With Random Thoughts, I’ll be commenting on a variety of Christmas-related topics covering everything from music, to trends, to holiday experiences, and much more.
December 8, 2024
At this time of year, there seems to be no end to the variations of Charles Dickson’s classic, A Christmas Carol. From small town community theater to movies on TV to even a one-man version this year that stars the author’s great great grandson, they are everywhere. But my favorite recent version of this holiday classic comes to us as part of a podcast series called Morrison Mysteries. The legendary voice of Dateline’s true crime stories, Keith Morrison, lends his iconic baritone to the Dicksons’ classic on season 2 of his podcast, which spans multiple episodes. You can read along with Morrison as he narrates the classic or just sit back and listen to his unique vocal and let the legend do all the work. It’s a wonderful version filled with all the Morrison-isms you would expect from this broadcast icon.
And you can find this unique version of A Christmas Carol on Morrion Mysteries on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart podcasts, or wherever else fantastic podcasts can be heard.
And if you’re looking for some Morrison Christmas magic right now, you can watch, and listen, to him read Robert May’s classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by viewing the clip below.
November 25, 2024
In the fall of 2023, Doron Krinetz launched a Christmas-themed trivia game called Yule Never Guess. With a background in graphic design and creative writing and a degree in marketing, Doron was uniquely positioned to develop and launch this fun and exciting holiday-themed game that the entire family can enjoy. Doron followed up his initial foray into the gaming space with Who knew? Ultimate Hanukkah Trivia, a Hanukkah themed trivia game, and has just launched his first Yule Never Guess expansion pack in time for the upcoming holiday season. I recently spoke with Doron about what inspired him to create these holiday-themed games as well as what’s next for him in this space in the debut of our new feature: The Big Christmas Interview. Future interviews will feature a wide range of subjects and people like Doron who are doing something related to Christmas, whether it’s writing songs, hosting podcasts, authoring books, and so much more.
To read our first Big Christmas Interview with Doron Krinetz about his Christmas-themed trivia game, click here.
November 19, 2024
Anybody that knows me well understands what an avid collector of holiday music I am (yes, I’m one of those who plays Christmas songs all year long). When I was a wee lad growing up in northern Delaware, our familial holiday songfest kicked off every year the day after Thanksgiving. At that point, it was all early mid-20th century Christmas crooners and early rockers like Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Elvis Presley, Julie Andrews, the Beach Boys, and so many more from that era. As I grew older, I began to branch out and search for more modern and eclectic holiday music. I hit all my local record stores throughout the holiday season looking for Christmas 45s (yes, vinyl!), picked my way through flea markets and yard sales all year long while pouring over record convention bins. I expanded into the weird and wonderful holiday songs inspired by the Dr. Demento radio show. The famous radio D.J., who launched Weird Al Yankovic’s career, would feature holiday tunes on his radio show every week in December in the run up to Christmas.
Where do I get my music today?
Oh how the music world has changed. Today, it’s all digital downloads or Spotify, although I have to admit I still prefer to own the songs myself and have converted everything from vinyl, cassette, and CD into my iTunes library. My digital holiday collection has grown exponentially and passed the 4,000 mark this year. And now, instead of flicking through the record store racks, I simply pay a visit to iTunes and look for my newest digital download, although I still search through yard sales, flea markets, and library book sales for CDs, since I can burn them into my iTunes library. I always donate the CDs back to my local library having made the decision to go all digital.
Where do I find out about new Christmas music today?
My fellow Christmas song enthusiast Randy Anthony, who owns and operates the website Hip Christmas, is my go-to site for discovering new holiday music. Randy’s site is an absolute must for any Christmas song enthusiast. It features a multitude of sections and that delve deep into the Christmas song canon with a plethora of backstories on the music and artists featured on the website. Every year at this time I always look forward to Randy’s “What’s new” section, where he outlines in detail all the new holiday releases, which includes new albums, reissues, and singles. The website, and these updates, are an invaluable source for Christmas music. Be sure to subscribe to the Hip Christmas Facebook group as well to get updates all year round. Now it’s time to update my 2024 playlist. Thanksgiving is, after all, just around the corner!
