12.24.08

  SHOW PREP DECEMBER 24, 2008

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

HOLLYWOOD 411 . . .

Sam Mendes says directing wife Kate Winslet as she grappled with Leonardo DiCaprio in the steamier scenes in “Revolutionary Road” was “a profoundly weird experience” – so weird that he couldn’t watch it. Instead, he monitored the action on a video screen in the next room. Mendes tells Britain’s Observer that he would shout, “Leo, don’t bang her head so hard against the kitchen cabinets!” and “Could you not do it for so long this time?” When DiCaprio asked him to be more specific, Mendes replied, “About 45 seconds.” Leo impishly responded, “Really? Only 45 seconds?” (Page Six)

Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have weekly pampering days to maintain their good looks. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt schedule weekly pampering sessions to keep their good looks an insider has told Star magazine. “They call it their Me Day,” the source claims. “Angelina’s assistant makes all the arrangements. She likes massages, pedicures and waxing – and even gets her toes waxed. Angelina’s very particular about not having any stray hairs. Brad likes to get highlights and facials and is obsessed with his skin looking flawless and pays extra for detoxifying elixir peels and anti-aging organic serum cleanses.” (Handbag)

Former Friends star Courteney Cox-Arquette has said she will never consider divorcing husband David Arquette. Courteney Cox-Arquette has revealed that she has regular marriage therapy sessions because she will not consider divorcing her husband David Arquette. “Is marriage for ever? I think you get married with the intention that it will be, but who knows?” Courteney told the Daily Mail. “I get shocked by people getting divorced all the time, that’s why I choose to work on it. Therapy helps us. It’s so easy to grow apart; marriage takes work. I suppose you can work it out by talking to each other – I would just prefer to have a referee, it reminds us why we’re together. Before my dad died, he said one of his big regrets was that he hadn’t worked on their marriage enough. I don’t know what the future’s going to hold, but divorce isn’t really an option.” (Handbag)

Both Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony have recently been photographed without their wedding rings, but the marital discord apparently started much earlier. Despite the fact that the couple renewed its vows in October, a source tells Page Six that Lopez used to send her assistant on tour with Anthony while she stayed at home with their twins. “She wanted reports back so he didn’t cheat on her,” says our source. Lopez and Anthony are also reportedly selling the $8.5 million Bel Air estate where they were wed in June 2004. Lopez’s rep did not respond to a request for comment. (Page Six)

Robert Downey, Jr. is reportedly acting like a major diva on the  HYPERLINK “http://perezhilton.com/2008-12-15-hot-or-not-13″ \t “_blank” set of his latest flick, Sherlock Holmes. RDJ is allegedly being a prick on set and making people miserable asking for shit left and right. Sounds like your typical A-lister! One source  HYPERLINK “http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4800731a1860.html” \t “_blank” says, “Robert had one crew member running around like a headless chicken trying to find a straw after he demanded one for his drink. The poor guy was stressing as they were in the middle of nowhere on an old dockyard, so there was hardly a convenience store nearby.” Well, a freaking straw doesn’t sound so bad.  Seriously, some people don’t like drinking out of a can, due to the germs and shit. A straw? Puh-lease, get the man his straw already. The former druggie is also a bit cocky it seems. Not literally, we’re guessing. A source adds that “Robert also has a habit of telling everyone how great his last scene was – just after he’s filmed it.” Ok, so maybe he’s a bit self-absorbed or what not. But somehow we think the people on set are just a bit too sensitive.  If they want to see a real diva, maybe they should work with Mariah Carey or Beowulf. We have a feeling they’d love RDJ after that! (Perez Hilton)

Sharon Stone likes her packages as much as anyone, just not when they’re delivered by creepy guys. Our law enforcement peeps tell us Sharon called the Bev Hills Police Dept. last Sunday, reporting a “suspicious” guy who came to her home. Stone told cops the guy said he was either making a delivery or some sort of service call. She says he didn’t seem legit and didn’t let him in — but had enough of a bad feeling to call the cops. But here’s the problem. Sharon doesn’t live in Beverly Hills, so she was told to call the LAPD. As far as we can tell, she never followed up. (TMZ)

Paris Hilton is in the pink – she has treated herself to a $200,000 rose-colored Bentley. The socialite splashed out on her dream car as a special Christmas gift to herself. The customized Continental Gt has pink bodywork, tires and interior, with personally monogrammed seats and tinted windows. She showed off the vehicle during a shopping trip in Los Angeles with Brittany Flickinger, the winner of her reality TV show My New BFF, this week. Hilton says, “I love it, it’s so pretty. I’ve just always wanted a pink car. I think when you’re a little girl and you have the Barbie Corvette you’re like, ‘I wish I had a car like this one’. So I think (it’s) just being a fan of Barbie for so long. “This is a car I can’t drive every single day, but I will be driving it a lot. I live in a gated community so I can get in and out without the paparazzi. They’ve put a protective tint on the windows so no flashes can come through.” (Teen Hollywood)

Shia LaBeouf has undergone a second operation on his hand five months after he was injured in a car crash in Los Angeles. The actor had surgery straight after the accident in July, but reportedly postponed a second operation to allow him to complete filming on action sequel Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen. Movie bosses were forced to rewrite some of the script to include LaBeouf’s injury. The 22-year-old booked himself in for a corrective procedure two weeks ago, according to the New York Daily News, and is now recovering at home. A representative for the star has confirmed the operation was a success: “Shia had one surgery postponed for Transformers 2, but there’s no additional complications now. It’s taken a while, but the surgery has been completed and Shia should be healing fine.  (Teen Hollywood)

Twilight actress Kristen Stewart is struggling to cope with her newfound fame – because she has yet to adjust to crazed fans recognizing her on the street. The 18-year-old was catapulted into the spotlight with co-star Robert Pattinson when the epic Vampire love story stormed into international box offices last month. But Stewart admits their sudden success is overwhelming. She says, “I’m really not good at it. Some people are great at it. It’s like the other side of the job. I can’t believe I have to do it. “It makes it easier because I’m really proud of the movie and I’m a fan of the book as well.” It’s weird to see people mainly my age flipping out over Rob walking into the room. He shifts in his seat and they all just go crazy. It’s a little daunting.” (Teen Hollywood)

What a difference a year makes. After all the seemingly  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/photos/gallery.jsp?galleryUUID=1011acf9-f94e-4c2d-9d4c-a035c9909e9c” \t “_blank” endless drama surrounding  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=4299b69e-a001-4915-9331-1ccd05b6b365″ Britney Spears, it’s so great to finally see the pop star return to form, where she’s now singing about a circus instead of being the proverbial big top’s freak-show attraction.  But there’s probably no better evidence of her rise from the ashes than this holiday greeting she just  HYPERLINK “http://www.britneyspears.com/2008/12/holiday-wishes.php” \t “_blank” posted on her website. Kneeling in front of a Christmas tree, Brit simply beams while embracing her two smiling sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James. Comeback indeed. (Eonline)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Apparently $5,300 is the going rate for what is presumably the most expensive used tissue in the world. Last week,  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=dd12e7e0-4950-4863-8a28-7622e27c62db” Scarlett Johansson got into the spirit of  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b73940_Scarlett_Johansson_Gives_a_Snot_About_Hunger.html” \t “_blank” the holiday sniffles on the Tonight Show With  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=24628e2e-5656-4d01-9480-989cfd9f4a44″ Jay Leno. She claimed she caught the cold from costar  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=ffab65b0-bec5-4cc9-951e-2ff189c6d2c8″ Samuel L. Jackson. When after Leno handed her a tissue and the starlet gave a good blow, she joked that the used hanky had some value. To test her hypothesis, the tissue was placed on the auction block on eBay, with proceeds benefiting USA Harvest. Seems an anonymous, recession-proof fan dug deep into his or her pockets and anted up the big bucks for ScarJo’s snot rag during a last-minute bidding war. The winner of the golden mucus will be confirmed and announced on Tuesday’s Tonight Show. (Eonline)

A spokesman for Michael Jackson has denied the singer is suffering from a life-threatening lung disease. Michael Jackson’s doctor has denied yesterday’s reports that the singer needs a lung transplant. Biographer Ian Halperin told the press yesterday that Jackson could barely speak, suffers from emphysema, internal bleeding, and has lost 95% of the vision in his left eye due the genetic lung disease Alpha-1 Anti-Trypsin Deficiency. “The writer’s wild allegations concerning Mr. Jackson’s health are a total fabrication,” Dr Tohme Tohme said in a statement to Reuters. “Concerning this author’s allegations, we would hope in the future that legitimate media will not continue to be exploited by such an obvious attempt to promote this unauthorized biography. Mr. Jackson is in fine health and finalizing negotiations with a major entertainment company and television network for both a world tour and a series of specials and appearances.” (Handbag)

Luke Wilson isn’t cutting back on his party-boy ways, but he’s cutting back on his spending. The often-bloated funnyman was spotted at the Yellow Rose gentlemen’s club in Austin, Texas – which charges a meager $7 cover charge – with a group of pals last week. Our spy said he was “getting lap dances and rocking out” at the club, which doubles as a concert venue. Wilson was treated to a heavy-metal show while living it up with the ladies. (Page Six)

 HYPERLINK “http://www.people.com/people/heidi_klum” Heidi Klum and Seal, attending an intimate dinner party at West Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont. The couple sat under the awning of the famed hotel’s patio, and acted “very cozy with each other,” an onlooker says. The pair sat at the table with five friends and laughed and chatted with the group for hours. Klum sipped wine with one hand, while keeping the other firmly on Seal’s knee. Every once in a while, Seal would lean over and kiss his wife on the cheek. Says the onlooker: “It was very sweet.” (People)

 HYPERLINK “http://www.people.com/people/johnny_depp” Johnny Depp, greeting Dan Aykroyd at the Redwood Room, a bar inside San Francisco’s Clift Hotel. The comedian was in the Bay Area to promote his new wine – and coincidentally ran into Depp, who was having a meeting at the bar. When they came face-to-face, Aykroyd left Depp a parting gift: a signed bottle of his wine. (People)

Justin Levens overcame a hardscrabble youth to reach fame in the brutal sport of mixed martial arts, only to stumble and fall as his professional losses mounted. As the investigation continues into last week’s  HYPERLINK “http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20247615,00.html” apparent murder-suicide of Levens, 28, and his wife, Sara McLean-Levens, 25, details are emerging of his downward spiral. “Justin was a self-made man who literally fought his way to the top,” close friend Tom Atencio tells PEOPLE. “He was a gentle soul who struggled with life. Anyone who grew up under his circumstances would struggle, and unfortunately it got the best of him. He just had some personal demons that he couldn’t overcome.” Levens was raised in the projects in Philadelphia, never knew his real father, and was on his own since age 15, Atencio says, adding that “a lot of people let him down in life.” String of Losses Atencio says a string of losses in the mixed martial arts circuit contributed to Levens’s stress: With his first professional fight in 2004, Levens rocketed to fame with an undefeated 7-0 record in different leagues – only to hit a losing streak.  His last five matches were all losses. “Fighting was Justin’s life but it wasn’t going well for him,” Atencio says. “I know he was considering leaving the sport. But Justin was a fighter, I don’t know what else he would’ve done.” Earlier this year, Levens was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission after testing positive for a pain-killing medication. Signs of Trouble Signs of trouble at the Laguna Niguel, Calif., home of Levens and his wife were apparent in the weeks leading up to their deaths. Deputies responded to their home at least twice in the last month, including a recent visit for a possible drug overdose, says Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Jim Amormino. Pain-killing and anti-depressant type drugs were found in the home following the discovery of their bodies, Amormino said. And according to the Los Angeles Times, Levens was convicted in 2003 of spousal injury, although details on that incident weren’t immediately clear. “Justin had a rough life; he was a good kid and was trying to get on the right path,” Atencio says. “This is a total tragedy and all you can do is wonder. No one saw this coming in the manner in which it happened.” (People)

PEOPLE’s  HYPERLINK “http://www.people.com/people/package/gallery/0,,20237714_20241212,00.html” Sexiest Man Alive  HYPERLINK “http://www.people.com/people/hugh_jackman” Hugh Jackman is also in the running for Sweetest Dad Alive: The Australia actor took his daughter Ava, 3, to see Shrek the Musical on Broadway. Jackman sat in the front of the theater and doted on his daughter during the show, while also snacking on candy. (People)

YOU can bet Hollywood nightclub impresario Amanda Demme is going to have ironclad security at her new venue. Last March, a year after her LA hot spot Teddy’s was shut down for serving alcohol to underage boldfaces, Demme told us she planned to launch a new place. Now we’re hearing it will be on Hollywood Boulevard, be tween the Kodak Theatre and the Chinese Theatre, and be called H’Wood. “There will be a very tight door,” said our source, but “Amanda will be bringing in her old fabulous crowd.” (Page Six)

DAVID Blaine literally gave the coat off his back today as he donated his outerwear to the New York Cares coat drive. The magic man – who once spent 63 hours in a block of ice – then stood in Bryant Park, wearing only a T-shirt and slacks in 15-degree weather, collecting coats and autographing his custom playing cards. “If you really want to understand why the Coat Drive is important, try standing outside for an hour without a coat,” Blaine explained. He apologized that he couldn’t do magic for the coat donors – his hands were too cold. (Page Six)

Despite going off the air 16 years ago, Theo Huxtable (a.k.a. Malcolm-Jamal Warner) tell us he still keeps Rudy and Cliff on speed dial. (TMZ)

The Prez-elect has proven he has no problem with pork. Well, chopped pork shoulder with a variety of other meats mixed in. On Sunday, reports People, Barack Obama stopped for a mid-golfing snack and got hot dogs, drinks, and something the Hawaiians call “Spam musubi,” which is Spam and omelet on rice wrapped in seaweed. Yes, it’s delicious, and we know it isn’t going to his abs. He also reportedly offered reporters beers on his tab, which they declined. (TMZ)

Speaking of four-legged friends,  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=dfad520d-8240-41cb-b86b-d05deb6e5891″ John Mayer allegedly hates  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=b2e9ad5d-b4e1-496d-bc57-bfa7c4c38ea6″ Jennifer Aniston’s  HYPERLINK “http://www.dlisted.com/node/29881″ \t “_blank” dogs. (Eonline)

It may be all sparkly veneers and hair extensions on the surface, but the roots are starting to show and the teeth are cracking! There’s some mayjah Britney Spears tour drama going on behind the scenes. According to  HYPERLINK “http://www.lifeandstylemag.com/” \t “_blank” Life & Style, Brit Brit has dumped her longtime choreographers, Wade Robson and Andre Fuentes. The two choreographers helped launch Brit’s comeback appearances in Europe, Japan, and on US television.  A source tells the mag, “Wade and Andre were only hired to choreograph the promotional tour for Circus, which ended in Japan last week.” However, that’s not exactly true. Wade was publicly announced as the director for Brit’s upcoming tour. Wade has been with Spears since he directed her first ever big US tour back in 1999. As for Andre, he’s been working with Spears since her 1998 L’Oréal Hair Zone Mall Tour. Way to get rid of those who’ve helped you since the beginning! Brit’s The Circus Starring Britney Spears tour will now be directed by Jamie King, who just directed Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet tour. The McDonald Selznick Associates Agency, which represents King,  HYPERLINK “http://www.badmediakarma.com/2008/12/official-jamie-king-is-directing-the-circus-tour/” \t “_blank” posted the following on their official website: “Britney’s back and going on tour to promote her new album Circus! Congratulations to Jamie King who will be the tour’s director. Simon Ellis will be the Musical Director for the tour.” As for King, he’s  HYPERLINK “http://www.jamiekingofficial.com/” \t “_blank” directed and choreographed several world tours, Madonna’s latest, Christina Aguilera’s Back To Basics tour and the Spice Girls reunion tour. He also did Britney’s Oops!… I Did It Again tour. And as for Wade, other inside sources are reporting that both he and Andre reportedly quit, stating they’ve “had it”. Wonder what happened? (Perez Hilton)

Thanks to her relationship with Lindsay Lohan DJ Samantha Ronson is now able to charge £15,000 a night when DJing. Samantha Ronson’s DJing fee has risen from around £900 per night to over £15,000 thanks to her relationship with Lindsay Lohan sources have told the New York Daily News. “While Sam never contractually agrees that Lindsay will show up to her shows, promoters, owners and publicists all know that if you book Sam, there’s a high likelihood Lindsay will also show,” an insider close says. “Sam’s now asking for a lot more money to spin, and she’s getting it easily.” (Handbag)

Despite a report in the Los Angeles Times claiming otherwise, the doors to Paris Hilton’s Sherman Oaks home were locked the day it was robbed, a source told Usmagazine.com on Monday. “All of Paris’ diamonds, necklaces, rings, watches, old family heirlooms from her grandmothers was stolen,” the source told Us.  The heiress, 27, wasn’t at home when the burglar  HYPERLINK “http://www.usmagazine.com/news/report-paris-hilton-robbed-2million-worth-of-jewelry” \t “_blank” entered the house on Friday morning and took over $2 million in jewelry.  “They have the thief caught on tape since she has surveillance cameras set up in every room in her home,” the source said. “In the tapes the thief knows exactly where to go, almost like he’s been there before. Detectives are doing a big investigation and will catch this person.” Meanwhile, Hilton isn’t taking any chances.  “Paris has upped her security team to three 24-hour bodyguards around the clock and has someone on her property at all times,” the insider revealed.  “According to detectives, a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and gloves forced entry into the front door, ransacked her bedroom and took an undisclosed amount of property and fled the scene,” Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Richard French told Usmagazine.com on Friday. (US Weekly)

