around. Time to get seriously Halloweeny!

Today I offer another round of entertaining spooky TV commercials. But this time, we're focusing on local TV commercials, which aren't usually high budget, but have a great deal of fun and creativity. Let's get to it!

We start with this quick commercial for Mel-Mac Shoes in Laurel, Mississippi, which goes the classic "Halloween Safety Tips" route.

This is a cool commercial for the local dark attraction Pope's Haunted Farm in Texas. Local commercials are so awesome!

Another case in point!

And the hits just keep on comin'!

Finally, McDonald's is an international business of course, but this particular commercial was produced for a local franchisee in Minnesota and only aired there. A real fun one!

 

While we're focusing on local business, please patronize the local businesses in your area. They need your help more than ever.

Thanks!

ABC Weekend Special, "The Adventures of a Two-Minute Werewolf"

 

Welcome to Friday! This means we have a long-form program to share, and this week it's something I've been looking for for years and couldn't find it--until now! Today I present the 1985 ABC Weekend Special "The Adventures of a Two-Minute Werewolf!"

The ABC Weekend Special aired on ABC for a number of years as part of the network's Saturday morning lineup, scheduled after the earlier morning cartoons and before American Bandstand, and was aimed at a preteen audience. As for this particular installment, I'm going to borrow the description from the YouTube user who uploaded it, as it's clear and concise:

"13-year-old Walt Cribbens finds himself transforming into a werewolf for two minutes at a time. He has no idea why he is a werewolf, so he decides to seek answers with the help of his best friend Cindy, who witnessed his very first transformation. This quest is complicated by a series of local robberies that throw suspicion on Walt."

I remember this being a lot of fun, so I hope you enjoy as well.

Have a great weekend! Look out for Michael Myers, he's back in town!

You Can't Do That On Television, "Halloween"

Today's Countdown post should be a fun one for Generation X readers out there. Today I present an episode of the fondly remembered '80s Nickelodeon series You Can't Do That On Television.

You Can't was a Canadian-produced sketch comedy show aimed at pre-teens. The series began airing locally in Ottawa in 1979 before going national in Canada and in the US on Nickelodeon in 1981. The show became a huge hit for Nick, becoming the most famous show on the network at the time. The green slime poured on the show's young performers remains associated with the network to this very day.

Each episode's skits revolved around a particular theme, and in this episode, that theme is Halloween. This video is courtesy of the Museum of Classic Chicago Television, a YouTube channel that is a showcase of classic TV recorded in the Chicago area. It's one of my favorite YT channels; check them out!

Enjoy!

Woody Woodpecker, "Spook-A-Nanny"

 

Today at the Countdown I feature an unknown-to-me Halloween cartoon starring a childhood favorite character, Woody Woodpecker.

In "Spook-A-Nanny," Woody tries to fool his friends into thinking he's a ghost at their Halloween party, but they see right through his disguise. Afterwards, some real spirits appear on the scene to get the party started, dancing a dance called Spook-A-Nanny.

Walter Lantz cartoons aren't part of pop culture conversations much these days, which is a shame, as while they weren't on the same level as Disney or Looney Tunes characters, they had a charm of their own.

Enjoy!

Batman: Strange Days

 

It's the second full week of the Countdown to Halloween, so why not start it off with a bit of Batman?

Granted, he's maybe not the first thing you think of when you think of Halloween, but superheroes have been a Halloween costume staple for decades, and besides, Batman kind of has Halloween built into him, you know?

This short cartoon titled "Batman: Strange Days" was created by Bruce Timm in honor of Batman's 75th anniversary back in 2014, and features Bats in his earliest character design from 1939. Here, he rescues a damsel in distress from his first-ever supervillain, Professor Hugo Strange. The cartoon is done in beautiful film noir style, and to make it more appropriate for Halloween, features a large zombie.

Enjoy!

The Three Stooges Halloween Special

Hey there numbskulls! It's time for a long-form Halloween program, as I do every Friday during the Countdown. And this week, I'm featuring three of my favorite people of all time--The Three Stooges!