October 28, 2024
Heard by millions and millions of podcast listeners around the world ;), the world famous Christmas Cousins podcast with Cousin Chad and Cousin Seth welcomed me back for another Christmaspalooza episode. Those devoted followers of the pod know full well that each episode features another step in Cousin Seth’s Christmas journey (he’s Jewish) as a first time holiday partaker. The current crop of episodes represents Seth’s sophomore year at Christmas high school as he continues to navigate the holiday we all know and love. We relived Seth’s first taste of eggnog, talked about his planned trip to his local Hallmark store to check out this year’s batch of new ornaments, and got some additional details on an upcoming holiday movie that features Seth as …. drum roll please … an extra! Cousin Chad even introduced the brilliant idea of a future eggnog tasting and review episode, which will take place in the week’s ahead.
As usual, the Christmas Cousins were the consummate hosts and encouraged me to chat about the latest and greatest offerings from Christmas Every Minute, including our new Christmas Lists section. It’s always a blast chatting with my favorite cousins not related by blood and I’m already looking forward to our future eggnog episode.
If you haven’t already started listening to the Christmas Cousins (huh?!?!?!?!) what are you waiting for? Fire up this particular episode on youtube, Apple podcasts, or wherever great podcasts are made available and be sure to catch all future and past episodes!
October 21, 2024
While the Kraft Heinz Foods Company is based in the U.S., all the product buzz right now surrounding the company is swirling around the U.K. It’s all because of a limited edition UK-only offering: Heinz Beans Pigs in Blankets with Christmas Seasoning.
The official product overview asks: “Need proof that Santa got your wish list? Well here it is! Beans, pigs in blankets, and Christmas seasoning all in one can. No need to wait for the big day. Crack them open for a taste of Christmas on your toast.”
Ah, you crazy, kooky U.K. customers, demanding your pigs in blankets with “Christmas seasoning.” I’m sorry, what did you say Christmas seasoning was again? Oh, you didn’t. Can I get a big hmmmm.
Customers have taken to social media to let everyone know how they feel about the new holiday offering with comments ranging from “Sorry but someone needs to stop right now with these mad ideas,” to “Can’t wait to chug these outside the shop.” Let’s keep these two away from one another.
While I’m not sure how I feel about this seasonal bean-a-palooza, I can only grumble and lament that this is a limited edition UK-only offering as I sit here in the U.S. eating my Heinz non-Christmas seasoning baked beans. Wait, maybe it’s because I forget to put this on my holiday wish list? I have to go. Time to update my list for Santa.
October 12, 2024
It’s one of those days I anticipate all year long: the arrival of the first Bronner’s Christmas Favorites catalog in my mailbox. For those not aware, Bronner’s is the self-proclaimed “world’s largest Christmas store,” which is also a registered trademark. Having seen photos of the store, I have no doubt it’s true! It is massive and located in Frankenmuth, Michigan on, of course, 25 Christmas Lane.
The catalog, while huge, is but a small sampling of what you can found online at bronners.com or in the store itself. I love going through the catalog every year and am always impressed by the shear variety of Christmas items you can find within its pages from advent calendars to ornaments to angel chime candle holders to Christmas “swag,” and so much more.
Do yourself a favor and get on their mailing list today. And when that first catalog arrives in your mailbox, I promise it will make you smile.
October 7, 2024
I was recently in touch with Catherine Lemel, who is associate director of Keystone Camp in North Caroline. We referenced the camp in our story about the origins of Christmas in July. As a reminder, the camp is credited with inventing the unique celebration that is Christmas in July 1933 at their girls summer camp. The event featured Santa, a Christmas tree, fake snow made of cotton, and more. Lemel is amazed that an idea like celebrating Christmas in the heat of the summer more than 85 years ago has become such an iconic event.