TMI Alert, Take 2! Following up on his  HYPERLINK “http://www.usmagazine.com/news/pete-wentz-ashlee-simpson-and-i-have-amazing-sex-life” \t “_blank” raunchy December 16 interview with Howard Stern, Pete Wentz revealed that wife Ashlee Simpson’s breast milk tastes “soury” and “weird” on SIRIUS’  HYPERLINK “http://www.sirius.com/siriushits1″ \t “_blank” The Morning Mash Up! on Monday. The Fall Out Boy bassist, 29, may not be a fan, but Ashlee and Pete’s newborn Bronx Mowgli is: “The baby loves it, it’s the only thing he’s had a chance to have.” Wentz went on to reveal that Ashlee isn’t the only Wentz to put on some pregnancy weight: “I gained 10 pounds at least. I usually hang out around 135, 134, I go up to about 140, and when I hit 148, I get fat face.” He added, “I’m working out a little bit, trying…I mean last night I decided to eat Virgil’s [BBQ] at midnight which is never a good idea…I’m feeling that a little bit today. For the most part, we’re going on walks – that kind of stuff. I think it comes off easier for her because she gets to breast feed and I don’t have the luxury of doing that.” Wentz also opened up about his “scared daddy moment.” He said: “I had a scared moment right before she went into labor – I thought I was having a heart attack for real, like my heart started doing like a weird thing. But, the first time I held him…I just knew everything was perfect. Like everything was good – it was like Legos, you know what I’m saying, like it all fit together.” And Wentz doesn’t want to stop at just one baby. He might even be aiming for a Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s brood of six. “I want to have six now. I mean not six specifically, but I want more…I can’t imagine that we’re stopping, you know what I’m saying? This is like a Journey song, it’s like the chorus is just going to keep coming.” He went on to say that his son is already a musician in the making. “You know he’s already got a little bass, he has a little piano.” Bronx will be receiving many more gifts for his first Christmas. “I don’t think at one they matter that much to him, but they matter a lot to me, so I’m going to be there sweating it out, putting things together…the night before Christmas because I know that’s what my Dad did and I know that’s what I want to do.” The Morning Mash Up! airs Monday – Friday from 6:00 am – noon ET on SIRIUS H (US Weekly)

Glenn Shadix — who played “Otho” the decorator in “Beetlejuice” — watched a fire tear through his Alabama home, if you couldn’t tell by the devastated look on his face. Glenn left his house (intact) on December 13, and when he returned at around 11:00 AM, it was engulfed in flames, according to the Western Tribune. Glenn bought the home — built in 1886 — a year ago when he moved back to Bessemer, Alabama, his hometown. The Trib reports Shadix repeatedly told firefighters, “I’ve lost my dream.” The cause of the fire is still under investigation. (TMZ)

A slain police officer’s sister reacted with disgust after a jury cleared a former actor on “The Sopranos” of her brother’s killing during a botched burglary three years ago. Lillo Brancato Jr. on Monday was convicted of a lesser charge of attempted burglary. He faces from three to 15 years in prison; the former actor could get credit for time served because he has been behind bars nearly three years. “What message is this sending out to the New York City police officers today? It’s wrong,” said Yolanda Rosa Nazario, sister of the victim. Prosecutors said Brancato, 32, and accomplice Steven Armento broke into a basement apartment to steal prescription drugs after a night of drinking at a strip club in December 2005. Officer Daniel Enchautegui (En-chow-TAY’-gee), who lived next door and was off duty, came out to investigate. Armento blasted the 28-year-old officer with his .357 Magnum, hitting him in the heart. The dying officer fired back, wounding both men. Armento was convicted earlier this year of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Brancato, who acknowledges problems with drugs and alcohol, said he was unaware Armento, 48, was carrying a weapon. He also argued he did not directly take part in the killing and was not armed. During the gun battle, Enchautegui was struck once and Armento was hit six times. Brancato, who drove the car to the apartment, was shot twice. Brancato was led out of court in handcuffs. His sentencing is Jan. 9, and District Attorney Robert T. Johnson said he would seek “the maximum sentence that the law allows.” “This would not have happened if not for this animal’s drug habit,” said Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association head Patrick Lynch. “The only good thing is that this skunk is not walking out to spend Christmas with his family. The sad part is that neither is Daniel.” Said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly: “We hope that the family and friends of Daniel Enchautegui find some comfort in the fact that at least one in the pair responsible for his death was convicted of murder.” Brancato rose to fame in the 1993 movie “A Bronx Tale,” playing a young kid from the neighborhood that is torn between two worlds and two men: a local mobster played by Chazz Palminteri and his straight-and-narrow bus-driver father, played by Robert De Niro. Other roles followed, most notably a stint on the second season of “The Sopranos,” where he played a bumbling aspiring mobster. His character carried out a series of low-level crimes for the New Jersey mob before being gunned down by Tony Soprano and his sidekick as he tearfully begged for his life. During the trial, Brancato tried to deflect suggestions by the prosecution that his testimony – at times punctuated by vignettes about his drug-crazed downfall – was another acting job. Brancato’s attorney, Joseph Tacopina, said his client was relieved with the verdict. “There was never going to be smiles,” he said. “This is not a case that warrants that.” (Daily Record)

The Los Angeles crime wave continues unchecked. Last week, Paris Hilton’s house was burglarized of more than $2 million worth of jewels while she was out. Now comes word that, a few days back, the luggage of a prominent publicist who begged us not to use her name was stolen from her Hollywood Hills bedroom while she ate dinner on a different floor of the house. Meanwhile, in a third burglary, model Erin Wasson was at home when thieves stole tens of thousands of dollars of jewelry and designer clothing, including pieces by Alexander McQueen, Ann Demeulemeester, Dior, Givenchy and William Rast. Police called to her Santa Monica place recovered a few things from an alley around the corner, including two left shoes. Wasson’s rep says, “Luckily, no one was harmed.” All three women had left their front doors unlocked. (Page Six)

MUSIC . . .

The X Factor winner Alexandra Burke has become the fastest selling female solo artist in history after the single “Hallelujah” sold 576,000 copies in one week and became the UK’s Christmas No 1. Alexandra had said she was “gutted” at the prospect at having to sing the Leonard Cohen song, which also came in at this week’s No 2 spot after a version by Jeff Buckley was re-released. The last time one song held the top two spots is believed to be February 1965, when “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” was No. 1 for the Righteous Brothers and No. 2 for Cilla Black. Meanwhile in the album charts it’s a Happy Christmas to Take That, whose album The Circus stays at number one – meaning the boys have sold one million copies of their new album in just 18 days. (British Glamour)

A couple of Jersey boys have sued Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z and others, claiming M.B. and Jay-Z have made a killing by ripping off their tune. Jermaine Jumpp and Michael C. Adams claim in a federal lawsuit they handed a “compact disk” to the “office” of megaproducer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins with the song “On My Grind.” Then, not-so-magically, four years later, Mary J. recorded “Enough Cryin’” — produced by Darkchild — and the guys say it sounded awfully familiar. It is unclear from the lawsuit what Jay-Z’s roll was in all this. The defendants couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. (TMZ)

Wal-Mart will be the exclusive U.S. retailer for Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band’s “Greatest Hits,” which will arrive Jan. 13, two weeks prior to the group’s new Columbia studio album, “Working on a Dream.” The 12-track set omits material from Springsteen’s albums without the E Street Band to round up classics such as “Born To Run,” “Thunder Road,” “Born in the U.S.A.” and “Darkness on the Edge of Town.” Both “Greatest Hits” and “Working on a Dream” will be in stores when Springsteen and company perform at the Super Bowl XLIII halftime show on Feb. 1 in Tampa, Fla. Like last year’s “Magic,” the new album was produced by Brendan O’Brien. Springsteen began writing material before “Magic” was even complete, and “agreed we’d somehow find time during the touring year to get this record made,” the Boss writes on his  HYPERLINK “http://www.brucespringsteen.net” \t “new” Web site. Indeed, O’Brien’s ability to help Springsteen and the band multitask “has allowed us to get a steadier stream of our best music out to our fans,” the artist says. “This is something I’ve always wanted to do. We found time to book sessions, get the band while it was hot off the road, write and record a new record, while giving our audience what I hope was some of the best E Street shows we’ve ever done.” (Billboard)

Kelly Clarkson’s new single, “My Life Would Suck Without You,” will hit U.S. radio outlets Jan. 19. The track will introduce her fourth, as-yet-untitled studio album, due March 17 from RCA. Although a track list has yet to be announced, Clarkson has worked with producer/songwriter Dr. Luke and OneRepublic leader Ryan Tedder on new material. The album will be the follow-up to 2007’s “My December,” which has sold 780,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Clarkson feuded with RCA exec Clive Davis over her desire to write her own material for the album, on the heels of her smash 2004 album “Breakaway,” which featured a number of co-writes with experienced songwriters. A planned arena tour was scrapped just before “My December” came out due to lower-than-expected ticket sales, and was reconfigured for smaller venues a few months later. (Billboard)

Seattle folk rock band Fleet Foxes has scored the first gold-certified record for U.K. indie Bella Union in recognition of shipments of 100,000 copies. The band’s self-titled debut was voted the best album of 2008 by Billboard critics. It was released by Sub Pop in the U.S. and through Bella Union in the U.K and Europe. The June release was also the first for Bella Union in the U.K. under a new arrangement with Co-Op Music, the international marketing network taken over by Universal Music in 2007 as part of its acquisition of V2. Bella Union and Co-Op Music have worked together in continental Europe for four years. Universal Music has also recently taken over the Bella Union distribution from Pinnacle, which went into administration (roughly equivalent to Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection) on Dec. 3. In North America, “Fleet Foxes” has sold 141,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Beyond Billboard, it has been voted the No. 1 album by publications in Germany, Sweden, Norway, Holland, Italy, Belgium and the U.K. (Billboard)

The Darkness are considering reforming for a new album and tour, according to newspaper reports. The band, which split in 2006, is apparently considering an offer made by the U.S. entrepreneur behind the Dubai Desert Rocks festival to tour in 2009, reports Britain’s The Sun. However, bitter internal disputes between all four band members may put any possible reunion in jeopardy. Relations between singer Justin Hawkins and brother/guitarist Dan Hawkins have apparently been strained since the band’s breakup, and the guitarist and drummer Ed Graham are also suing the band’s management over money they claim they are owed. Bassist Frankie Poullain left the group in 2005, though it is not clear if a proposed reunion would include him. As previously reported on NME.com, Justin Hawkins’ new band Hot Leg made their live debut at London’s Proud Galleries on August 6. (Launch)

MOVIE . . .

The movie, starring Harry Potter star Robert Pattinson, has already broken box-office records in the US, and will now have to hold off the challenge from Baz Lurhmann’s epic movie Australia which opened Boxing Day. Twilight is based on the multi-million selling books of Stephenie Meyer, and tells the story of a teenage girl who risks everything when she falls in love with a vampire. A follow up to the movie, called New Moon, is already being planned. (British Glamour)

Citing division among its membership, the Screen Actors Guild delayed a vote that would authorize the union to call a strike and bring the entertainment business to a halt. SAG announced Monday it would delay sending out the ballots until Jan. 14 at the earliest, after the union’s national board holds an emergency meeting. The union initially planned to send strike authorization ballots to more than 100,000 union members on Jan. 2, a date that would have put Oscar night within reach of a potential boycott. Doug Allen, SAG’s national executive director, said the union is split on whether to cast ballots. He said 2,524 members endorse the vote and 1,373 members are opposed, including A-list actors Pierce Brosnan and Cameron Diaz. “This division does not help our effort to get an agreement … that our members will ratify,” Allen wrote in a letter to union members. SAG leaders had been pushing for the vote amid stalled contract negotiations with Hollywood studios. But on Dec. 12 a New York faction of the union called for a delay, calling it “irresponsible” to threaten a strike while the industry was in an economic downturn. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the major studios, have been negotiating a new deal with SAG since before the previous contract expired June 30. AMPTP spokesman Jesse Hiestand said the studios were aware of the delay but had no comment. Earlier in the day, the AMPTP issued a statement urging SAG members to study the studios’ final offer and ask “whether it makes sense to strike over a deal that will raise wages, raise benefits, add new residuals and establish jurisdiction in new media for the first time.” In SAG’s letter, Allen notified members that the vote would be delayed at least until after the union’s board meets on Jan. 12 and 13. The guild is seeking union coverage for all Internet-only productions regardless of budget, residual payments for Internet productions replayed in ad-supported platforms online, and continued actor benefits during work stoppages, including those caused by strikes by other unions. The studios have said a formula for payment in new media formats has already been agreed upon by another actors union, directors, and writers, whose 100-day strike derailed the Golden Globe Awards in January. The studios have said it was unreasonable for SAG to demand a better deal, especially now that the economy has worsened. (Daily Record)

Clive Owen and Mark Cuban are heading to Colombia. The “Children of Men” star is attached to “Cartagena,” a story about an undercover agent amid Colombian drug cartels, for Cuban’s 2929 Prods., overseen by veteran producer Marc Butan. Nick Wechsler and Management 360 also are producing. Gersh-repped Michael Ross, who penned the Fox Atomic horror pic “Turistas” and recently was signed to Overture’s remake of Icelandic thriller “Jar City,” has been attached to write the screenplay. “Cartagena” centers on an undercover agent who gets caught in a complex plot and must elude drug dealers and international agents if he hopes to survive. The project is named for a city on Colombia’s northern coast that has a colorful history featuring wars, robust economic activity and tourist development. Colombia, a hotbed of political intrigue and violent drug wars, has become fertile cinematic ground. Warner Bros. and Sony this year acquired projects about the rescue of 15 hostages from the rebel FARC group; a controversial Marxist organization that U.S. authorities have said has ties to drug cartels. CAA-repped Owen stars in Tom Tykwer’s upcoming global-arms thriller “The International” for Relativity and Scott Hicks’ single-parent drama “The Boys Are Back,” which Miramax will release. Cuban and Todd Wagner’s 2929 also is behind the Weinstein Co.’s post-apocalyptic tale “The Road,” starring Viggo Mortensen. (Hollywood Reporter)

As Paramount/DreamWorks “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” and Fox’s “The Day the Earth Stood Still” delivered a one-two punch at the overseas box-office over the weekend, the major studios were focusing in on Christmas week, the top movie going period of year.  The animated “Madagascar 2,” which took command of the international box-office with a $36.6 million weekend, will have almost 6,000 screens working in 43 markets during Christmas week, while the sci-fi reimagining of “Earth,” which dropped to second place with $21.3 million, will offer some 7,800 sites in 92 territories. The anticipated clout of the two tentpoles, however, is not stopping other hopefuls from eyeing a piece of the holiday business. Chief among them is Fox’s Baz Luhrmann’s Western-style epic “Australia,” set to take off on Christmas Day in 45 markets, including the U.K., Germany, France, Spain and Mexico, and Disney’s Adam Sandler starrer, “Bedtime Stories,” booked in 15 territories, including the U.K., Germany, France and Australia. Other Christmas openings include “Bolt” (China, Chile, Turkey, South Africa), “Marley and Me” (Brazil), “Seven Pounds” (Brazil), “The Tale of Despereaux” (Russia, Mexico, Hong Kong, Norway), “Frost/Nixon” (Australia, New Zealand), “Yes Man” (U.K.) and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Australia).  Australia, considered the most active movie going country during the Christmas-New Year period, will welcome six new films aimed to appeal to a wide range of audiences. New offerings include “Bedtime Stories,” “Earth,” “Button,” “Frost/Nixon,” Woody Allen’s “Vicky Christina Barcelona,” and the French-language “I Loved You So Long.”  In toppling “Earth” from first place, “Madagascar 2″ opened No. 1 in Italy ($6.5 million from 463 screens), Australia ($4.4 million from 267), New Zealand ($415,000 from 76) and Hong Kong ($465,000 from 43). In Germany, it held the No. 1 position for a third weekend, with $4.8 million from 742 locations for a market come of $26.6 million. Market comes to date include $21.6 million from France, $18.7 million from the U.K. and $12.1 million from Mexico. Overall, foreign gross has reached $218.5 million.  Third place in the pre-holiday weekend went to teen-appeal vampire pic “Twilight,” which registered an estimated $11.1 million from 3,140 screens in 27 countries, lifting its international haul to about $64.6 million. The Summit Entertainment release came in first in the U.K., with $3.7 million from 446 screens, and tallied $1.2 million from 319 in Brazil, where it arrived second to “Madagascar 2.” New Line’s “Four Christmases,” which will be around during the holiday season, pulled in a festive $6.3 million from 2,282 screens in 38 territories, raising its international come to $24.8 million. “Four” is No. 3 in the U.K., where it has taken in $12.6 million in four weeks. Disney Animation’s “Bolt” barked to $4.8 million from 2,300 screens in 12 countries, raising its come to $35.8 million. It opened No. 1 in Mexico ($1.6 million from 700) and took in $467,000 from 73 in Ukraine, hailed as the biggest-ever opening for a Disney pic in the market. Two holiday business seekers entered the fray over the weekend — Warner Bros.’ Jim Carrey comedy “Yes Man,” which grossed an estimated $3.6 million from 676 screens in six markets, led by Spain’s $1.3 million and Korea’s $1.2 ; and Universal Animation’s “The Tale of Despereaux,” which tallied $1.6 million from 791 dates in the U.K., Spain and Portugal. Disney/Pixar’s “WALL-E,” making its final overseas stop, earned $3 million from 450 screens in Japan for a three-week market come of $17.4 million and an overall foreign gross of $283 million. The Coen brothers’ “Burn After Reading” hit $83.6 million after picking up $2.7 million from 944 screens in about 20 markets.  The Clint Eastwood-directed, Angelina Jolie starrer “Changeling” reached a come of $26.7 million after a weekend take of $3.2 million from 1,060 screens in 10 countries.  “Australia” raised its come to $14.6 million following a weekend score of $1.1 million from 485 screens in four markets. Sony’s “Quantum of Solace,” out of the top five for the first time in about six weeks, raised its come to $372 million after earning $2.9 million from 2,730 screens in 68 markets. Universal’s release of the Mexican film “Rudi y Cursi” debuted with $1.4 million from 409 dates. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV . . .

Tina Fey is the entertainer of the year? You betcha. Fey was voted The Associated Press’ Entertainer of the Year, an annual honor chosen by newspaper editors and broadcast producers across the country. Fey was selected by AP members as the performer who had the greatest impact on culture and entertainment in 2008. The 38-year-old comedian bested runner-up Robert Downey Jr., whose comeback was capped with the blockbuster smash “Iron Man,” and the third-place vote-getter, Heath Ledger, who posthumously wowed audiences as the Joker in “The Dark Knight.” But it was Fey who most impressed voters largely with her indelible impression of Gov. Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live.” Her cameos on her old show (where she had been a head writer until 2006) helped drive the show to record ratings and eventually drew an appearance from Palin herself. “Tina Fey is such an obvious choice,” said Sharon Eberson, entertainment editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “She gave us funny when we really needed it and, in a year when women in politics were making huge strides, Fey stood out in the world of entertainment.” Fey’s 2008 was a full year, though. She also starred for the first time on the big screen in “Baby Mama” (which grossed $60 million at the box office) and won three Emmys for her critically lauded NBC sitcom “30 Rock,” which she created, stars in and writes. In the comedy series category, she won for best lead actress and best writing, and shared in the award for best comedy series. “She simultaneously entertained us with her wit and put a mirror up to the nation during the election and made us think about what was going on,” said Scott Shive, assistant features editor at the Lexington Herald-Leader. “She is the epitome of the smart kid coming out on top for once.” As soon as Palin was chosen as Sen. John McCain’s running mate, conjecture mounted that the similar-looking Fey would have to return to “SNL” to play her. In an interview earlier this fall, Fey recalled watching early TV coverage of Palin: “That was the first time I thought, `Well, I kinda do look like her. I’d better really listen to how this lady talks.’” Fey debuted the impression on the “SNL” season premiere and a sensation quickly followed. She made four more pre-election appearances as Palin on the late-night satire. “From the winks to the nods to the accent, she nailed it,” said Marc Bona, assistant entertainment editor of the Plain Dealer in Cleveland. “And she did so at a time when it seemed the whole country was tuned in – both to the presidential race as well as ‘Saturday Night Live.’” Her Palin impression has benefited “30 Rock,” too. The show premiered its fourth season to 8.5 million viewers, a million more than last year’s opener. Recently, she was also nominated for a Golden Globe (for best performance by an actress in a TV series, comedy or musical), as well as a Screen Actors Guild award. “The `SNL’ stuff has certainly changed things for me,” Fey said in October. “A lot more people seem to know who I am.” Last year’s AP Entertainer of the Year also went to a comedian whose satire blended in with politics: Stephen Colbert. (Daily Record)

The votes are in! Want to know who won the first-ever Watch With Kristin CW Awards? Did Gossip Girl shut out the competition? Or did Supernatural slaughter all comers? Read on to meet the winners for Best Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, Best Series and Best Writer/Producer/Auteur. Plus see which two stars, one female and one male, were the hands-down winners for the people’s choice bonus categories. Are your faves included? First things first: We received your many, many emails and comments that Chace Crawford should have been included in the Lead Actor category, instead of Supporting, and also that Bethany Joy Galeotti of One Tree Hill and  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=d858fddd-7f7a-475c-afaa-c37de01b54fc” Jared Padalecki of Supernatural were robbed because they were left out of the nominations. Sorry! There are only so many slots in each category, but we do have a consolation prize: They are all winners…   HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/photos/gallery.jsp?edition=us&galleryUUID=b1e9600a-c62f-44b3-a57f-97127811b650″ \l “a2f85457-38cc-404f-9b4d-4cfb79e8472e” \t “_blank” Visit the CW Awards Winners Gallery to see the pretty faces of your picks, and more importantly, read what your fellow fans had to say about the stars’ winning qualities. The two people’s choice winners—Bethany Joy Galeotti and Jared Padalecki—were not nominated as you know, but they got so many intense fan comments that we had to include them in the pantheon of winners.
Best Series
38.4% Supernatural
30.8% Gossip Girl
24.1% One Tree Hill
3.0% Privileged
2.4% Reaper
1.4% America’s Next Top Model
Best Actor
41.3% Jensen Ackles, Supernatural
32.5% Ed Westwick, Gossip Girl
14.7%  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=23d60139-3f0e-4d5e-be3e-5115fbe17477″ Tom Welling, Smallville
7.5% Penn Badgley, Gossip Girl
4.0% Tristan Wilds, 90210
Best Actress
35.2% Leighton Meester, Gossip Girl
30.2%  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=e630644d-e0a2-49c1-ab81-c020156eb1aa” Sophia Bush, One Tree Hill
13.0% Hilarie Burton, One Tree Hill
12.3% Joanna Garcia, Privileged
9.3%  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=f79a6381-4aa3-4dcb-b714-09de56020324″ Blake Lively, Gossip Girl
Best Supporting Actor
45.0% Chace Crawford, Gossip Girl
26.8% Sam Witwer, Smallville
11.8% Michael Cassidy, Privileged
8.7%  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=4fc4f427-90dd-482c-b2f8-771a7b985f5c” Ray Wise, Reaper
7.7% Tyler Labine, Reaper
Best Supporting Actress
33.5% Allison Mack, Smallville
30.4% Taylor Momsen, Gossip Girl
15.3% Erica Durance, Smallville
10.9% Jessica Stroup, 90210
9.8% Lucy Hale, Privileged
Best Writer/Producer/Auteur
38.6% Eric Kripke, Supernatural
29.5% Josh Schwartz & Stephanie Savage, Gossip Girl
24.8% Mark Schwahn, One Tree Hill
3.7%  HYPERLINK “http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=f7ea3ea9-90ac-4157-97c9-92006506b831″ Tyra Banks, America’s Next Top Model
3.4% Rina Mimoun, Privileged (Eonline)

Manny Ramirez and Brett Favre aside, there were relatively few sports stars changing places in 2008. However, you couldn’t say the same about TV shows. Several series switched homes this year, including “Project Runway,” “Scrubs,” “Beauty and the Geek,” “Inside the NFL,” “Nashville Star” and Tyra Banks’ talk show. And after years of promise, the Internet-to-TV series pipeline finally started to produce (albeit mixed) results with transplants “quarterlife,” “Sanctuary” and “In the Motherhood.” The biggest headline-grabber was the shocking April announcement of the move of Bravo flagship series “Project Runway” to Lifetime. Eight months and several lawsuits later, the shift has been put on hold by the courts, with the fate of the completed sixth season of the hit fashion series up in the air after Bravo’s parent NBC Universal won an injunction barring Lifetime from airing it.  Another cable staple, “Inside the NFL,” made a less acrimonious switch between pay cable rivals HBO and Showtime. Following HBO’s decision to drop the longest-running cable show after 31 years and after four months as a free agent, “Inside the NFL” signed in June with Showtime. In the broadcast field, after seven seasons and twice as many time slot changes on NBC, “Scrubs” will make its debut Jan. 6 on ABC. ABC has been one of the most aggressive players in the series transfer market. The network’s entertainment president Stephen McPherson, who developed “Scrubs” at ABC Studios, pursued the quirky hospital comedy for two years before completing the trade this May.  ABC also courted CBS’ comedy “The New Adventures of Old Christine” this spring and has been exploring a pickup of Fox’s recently canceled animated comedy “King of the Hill.”  Meanwhile, two iconic Fox series, “Beverly Hills, 90210″ and its spinoff, “Melrose Place,” also switched networks for their recent reincarnations for CW.  Two reality series jumped over the broadcast-cable fence in 2008. CW’s “Beauty and the Geek” is going to MTV, which is casting a celebrity-themed sixth season of the odd-couple contest. Traveling in the opposite direction — from cable to broadcast — was USA Network’s singing competition “Nashville Star,” which stumbled in a summer run on NBC. In another distribution shift, Warner Bros. Domestic TV Distribution recently announced that daytime talker “The Tyra Banks Show” is moving to the CW in September. It will replace freshman court program “Judge Jeanine Pirro,” which will travel to first-run syndication in fall 2009.  The year was touted as a watershed year for Internet content migrating to primetime. The poster child of that transition, Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick’s Web drama “quarterlife,” lasted just one episode on NBC.  With far less fanfare, HD Internet series “Sanctuary” did solid business in its TV incarnation on the Sci Fi Channel and earned a second season order. Next up is the debut of ABC’s adaptation of the online comedy series “In the Motherhood.” (Hollywood Reporter)

Hong Kong-based STAR will launch a Farsi language free-to-air general entertainment channel in early 2009, targeting the nearly 100 million speakers worldwide of the tongue mostly widely heard in Iran, the News Corp-owned broadcaster said on Tuesday. STAR, which already broadcasts in 10 languages in Asia, including Chinese and Hindi, will set up its Farsi channel sales and marketing office in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, where it has based its Middle East operations since 1994 in Dubai Media City.  Also known as Persian, Farsi is the official language of Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. STAR currently offers a bouquet of 15 channels in the Middle East. (Hollywood Reporter)

Model and presenter Lisa Snowdon was left “fuming” after being beaten to the Strictly Come Dancing title by Tom Chambers. Lisa Snowdon was left “fuming” after finishing third in Saturday’s Strictly Come Dancing final her father Nigel has told the Mirror. “There is something wrong if Lisa gets a perfect score and doesn’t automatically go through like last week,” he explained. “It was the mother of all cock ups and Tom dodged the bullet big time. To be honest Lisa was fuming because she felt that she and Rachel should have been in the final outright. Something went wrong and it needs to be sorted for next year because some of the voting was bordering on farcical. The whole show was just one big popularity contest.” Erm, isn’t that exactly what the show is? Liberal Democrat Peer Lord Tyler isn’t happy about the outcome either, he’s called for BBC director general Mark Thompson to “come clean” about the voting bungle that saved Chambers from the axe in the semi-finals despite having the lowest marks from the judges. “Technology is available at the BBC’s disposal to ensure license-payers know just how many votes each contestant got,” he told press and added that he planned to use Freedom of Information laws to expose the full results. “It is a fiasco.” Bit quiet in his office this week then! (Handbag)

TODAY’S IMPOSSIBLE QUESTION . . .  (Internet and Mike Butts Creative)

Q.  A good portion of North Americans will do this at some point this week. What is it?
A.  Open a Christmas present.

Q.  With all the holiday shopping this time of year, at least 12% of shoppers will experience this sometime this season. What is it?
A.  Credit card denied for being over the limit.

Q..  On average, one of these weighs in at 247 pounds. What is it?
A.  A Mall Santa.

Q.  45% of women hide this from their husbands?
    A.  Store receipts! As if we wouldn’t see the credit card bill or notice the new dress and purse?

Q.  Over half of people surveyed said that they wanted to get _____ for their holiday gift?
    A.  A gift card

TODAY’S QUOTE (By Various)

Christmas is a time when you get homesick – even when you’re home.  ~Carol Nelson

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.  ~Roy L. Smith

Christmas, children, is not a date.  It is a state of mind.  ~Mary Ellen Chase

I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, an
to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.  ~Charles Dickens

Christmas is the gentlest, loveliest festival of the revolving year – and yet, for all that, when it speaks, its voice has strong authority.  ~W.J. Cameron

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:  the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other.  ~Burton Hillis

Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveler, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quie
home!  ~Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, 1836

There has been only one Christmas – the rest are anniversaries.  ~W.J. Cameron

A Christmas gambol oft could cheer
The poor man’s heart through half the year.
~Walter Scott

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.  ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!  ~Author Unknown

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.  ~Charles Dickens

Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree.  In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.  ~Larry Wilde, The Merry Book of Christmas

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.  ~Washington Irving

Instead of being a time of unusual behavior, Christmas is perhaps the only time in the year when people can obey their natural impulses and express their true sentiments without feeling self-conscious and, perhaps, foolish.  Christmas, in short,
is about the only chance a man has to be himself.  ~Francis C. Farley

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.  ~W.T. Ellis

For centuries men have kept an appointment with Christmas.  Christmas means fellowship, feasting, giving and receiving, a time of good cheer, home.  ~W.J. Ronald Tucker

Even as an adult I find it difficult to sleep on Christmas Eve.  Yuletide excitement is a potent caffeine, no matter your age.  ~Carrie Latet

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!  ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.  ~Author unknown, attributed to a 7-year-old named Bobby

MIND BOGGLERS . . .  (QuickTrivia – Christmas)

Q.  In the song “Twelve Days of Christmas,” which of these things come in the greatest numbers?
    A.  Maids a-milking
    B.  Ladies dancing
    C.  Drummers drumming  ****
    D.  Lords a-leaping

Q.  In the usual opening line of “The Christmas Song,” what is Jack Frost doing?
    A.  Roasting on an open fire
    B.  Skating away on thin ice
    C.  Designing snowflakes
    D.  Nipping at your nose  ****

Q.  What was the name of Scrooge’s late business partner, whose ghost comes to visit in “A Christmas Carol”?
    A.  Fagin
    B.  Bob Cratchit
    C.  Marley  ****
    D.  Martin Chuzzlewit

Q.  On Christmas Eve 1906, what did Reginald Fessender become the first person to do?
    A.  Place a long-distance phone call
    B.  Depict Santa Claus in a mall
    C.  Broadcast a human voice over radio  ****
    D.  Get a speeding ticket

Q.  In 2001, Macy Gray, Sheryl Crow, Robbie Robertson, and Dwight Yoakam appeared in Gap Christmas ads, singing which Supertramp song?
    A.  The Logical Song
    B.  Breakfast in America
    C.  Give a Little Bit  ****
    D.  Dreamer

Q.  Mary was the mother of Jesus. Who was the mother of Mary?
    A.  Elizabeth
    B.  Anne  ****
    C.  A different Mary
    D.  Helen

Q.  If you had been born on Christmas Day, what would be your Zodiacal sign?
    A.  Capricorn  ****
    B.  Scorpio
    C.  Sagittarius
    D.  Aquarius

Q.  Which of the following was not a part of the all-star cast that recorded the 1984 hit “Do They Know It’s Christmas”?
    A.  John Keeble
    B.  Brian Wilson  ****  (The song was written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 specifically to raise money for relief of 1984-1985 famine in Ethiopia)
    C.  Sting
    D.  Phil Collins

Q.  On what TV show did Barbara Eden emerge from a bottle that in fact had been a 1964 Christmas-edition decanter of Jim Beam bourbon?
    A.  Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    B.  I Dream of Jeannie  ****
    C.  Bewitched
    D.  Charmed

Q.  In the Christmas Carol, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” after which word should you place the comma?
    A.  God
    B.  Rest
    C.  Ye
    D.  Merry  ****

Q.  Until 1969, which saint’s feast day was December 6:  ironically enough, 19 days before Christmas?
    A.  St. Mary
    B.  St. Joseph
    C.  St. John the Baptist
    D.  St. Nicolaus  ****

Q.  What Christmas plant is named for an American Ambassador to Mexico?
    A.  Holly
    B.  Palm
    C.  Mistletoe
    D.  Poinsettia  ****

Q.  What food is traditionally served during Christmas festivities in Japan?
    A.  Miso soup
    B.  Salmon roe
    C.  Microwave popcorn
    D.  A decorated cake  ****  (Japanese families traditionally serve a decorated cake to celebrate Christmas, which usually acts as a prelude to the more important New Year’s festival)

Q.  On Christmas Day of what year was Jimmy Buffet born and did WC Fields die?
    A.  1976
    B.  1956
    C.  1946  ****
1966

Q.  Many cars bear the name of which Swiss designer and racer, who was born on Christmas Day, 1878?
    A.  Benz
    B.  Buick
    C.  Chrysler
    D.  Chevrolet  ****

Q.  On the first day of Christmas, what sort of tree is the partridge sitting in?
    A.  Chestnut
    B.  Pear  ****
    C.  Pine
    D.  Fir

CHRISTMAS . . .

Donder (not Donner), which means thunder, was the original name of the reindeer who helped pull Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve. He was paired with Blitzen, whose name means lightning.

The story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was written specifically as a sales gimmick for the Montgomery Ward Company in 1939 by one of their  HYPERLINK “http://www.netglimse.com/holidays/yule/trivia_.shtml” \o “http://www.netglimse.com/holidays/yule/trivia_.shtml#” \t “_top” employees, Robert L. May. The little book was given freely to every customer who shopped there during the holiday season.

The candy cane first gained popularity in churches, where it was given as a treat to children who behaved themselves during services.

Eggnog wasn’t always the creamy, rich drink we know today. It’s a derivation of a seventeenth century ale called “nog”? The Irish celebrated each Christmas Eve by drinking a pint or so, for in their country all pubs were closed on Christmas Day.

Gingerbread houses became popular holidays gifts during the 19th century after The Brothers Grimm released the story of Hansel & Gretel.

(http://www.netglimse.com/holidays/yule/trivia_.shtml (Christmas))

CHRISTMAS TRIVIA AND FUN FACTS:

There’s no other holiday like Christmas. Many of us celebrate the holidays without knowing how our traditions got started or what they signify. Christmas is much more fun when you know some facts behind the holiday.

Most of these facts are very interesting and reminds us that there is quite a bit of history behind our family customs. Try using the trivia to make your own Christmas quiz for holiday parties and add a unique touch with personal favorites.

Christmas Holiday Trivia:

The word Christmas is Old English, a contraction of Christ’s Mass.
The first president to decorate the white house Christmas tree in the United States was Franklin Pierce.
Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895.
The first Christmas cards were vintage and invented in 1843, the Victorian Era.
“It’s a Wonderful Life” appears on TV more often than any other holiday movie.
“Rudolph” was actually created by Montgomery Ward in the late 1930’s for a holiday promotion. The rest is history.
“The Nutcracker” is the most famous Christmas ballet.
“Jingle Bells” was first written for Thanksgiving and then became one of the most popular Christmas songs.
If you received all of the gifts in the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, you would receive 364 presents.
The poinsettia plant was brought into the United States from Mexico by Joel Poinsett in the early 1800’s.
Holly berries are poisonous.
Contrary to common belief, poinsettia plants are non-toxic.
In 1843, “A Christmas Carol” was written by Charles Dickens in just six weeks.
The first state to recognize the Christmas holiday officially was Alabama
Christmas became a national holiday in America on June, 26, 1870.
Coca Cola was the first beverage company to use Santa for a winter promotion.
An angel told Mary she was going to have a baby.
Clearing up a common misconception, in Greek, X means Christ. That is where the word “X-Mas” comes from. Not because someone took the “Christ” out of Christmas.
Traditionally, Christmas trees are taken down after Epiphany.
More diamonds are sold around Christmas than any other time of the year.
In Mexico, wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve is said to bring new love in the upcoming year.