The Three Stooges Halloween Special is a compilation of several spooky-themed Stooges films put together for the official Three Stooges YouTube channel. I've featured a couple of their frightful films before, and I'm very happy to present more to you this year.

So jump in the saddle and enjoy the show! Nyuk nyuk nyuk!

Have a great weekend! Ride that hayride! Haunt that house! Drink that cider! Enjoy!

 

Fridays, "Diner of the Living Dead"

 

Today on the Countdown I offer a fun, if gross, skit from the infamous 1980s comedy series Fridays.

Fridays aired for three seasons on ABC in the early 80s and featured future Seinfeld co-creator Larry David and cast member Michael Richards ("Kramer"). The skit below is one of the earliest, and most notorious, of the entire series. On the third episode of the first season, "Diner of the Living Dead" aired, about a young human couple looking for a bite to eat, and stop at a local diner--completely staffed by flesh-eating zombies.

The skit is pretty gory for a comedy show, even one airing late at night, and a decent number of ABC affiliates were so offended by the sketch that they dropped the series from their schedules

So I choose to show it to you now. Enjoy!

Just don't watch while eating!

Sesame Street: Bert and Ernie Meet The Mummy (Sort Of)

 

Welcome back! Today's entry in the Countdown to Halloween is a fun clip from the classic days of Sesame Street. Lovable characters Bert and Ernie, the Abbott and Costello of Sesame Street, meet an ancient mummy who looks suspiciously familiar.

OK, it's a statue come to life, not a mummy, but you get the point.

Enjoy!

Halloween TV Commercials 2021 Edition Part 1

 

Hello pumpkins! Welcome to the first full week of the Countdown to Halloween. I hope you spent the first weekend of October doing scary, spooky things! I know I did--I got a flu shot. Scary! And I just started decorating for the holiday, finally. I only got a few items up so far, but I'll be adding more and more throughout the week.

For the first true article of the Countdown (with Friday's post being just an intro), I present one of my favorite categories of Countdown articles--great Halloween TV commercials. As much as most people find your average commercial an annoyance, Halloween-themed commercials let you know that society is ready to get its scare on. Let's check out my first of what I hope will be several sets of commercial goodness!

First up--would you move into a haunted house just to enjoy a brand new Audi? These people certainly would!

Next, Walgreen's has long been a Halloween headquarters for the latest decorations and candy. Check them out now if you haven't already!

In this next commercial, the villains have taken over Disneyland in Calfornia! Beware of the grim, grinning ghosts!

Think that's scary? That's nothing compared to the haunting of Universal Orlando during Halloween Horror Nights!

Airing this very year, here is Freeform's fun promo for their classic perennial, 31 Nights of Halloween!

Finally (for now), this next commercial gets me right in the nostalgia bone. It's a Woolworth and Woolco ad from my childhood shilling the cheapest costumes Ben Cooper had to offer. For me, THIS is Halloween!

I hope you enjoyed these exhibits of creepy capitalism. Stay tuned for more installments this month, and please hang around for all my exhibits during the Countdown to Halloween. The fun is literally just beginning!

Welcome to the 2021 Countdown to Halloween!

ARIIIIIIIIIIIIISE MY FRIENDS! OUR TIME HAS COME!

Welcome one and all to the 2021 Countdown to Halloween! 'Tis time once again to leave our coffins and enter the dark of night that is the Halloween season. But we don't do it alone. We have dozens of fellow blogger friends ready to roll with 31 days of Halloween horror, hi-jinks, and spookiness.

Check out all the blogs at the official Countdown to Halloween site, run this year by Dex of AEIOU, Michael May, and Naaila Moon of Zombie Crossings. It's only due to their hard work that the Countdown continues. Thank you all so much!

As for this neck of the spooky woods, you will find movies, cartoons, TV episodes, commercials, and who knows what else. What I know for certain is we will have a great time!

My goal is to post something new every weekday, Monday through Friday, as best I can. Please show your support for the blog by leaving comments and sharing your favorite articles. I really appreciate it!

And now, let the Countdown to Halloween begin!

Back to School Music

 

Everyone take your seats, class is in session!