“It is truly amazing to us that a tradition started here in the summer of 1933 has spread so far throughout the world,” she told me. “The celebration of Christmas has morphed through the years here. Santa has graduated from arriving in the back of the camp pickup truck to splash landing in the swimming lake after sliding down our water slide in a kayak. We start this celebration the night before with a reading of The Night Before Christmas by Santa himself, escorted by several of his reindeer. We then have decorations all over camp the next day. We have a special Sunday afternoon activity dedicated to the celebration of Christmas. It is truly spectacular.”
While we’re now turning our attention to the real Christmas celebration as we head into October, it’s always fun to look back at the origins of these unique Christmas adjacent holiday celebration that happen in the heat of the summer! Thanks for getting in touch Catherine!
July 6, 2024
Every month my local library has a used book sale and you can always find me there. This month the library was celebrating Christmas in July with a half-priced sale on all holiday-themed books and boy did I make out. For $10, I added 10 more Christmas books to my burgeoning collection and I can’t wait to get started reading them. I found the usual suspects, including a 1963 version of A Christmas Carol illustrated by C.E. Brock, as well as John Grisham’s Skipping Christmas, A White House Christmas, Thomas Nast’s Christmas Drawings, Christmas in Plains by Jimmy Carter, and more.
Sure my overstuffed bookshelves will be bulging just a little bit more with these latest additions, but isn’t that what bookshelves are for? As I finish each one, I’ll draft a review for our Mini Book Review section so be sure to come back again and again to see if any of these might be ones you’d like to add to your collection. Reading Christmas-themed books out of season is yet another way to keep the holiday spirit going all year round.
May 31, 2024
The flowers are springing forth, birds are ever-present, and the temperatures here in the northeast are easing into the upper 70s. Despite all that spring hoopla, I’ve only got Christmas on my mind as summer approaches. I’m particularly excited by the continued evolution of our website for all things Christmas-related.
The latest addition is our first official logo, which you will see at the top of every page as well as a slew of new channels coming in the next year. When I set out to create our logo, I was looking for something elegant that conveyed the beauty and joy of the Christmas season and I couldn’t be happier with the result.
As we get closer and closer to the holiday season, you can also expect new features and sections on the site that I’ll be announcing soon. I just need to put the finishing touches on them, like a beautiful bow on a present or that final item that fills the stocking. I think you’ll be pleased when you open these particular Christmas gifts when they come later this year. 🙂
April 7, 2024
Me and my wife recently took a trip to Arkansas and Memphis for a little R&R and saw some wonderful sights, both natural and historical. It was a fantastic trip and we met lots of friendly and interesting people along the way while seeing some amazing sights. Throughout the trip, we kept running into Christmas-related “stuff” wherever we turned.
In Little Rock, while visiting the President Clinton presidential library and museum, we saw an entire display devoted to Christmas at the Clinton White House. We saw photos of White House trees and decorations, an assortment of stockings that were handmade and sent to the Clintons during their time there, and learned that they absolutely love the holiday season. They even had a photo of President Clinton hosting local school children for his annual reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” They also hosted dozens of holiday parties during this two terms in office, which were attended by more than 150,000 guests.
Then on our visit to Graceland, Elvis’ place, we learned how much he loved Christmas and that it was his favorite time of year. We even saw the corner in his dining room where they kept their Christmas tree every year. As an aside, his “Elvis Christmas Album,” released in 1957, remains the best-selling Christmas album of all time in the U.S. and one of the best-selling albums of all time.
In Eureka Springs, Arkansas, we ran into an artist whose holiday water colors were absolutely beautiful along with numerous gift shops that always seemed to have something Christmas-related to choose from in their stores.
Finally, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, we ran into a Christmas-themed store called “Kringles in the Park,” whose motto is “keep Christmas in your heart all year round!” Now that’s something we at Christmas every minute can definitely relate to! And then at the Hot Springs National Park visitor center, we purchased an ornament with the intent of looking back and reliving our trip when decorating our 2024 Christmas tree.