(http://www.christmas-celebrations.com/trivia.htm)

Due to the time zones, Santa has 31 hours to deliver gifts? This means that he would have to visit 832 homes each second!

The biggest selling Christmas single of all time is Bing Crosby’s White Christmas.

According to a 1995 survey, 7 out of 10 British dogs get Christmas gifts from their doting owners.

(http://www.twinklebulbs.com/trivia.htm  (Christmas)

TRAVEL TIPS . . . (Peter Greenberg Worldwide)

PET OWNERS BEWARE OF PET SITTERS:

Throughout the pet care industry, pet sitting has become one of the fastest growing home businesses in America. Be aware that many pet sitters aren’t qualified for the job they’re promising. Make sure your pet sitter is trained by one of the national pet sitting organizations, such as the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters. When hiring a pet sitter, they recommend that you develop a list of questions, ask for references, and request proof of bonding and liability insurance. Also make sure he or she gets along well with your pet!  Notify the sitter about your pet’s routines for eating, sleeping, walking and playing, and if your pet has any health problems, or even special hiding places.

(Peter Greenberg is North America’s preeminent expert on Travel. An Emmy Award-Winning writer and producer, Peter is the Travel Editor for NBC’S “TODAY SHOW,” MSNBC and CNBC. A Best-Selling author of the “Travel Detective” series and host of the nationally syndicated “Peter Greenberg Worldwide Radio Show.” Visit  HYPERLINK “http://www.PETERGREENBERGWORLDWIDE.COM” \o “http://www.petergreenbergworldwide.com/” WWW.PETERGREENBERGWORLDWIDE.COM to learn more about Peter Greenberg and his adventures.)

BIRTHDAYS . . .

December 24th:
—1809  Frontiersman/Soldier Christopher “Kit” Carson (d. 5-23-1868)
—1822  Poet/Essayist Matthew Arnold (d. 4-15-1888)
—1905  Millionaire Howard Robard Hughes (d. 4-5-1976)
—1922  Actress Ava Gardner (d. 1-25-1990)
—1926  Lee Dorsey (“Workin In The Coal Mine”) (d. 12-1-1986)
—1930  Choreographer Robert Joffrey
—1931  Actress Jill Bennett (The Nanny)
—1931  Author Mary Higgins Clark (Where Are the Children?)
—1945  Author/Director Nicholas Meyer (The Canary Trainer)
—1945  Musician Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister (Motorhead)
—1946  Musician Jan Akkerman (Focus)
—1957  Musician Ian Burden (Human League) (“Don’t You Want Me”)
⎯1966  Actor Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show)
⎯1971  Singer Ricky Martin
⎯1974  TV Host Ryan Seacrest

December 25th:
—1642  Mathematician/Scientist Sir Isaac Newton (d. 3-20-1727)
—1821  Nurse/Philanthropist Clara Barton (d. 4-12-1912)
—1899  Actor Humphrey Bogart (Casablanca) (d. 1-14-1957)
—1907  American Singer/Bandleader Cab Calloway (d. 11-18-1994)
—1913  Singer Tony Martin
—1924  Twilight Zone’s Rod Serling (d. 6-28-1975)
—1929  Billy Horton – lead singer of The Silhouettes (“Get A Job”) (d. 1995)
—1929  Chris Kenner (“I Like It Like That”)
—1937  Musician O’Kelly Isley (The Isley Brothers) (“Twist And Shout”)  (d. 3-31-1986)
—1943  Actress Hanna Schygulla (The Marriage of Maria Braun)
—1944  Musician Henry Vestine (Canned Heat) (“On The Road Again”)
—1945  Football’s Ken Stabler
—1945  Guitarist Noel Redding (Jimi Hendrix Experience) (“Foxy Lady”) (d. 5-12-03)
—1945  Actor Gary Sandy (WKRP In Cincinnati)
—1946  Football’s Larry Csonka
—1946  Musician Jimmy Buffett (“Margaritaville”)
—1948  Singer Merry Clayton
—1948  Singer Barbara Ann Mandrell
—1949  Actress Mary Elizabeth “Sissy” Spacek (Coal Miner’s Daughter)
—1954  Musician Annie Lennox (Eurythmics)
—1954  Musician Robin Campbell (UB40)
—1958  Singer Shane McGowan (The Pogues)
—1958  Baseball’s Rickey Henderson
⎯1962  Actor Norm McDonald  (Norm Show)

December 26th:
—1738  Signer of the Declaration of Independence Thomas Nelson (d. 1-4-1789)
—1914  Actor Richard Widmark (Madigan) (d. 3-24-2008)
—1921  Comedian Steve Allen (The Steve Allen Show) (d. 10-30-00)
—1927  Actor/Comedian Alan King (Memories of Me) (d. 5-9-2004)
—1930  Actor Donald Moffat (Clear & Present Danger)
—1935  Singer Abdul Fakir (The Four Tops) (“I Can’t Help Myself”)
—1940  Producer Phil Spector
—1946  Bob Carpenter – keyboards for The Dirt Band (“Make a Little Magic”)
—1947  Baseball’s Carlton Fisk
—1948  Baseball’s Chris Chambliss
—1951  British Disc Jockey Richard Skinner
—1954  Baseball’s Ozzy Smith
—1954   Dogsled racer Susan Butcher
⎯1971  Actor Jared Leto (My So Called Life)
⎯1979  Singer Chris Daughty

December 27th:
—1822  Chemist/Bacteriologist Louis Pasteur (d. 9-28-1895)
—1879  Actor Sydney Greenstreet (d.)
—1901  Actress Marlene Dietrich (d. 5-6-1992)
—1915  Physician William Howell Masters (Masters & Johnson) (d. 2-16-01)
—1926  Psychologist/Author Lee Salk (d. 5-2-1992)
—1931  Scotty Moore – Elvis’s guitarist (“Hound Dog”)
—1935  Fashion Designer Bernard Lanvin
—1939  Actor John Amos (Men In Trees)
—1941  Musician Mike Pinder (Moody Blues) (“Nights In White Satin”)
—1941  Keyboardist Les Maguire (Gerry & The Pacemakers) (“Ferry Cross The Mersey”)
—1944  Musician Mick Jones (Foreigner) (“Waiting For A Girl Like You”)
—1948  Actor Gerard Depardieu (My Father The Hero)
—1948  Larry Byrom – guitarist for Steppenwolf (“Who Needs Ya”)
—1950  Musician Terry Bozzio (Missing Persons)
—1952  Musician David Knopfler (Dire Straits)
—1952  Actress Tovah Feldshuh (Holocaust)
⎯1966  Actress Eva La Rue (CSI: Miami)

December 28th:
—1763  Brewer John Molson (d. 1-11-1836)
—1856  28th President Woodrow Wilson (d. 2-3-1924)
—1908  Actor Lew Ayres (Advise and Consent) (d. 12-30-1996)
—1913  Actor Lou Jacobi (Irma La Douce)
⎯1914  Singer/Musician “Pops” Staples (d. 12-19-2000)
—1922  Artist/Writer Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee
—1931  Actor Martin Milner (Adam-12)
—1932  Writer Manuel Puig (Kiss Of The Spider Woman)
—1932  Musician Dorsey Burnette (There Was a Tall Oak Tree) (d. 8-19-1979)
—1934  Actress Maggie Smith (Room with A View)
—1938  Saxophonist Charles Neville (The Neville Brothers)
—1946  Golfer Hubert Green III
—1946  Musician Edgar Winter (Frankenstein)
—1947  Bassist Dick Diamonde (The Easybeats)
—1947  Baseball’s Aurelio Rodriguez
—1950  Musician Alex Chilton (The Box Tops)
—1953  Musician Richard Clayderman
—1954  Actor Denzel Washington (The Preacher’s Wife)
—1958  Football’s Carlos Carson
⎯1958  Country Singer Joe Diffie (“Home”)
—1963  Musician Aaron Davidson (Modern English)
⎯1978  R&B singer John Legend

December 29th:
—1808  17th President Andrew Johnson (d. 7-31-1875)
—1876  Cellist Pablo Casals (d. 10-22-1973)
—1920  Actress Viveca Lindfors (d. 10-25-1995)
—1922  Novelist William Gaddis (d. 12-16-1998)
—1934  Actor Ed Flanders (St. Elsewhere) (d. 2-22-1995)
—1934  Journalist Thomas Edwin Jarriel
—1934  Actress Inga Swenson (Benson)
—1936  Actress Mary Tyler Moore 
—1938  Actor Jon Voight (Coming Home)
—1939  Country Singer/Songwriter Ed Bruce
—1942  Musician Ray Thomas (Moody Blues)
—1944  Baseball’s Ken Rudolph
—1946  Singer Marianne Faithfull (As Tears Go By)
—1947  Actor Ted Danson (Becker)
—1947  Drummer Cozy Powell (Whitesnake) (d. 4-5-1998)
—1952  Ballet Dancer Gelsey Kirkland
—1959  Football’s Mervyn Fernandez
—1959  Comedienne Paula Poundstone
⎯1972  Actor Jude Law

December 30th:
—1865  Poet/Novelist Rudyard Kipling (d. 1-18-1936)
—1911  Actress Jeanette Nolan (d. 6-5-1998)
—1914  TV Host Bert Parks (Miss America) (d. 2-2-1992)
—1922  Actress Jo Van Fleet (East Of Eden) (d. 6-10-1996)
—1928  Singer/Songwriter Bo Diddley (“Who Do You Love”)
—1930  Actor Jack Lord (Hawaii Five-O) (d. 1-21-1998)
⎯1931  Singer Skeeter Davis (d. 9-19-2004)
—1935  Baseball’s Sandy Koufax
—1935  Actor Russ Tamblyn (West Side Story)
—1937  Musician Paul Stookey (The Wedding Song)
—1938  Actor Joseph Bologna (Chapter Two)
—1939  Musician Del Shannon (Runaway) (d. 2-8-1990)
—1942  Musician Michael Nesmith (The Monkees)
—1946  Actor/Singer Davy Jones (The Monkees)
⎯1946  Drummer Clive Bunker (Jethro Tull)
—1947  Musician Jeff Lynne (Traveling Wilburys)
—1947  Musician John Hartford
—1951  Singer Chris Jasper (Isley Brothers)
—1951  Singer Yvonne Elliman (“If I Can’t Have You”)
⎯1953  TV/Talk Host Meredith Vieira (The Today Show)
—1957  News Anchor Matt Lauer (The Today Show)
—1959  Actress/Comedian Tracey Ullman
⎯1971  Actor Daniel Sunjata (“Franco” Rescue Me)
—1975  Golf’s Tiger Woods
⎯1982  Actress Kristin Kreuk (Smallville)
⎯1984  Basketball’s LeBron James (Cleveland Cavs)

December 31st:
—1904  Violinist Nathan Milstein
—1905  Composer Julie Styne
—1920  Singer/Actor Rex “Arizona Cowboy” Allen (d. 12-17-1999)
—1930  Folk Singer Odetta (Homes)
—1937  Actor Anthony Hopkins (Legends of the Fall)
—1938  Actress Rosalind Cash (Uptown Saturday Night) (d. 10-31-1995)
—1941  Actress Sarah Miles (Hope and Glory)
—1942  Musician Andy Summers (The Police)
—1943  Musician John Denver (Calypso) (d. 10-12-1997)
—1943  Actor Ben Kingsley (Gandhi)
—1943  Bassist Pete Quaife (The Kinks “You Really Got Me”)
—1945  Actress Barbara Carrera (Dallas)
—1945  Fashion Designer Diane Holfin von Furstenberg
—1946  Singer Patti Smith
—1947  Musician Burton Cummings (The Guess Who)
—1948  Actor Tim Matheson (Animal House)
—1948  Singer Donna Summer (“Last Dance”)
—1953  Actor James Remar (48HRS.)
⎯1951  Bassist Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith)
⎯1958  Actress Bebe Neuwirth (“Lillith” Frasier)
—1959  Actor Val Kilmer (Batman)
—1961  Musician Scott Taylor (Then Jerico)
—1973  Singer Joe McIntyre (New Kids On The Block)

THIS DAY IN HISTORY . . .

December 24th:
This is CHRISTMAS EVE. (There are two important services we can render for our listener. (1) Find out how late stores plan to stay open — downtown, the shopping malls and convenience stores. (2) We have one final chance to convince him or her that our lives may depend on NOT drinking and driving tonight. Your creativity could save a life).
 —1492  Christopher Columbus struck a reef in the Caribbean and totaled the Santa Maria.
—1818  The music for “Silent Night” was composed.
—1865  A group of former Confederate Army officers met in Giles County, Tennessee, to form a fraternity dedicated to the ideals of “chivalry, humanity, patriotism.” It was originally called the Kyklos (from the Greek word for circle) Klan. The group flourished for a few years and then died out. The modern-day Klan was a later invention.
—1944  During the battle of the Bulge, a U.S. contingent suddenly found itself surrounded by German forces. Given an ultimatum to surrender or die, General Anthony C. McAuliffe replied with one of the greatest come-backs in military history, “Nuts!”
—1948  TV premiere of “The Perry Como Show.”
—1953  The first network program to be sponsored is “Dragnet.”
—1954  R & B artist Johnny Ace fatally shoots himself while allegedly playing Russian Roulette.
—1960  The Philadelphia Orphans court raises Chubby Checker’s weekly allowance from $150 to $200 as “The Twist” maintains massive popularity.
—1961  The Tokens’ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is the top single in the US.
—1972  Police stop a concert by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band because of “excessive” noise levels and a curfew. Angry fans riot for nearly two hours.
—1974  James Taylor, Carly Simon, Linda Ronstadt, and Joni Mitchell sing Christmas carols on the streets f Hollywood.
⎯1990  Actor Tom Cruise married (actress) Nicole Kidman. 
⎯1995  Fire breaks at Philadelphia Zoo killing 23 rare gorillas, orangutans, gibbons and lemurs

December 25th:
MERRY CHRISTMAS! According to tradition, Jesus of Nazareth was born on this day in Bethlehem, although there is no historical evidence actually placing the day, month, season or year. Differing authorities place the birth of Jesus anywhere between 20 and 4 BCE. However, biblical scholars note that King Herod, during whose reign he was born, died in 4 BCE, and there is credible evidence that the census mentioned in the Gospel According to Luke occurred in 6 BCE. Early Christians did have a celebration of Jesus’ birth, but the date was not fixed to coincide (approximately) with the solstice until the fourth century — when church fathers apparently wanted to wean the faithful away from the many pagan celebrations going on at that time of year.
—1642  Sir Isaac Newton was born in England (d. 1727). He discovered the law of gravity when an apple fell from a tree under which he was resting and hit him on the head.
—1659  In one of the milder manifestations of Puritanism, the Massachusetts Bay Colony passed a law making it a crime to celebrate Christmas.
—1776  George Washington led his troops across the Delaware River into New Jersey and surprised the Hessians in what would become a turning point in the Revolutionary war. The event will be reenacted today at Washington Crossing Historical Park in Pennsylvania.
—1818  “Silent Night” was performed for the first time, in the Austrian village of Oberndorff. Pop quiz: for what instrument was the song originally composed? Answer: the guitar!
—1950  TV premiere of “The Steve Allen Show.”  This was the first of many for this talented actor/comedian that he hosted.
—1959  Ringo Starr receives his first set of drums for Christmas.
—1967  Paul McCartney announces his engagement to Jane Asher.
—1981  The J. Geils Band plays a special show at Boston’s Norfolk prison.

December 26th:
KWANZA (December 26-January 1) — American Black family observation (since 1966) in recognition of the traditional African harvest festivals.
 Today is also BOXING DAY, NATIONAL WHINER’S DAY and SAINT STEPHEN’S DAY.
—1492  Christopher Columbus founded the first European settlement in the New World, naming it “La Navidad” (the Nativity), in what is now Haiti.
—1776  Having crossed the Delaware on Christmas night, George Washington and his men surprised the comfortably sedated Hessian troops at Trenton, New Jersey.
—1799  In his eulogy for Washington (who had died on 12/14), Henry Lee called him “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen,”
—1865  James Nason of Franklin, Mass. introduced the world’s first coffee percolator
—1898  French scientists Pierre and Marie Curie discovered the element radium, for which they later won the Nobel Prize for Physics.
—1962  The Rolling Stones play their first London concert, at the Piccadilly Club.
—1967  The Beatles first self-directed film “Magical Mystery Tour” premieres on the BBC.
—1968  Led Zeppelin arrives in the US for its first American tour.
—1970  “My Sweet Lord” from George Harrison is the top single in the US.
⎯1996  JonBenet Ramsey (b. August 6, 1990) body found murdered in her home, (Boulder, CO) by her father.  As of today the murder remains unsolved.  JonBenet is laid to rest in Georgia next to her mother, Patsy who died in 2006.

December 27th:
MOON PHASE: NEW MOON (7:22am EST)
—1822  Louis Pasteur was born in Dole, France. He was the father of microbiology and the first to prove that diseases are caused by germs (d. 9-28-1895).
—1845  Dr. C.W. Long of Jefferson, Georgia became the first to use ether as an anesthetic in childbirth … on his wife.
—1927  “Showboat,” the first modern musical comedy, premiered on Broadway.
—1932  New York’s Radio City Music Hall opened for business.
—1947  TV premiere of the first popular children’s show “Howdy Doody.”
—1964  The Supremes make their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.
—1968  Jimi Hendrix appears on the “Lulu Show.” Cameras cut away when he does an unscheduled version  of “Sunshine Of Your Love.”
—1971  Sonny & Cher nab a variety show on CBS-TV after a successful summer replacement series.
—1978  Chris Bell, founding member of Big Star, dies when he crashes his car into a telephone pole near his home in Memphis.
—1978  The Cars’ debut album goes gold.
—1980  “(Just Like) Starting Over” by John Lennon is the top single in the US and Britain.
—1982  Billy Joel plays a special concert in Allentown, PA. Residents honored Joel for naming a song after their town.
—1987  At a screening of Eddie Murphy’s “Raw,” a man shoots the woman behind him after her friend asks him to sit down. Theater owner says it could just as easily have happened during “Cinderella.”
⎯2000  Canadian born Mario Lemeiux (born 10-5-1965) returned to National Hockey League (Pittsburgh Penguins) after 3 years of retirement.  He was the first owner-player in the modern era of pro-sports.  He purchased the Pittsburgh Penguins during his retirement.

