Links to Christmas Web Sites

If you're reading the blog this week, it means two thing:  you like Christmas, and you like the Internet.  And you know what?  They're two great tastes that go great together!  Here are some awesome Web sites to get you in the Christmas spirit.

First and foremost, I must give a shout-out to Santa's Working Overtime.  It is the first place to go for all your Christmas needs.  This blog does an amazing job combing through the finest holiday items on the 'Net and putting them in one place for your amusement and edification.  Whether it's Christmas music, recipes, articles, videos, or anything else you're looking for, you're sure to find something you'll like here.  This very blog is often cited there, and I'm extremely grateful and flattered to be featured there.  It won't disappoint!

Also at the top of the list is FaLaLaLaLa.com, hosted by the King of Jingaling (a fantastic name!).  This blog deals primarily in the discussion of Xmas music, but features other sugar plums as well.  Like Santa's Working Overtime, this one is featured in my blog list to the right, and I'm linked there as well.

I'd be shocked if you're not already familiar with Ernie (Not Bert), but this blog is one of the finest and longest running sites for Christmas material.  Although not exclusively Christmas themed, the depth of Christmas stuff here is virtually unmatched anywhere else.

Another great site specifically for music is Stubby's House of Christmas, a brand new blog that covers almost every new Christmas music release out there.  You don't need to search endlessly by yourself to find the latest and obscure Christmas releases--Stubby's done the work for you.  A great site!

Speaking of new music releases, add Mistletunes to your list of must-see sites.  They specialize in what they define as "rock'n'roll Christmas music," meaning music by contemporary artists rather than the usual Bing Crosby/Johnny Mathis/Perry Como stuff.  Again, this is another great site to find Christmas music that's off the beaten path.

A time-honored holiday tradition is the tracking of Santa's Christmas Eve ride by the government organization NORAD.  Keep dibs on ol' St. Nick here.

A site that I've enjoyed for almost a decade is Xmasfun.com.  There are plenty of articles, games, and free downloads for the whole family to enjoy.  I especially like the Christmas Lights computer program that puts festive lights on your computer desktop, even in front of other programs you're using.  Try it out!

Finally, if you're a member of Generation X (like me), you have to check out X-Entertainment.com.  Operated by a hardcore Gen-Xer, you'll find plenty of post-Boomer Christmas fun there.

If you know of any other great Christmas sites, please let me know in the comment section.  Merry Clicksmas, er, Christmas!

Christmas TV Commercials 2010 Edition

Merry Christmas! Happy Chanukah! Happy Kwanzaa! Yes, it is, indeed, the most wonderful time of the year again, and that means wall-to-wall holiday fare here at the blog. If you love the holidays as much as I do, you're in for a treat! If the holidays aren't your thing--well, please bare with me until after the new year when I get back to non-holiday shenanigans. The blog is decorated (moreso than my house right now, unfortunately), and it's time to bring on the good stuff. First up, as is traditional here for the holidays, are fun TV commercials of the season.

Do your Christmas shopping at the Mall of America.



Enjoy some delicious Carvel ice cream cakes (you know how much I love these commercials).



Here is a classic one for the late toy store chain Lionel Kiddie City.



Here's one for a sister store to Kiddie City, Lionel Playworld, starring a young Seth Green!



The best part of waking up Christmas morning is Folger's in your cup.



These precocious youngsters try to snap a shot of Santa with a Polaroid camera.



Time to make the Christmas donuts!



Remember 976 and 1-900 numbers? Many were not as family-friendly as this one, but this seems kind of creepy in its own way.



Finally, another of the Rice Krispy Treats commercials I love so much.



And so it begins.  Stay tuned for more reindeer games now through the end of the year.  Thanks!

Creative Candle Holders, "The First Thanksgiving"

And so we find ourselves at the day before the holiday season! Despite all the stress and the craziness and running around, this is still my favorite time of the year by far. I can't help it! And I dont' want to help it :) One of the many things I'm thankful for are my great readers. Thank you very much for taking the time to enjoy the blog.

For my last Thanksgiving post of the year, I present yet another retelling of the first Thanksgiving, but unlike the animated versions I've presented this year, this version is not a cartoon. It's a sober narration of the first Thanksgiving matched with fine artwork. The video was created by Creative Candle Holders as a promotion for the company, and it's a fine one (although their statement of turkey being served at the first Thanksgiving is erroneous). Enjoy!



I hope you enjoyed my Thanksgiving programming, and I sincerely wish you and your family a happy, healthy, and reflective Thanksgiving.

But wait--what's this?



YES!! CHRISTMAS!! It's coming, and I'm preparing fantastic stuff for you just as I do every year. Please stay tuned--the best is yet to come!

Disney's House of Mouse: Turkey Catchers

Here is a cartoon from the 1990s ABC Saturday morning cartoon Disney's House of Mouse. Mickey and Co. employ themselves as the world's worst "Turkey Catchers." Enjoy!



I've updated a lot of dead links and missing videos in Thanksgiving posts in the archives, so if you're enjoying my Thanksgiving programming this year, please take some time to check posts from years past. Go to the "May I Help You Find Something" section at the right of the screen and click on the Thanksgiving label. Thanks!

Rankin-Bass's The Mouse On The Mayflower Clips

Three days left until Turkey Day! Time to finish up at work for a smooth transition into the holiday season.

Today I feature clips from the Rankin-Bass special The Mouse On The Mayflower. This is yet another animated telling of the first Thanksgiving, this time with musical numbers. This is the only Thanksgiving special from the legendary animation studio that I'm aware of. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the entire special online, and the only copies you'll find on video are old VHS tapes and DVD transfers. I would be eternally thankful for a reissue. Enjoy!



WARNING: LOUD AND POOR SOUND IN THIS NEXT CLIP!





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Please Don't Eat The Planet: An Intergalactic Thanksgiving

If you're a devoted fan of animation, you're likely familiar with Nelvana, a huge animation studio based in Canada.  Their list of animation credits is far too lengthy to mention here, but they started in the late 70s by creating some unusual TV specials, unusual both in animation design and storyline.  I've featured two of these specials before, and today's find is yet another example.

Please Don't Eat the Planet: An Intergalactic Thanksgiving involves a family of--ahem--space farmers, who find a planet on which humor is the most valued thing in life.  The locals find the farmers very funny, much to the farmers' dismay, and...my, this already sounds weird and I've just scratched the surface of what it's about.  But trust me, it's about Thanksgiving.  I'll let the special speak for itself.  Enjoy!

On The Road with Charles Kuralt: Chandler Family Reunion, Thanksgiving 1978

Today is a special post here at the blog.  Instead of showing a cartoon or commercial, I have something much more poignant.

I've previously featured a segment of On The Road with Charles Kuralt and stated my love for his reporting there.  This is an even better example of his amazing work--and an example of an amazing family.  Please take a few moments to watch this closely and learn about the Chandler family of Prairie, Mississippi. First see their Thanksgiving reunion from 1978, followed by a recent update on the Chandlers. They're a very special family sharing a very special Thanksgiving.  I wish their blessings not only for my own family, but yours as well.  Enjoy!




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