Welcome back to Me and You and a Blog Named Boo. I hope everyone had a happy, safe, and healthy summer! Please do everything you can to stay healthy, and I mean that physically, mentally, and emotionally. Take advantage of every resource you can to maintain safety, health, and sanity at this trying time.

As is tradition here at the blog the days after Labor Day, I present some fun stuff to clear your mind of the summer cobwebs and get you back to school, so to speak. Summer is usually (hopefully) a time to relax, unwind, and take a vacation (or several). With fall approaching, it's time to get back in focus, because we have the best time of year ahead of us! When we were kids, going back to school made sure we were focused and alert. As adults, we have to do it ourselves.

With this in mind, here are some songs to put you in a studious frame of mind. Pay attention, they'll be a pop quiz later!

Enjoy! Class dismissed!

McDonald's Camp Snoopy Glasses from 1983

Hello! Summer 2021 is in its final throes. Let me make a summer-themed contribution before we go back to school in a couple weeks!

Way back in 1983, McDonald's--the unofficial official restaurant of this blog--released a line of collectible drinking glasses based on the Peanuts characters--Peanuts being the unofficial official comic strip of this blog. More so, the glasses tied in with the then-recent launch of Camp Snoopy, the theme park within a park at Knott's Berry Farm in California. There were five glasses in all, one available per week: Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy, and Woodstock.

Being both a huge fan of Peanuts and McDonald's, I was thrilled to get these glasses every week. I was also disappointed when every glass we owned broke, usually in the dishwasher. However, my wife managed to find two of the five glasses on Facebook Marketplace recently, the Linus and Snoopy glasses, for the bargain price of $5 for the two of them!

Aren't they beautiful?

Here are a few of the TV commercials promoting the glasses. Enjoy! Have a great rest of the summer!

100 Days Until Halloween!

 

Hello! My, it's been quite awhile!

Forgive the radio silence these past 5 months, but life has been crazy, as I'm sure it has been for everyone during the pandemic. But it's my sincere hope that things will pick up around here going forward, especially since we are getting closer to the blog's greatest event of the year--the Countdown to Halloween!

The spookiest night of the year is a mere 100 days away as this publishes (notice the countdown clock to the right), so I want to take the time to both remind you that this blog exists, and to whet your whistle for what's to come. Please keep your eyes open for more, Halloween and otherwise in the months to come.

Thanks! Have a great summer! Stay safe! Get vaccinated! Wear a mask!

Marvel Cinematic Universe Slate for 2021 and Beyond!

If you're like me--and why wouldn't you be like me?--you are absolutely in love with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Almost everything they've produced has been a creative winner, and I get excited for every announcement they make for future projects.

So imagine my excitement as I watched this 20+ minute presentation of the MCU's products releasing in 2021, 2022, and beyond. There is a metric ton of material coming out the next two to three years in both theaters and Disney+, and the fact that all of it interconnects makes it all the more thrilling. Pick up your jaw after watching this presentation given at the virtual Disney investors' meeting this past December.

Enjoy! Excelsior!

A Charlie Brown Valentine (2002)

 

Hello everyone! It's officially February. The first month of the new year is already in the past. We welcome the new month with the forgotten TV special A Charlie Brown Valentine.

This special, not to be confused with the more famous Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, features several vignettes starring the Peanuts gang in various instances of unrequited love. This special doesn't have the gravitas that Be My Valentine does, but for a Peanuts fan like me, any holiday Peanuts special is welcome.

Enjoy!

Celebrate Valentine's Day the Teen Titans GO! Way

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a great holiday season! Sorry for the long delay, but I've been very busy getting back into the swing of things in the new year. I only have a quick minute to jump in and move into a different holiday coming our way, Valentine's Day.

A time for love, romance, flowers, and candy. And superheroes.

Yes, superheroes!

Today I present a collection of clips from one of my favorites TV shows of the last few years, Teen Titans GO! Although deemed a "kids show," it really is for anyone who loves great comedy, and Teen Titans GO! is exactly that. In these clips, you will see a sampling of the hilariously failed romance attempts among the titular Titans. It's enough to make Charlie Brown feel lucky in love.

Enjoy!