December 28th:
—1732  The Pennsylvania Gazette carried the first known advertisement of the first issue of Poor Richard’s Almanack.
—1832  John C. Calhoun became the first (though not the last) vice president to resign his office. He had been simultaneously elected as vice president and senator from South Carolina, and chose working in the Senate over the White House, so he could devote his full time to the causes of states’ rights and slavery.
—1846  Iowa became the 29th state.  The state capital is Des Moines, state flower wild rose, state tree is oak.
—1860  William Semple of Ohio received a patent for his bright idea . . .chewing gum.
—1959  “Why” by Frankie Avalon is the top single in the US.
—1968  The Doors’ “Touch Me” is released.
—1971  The Who’s Keith Moon hosts a Sha Na Na concert wearing a gold lame suit.
—1975  In Detroit, a man points a .44 at performing Ted Nugent. The singer and band members hide behind amps while police apprehend the gunman.
—1981  Elizabeth Carr was born in a hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. She is America’s first “test-tube baby.”
—1983  Beach Boy Dennis Wilson drowns to death in Marina Del Ray, CA.
—1986  The Knack attempt a comeback at LA’s Roxy. LA Times writes “New Knack attack misfires.”
⎯1993  Singer Shania Twain & Robert John “Mutt” Lange were married.

December 29th:
Today is  TICK TOCK DAY (time runs out, all those dreams you’ve had, it’s time, do it)
—1800  Charles Goodyear was born in New Haven. He was the man who invented vulcanization.
—1845  Texas joined the Union as the 28th State. The capital is Austin, state flower bluebonnet, state tree Pecan
—1848  The first gas lamps were installed in the White House by President James Polk.
—1851  The first YMCA in the U.S. was organized in Boston.
—1890  The last major armed conflict between U.S. troops and Native Americans took place, after 200 Indian men, women and children, who were being held captive by the Army, were executed in the Battle (or Massacre, depending on who’s telling it) of Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
—1956  Guy Mitchell’s “Singing The Blues” is the top single in the US.
—1975  Jefferson Starship members Paul Kanter and Grace Slick break up after living together for seven years.
—1978  “Beatlemania” hits its 700th performance.
—1979  Wings headline at the London Kamphchean benefit concert, with Rockpile and Elvis Costello & the Attractions also on the bill.
—1979  Jim Croce’s “Time In A Bottle” is the top US single, three months after his death.
—1980  Tim Hardin dies in LA at the age of 39 of “acute heroin-morphine intoxication due to overdose.”
—1982  Jamaica issues a commemorative stamp honoring Bob Marley.
—1988  Morrissey’s free concert in London ends early when police dogs are used to disperse rioting fans who were denied entry.
⎯ 1995  Mr. Holland’s Opus (starring Richard Dreyfuss) was widely released in movie theaters in the USA.

December 30th:
—1817  The first coffee is planted in Hawaii in Kona.
—1853  The U.S. purchased a strip of land from Mexico which would be the last addition of territory to the “Continental United States” (so far). The Gadsden Purchase, along the southern borders of New Mexico and Arizona, was needed for the route of the first transcontinental railroad.
—1862  The Union’s first iron-clad warship, the Monitor, which had battled the Confederacy’s Merrimack to a stand-off, sank in a storm off Cape Hatteras.
—1940  The Arroyo Seco Parkway, (California’s first freeway) connecting Los Angeles and Pasadena, was officially opened.
—1951  TV premiere of “The Roy Rogers Show” with wife Dale Evans.
—1962  In Nashville, Brenda Lee is injured in an unsuccessful attempt to save her poodle Cee Cee from her burning home.
—1963  The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand” was released in England, and sold three million copies in the first three weeks.
—1963  TV premiere of the Monty Hall hosted game show “Let’s Make A Deal.”
—1963  Congress authorized the Kennedy half-dollar following John F. Kennedy’s assassination in November.
—1966  The Monkees “I’m A Believer” is released in England.
—1974  The Beatles’ partnership is officially dissolved. Four years to the day after Paul McCartney sued his bandmates to dissolve the partnership.
—1979  Emerson, Lake, & Palmer announce they’ll no longer record together.
—1980  “The Wonderful World of Disney” was cancelled by NBC after more than 25 years on the air. It was the longest-running series in prime time television history.
—1980  The Beach Boys were honored with a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame.
⎯1991  Singer Bruce Springsteen & his wife Patti welcomed to the world their second child Jessica Rae.