Collectively, the theme of Christmas every minute seems to pop up in the most unexpected places and wonderful ways no matter where we travel. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
February 25, 2024
I was honored to be invited back to the wacky and wonderful Christmas Cousins podcast with cousins Chad and Seth last week, which is now available for listening wherever great podcasts are hosted.
We talked about a variety of Christmas-related topics with a focus on how to celebrate Christmas after Christmas referencing an article I recently posted on the topic on christmaseveryminute.com. Included in the article is a downloadable checklist of things to do to maintain your holiday spirit well after Christmas is over.
We also got a chance to talk about Christmas movies, music, and even the top three things that cousin Seth experienced in 2023 on his first Christmas journey! Not to give anything away, but his first Christmas tree and first viewing of “It’s a Wonderful Life” informed this amazing journey into the holiday heartland.
If you haven’t been following cousins Chad and Seth in their Christmas journey on the Christmas Cousins podcast, what in the Christmas seasonal world are you waiting for?! The hilarity flows like a smooth glass of eggnog in this original and unique podcast. Chad and Seth are both Jewish and one has fallen in love with Christmas and now is taking the other on a first-time journey through the holiday season and all its accoutrements and traditions. From Hallmark movies, to It’s a Wonderful Life to eggnog, Chad has been introducing Seth to the best aspects of our favorite holiday on their Christmas Cousins podcast for all to enjoy.
You can find all of the Christmas Cousins podcast episodes on Apple iTunes, Spotify, iHeart, Google podcasts, and wherever great podcasts are available for listening. You can also find the Christmas Cousins on Instagram (@ChristmasCousinsPod) and Facebook, and youtube. Again, what are you waiting for?! Go forth and listen, and then follow and leave a review for my hilarious new honorary cousins.
January 22, 2024
While I haven’t been sharing Random Thoughts in 2024 until today, that doesn’t mean I haven’t been toiling away on the website to keep the holidays top of mind as we head into the heart of the winter. For ways to celebrate Christmas after Christmas, check out my new article on our front page in the “Top Stories” section. I’ve got lots of suggestions on what to do to keep your holiday spirit humming along as you head toward February. I’ve also got lots of holiday “stuff” coming in the months ahead that I will announce here and in my newsletter so if you haven’t subscribed yet give it a go! There will be lots of new content coming, including the debut of a a Vintage Christmas section on the front page and a new video segment with more to come very soon! In the meantime, check out our latest Did You Know? story on the front page of the website. If that doesn’t get your Christmas holiday spirit flowing like eggnog, I don’t know what will 🙂
December 25, 2023
My only random thought on Christmas: Have a wonderful day if you celebrate and a very happy new year’s everyone! Looking forward to what 2024 will bring.
December 24, 2023
The house smells amazing with all the food bubbling and cooking away. The tree is shimmering with presents below and ornaments above. The stockings are filled and ready to be hung. It’s Christmas eve, and Santa is on his way.
Or, as Ralphie put it so simply in “A Christmas Story,” all is right with the world.
December 22, 2023
Former CBS News journalist Eric Sevareid once said, “Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we’re here for something else besides ourselves.”
With Christmas nearly here, I can’t help but reflect on what this holiday really means to me. Looking back on Christmases past, it’s hard to remember all the gifts I’ve opened over the years and which presents I received from whom. But there are memories of Christmas past that are so clear to me it’s as if I’m actually repeating the day in my mind’s eye. There’s our beautifully decorated Christmas trees with the ornaments that represent the places we’ve been and the things we’ve seen. There’s the wonderful Christmas eve meal so thoughtfully prepared for precious family gathered around our table. There’s the laughter of my children as they open their stockings and their gifts with all the wonderment that brings. And when the day is finally done and another Christmas has been put to bed, I find these feelings of joy that the holiday brings linger beyond our special day-long celebration. It’s at that moment that I realize that Eric Sevareid was right. We really do need at least one day a year like Christmas.
