According to the Thrillist website, the first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was not officially sanctioned but a powerful symbol at the height of the depression. As the story goes, a group of construction workers building Rockefeller Center put up the tree to celebrate the fact they had good jobs that allowed them to pay their bills. They decorated the 20-foot tree with cranberries, paper garlands, and tin cans and a clerk distributed their paychecks from the foot of the tree later that night.

View photos of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree from 1931 to now.

Go to our "Vintage Christmas" archive to see all our vintage holiday photos.

While he's more well-known for his rockabilly revivalist style, Chris Isaak has put out some of the best new original Christmas music in the last 20 years! Amongst his fans, Isaak's holiday albums, Christmas, released in 2004, and Everybody Knows It's Christmas, released in 2022, are hugely popular and have resulted in holiday-themed tours for him in November and December year after year. The artist known more famously for his song Wicked Games, featured in the TV show Twin Peaks, even has a live Christmas album, Chris Isaak Christmas Live on Soundstage, which includes 17 holiday tracks! It's no hyperbole to say that his "Christmas" album is in the top ten of my collection. He once said of his Christmas output that he "wanted an album that you put on while your guests come in and take off their coats. They're eating turkey and listening to the music. They're starting to argue about politics and you turn it up a little louder."

Fun fact: Isaak wrote all the origin songs from his debut Christmas album in three weeks after spending months listening to as much Christmas music as he could.

Listen to all our seasonal recommendations
by clicking here: Holiday Song Spotlight archive!

The White House has unveiled this year’s Christmas decorations with the theme of “A Season of Peace and Light.” Christmas trees decorated with nearly 28,000 colorful ornaments punctuate each historic room and animals float around a hyper-hued, brightly lit carousel in one.

More than 300 volunteers decorated the White House's public spaces, which include 83 Christmas trees with nearly 10,000 feet of ribbon, more than 28,000 ornaments, over 2,200 paper doves and some 165,000 lights used on wreaths, garlands and other displays, according to The Associated Press.

Children’s book author and illustrator, Zoe Ranucci, created artwork throughout the 2024 White House Holiday Guide, which perfectly captures a “Season of Peace and Light” at the White House. And can be downloaded for free by clicking here.

Go to our Holiday Highlights section.

The 2024 Gingerbread White House includes 25 sheets of gingerbread dough, 10 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 65 pounds of pastillage, 45 pounds of chocolate, 50 pounds of royal icing, and 10 pounds of gum paste!

Go to our "Did you know" archive to see all our fun facts!

When I was a kid, I started drafting my Christmas lists in the early days of November in the run up to Christmas. Of course as an adult, those wish lists for toys and other childhood gifts are a distant memory now. But I still love lists and any list related to Christmas gets my immediate love and attention. So in that spirit, I present to you the Christmas Every Minute Christmas Lists.

Go to our Christmas List section to see our growing list!

Our latest review!

A fun and original story about Buddy the Elf, who ends up in the North Pole by mistake and, once grown, begins to understand he's a little different than the rest of the elves. That's when his adopted dad, played brilliantly by the late Bob Newhart, tells Buddy the truth.

Read the full review of this movie, and its accompanying music soundtrack, as well as all our mini movie and soundtrack reviews, by clicking here!

Our latest review!

Christmas in America by Penne L. Restad is a fascinating academic look into the origins of Christmas and its traditions in the U.S. Restad, a lecturer in American history at the University of Texas, examines the most popular traditions from Santa to Christmas trees to how we celebrate the holidays today. While sections of the book can be heartbreaking (e.g., how the holidays were recognized by owners and their slaves in the 1800s), Restad moves sensitively through these topics. I highly recommend it for any Christmas enthusiast. You can find the book online for as little as $10. Well worth the price!

Read our growing list of mini book reviews by clicking here!