December 31st:
NEW YEAR’S EVE. Do you know who’s giving out free coffee and donuts, and where? Can you tell your listeners about any particular areas of concentration by state and local police? Remember, those who aren’t inclined to think seriously about the dangers of drinking and driving aren’t likely to change just because some DJ utters a few clichés, so look for new and creative ways to get him and her thinking about it; make it fun, if you can. Overnight jocks might invite listeners to phone in and say, “I made it home in one piece . . . thank you!”
 This is also LEAP SECOND ADJUSTMENT TIME and MAKE UP YOUR MIND DAY
—1781  The first modern bank in the US, the Bank of North America, was organized by Robert Morris and received its charter from the Confederation Congress. It began operations January 7, 1782.
—1849  The first issue of The Lily was published; it was the first U.S. newspaper owned and edited by a woman, for women.
—1879  Thomas A. Edison gave the first public demonstration of his brightest idea yet, the incandescent light bulb.
—1890  Ellis Island, in New York Harbor, opened its doors as a processing center for immigrants. Before it was shut down in 1954, more than 20 million new Americans had passed through its gates.
—1899  Eva Mudge became the first woman in the U.S. to drive a motorcar. During a race in New York City, her “Locomobile” skidded on snow and knocked over five spectators.
—1947  Roy Rogers marries Dale Evans.
—1961  The Beach Boys play their first show using that name, in Long Beach, CA.
—1962  TV premiere of “The Match Game” hosted by Gene Rayburn.
—1969  Jimi Hendrix introduces his new, all-black Band Of Gypsys at NY’s Fillmore East.
—1971  The Band record “Rock Of Ages” the double live album, at the NY Academy of Music.
—1972  Pittsburgh Pirates star outfielder Roberto Clemente is killed in a plane crash near Puerto Rico while flying relief supplies to Nicaraguan earthquake victims.
⎯1972  Dick Clark’s Rockin New Year’s Eve first aired on ABC.
 —1974  Mick Fleetwood calls Lindsay Buckingham & Stevie Nicks to ask if they would like to join Fleetwood Mac.
—1974  Free agent pitcher Catfish Hunter signs $3 million Yankee contract.
—1976  The Cars make their concert debut with a show in New Hampshire.
—1978  Bill Graham closes the Winterland Theater in San Francisco, with the Grateful Dead and the Blues Brothers performing on the closing night.
—1982  Miami Steve Van Zandt marries Maureen Santora in Asbury Park, NJ, with Bruce Springsteen as best man. Little Richard performs the ceremony and Percy Sledge sings “When A Man Loves A Woman” at the reception.
—1982  One of New York City’s longest running rock clubs, Max’s Kansas City closes. Max’s was the hang out for various artists and musicians including Andy Warhol and the Velvet Underground in the last 60s. Devo made its first New York debut, introduced by David Bowie in 1976 and a young unknown Bruce Springsteen played solo acoustic sets in the early 70s, opening for Bob Marley Y the Wailers.
—1984  Rick Allen, Def Leppard drummer, is hurt in a car crash which requires the amputation of his left arm.
—1984  The nation’s first mandatory seat belt law went into effect in New York state at midnight.
—1985  Rick Nelson and six others are killed in a plane crash outside of Dallas. Included in the crash was Nelson’s fiancé, Helen Blair. Nelson was 45. His band was called the Stone Canyon Band.
—1985  Over 54,500 people played kazoos in downtown Rochester, New York, on this day. “A Bicycle Built for Two” was the song and it got the crowd listed in the Guiness Book of World Records for “The Most Kazoo-ers’.
⎯2000  Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson married actress Kate Hudson (Goldie Hawn’s daughter) in Aspen, CO.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!
“Merry Christmas” in as many languages as we could find!
Afrikaans – een plesierige kerfees
Arabic – I’d millad said oua sana saida
Argentine – Felices Pasquas Y felices ano Nuevo
Armenian – Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri – Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Basque – Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bohemian – Vesele Vanoce
Brazilian – Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo
Breton – Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian – Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Chinese – (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan (Catonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan’Gung Haw Sun
Cornish – Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Cree – Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian – Sretan Bozic
Czech – Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish – Gldelig Jul
Dutch – Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!
English – Merry Christmas
Esperanto – Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian – Ruumsaid juulup|hi
Farsi – Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish – Hyvaa joulua
French – Joyeux Noel
Frisian – Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
German – Froehliche Weihnachten
Greek – Kala Christouyenna!
Hawaiian – Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew – Mo’adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi – Shub Naya Baras
Hungarian – Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic – Gledileg Jol
Indonesian – Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi – Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish – Nollaig Shona Dhuit
Italian – Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese – Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Korean – Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Latvian – Prieci’gus Ziemsve’tkus un Laimi’gu Jauno Gadu!
Lithuanian – Linksmu Kaledu
Manx – Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori – Meri Kirihimete
Marathi – Shub Naya Varsh
Navajo – Merry Keshmish
Norwegian – God JulPennsylvania
German – En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Polish – Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia
Portuguese – Boas Festas
Rapa-Nui – Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rumanian – Sarbatori vesele
Russian – Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Serbian – Hristos se rodi
Slovakian – Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce
Sami – Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan – La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Scots Gaelic – Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serb-Croatian – Sretam Bozic. Vesela Nova Godina
Singhalese – Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak – Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene – Vesele Bozicne. Screcno Novo Leto
Spanish – Feliz Navidad
Swedish – God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt =C5r
Tagalog – Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tamil – Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal
Thai – Sawadee Pee Mai
Turkish – Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian – Srozhdestvom Kristovym
Urdu – Naya Saal Mubarak Ho
Vietnamese – Chung Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh – Nadolig Llawen
Yugoslavian – Cestitamo Bozic
Papua New Guinea – Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu.
Maltese – Il-Milied it-tajjeb
BORN ON CHRISTMAS OR NOT
Arnold Swartznegger (Not)
Sissy Spacek, 1949
Jimmy Buffet, 1946
Mortzart (Not)
Little Richard, 1932
John F. Kennedy (Not)
Rod Serling, 1924
Dick Cheney (Not)
Humprey Bogart, 1899
George Patton (NOT, he was born on Veteran’s Day)
Sir Issac Newton, 1642
Annie Lennox, 1954
Jack Nicholson (Not)
Cab Calloway, 1907
Ricky Henderson, 1958
CHRISTMAS OR HANUKKAH
Here are a few to get you started:
David Lee Roth (Hanukkah)
Heather Locklear (Christmas)
Jerry Seinfeld (Hanukkah)
Ann Landers (Hanukkah)
O.J. Simpson (Christmas)
Billy Crystal (Hanukkah)
Tom Hanks (Christmas)
Cindy Crawford (Christmas)
Rodney Dangerfield (Hanukkah)
Roseanne (Hanukkah)
Jay Leno (Christmas)
Demi Moore (Christmas)
William Shatner (Hanukkah)
Rod Stewart (Christmas)
James Caan (Hanukkah)
Ann Landers (Hanukkah)
Brad Pitt (Christmas)
Henry Winkler (Hanukkah)
Brooke Shields (Christmas)
Sharon Stone (Christmas)
ODD CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
What kind of weird things do you do around the holidays? Do you wait until Christmas Eve to buy your tree? Does Santa wrap your presents or does he leave them out on Christmas morning? Tell us about your crazy holiday rituals.
CHRISTMAS TRIVIA
Wooster, Ohio, saw the introduction of a familiar Christmas item in 1847. What was it? (The Christmas Tree, introduced by the town’s German immigrants)
America’s “Christmas City” is what biblically named Pennsylvania town? (Bethlehem)
If you see a Nacimiento around Christmas in the U.S. Southwest, what are you looking at? (Nativity scene)
How did “America’s Christmas City,” Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, get its name? (Its Moravian settlers had sung a Christmas hymn praising he town of Jesus’ birth; they liked the name, so they used it)
CHRISTMAS FACTS
“Hot cockles” was a popular game at Christmas in medieval times. It was a game in which the other players took turns striking the blindfolded player, who had to guess the name of the person delivering each blow. “Hot cockles” was still a Christmas pastime until the Victorian era.
“White Christmas” (1954), starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, was the first movie to be made in Vista Vision, a deep-focus process.
“The Nutcracker” is the name for the ballet performed around Christmas time each year. “The Nutcracker Suite” is the title of the music Tchaikovsky wrote.
“Wassail” comes from the Old Norse “ves heill”–to be of good health. This evolved into the tradition of visiting neighbors on Christmas Eve and drinking to their health.
A Christmas club, a savings account in which a person deposits a fixed amount of money regularly to be used at Christmas for shopping, came about around 1905.
According to a 1995 survey, 7 out of 10 British dogs get Christmas gifts from their doting owners.
According to historical accounts, the first Christmas in the Philippines was celebrated 200 years before Ferdinand Magellan discovered the country for the western world, likely between the years 1280 and 1320 AD.
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, Americans buy 37.1 million real Christmas trees each year; 25 percent of them are from the nation’s 5,000 choose-and-cut farms.
After “A Christmas Carol,” Charles Dickens wrote several other Christmas stories, one each year, but none was as successful as the original.
Alabama was the first state to recognize Christmas as an official holiday. This tradition began in 1836.
American billionaire Ross Perot tried to airlift 28 tons of medicine and Christmas gifts to American POW’s in North Vietnam in 1969.
America’s official national Christmas tree is located in King’s Canyon National Park in California. The tree, a giant sequoia called the
An artificial spider and web are often included in the decorations on Ukrainian Christmas trees. A spider web found on Christmas morning is believed to bring good luck.
An average household in America will mail out 28 Christmas cards each year and see 28 eight cards return in their place.
As early as 1822, the postmaster in Washington, D.C. was worried by the amount of extra mail at Christmas time. His preferred solution to the problem was to limit by law the number of cards a person could send. Even though commercial cards were not available at that time, people were already sending so many homemade cards that sixteen extra postmen had to be hired in the city.
At Christmas, Ukrainians prepare a traditional twelve-course meal. A family’s youngest child watches through the window for the evening star to appear, a signal that the feast can begin.
At lavish Christmas feasts in the Middle Ages, swans and peacocks were sometimes served “endored.” This meant the flesh was painted with saffron dissolved in melted butter. In addition to their painted flesh, endored birds were served wrapped in their own skin and feathers, which had been removed and set aside prior to roasting.
California, Oregon, Michigan, Washington, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina are the top Christmas tree producing states. Oregon is the leading producer of Christmas trees – 8.6 million in 1998.
Christmas Day in the Ukraine can be celebrated on either December 25, in faithful alliance with the Roman Catholic Gregorian calendar, or on January 7, which is the Orthodox or Eastern Rite (Julian calendar), the church holy day.
Christmas is a summer holiday in South Africa. Children are fond of the age-old custom of producing pantomimes – for instance, “Babes in the Wood,” founded on one of the oldest ballads in the English language. Boxing Day on December 26th, when boxes of food and clothing are given to the poor, is observed as a holiday.
Christmas is not widely celebrated in Scotland. Some historians believe that Christmas is downplayed in Scotland because of the influence of the Presbyterian Church (or Kirk), which considered Christmas a “Papist,” or Catholic event. As a result, Christmas in Scotland tends to be somber.
Christmas presents were known in antiquity among kings and chieftains, especially on the European continent. However, they have been common among ordinary people in Iceland only during the past 100 or so years.
Christmas trees are edible. Many parts of pines, spruces, and firs can be eaten. The needles are a good source of vitamin C. Pine nuts, or pine cones, are also a good source of nutrition.
Christmas trees are known to have been popular in Germany as far back as the sixteenth century. In England, they became popular after Queen Victoria’s husband Albert, who came from Germany, made a tree part of the celebrations at Windsor Castle. In the United States, the earliest known mention of a Christmas tree is in the diary of a German who settled in Pennsylvania.
Christmas was once a moveable feast celebrated at many different times during the year. The choice of December 25, was made by Pope Julius I, in the 4th century AD, because this coincided with the pagan rituals of Winter Solstice, or Return of the Sun. The intent was to replace the pagan celebration with the Christian one.
Cultured Christmas trees must be shaped as they grow to produce fuller foliage. To slow the upward growth and to encourage branching, they are hand-clipped in each spring. Trees grown in the wild have sparser branches, and are known in the industry as “Charlie Brown” trees.
During the ancient 12-day Christmas celebration, the log burned was called the “Yule log.” Sometimes a piece of the Yule log would be kept to kindle the fire the following winter, to ensure that the good luck carried on from year to year. The Yule log custom was handed down from the Druids.
During the Christmas buying season, Visa cards alone are used an average of 5,340 times every minute in the United States.
During the Christmas/Hanukkah season, more than 1.76 billion candy canes will be made.
During World War II it was necessary for Americans to mail Christmas gifts early for the troops in Europe to receive them in time. Merchants joined in the effort to remind the public to shop and mail early and the protracted shopping season was born.
Electric Christmas tree lights were first used in 1895. The idea for using electric Christmas lights came from an American, Ralph E. Morris. The new lights proved safer than the traditional candles.
Following Princess Diana’s tragic death in 1997, the Ty toy company, famous in the late 1990s for its popular Beanie Baby line of beanbag animals, issued a “Princess” bear in tribute. The royal purple Beanie, bearing an embroidered white rose on its chest, became so desired that at Christmas time, American collectors were willing to spend up to $300 for one on the secondary market.
There are two Christmas Islands. The Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean was formerly called Kiritimati. Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean is 52 square miles.
Frankincense is a sweet smelling gum resin derived from certain Boswellia trees which, at the time of Christ, grew in Arabia, India, and Ethiopia. Tradition says that it was presented to the Christ Child by Balthasar, the black king from Ethiopia or Saba. The frankincense trade was at its height during the days of the Roman Empire. At that time this resin was considered as valuable as gems or precious metals. The Romans burned frankincense on their altars and at cremations.
Franklin Pierce was the first United States’ president to decorate an official White House Christmas tree .
Frumenty was a spiced porridge, enjoyed by both rich and poor. It is thought to be the forerunner of modern Christmas puddings. It has its origins in a Celtic legend of the harvest god Dagda, who stirred a porridge made up of all the good things of the Earth.
Frustrated at the lack of interest in his new toy invention, Charles Pajeau hired several midgets, dressed them in elf costumes, and had them play with “Tinker Toys” in a display window at a Chicago department store during the Christmas season in 1914. This publicity stunt made the construction toy an instant hit. A year later, over a million sets of Tinker Toys had been sold.
George Washington spent Christmas night 1776 crossing the Delaware River in dreadful conditions. Christmas 1777 fared little better – at Valley Forge, Washington and his men had a miserable Christmas dinner of Fowl cooked in a broth of Turnips, cabbage and potatoes.
Greeks do not use Christmas trees or give presents at Christmas. A priest may throw a little cross into the village water to drive the kallikantzari (gremlin-like spirits) away. To keep them from hiding in dark, dusty corners, he goes from house to house sprinkling holy water.
Historians have traced some of the current traditions surrounding Father Christmas, or Santa Claus, back to ancient Celtic roots. Father Christmas’s elves are the modernization of the “Nature folk” of the Pagan religions; his reindeer are associated with the “Horned God,” which was one of the Pagan deities.
If traveling in France during the Christmas season, it is interesting to note that different dishes and dining traditions reign in popularity in different parts of the country. In south France, for instance, a Christmas loaf (pain calendeau) is cut crosswise and is eaten only after the first part has been given to a poor person. In Brittany, buckwheat cakes and sour cream is the most popular main dish. In Alsace, a roasted goose is the preferred entrée. In Burgundy, turkey and chestnuts are favored. In the Paris region, oysters are the favorite holiday dish, followed by a cake shaped like a Yule log.
In 1647, the English parliament passed a law that made Christmas illegal. Festivities were banned by Puritan leader, Oliver Cromwell, who considered feasting and revelry, on what was supposed to be a holy day, to be immoral. The ban was lifted only when the Puritans lost power in 1660.
In 1752, 11 days were dropped from the year when the switch from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar was made. The December 25, date was effectively moved 11 days backwards. Some Christian church sects, called old calendarists, still celebrate Christmas on January 7 (previously December 25 of the Julian calendar).
In 1907, Oklahoma became the last US state to declare Christmas a legal holiday.
In 1937, the first postage stamp to commemorate Christmas was issued in Austria.
In 1947, Toys for Tots started making the holidays a little happier for children by organizing its first Christmas toy drive for needy youngsters.
In 1996, Christmas caroling was banned at two major malls in Pensacola, Florida. Apparently, shoppers and merchants complained the carolers were too loud and took up too much space.
In an effort to solicit cash to pay for a charity Christmas dinner in 1891, a large crabpot was set down on a San Francisco street, becoming the first Salvation Army collection kettle.
In America, the weeks leading up to Christmas are the biggest shopping weeks of the year. Many retailers make up to 70% of their annual revenue in the month preceding Christmas.
In Armenia, the traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of fried fish, lettuce, and spinach. The meal is traditionally eaten after the Christmas Eve service, in commemoration of the supper eaten by Mary on the evening before Christ’s birth.
In Britain, eating mince pies at Christmas dates back to the 16th century. It is still believed that to eat a mince pie on each of the Twelve Days of Christmas will bring 12 happy months in the year to follow.
In Britain, the Holy Days and Fasting Days Act of 1551, which has not yet been repealed, states that every citizen must attend a Christian church service on Christmas Day, and must not use any kind of vehicle to get to the service.
In Finland and Sweden an old tradition prevails, where the twelve days of Christmas are declared to be time of civil peace by law. It used to be that a person committing crimes during this time would be liable to a stiffer sentence than normal.
In France, Christmas is called Noel. This is derived from the French phrase “les bonnes nouvelles,” which means literally “the good news” and refers to the gospel.
In Greek legend, malicious creatures called Kallikantzaroi (also spelled Kallikantzari) sometimes play troublesome pranks at Christmas time. According to the legend, to get rid of them, you should burn either salt or an old shoe. Apparently the stench of the burning shoe (or salt) drives off the Kallikantzaroi. Other effective methods include hanging a pig’s jawbone by the door and keeping a large fire so they can’t sneak down the chimney.
In Guatemala, Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25; however, Guatemalan adults do not exchange gifts until New Year’s Day. Children get theirs (from the Christ Child) on Christmas morning.
In Medieval England, Nicholas was just another saint – he had not yet been referred to as Santa Claus and he had nothing to do with Christmas.
In North America, children put stockings out at Christmas time. Their Dutch counterparts, however, use shoes. Dutch children set out shoes to receive gifts any time between mid-November and December 5, St. Nicholas’ birthday.
In Norway on Christmas Eve, visitors should know that after the family’s big dinner and the opening of presents, all the brooms in the house are hidden. The Norwegians long ago believed that witches and mischievous spirits came out on Christmas Eve and would steal their brooms for riding.
In Portugal, the traditional Christmas meal (consoada) is eaten in the early hours of Christmas Day. Burning in the hearth is the Yule log (fogueira da consoada). The ashes and charred remains of the Yule log are saved; later in the year, they are burned with pine cones during Portugal’s thunderstorm season. It is believed that no thunderbolt will strike where the Yule log smoke has traveled.
In southern France, some people burn a log in their homes from Christmas Eve until New Year’s Day. This stems from an ancient tradition in which farmers would use part of the log to ensure a plentiful harvest the following year.
In Sweden, a common Christmas decoration is the Julbock. Made from straw, it is a small figurine of a goat. A variety of straw decorations are a usual feature of Scandinavian Christmas festivities.
In Syria, Christmas gifts are distributed by one of the Wise Men’s camels. The gift-giving camel is said to have been the smallest one in the Wise Men’s caravan.
In the British armed forces it is traditional that officers wait on the men and serve them their Christmas dinner. This dates back to a custom from the Middle Ages.
In the Netherlands, Christmas centers on the arrival of Saint Nicholas, who is believed to come on horseback bearing gifts. Before going to bed, children leave out their shoes, hoping to find them filled with sweets when they awaken.
In the Thomas Nast cartoon that first depicted Santa Claus with a sleigh and reindeer, he was delivering Christmas gifts to soldiers fighting in the U.S. Civil War. The cartoon, entitled “Santa Claus in Camp,” appeared in Harper’s Weekly on January 3, 1863.
In the Ukraine, a traditional Christmas bread called “kolach” is placed in the center of the dining table. This bread is braided into a ring, and three such rings are placed one on top of the other, with a candle in the center of the top one. The three rings symbolize the Trinity.
In Victorian England, turkeys were popular for Christmas dinners. Some of the birds were raised in Norfolk, and taken to market in London. To get them to London, the turkeys were supplied with boots made of sacking or leather. The turkeys were walked to market. The boots protected their feet from the frozen mud of the road. Boots were not used for geese: instead, their feet were protected with a covering of tar.
It is a British Christmas tradition that a wish made while mixing the Christmas pudding will come true only if the ingredients are stirred in a clockwise direction.
It is estimated that 400,000 people become sick each year from eating tainted Christmas leftovers.
Jesus Christ, son of Mary, was born in a cave, not in a wooden stable. Caves were used to keep animals in because of the intense heat. A large church is now built over the cave, and people can go down inside the cave. The carpenters of Jesus’ day were really stone cutters. Wood was not used as widely as it is today. So whenever you see a Christmas nativity scene with a wooden stable — that’s the “American” version, not the Biblical one.
La Befana, a kindly witch, rides a broomstick down the chimney to deliver toys into the stockings of Italian children. The legends say that Befana was sweeping her floors when the three Wise Men stopped and asked her to come to see the Baby Jesus. “No,” she said, “I am too busy.” Later, she changed her mind but it was too late. So, to this day, she goes out on Christmas Eve searching for the Holy Child, leaving gifts for the “holy child” in each household.
Long before it was used as a “kiss encourager” during the Christmas season, mistletoe had long been considered to have magic powers by Celtic and Teutonic peoples. It was said to have the ability to heal wounds and increase fertility. Celts hung mistletoe in their homes in order to bring themselves good luck and ward off evil spirits.
Mistletoe, a traditional Christmas symbol, was once revered by the early Britons. It was so sacred that it had to be cut with a golden sickle.
More diamonds are purchased at Christmas-time (31 percent) than during any other holiday or occasion during the year.
More than three billion Christmas cards are sent annually in the United States.
Myrrh is an aromatic gum resin which oozes from gashes cut in the bark of a small desert tree known as Commifera Myrrha or the dindin tree. The myrrh hardens into tear-dropped shaped chunks and is then powdered or made into ointments or perfumes. This tree is about 5-15 feet tall and 1 foot in diameter. Legend says Caspar brought the gift of myrrh from Europe or Tarsus and placed it before the Christ Child. Myrrh was an extremely valuable commodity during biblical times and was imported from India and Arabia.
New York City’s Empire State Building’s world famous tower lights are turned off every night at midnight with the exception of New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and St. Patrick’s Day, when they are illuminated until 3 a.m.
On Christmas Day, 1989, Eastern Europe was permitted to celebrate Christmas freely and openly for the first time in decades. Church masses were broadcast live for the first time in history.
One Norwegian Christmas custom begins in late autumn at harvest time. The finest wheat is gathered and saved until Christmas. This wheat is then attached to poles made from tree branches, making perches for the birds. A large circle of snow is cleared away beneath each perch. According to the Norwegians, this provides a place for the birds to dance, which allows them to work up their appetites between meals. Just before sunset on Christmas Eve, the head of the household checks on the wheat in the yard. If a lot of sparrows are seen dining, it is suppose to indicate a good year for growing crops.
One notable medieval English Christmas celebration featured a giant 165-pound pie. The giant pie was nine feet in diameter. Its ingredients included 2 bushels of flour, 20 pounds of butter, 4 geese, 2 rabbits, 4 wild ducks, 2 woodcocks, 6 snipes, 4 partridges, 2 neats’ tongues, 2 curlews, 6 pigeons, and 7 blackbirds.
Originally, Christmas decorations were home-made paper flowers, or apples, biscuits, and sweets. The earliest decorations to be bought came from Nuremburg in Germany, a city famous for the manufacture of toys. Lauscha in Germany is famous for its glass ornaments. In 1880, America discovered Lauscha and F.W. Woolworth went there and bought a few glass Christmas tree ornaments. Within a day he had sold out so next year he bought more and within a week they, too, had sold. The year after that be bought 200,000 Lauscha ornaments. During the First World War supplies of ornaments from Lauscha ceased, so American manufacturers began to make their own ornaments, developing new techniques that allowed them to turn out as many ornaments in a minute as could be made in a whole day at Lauscha.
Per a November 2000 Gallup poll, 60 percent of Americans thought they would spend at least $500 that year on Christmas gifts. This was a slight drop from 1999 gift-spending.
Postmen in Victorian England were popularly called “robins.” This was because their uniforms were red. The British Post Office grew out of the carrying of royal dispatches. Red was considered a royal color, so uniforms and letter-boxes were red. Christmas cards often showed a robin delivering Christmas mail.
Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas message to the nation was televised for the first time on December 25, 1957. For the next 40 years, the BBC aired the event.
Right behind Christmas and Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday ranks as the third-largest occasion for Americans to consume food, according to the National Football League.
Santa’s Reindeers are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.
Silent Night was written in 1818, by an Austrian priest Joseph Mohr. He was told the day before Christmas that the church organ was broken and would not be prepared in time for Christmas Eve. He was saddened by this and could not think of Christmas without music, so he wanted to write a carol that could be sung by choir to guitar music. He sat down and wrote three stanzas. Later that night the people in the little Austrian Church sang “Stille Nacht” for the first time.
Since the 1840s, the residents of Pietarsaari, a town on Finland’s coast, have decorated a Christmas street, Storgatan, since the 1840s. Suspended over the street are three large illuminated decorations: a cross symbolizing faith, an anchor representing h
St. Nicholas was bishop of the Turkish town of Myra in the early fourth century. It was the Dutch who first made him into a Christmas gift-giver, and Dutch settlers brought him to America where his name eventually became the familiar Santa Claus.
Telesphorus, the second Bishop of Rome (125-136 AD) declared that public Church services should be held to celebrate “The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour.” In 320 AD, Pope Julius I and other religious leaders specified 25 December as the official date of the birth of Jesus Christ.
The “Twelve Days of Christmas” was originally written to help Catholic children, in England, remember different articles of faith during the persecution by Protestant Monarchs. The “true love” represented God, and the gifts all different ideas: The “Partridge in a pear tree” was Christ.
2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity– the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the “Pentateuch”, which relays the history of man’s fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of Creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed
The abbreviation of Xmas for Christmas is not irreligious. The first letter of the word Christ in Greek is chi, which is identical to our X. Xmas was originally an ecclesiastical abbreviation that was used in tables and charts.
The Canadian province of Nova Scotia leads the world in exporting lobster, wild blueberries, and Christmas trees.
The Christmas season begins at sundown on 24th December and lasts through sundown on 5th January. For that reason, this season is also known as the Twelve Days of Christmas.
The Christmas turkey first appeared on English tables in the 16th century, but didn’t immediately replace the traditional fare of goose, beef or boar’s head in the rich households.
The custom of singing Christmas carols is very old – the earliest English collection was published in 1521.
The day after Christmas, December 26, is known as Boxing Day. It is also the holy day called The Feast of St. Stephen. Some believe the feast was named for St. Stephen, a 9th century Swedish missionary, the patron saint of horses. Neither Boxing Day or St. Stephen have anything to do with Sweden or with horses. The Stephen for whom the day is named is the one in the Bible (Acts 6-8) who was the first Christian to be martyred for his faith.
The first British monarch to broadcast a Christmas message to his people was King George V.
The first charity Christmas card was produced by UNICEF in 1949. The picture chosen for the card was painted not by a professional artist but by a seven-year-old girl. The girl was Jitka Samkova of Rudolfo, a small town in the former nation of Czechoslovakia. The town received UNICEF assistance after World War II, inspiring Jitka to paint some children dancing around a maypole. She said her picture represented “joy going round and round.”
The first Christmas card was created in England on December 9, 1842.
The first commercial Christmas card sold was designed by London artist John Calcott Horsley. He was hired by a wealthy British man to design a card that showed people feeding and clothing the poor with another picture of a Christmas party. The first Christmas card said, “Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you.” Of the original one thousand cards he printed for Henry Cole, only twelve exist today.
The first printed reference to Christmas trees appeared in Germany in 1531.
The movie “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000) features more than 52,000 Christmas lights, about 8,200 Christmas ornaments, and nearly 2,000 candy canes.
The modern Christmas custom of displaying a wreath on the front door of one’s house, is borrowed from ancient Rome’s New Year’s celebrations. Romans wished each other “good health” by exchanging branches of evergreens. They called these gifts strenae after Strenia, the goddess of health. It became the custom to bend these branches into a ring and display them on doorways.
The northern European custom of the candlelit Christmas tree is derived from the belief that it sheltered woodland spirits when other trees lost their leaves during winter.
The poem commonly referred to as “The Night Before Christmas” was originally titled “A Visit From Saint Nicholas.” This poem was written by Clement Moore for his children and some guests, one of whom anonymously sent the poem to a New York newspaper for publication.
The poinsettia, traditionally an American Christmas flower, originally grew in Mexico; where it was known as the “Flower of the Holy Night”. It was first brought to America by Joel Poinsett in 1829.
The popular Christmas song “Jingle Bells” was composed in 1857 by James Pierpont, and was originally called “One-Horse Open Sleigh.”
The Puritans forbade the singing of Christmas carols.
The real St. Nicholas lived in Turkey, where he was bishop of the town of Myra, in the early 4th century. It was the Dutch who first made him into a Christmas gift-giver, and Dutch settlers brought him to America where his name eventually became the familiar Santa Claus.
The Super Ball was born in 1965, and it became America’s most popular plaything that year. By Christmas time, only six months after it was introduced by Wham-O, 7 million balls had been sold at 98 cents apiece. Norman Stingley, a California chemist, invented the bouncing gray ball. In his spare time, he had compressed a synthetic rubber material under 3,500 pounds of pressure per square inch, and eventually created the remarkable ball. It had a resiliency of 92 percent, about three times that of a tennis ball, and could bounce for long periods. It was reported that presidential aide McGeorge Bundy had five dozen Super Balls® shipped to the White House for the amusement of staffers.