December 12, 2023
I was honored this week to be invited to appear on the Christmas Cousins podcast with Chad and Seth. If you aren’t familiar with these hilarious Christmas cousins, I recommended you go, right now, and check them out where all great podcasts are found. These Jewish cousins are on their own Christmas journey with Chad shepherding his Christmas newbie cousin Seth through all the unique holiday traditions we all know and love.
During our episode, we talked about a variety of Christmas topics from what inspired me to create christmaseveryminute.com to my own personal Christmas recommendations for Seth to help him on his holiday journey. If you are a Christmas enthusiast like myself, you don’t want to miss a single episode. I’m proud to accept their invitation to become an honorary cousin and look forward to hanging out with these cool cats down the road.
You can find all of the Christmas Cousins podcast episodes on Apple iTunes, Spotify, iHeart, Google podcasts, and wherever great podcasts are available for listening. You can also find the Christmas Cousins on Instagram and Facebook (@ChristmasCousinsPod) and youtube. Again, what are you waiting for?! Go forth and follow and leave a review for my hilarious new honorary cousins 🙂 on the Christmas Cousins podcast.
December 6, 2023
Once my tree is in place, Brenda Lee will be one of many that will help me ring in the holidays with her iconic Christmas tune. Lee is a hot musical topic these days because “Rockin’ Aound the Christmas Tree” just hit the number one spot this year on the Billboard chart, passing Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You,” which is currently number 2. According to Luminate, Lee’s chart topper has reached 35 million streams and 21 million radio plays this year. And 2023 just happens to be the 65th anniversary of the 78-year-old’s holiday classic and she is clearly having fun with it. She just released an official music video of her lip-synching to her best seller, which also features country singers Tanya Tucker, who herself has been rediscovered thanks to a Grammy winning return to form, and Trisha Yearwood. What may not be commonly known is that Lee recorded her classic at the age of 13 in 1958. The track was written by Johnny Marks, who famously wrote a series of Christmas classics, including “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas.” Lee is the first woman to be inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Rockin indeed.
November 28, 2023
The lights are up on the front of the house and my Christmas cards are in the mail! The holiday season is in full swing and I’m filled to the brim with Christmas spirit. And if you’re like me, this is the time of year when the Christmas music is blaring, I’m taking in all the Christmas lights that adorn my neighborhood, I’m watching Christmas specials and movies, and I’m listening to the daily episodes of Bran and Scott’s wonderful Christmas podcast, Christmas Morning. The Christmas Morning pod is in full swing and dropping daily episodes of Christmas cheer with their wonderful take on the holiday season. They are Christmas enthusiasts just like us and greet every listener, and each other, with a hearty “Merry Christmas” to begin each podcast. From there, it’s a tsunami of Christmas offerings from dad jokes, to TV listings, to band battles, to Christmas in the news, to listener letters and reviews, and so much more. Ms. Claus even drops in now and then to let us know what the big guy is up to as they prepare for the big day. You won’t want to miss a single episode and it’s a great way to start your day along with a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate. If you feel like you’re in need of some Christmas spirit, tune into Christmas Morning, sit back, and enjoy the holiday ride.
November 23, 2023
The Holdovers is another superb gem from director Adrian Payne, who brought us Sideways, Nebraska, and About Schmidt. A terrifically acted movie with the great Paul Giamatti taking the lead with a fantastic supporting cast. For me, The Holdovers is a much needed throwback to movies of yesteryear featuring a beautiful script from writer David Hemingson, a subtle musical score, and deft directing touch from Payne.
Giamatti creates another memorable everyman in Paul Hunham, a classics teacher at an all boys school in 1970 somewhere in New England who’s tasked with babysitting a small group of students who have nowhere to go over the holidays. An utter joy to watch and a wonderful way to spend your evening during this holiday season. Highly recommended!