The table for Christmas Eve dinner in the Ukraine is set with two tablecloths: one for the ancestors of the family, the other for the living members. In pagan times, ancestors were believed to be benevolent spirits who, when shown respect, brought good fortune.
The tradition of Christmas lights dates back to when Christians were persecuted for saying Mass. A simple candle in the window meant that Mass would be celebrated there that night.
The traditional flaming Christmas pudding dates back to 1670 in England, and was derived from an earlier form of stiffened plum porridge.
The world’s first singing commercial aired on the radio on Christmas Eve, 1926 for Wheaties cereal. The four male singers, eventually known as the Wheaties Quartet, sang the jingle. The Wheaties Quartet, comprised of an undertaker, a bailiff, a printer, and a businessman, performed the song for the next six years, at $6 per singer per week. The commercials were a resounding success.
Theodore Roosevelt, a staunch conservationist, banned Christmas trees in his home, even when he lived in the White House. His children, however, smuggled them into their bedrooms.
There are twelve courses in the Ukrainian Christmas Eve supper. According to the Christian tradition, each course is dedicated to one of Christ’s apostles.
When Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island, died on December 4, 1894, he willed his November 13 birthday to a friend who disliked her own Christmas birthday.
The common abbreviation for Christmas to Xmas is derived from the Greek alphabet. X is letter Chi, which is the first letter of Christ’s name in the Greek alphabet.
Oliver Cromwell, in England banned Christmas Carols between 1649 and 1660. Cromwell thought that Christmas should be a very solemn day so he banned carols and parties. The only celebration was by a sermon and a prayer service.
In 1643, the British Parliament officially abolishes the celebration of Christmas.
The Puritans in America tried to make Thanksgiving Day the most important annual festival instead of Christmas.
Silent Night was written in 1818, by an Austrian priest Joseph Mohr. He was told the day before Christmas that the church organ was broken and would not be prepared in time for Christmas Eve. He was saddened by this and could not think of Christmas without music, so he wanted to write a carol that could be sung by choir to guitar music. He sat down and wrote three stanzas. Later that night the people in the little Austrian Church sang “Stille Nacht” for the first time.
St. Francis of Assisi introduced Christmas Carols to formal church services.
Telesphorus, the second Bishop of Rome (125-136 AD) declared that public Church services should be held to celebrate “The Nativity of our Lord and Saviour.” In 320 AD, Pope Julius I and other religious leaders specified 25 December as the official date of the birth of Jesus Christ.
26 December was traditionally known as St Stephen’s Day, but is more commonly known as Boxing Day. This expression came about because money was collected in alms-boxes placed in churches during the festive season. This money was then distributed during to the poor and needy after Christmas.
Melbourne, Australia has a sporting Boxing Day tradition. The Melbourne Cricket Ground hosts a Cricket test match. Sometimes this attracts 90, 000 spectators. Cricket is Australia’s premier Summer sport.
The first printed reference to Christmas trees appeared in Germany in 1531
Tom Smith who owned a sweet shop in London was the originator of the cracker. In the 1840s Tom found that people like sugar almonds, but while he was in France he discovered a variety of sweets wrapped up in a twist of paper. These bonbons were popular, so Tom decided to copy them. When Tom noticed that young men were buying them to give to their sweethearts he began to place “love mottoes” on small slips of paper inside the sweet wrapping.
In 1846 Tom’s thoughts turned towards Christmas – instead of sweets he thought he would place toys and novelties inside the twisted wrapping. He experimented with this and the idea of producing a wrapping that could be pulled apart – just like the cracker as we know it today.
The word carol is derived from the old French word caroller which derives from the Latin choraula. This itself was derived from the Greek choraules.
In Switzerland during the Reformation, al instrumental and choral music was banned from churches. In Germany, disapproval of carols resulted in some being converted into hymns.
Tinsel on the Christmas Tree is attributed to a woman whose husband died. She was left to bring up a large family of children herself. She was left to do everything working so hard and she was determined to make a happy time for them at Christmas. She prepared a Christmas Tree to surprise them on Christmas Day. Unfortunately spiders visited the tree, and crawled from branch to branch, making webs all over it. The Christ Child saw the tree and knew she would be devastated to find this on Christmas morning. He changed the spiders’ webs to shining silver.
The first church the Dutch built in New York City was named in St Nicholas’ honour — St. Nicholas Church.
Many Christmas customs are carryovers from pre-Christian celebrations. Hanging gifts on trees is supposed to stem from tree worship of the Druids, and the belief that the tree was the giver of all good things. The Druids are also partly responsible for the use of mistletoe at Christmastime. They regarded the mistletoe as sacred, made certain that it never touched the ground, and dedicated it to the Goddess of Love, which explains the kissing that goes on under it. Originally, when a boy kissed a girl, he plucked a berry from the cluster and presented it to her. When the berries were gone, so were the kisses.
THE CHRISTMAS LIST
A book full of seasonal statistics called “The Christmas List” has some surprising numbers such as…
569 American children were hospitalized in 1997 for ingesting Christmas ornaments.
Another Christmas number-cruncher: 34,335,809 real Christmas trees are displayed in the average holiday season compared to 40,694,463 fake trees.
Eight states have a town called Santa Claus.
Twenty-thousand Salvation Army kettles are placed out each year and bell-ringers spend 4.6 million hours monitoring the kettles.
5,340 Visa cards are swiped in America each minute between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Four million tons of wrapping paper trash is collected each year.
PICTURE PERFECT
Experts at Eastman Kodak have these camera tips to snap a picture perfect holiday:
Discourage family and friends from wearing white, the worst color to be photographed in. Vibrant shades are best.
Use “fast film” labeled 400 when photographing the tree and other holiday light displays.
Stock up on fresh film and batteries ahead of time so you’ll be ready for those unexpected magic moments.
Avoid boring posed shots. Be a roving candid-camera photographer who catches people in action rather than standing rigid with frozen smiles.
For a great group picture, pull the living room sofa out several feet from the wall. Arrange kids on the floor, grand folks seated on the couch and adults standing behind for a three-tiered effect.
Tall subjects, like Christmas trees, should be photographed vertically. The buffet table horizontally.
Pictures look their post professional if you get the right angel. Kneel down when taking kid’s photos so you’re at their level. Fill the frame with your subject by getting them in your sights, then moving a step or two closer to eliminate background clutter.
Give everybody his or her own personal use camera for the day you’ll wind up with a wonderful assortment of pictures of different subjects from different angles. The share the best efforts among family and friends.
THE CHRISTMAS CAROL GAME
Each of these synonyms is a common Christmas song or saying. How many can you translate?
Move hitherward the entire assembly of those who are loyal in their belief. (Oh Come All Ye Faithful)
Listen, the celestial messengers produce harmonious sounds. (Hark The Herald Angels Sing)
Nocturnal time-span of unbroken quietness. (Silent Night)
An emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good given to the terrestrial sphere. (Joy To The World)
Embellish the interior passageways. (Deck The Halls)
Exalted heavenly beings to whom hearkened. (Hark The Herald Angels Sing)
Twelve o’clock on a clement night witnessed its arrival. (It Came Upon A Midnight Clear)
The Christmas preceding all others. (The First Noel)
Small municipality in Judea southeast of Jerusalem. (Oh Little Town of Bethlehem)
Diminutive masculine master of skin-covered percussionistic cylinders. (Little Drummerboy)
Omnipotent supreme being who elicits respite to ecstatic distinguished males. (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen)
Tranquillity upon the terrestrial sphere. (Peace On Earth)
Obese personification fabricated of compressed mounds of minute crystals. (Frosty The Snowman)
Expectation of arrival to populated area by mythical masculine perennial gift-giver. (Here Comes Santa Claus)
Natal celebration devoid of color. (White Christmas)
In awe of the nocturnal time span characterized by religiosity. (Oh Holy Night)
Geographic state of fantasy during the season of mother nature’s dormancy. (Winter Wonderland)
The first person nominative plural of a triumvirate of far eastern heads of state. (We Three Kings)
Tintinnabulation of vacillating pendulums in inverted metallic, resonant cups. (Jingle Bells)
In a distant location the existence of an improvised unit of newborn children’s slumber furniture. (Away In A Manger)
Proceed forth declaring upon a specific geological alpine formation. (Go Tell It On A Mountain)
Jovial Yuletide desired for the second person singular or plural by us. (We Wish You A Merry Christmas)
TWELVE THANK YOU NOTES OF CHRISTMAS
December 25: My dearest darling Edward. What a wonderful surprise has just greeted me! That sweet partridge, in that lovely little pear-tree; what an enchanting, romantic, poetic present! Bless you, and thank you. Your deeply loving, Emily.
December 26: Beloved Edward. The two turtle-doves arrived this morning, and are cooing away in the pear-tree as I write. I’m so touched and grateful! With undying love, as always, Emily.
December 27: My darling Edward. You do think of the most original presents! Who ever thought of sending anybody three French hens? Do they really come all the way from France? It’s a pity we have no chicken coops, but I expect we’ll find some. Anyway, thank you so much; they’re lovely. Your devoted, Emily.
December 28: Dearest Edward. What a surprise! Four calling birds arrived this morning. They are very sweet, even if they do call rather loudly – they make telephoning almost impossible – but I expect they’ll calm down when they get used to their new home. Anyway, I’m very grateful, of course I am. Love from Emily.
December 29: Dearest Edward. The mailman has just delivered five most beautiful gold rings, one for each finger, and all fitting perfectly! A really lovely present! Lovelier, in a way, than birds, which do take rather a lot of looking after. The four that arrived yesterday are still making a terrible row, and I’m afraid none of us got much sleep last night. Mother says she wants to use the rings to “wring” their necks. Mother has such a sense of humor. This time she’s only joking, I think, but I do know what she means. Still, I love the rings. Bless you, Emily.
December 30: Dear Edward. Whatever I expected to find when I opened the front door this morning, it certainly wasn’t six socking great geese laying eggs all over the porch. Frankly, I rather hoped that you had stopped sending me birds. We have no room for them, and they’ve already ruined the croquet lawn. I know you meant well, but let’s call a halt, shall we? Love, Emily.
December 31: Edward. I thought I said no more birds. This morning I woke up to find no more than seven swans, all trying to get into our tiny goldfish pond. I’d rather not think what’s happened to the goldfish. The whole house seems to be full of birds, to say nothing of what they leave behind them, so please, please, stop! Your Emily.
January 1: Frankly, I prefer the birds. What am I to do with eight milkmaids? And their cows! Is this some kind of a joke? If so, I’m afraid I don’t find it very amusing. Emily.
January 2: Look here, Edward. This has gone far enough. You say you’re sending me nine ladies dancing. All I can say is, judging from the way they dance, they’re certainly not ladies. The village just isn’t accustomed to seeing a regiment of shameless viragos, with nothing on but their lipstick, cavorting round the green, and it’s Mother and I who get the blame. If you value our friendship, which I do (less and less), kindly stop this ridiculous behavior at once! Emily.
January 3: As I write this letter, ten disgusting old men are prancing up and down all over what used to be the garden, before the geese and the swans and the cows got at it. And several of them, I have just noticed, are taking inexcusable liberties with the milkmaids. Meanwhile the neighbors are trying to have us evicted. I shall never speak to you again. Emily.
January 4: This is the last straw! You know I detest bagpipes! The place has now become something between a menagerie and a madhouse, and a man from the council has just declared it unfit for habitation. At least Mother has been spared this last outrage; they took her away yesterday afternoon in an ambulance to a home for the bewildered. I hope you’re satisfied.
January 5: Sir, our client, Miss Emily Wilbraham, instructs me to inform you that with the arrival on her premises at 7:30 this morning of the entire percussion section of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and several of their friends, she has no course left open to her but to seek an injunction to prevent you importuning her further. I am making arrangements for the return of much assorted livestock. I am, sir, yours faithfully, G. Creep Attorney at law.
Author unknown
HOLIDAY SPECIAL POP QUIZ
Who was the child star in the original “Miracle on 34th Street?” (Natalie Wood)
In “Frosty the Snowman,” who is the little girl who helps Frosty get to the North Pole? (Karen)
In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” what are the names of the cop and taxi driver? (Bert and Ernie)
In “The Grinch That Stole Christmas,” what did Cindy Lu Who do before she went to bed? (Have a drink of water)
In “The Charlie Brown Christmas,” what song is sung after Linus tells Charlie Brown ‘What Christmas is all about?’ (Hark the Herald Angels Sing)
In “Frosty Returns,” what comedian floats in on a snowflake to narrate the story? (Jonathon Winters)
In “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” what is the Abominable Snowman’s job at the end of the show? (To put the star on top of the tree)
Who’s the big name star that plays Santa in the claymation “Santa Claus is Coming To Town?” (Mickey Rooney)
Who’s Ralphie’s brother in “A Christmas Story?” (Randy)
In “Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer,” what elf wants to be a dentist? (Herbie)
Who’s Rudolph’s dad? (Donner)
What is the name of Scrooge’s deceased business partner in Charles Dicken’s ‘A Christmas Carol? (Jacob Marley – Jacob Marley’s spirit was the first of four to appear to Scrooge on Christmas Eve)
Electric Christmas tree lights were first used in what year? (1895 – The idea for using electric Christmas lights came from an American, Ralph E. Morris. The new lights proved safer than the traditional candles)
When visiting Finland, Santa leaves his sleigh behind and rides on what instead? (A goat named Ukko – Finnish folklore has it that Ukko is made of straw, but is strong enough to carry Santa Claus anyway)
In North America, children put stockings out at Christmas time. What do their Dutch counterparts use? (Fried fish, lettuce and spinach – The meal was eaten after the Christmas Eve service, in commemoration of the supper eaten by Mary on the evening before Christ’s birth)
In Armenia, what does the traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of? (Shoes – Traditionally, the shoes used are wooden ones called sabots)
What do the songs “Jingle Bells” “Winter Wonderland” and “Sleighride” have in common? (None of the songs mentions Christmas)
Why is “O, Come All Ye Faithful” a Christmas carol but “Deck the Halls” not? (A true Christmas carol has to have a religious theme)
What does it mean to “deck the halls?” (To decorate the house with all sorts of greenery (not just “boughs of holly.” Traditionally, to “deck the halls” before Christmas Eve is considered bad luck)
In the song “Here We Go A-Wassailing,” the word “caroling” is often substituted for “wassailing.” But caroling and wassailing are not the same. What’s the difference? (Caroling is, of course, the act of singing Christmas carols. But wassailing is the ancient practice of toasting one’s crops and livestock to ensure prosperity for the coming year. Often, wassailing parties were held in the barn, and farm animals were sometimes given treats.)
What are the Twelve Days of Christmas? (The twelve days between Christmas Day and the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6). Traditionally, this period represents the time it took for the wise men to travel to see the Baby Jesus)
BA HUM BUG
Top duties for government workers who have to work on holidays:
Paper Clip Inventory – Cuz you just can’t trust the Quality control in those factories. That “Quantity: 1000″ is just an approximation, and we really need to know how many individual clips are really in those twelve cases.
Shredding – All that work that was just sitting in that inbox probably wasn’t important anyway, since you haven’t received a phone call demanding it yet.
Office Chair Readjustment – Top researchers note that an improper height adjustment on an office chair causes back strain, and you wouldn’t want employees out on sick leave all the time, would you? (this works best if you adjust all the chairs to your height, since you’re the only one working today anyway.)
Cartoon Faxing – Now how can you expect other employees who are working today to have a good day without sending them at least a dozen cartoons via fax. It is your duty to assist other employees in their duties so pass them on.
WHERE YOUR CHRISTMAS DOLLAR WENT
40% Presents:
6% Presents with no useful functions.
4% Presents with a function, but which will never be used.
10% Presents the recipient will say they like, but really hate.
11% Presents you really want for yourself, and plan to use after the intended recipients get tired of them.
6% Presents for people you hate, but feel you have to buy for.
3% T-shirts with writings on them.
21% Decorations:
6% Christmas tree (less if you’re really cheap and wait till Dec. 24th to buy it!).
1% Christmas tree lights to replace the ones that burned out last year.
1% Christmas tree lights to replace the ones you stepped on this year.
2% Christmas tree ornaments.
3% Christmas tree ornament hooks.
1% A new star for the top.
2% Tinsel (which everyone will put on the tree incorrectly, starting a very bad, and possibly violent, family argument).
2% Outdoor displays.
2% Medical bills for injuries sustained while putting up outdoor displays.
1% Fuses to replace those blown when turning on outdoor displays for the first time.
8% Food and Drink:
1% More eggnog than the entire Osmond family could even drink.
5% Foods you would never buy any other time of the year (i.e. fruitcakes, mincem eat, etc.).
1% Alcoholic beverages (triple this figure if you have relatives coming from out of town).
1% Milk and cookies the kids make leave out for Santa.
1% Candy canes that nobody ever eats.
3% Turkey.
5% Antacid.
9% Entertainment:
1% That new Christmas music CD you buy every year.
3% Taking a bunch of kids to a really crummy G-rated movie about cute little animals.
5% Extra trips to the local bar that you take to avoid those sickening TV Christmas Specials the networks keep throwing at you.
12% Miscellaneous:
3% Sickly-sweet Christmas Cards.
2% Postage for same.
2% Bonuses for people who don’t even deserve them
1% Candles.
1% Plastic mistletoe.
2% Money tossed into street-corner Santa’s buckets.
1% Money for the collection plate for your once-a-year trip to church for Christmas Mass.
10% Batteries
9% Batteries the wrong size to fit anything that needs them.
1% Batteries that fit the items, but one fewer than needed.
CHRISTMAS CARDS REVEAL PERSONALITY
The type of Christmas card you send reveals your true personality according to Dr. Ellnor Kinarthy. The expert tells what each type of card says about you:
Religious scenes — You spend lots of time deep in thought and you value the true meaning of Christmas. You like to help others and often donate time and money to charity. You value the traditional family in which the wife stays home while the husband goes off to work.
Family photos — You’re a busy person who likes new and different experiences, like living in different places, eating at new restaurants and tasting different foods. But Christmas gives you time to pause and reflect on how much family and friends mean to you.
Humorous — You’re a fun-loving optimist who can see the humor in even bad situations, but you’re also very sensitive to other people. You’re a good listener who gives friends a shoulder to cry on. In addition, you love animals and are inclined to have pets.
Winter scenes — You’re very competitive and throw yourself into everything, even your hobbies. But you enjoy pictures of winter because they remind you that it’s also important to relax and enjoy the tranquility of the season.
Santa cards — You’re a people-oriented person who likes going to big parties and enjoys making new friends. You consider all those tasty Christmas foods the best part of the season, and like Santa, you have a tendency to put on a little weight.
Christmas trees — You take pride in your personal appearance and your home. You have an artistic nature and are very creative. Your strong sense of beauty shows through in your home, which probably looks like it was professionally decorated.
Current themes (like Santa compiling his list on a computer) — You are very future-oriented and want to be ready for what tomorrow brings. You like video games, new car shows and all the latest gadgets. You may also be well-informed about investments.
CHRISTMAS MOVIE MAGIC
Name the movie that each of the following characters come from:
Ralphie Parker (“A Christmas Story”)
Cindy Lou Who (“The Grinch”)
Pig Pen (“Charlie Brown Christmas”)
Clark Grizwald (“National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”)
Hermey (“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”)
Clarence Oddbody (“It’s a Wonderful Life”)
MAXIM’S CHRISTMAS TRIVIA
The real reason “It’s a Wonderful Life” used to get repeated every 10 minutes around the holidays? A clerical error in the mid-’70s allowed the film’s copyright to expire, so TV stations could show it without having to pay the usual royalties. A Supreme Court ruling has since halted the free sleigh ride.
There are 1.76 billion candy canes produced each year. Merry Christmas, America’s dentists.
Last year the National Safety Council reported 40 U.S. deaths and 100 injuries due to Christmas tree fires. Safety tip: This holiday season, consider freebasing in the kitchen.
Jewish kids often try to convince their gentile pals that Hanukkah is just like having Christmas for eight nights in a row. No one buys it.
On Christmas Eve in Belgium, it’s legal for children to throw bananas at police cars. The police, charmed by the playfulness of the young lads, respond by providing the kids with souvenir bullets.
The term Xmas is not a contemporary attempt to secularize the holiday but an abbreviation devised by the church, based on the Greek letter chi, the first letter in Christ.
Poinsettias are not, as legend has it, poisonous. But you can still kill guy with one if you bash in his skull with the pot.
About 167 billion gallons of water are required to grow the 35 million Christmas trees slaughtered in America each year. That’s why Christmas trees in Ethiopia look so crappy.
Long known for its liberal social policies, Alabama became the first state to declare Christmas a legal holiday in 1836. But since this fact is primarily found in books, few Alabamans are aware of the honor.
CHRISTMAS JEOPARDY
We get two people on the phone, and give them the description. The first one to tell us the name of the toy wins.
This doll was big in the 80’s and maybe could be found in the garden. (Cabbage Patch Dolls)
Many kids could not sleep at night unless they had “Bert’s room mate” from “Sesame Street.” (Sleep N’ Snore Ernie)
This little “Gremlin” – looking creature had us all speaking a different language last year. (Furby)
This “Sesame Street” character could have been related to the Pillsbury Dough Boy. (Tickle Me Elmo)
This doll has been around for a long time, but every Christmas we fight over the holiday version. (Holiday Barbie)
“Po” and “La-La” are two of these characters our kids had to have in 1998. (Teleatubbies)
HOLIDAY SPECIAL DROP QUIZ
Who was the child star in the original “Miracle on 34th Street?” (Natalie Wood)
In “Frosty the Snowman,” who is the little girl who helps Frosty get to the North Pole? (Karen)
In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” what are the names of the cop and taxi driver? (Bert and Ernie)
In “The Grinch That Stole Christmas,” what did Cindy Lu Who do before she went to bed? (Have a drink of water)
In “The Charlie Brown Christmas,” what song is sung after Linus tells Charlie Brown ‘What Christmas is all about?’ (Hark the Herald Angels Sing)
In “Frosty Returns,” what comedian floats in on a snowflake to narrate the story? (Jonathon Winters)
In “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,” what is the Abominable Snowman’s job at the end of the show? (To put the star on top of the tree)
Who’s the big name star that plays Santa in the claymation “Santa Claus is Coming To Town?” (Mickey Rooney)
Who’s Ralphie’s brother in “A Christmas Story?” (Randy)
In “Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer,” what elf wants to be a dentist? (Herbie)
Who’s Rudolph’s dad? (Donner)
CHRISTMAS AROUND THE GLOBE
(Teacher.net) Many countries have their own variations of Christmas customs and traditions. Here are just a few:
Australia — Christmas here is like the typical British Christmas, but without the snow. Many Australians eat their Christmas dinner on the beach or in the bush, and since the 1930s a huge Christmas Eve carol singing event, broadcast worldwide and involving over a quarter of a million people, has become popular.
Austria — Enjoy the carol singing, the presents and the visit from St Nicholas on December 6, but watch out for his grotesque assistant, Krampus. Carp is on the menu on Christmas Eve, followed by roast goose on Christmas Day.
Belgium — Children in Belgium get two visits from St Nicholas, one on December 4, to see if they have been good, followed by presents on December 6. Children leave out their shoes, rather than stockings, or small baskets.
Chile — Chile’s gift-bringer is called Old Man Christmas and he climbs through windows rather than down chimneys. The manger scene is important in all Latin American countries and the Christmas Eve meal in Chile consists of chicken soup with potatoes, onions and corn.
China — Christians in China decorate their houses with paper lanterns and their ‘trees of light’ with paper chains, paper flowers and lanterns. Some children put out stockings for Dun Che Lao Ren (Christmas Old Man), but the main festival in China is the non-Christian Chinese New Year, or ‘Spring Festival’, towards the end of January, when ancestors are worshipped and children receive new clothes and toys and enjoy luxurious meals.
Denmark– Eat up your special rice pudding in Denmark on Christmas Eve, as you may find the single almond hidden inside, bringing you good luck for the whole year. Don’t forget to leave out some rice pudding for Julemanden, the bringer of gifts, as well as his reindeer and his Juul Nisse, or elves.
Germany– Christmas is a big celebration in Germany, beginning on December 6 with advent wreaths, candles and calendars. On December 5 children put out their shoes and St Nicholas fills them with fruit and biscuits overnight. Christmas markets abound with lots of goodies and the Christmas tree is the centre of attention. The mother of the house decorates the tree on Christmas Eve and no-one is allowed in until it’s finished. The December 25 is a family day and Boxing Day a day for visiting friends.
Greece — Easter is more important than Christmas in Greece, but there are nevertheless many Christmas traditions. Children travel from house to house singing the equivalent of carols on Christmas Eve, and are rewarded with sweets and dried fruits. There is no tree, but fresh basil, wrapped around a wooden cross, is dipped in holy water every day and sprinkled round the house to keep the Killantzaroi, or goblins, away from the house during Christmas. The hearth is kept burning for twelve days and nights to stop these goblins from making mischief, such as souring the milk or riding on people’s backs. Gifts are exchanged on January 1, when all the water jugs in the house are also emptied and refilled.
Holland — Look out for Sinterklaas, the Dutch St Nicholas, who arrives by steamer on the last Saturday in November. All traffic stops in Amsterdam as people pour out to greet him and his assistant, Black Peter. He first visits the royal palace, where the children must account for their behavior. There are usually no presents on Christmas Day, but on December 5 Sinterklaas gives presents called ’surprises’, which are even more exciting because they are disguised. A small gift may be in a large box, or hidden in a vegetable or pudding. Often presents are hidden in a cellar, with clues given as to how to find them.
India — India is mainly Hindu and Muslim, so there is no official celebration of Christmas. But this time of year is seen as a time to give gifts, to tip, or to give charitable handouts to the poor. Christians in India decorate their houses with mango leaves and sometimes burn small oil lamps on the tops of walls or on flat roofs.
Ireland — Candles are put in the window on Christmas Eve to help light the way of travelers or the Holy Family. The table is set with bread and milk after the evening meal and the door left unlocked, as a symbol of hospitality to Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.
Italy — La Befana, either a fairy queen, old crone or witch, brings gifts for the good children and punishment for the bad on January 6. Christmas feasts vary from region to region but include roasted, baked or fried eel, tortellini and cakes.
Japan — Christmas was introduced to Japan by missionaries, and is now popular. Gifts are exchanged, turkey is eaten on Christmas Day, and houses are decorated with evergreen and mistletoe. A priest or old man known as Hoteiosho carries a sack on his back, and resembles Santa Claus, apart from the eyes in the back of his head. On New Year’s Eve houses are cleaned thoroughly from top to bottom and the next day people dress in their finest clothes. The father of the house throws dried beans into each room to drive out evil spirits and encourage good luck.
Poland — Polish children get presents both on St Nicholas Day and on Christmas day itself. The Star of Bethlehem is the most popular element of the Polish Christmas and all the family gathers to look for it on Christmas Eve. Once the star appears, a special rice wafer called Oplatki is broken and shared by all. The feast consists of twelve courses, one for each Apostle, with hay under the tablecloth to remind everyone that Jesus was born in a stable. Poppy seed cake, beet soup, prune dumplings and noodles often feature on the menu.
Russia — Religious traditions were suppressed during the Communist era, but never completely declined. Babouschka, like Italy’s La Befana, roams the countryside visiting children at Christmas. On Christmas Eve, a special porridge called kutya is eaten, made of wheatberries, grains, honey and poppy seeds, symbolizing hope, immortality, happiness and success.
Syria — On Christmas Eve, the gates of Syrian Christian homes are locked as a reminder of years of religious persecution. Candles and bonfires are lit. The way the fire spreads through the wood will determine the family’s luck for the following year. Syrian children receive gifts from the Smallest Camel of the Wise Men. The camel was exhausted by the long journey to visit the baby Jesus, but refused to give up, and was blessed as a result.
Venezuela — In Caracas, the capital city, it is customary to roller skate to the main Early Morning Mass between December 16 and 24. Before bedtime children tie one end of a piece of string to their big toe and hang the other out of the window. Next morning, the roller skaters give a tug to any string they see hanging.
SANTA TREATS
According to The American Dietetic Association (ADA), if Santa drinks a glass of whole milk and eats two butter cookies at every American household he visits, he will consume a shocking 14,026,032,000 calories and 6,180,336,000 grams of fat in one night alone!
Try skim milk instead of whole, saving 64 calories and eight grams of fat for each glass he drinks.
Offer Santa “skinny nog” — a mixture of skim milk and low fat egg nog or use dry egg nog mix with skim milk to save 145 calories and 18 grams of fat per serving.
Leave Santa gingersnaps or graham crackers in place of higher fat cookies conserving 169 calories and eight grams of fat per serving.
Opt to give non-food gifts, like food and nutrition books, subscriptions to health newsletters, exercise tapes or equipment and gift certificates.
And, according to Zanecosky, carrots, celery, apples and pears are great treats for Santa as well as his reindeer. “With a little planning, it will be easy to expand Santa’s food choices without expanding his waistline.”
SANTA’S REINDEER
(by William E. Studwell/Northern Illinois University) In the process of preparing an homage to Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863), the author of “A Visit from S. Nicholas,” on the 175th anniversary of the publication of that classic poem in the Troy Sentinel on Dec. 23, 1823, an intriguing document was accidentally discovered. A few pages of notes, apparently in the hand of New Yorker Moore, a professor of Oriental and Greek literature, has been recently discovered. A section of these notes reveals the reason why Moore wrote the poem. In December 1822 Moore was personally visited by St. Nicholas himself, an incident that normally sober Moore, in hindsight, believed could have been a dream. The purpose of the visit, according to Moore’s notes, was a desire by Nicholas to clarify the public perception of himself and his activities, which at the time was confused and inaccurate. Respecting Moore’s intellectual and personal integrity, Nicholas asked Moore to write and publish a literary piece based on information supplied by Nicholas. The result was the quickly written “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” which as reported by Moore, thoroughly delighted the benevolent Saint. The notes reveal little more about the incident except for some details about the names and personalities of Nicholas’ symmetrical set of eight reindeer.
Dasher — the left side leader; travels well in short quick spurts, a perfect requirement for fast house-to-house dashes; also a dashing role model for the other seven deer.
Dancer — the left number 2 deer; name alliterative with Dasher; has well-trained hoofs to maintain stability on snowy rooftops.
Prancer — the left number 3 deer; Dancer’s twin; also has skillful hoofs for rooftop maneuvers but is less disciplined than Dancer.
Vixen — the left rear deer; name rhymes with Blitzen; has much emotional energy but is unpredictable.
Comet — the right side leader; like his astronomical namesake, is both speedy and enduring; also commands attention, a must for leaders.
Cupid — the right number 2 deer; name alliterative with Comet; moves as fast as Cupid’s arrow but is too perfidious to lead.
Donner — the right number 3 deer; name derived from the German word for thunder; is very strong, but not very enduring.
Blitzen — the right rear deer; Donner’s closest companion; name derived from the German word for lightning; the fastest and most energetic of the eight, but the least likely to last all Christmas eve.
POLITICALLY CORRECT SANTA
‘Twas the night before Christmas and Santa’s a wreck,
How to live in a world that’s politically correct?
His workers no longer would answer to “Elves,”
“Vertically Challenged” they were calling themselves.
And labor conditions at the north pole
Were alleged by the union to stifle the soul.

Four reindeer had vanished, without much propriety,
Released to the wilds by the Humane Society.
And equal employment had made it quite clear
That Santa had better not use just reindeer.
So Dancer and Donner, Comet and Cupid,
Were replaced with 4 pigs, and you know that looked stupid!

The runners had been removed from his sleigh,
The ruts were termed dangerous by the EPA.
And people had started to call for the cops
When they heard sled noises on their rooftops.
Second-hand smoke from his pipe had his workers quite frightened.
His fur-trimmed red suit was called “Unenlightened.”

And to show you the strangeness of life’s ebbs and flows,
Rudolph was suing over unauthorized use of his nose.
And had gone on Geraldo, in front of the nation,
Demanding millions in over-due compensation.
So, half of the reindeer were gone; and his wife,
Who suddenly said she’d enough of this life,

Joined a self-help group, packed, and left in a whiz,
Demanding from now on her title was Ms.
And as for the gifts, why, he’d ne’er had a notion
That making a choice could cause so much commotion.
Nothing of leather, nothing of fur,
Which meant nothing for him. And nothing for her.

Nothing that might be construed to pollute.
Nothing to aim. Nothing to shoot.
Nothing that clamored or made lots of noise.
Nothing for just girls. Or just for the boys.
Nothing that claimed to be gender specific.
Nothing that’s war-like or non-pacific.

No candy or sweets, they were bad for the tooth.
Nothing that seemed to embellish a truth.
And fairy tales, while not yet forbidden,
Were like Ken and Barbie, better off hidden.
For they raised the hackles of those psychological
Who claimed the only good gift was one ecological.

No baseball, no football… someone could get hurt;
Besides, playing sports exposed kids to dirt.
Dolls were said to be sexist, and should be passe;
And Nintendo would rot your entire brain away.
So Santa just stood there, disheveled, perplexed;
He just could not figure out what to do next.

He tried to be merry, tried to be gay,
But you’ve got to be careful with that word today.
His sack was quite empty, limp to the ground;
Nothing fully acceptable was to be found.
Something special was needed, a gift that he might
Give to all without angering the left or the right.

A gift that would satisfy, with no indecision,
Each group of people, every religion;
Every ethnicity, every hue,
Everyone, everywhere… even you.
So here is that gift, its price beyond worth…
“May you and your loved ones enjoy peace on earth.”
WHAT IF SANTA GETS STUCK?
The kindergarteners from Howells, Nebraska, are back with their unique view of another holiday. Just in time, too.
Jessica: Pull his legs. I will hold his bag. Then he will get down by his self. I’ll look in his bag to see what he gots. He will put the presents under the tree. I’ll put his dirty clothes in the laundry and then he’ll take a bath.
Gage: I’ll help him out. Pull on him. Mom and dad will help. If he is still stuck, we’ll call grandma. She knows who to ask — grandpa. They will buy a rope and hook it from Santa to the fence. Then he will pop out. He will give us all presents. Then I’ll go back to school again.
Heather: Push him down with a hose from the garage. Then take a big stick. Then after he gets off I will wash him off. He can stay for chicken and dumplings. If he needs a haircut, Mom can cut his hair. Now he’ll look pretty good when he gives people toys.
Brian: I will make sure you and my friends will think it over a little bit. They will think they can shove him off, but they can’t. Then we thought some more, and we got an idea. We lighted a fire in the chimney and it came up to his behind. Then he really jumped out. The end.
Chelsea: We don’t have a chimney. So he can’t come in unless he comes in the door. (I don’t know if it is locked.) If it is locked, he will keep the presents outside.
Sarah: Cathy, Richie, Pat, Theresa, Justin and I will push him down. Use a plunger if we need. Then take him through the door and he can lay all the presents under the tree. Give him a bath. If he is hungry, feed him mashed potatoes and gravy with barbecue ribs.
Nicole: Dad will pull him out with his hands. Mom will wake up and say, “Don’t wake up Nicole. She’s sleeping.” We will give him one pretzel and one pop. He’ll leave presents under the tree. He’ll put stuff around in the stockings. He’ll put the Little Mermaid’s fish in my stocking.
Sidney: I’d wake up dad. He will pull his leg. If that doesn’t work, he will shake him till he falls down. He will eat the cookies that me and mom baked. He will lay the presents under the tree (especially the Barbie telephone). He will fill our stockings with candy.
Gardenia: Shut off the furnace. Then we climb up on the roof and jump on his head and get him out. Get him upstairs because he is in the basement. He crawls up the stairs. He bumped his head last year. He gives us presents. He eats his cookies and goes away.
Jeff: If mom and dad aren’t home, I’ll call them. They’ll come home, go out to the barn and get the ladder. They’ll get him out with the pumper. We’ll let him go in the front door. He’ll fill the socks and give us presents under the tree. We’ll feed him cookies with milk. He’ll fly up to the roof and get in his sleigh and fly off.
RUDOLPH TRIVIA
What’s the name of the young doe that Rudolph falls in love with? (Clarice)
Who is Rudolph’s father? (Donner)
What’s the name of the monster in the show? (“The Abominable”) (snowman)
What career does Herbie the elf want rather than making toys? (he wants to become a dentist)
What’s the name of the island where Rudolph and Herbie find themselves? (Island of Misfit Toys)
What job do they give to the now reformed and nice “Abominable” at the end of the story? (He puts the stars on the tops of Christmas trees, and he doesn’t even need a ladder!) *Who narrates the story and sings the theme song? (Burl Ives)
What’s the other song Burl Ives sings during the show? Here’s a hint: It’s title is two colors. (“Silver & Gold”)

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