November 17, 2023
On November 29 at 10 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock streaming will broadcast a new holiday TV special straight from the iconic Graceland estate honoring the Christmas music of Elvis Presley. The impressive musical lineup for the special includes John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, Alanis Morissette, Post Malone, and more. Riley Keough, Elvis’ granddaughter from Lisa Marie Presley, will be on hand to honor her late grandfather. The special follows NBC’s annual tree lighting event TV special Christmas in Rockefeller Center.
As a collector of all genres of Christmas music, and the proud owner of more than 4,000 digital holiday tunes, the one person I go to every year at holiday time, without fail, is Elvis Presley. While he only produced two Christmas albums, what a contribution he made! From original songs like Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me to Santa Claus is Back in Town to the incomparable and often covered Blue Christmas, Elvis is Christmas.
Elvis’ first Christmas album, 1957’s Elvis’ Christmas Album, has sold more than 17 million copies, is the best-selling Christmas album worldwide, and is one of the best selling albums of all time. Elvis’ follow-on Christmas album, Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas, was released in 1971 and went gold.
November 10, 2023
Earlier this year, Apple TV announced that A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and A Charlie Brown Christmas will be offered to non-subscribers for free during a limited window. Of course if you are a a subscriber to Apple TV’s streaming service, you can watch both at any time.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving will be available for free viewing to Apple TV non-subscribers on Saturday, November 18 and Sunday, November 19.
On a related note, you can now purchase the A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving soundtrack for the first time this year. It was released in celebration of the animated classic’s 50th anniversary. I bought it myself from iTunes and it’s filled with alternative versions and so many classic tunes from the special that you’ll be making toast and popcorn before you know it. The soundtrack makes for wonderful background music to the holiday itself as well.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
This iconic Christmas special, which first appeared on CBS on December 9, 1965, will be available for free viewing to Apple TV non-subscribers on Saturday, December 16, and Sunday, December 17.
If you are an Apple TV subscriber, you get access to this iconic show plus all the Peanuts animated Christmas specials, including Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tales, It’s Christmas Time Again, Charlie Brown, I Want a Dog for Christmas, and Charlie Brown and the Snoopy Show, Happiness if the Gift of Giving.
I’m not currently an Apple TV subscriber, but I know I’ll be downloading their streaming app so I can watch the free showings of both this holiday season.
October 31, 2023
What Christmas toys are popular today?
I recently saw a quote from someone who once said, “I bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note saying, toys not included.”
It got me thinking about the current crop of toys as the plethora of holiday catalogs have begun to flood my mailbox in the run up to Christmas. Scattered amongst the variety of retail catalogs are the giant toy catalogs from the likes of Target and Walmart. I typically ignore these because my kids are now adults, but after reading that quote this year, I was curious to see what toys are in demand today for Christmas.
As I flipped through the toy catalogs, I couldn’t help but smile. Included amongst the current selections were so many familiar toys from my youth. As an aside, anyone who grew up in the 60s and 70s knows we relied almost exclusively on the Sears Wish Book and the Montgomery Ward holiday catalog to fill out our Christmas lists, which were tattered and torn by the time Christmas finally arrived. While a lot has changed in the toy world since I was a kid, I was amazed to see how much has stayed the same.
Still popular and relevant today are standards like Hot Wheels, Slinkys, Play-Doh, the classic Magic Eight Ball, board games like Life, Candy Land, and Monopoly, Nerf, Batman, Fisher Price, Lego, and, of course, the powerhouse that is still Barbie. Electronics and video games continue to dominate but those traditional toys of our youth are still bringing joy to kids despite our society’s obsession with digital entertainment.
As I put down the catalogs, I couldn’t help but think how well thought out these classic toys were when initially conceived and how much nostalgia drives our current thinking when it comes to the toys we purchase for our kids. I guess a shiny sleek Hot Wheels car is as cool today as it was when I raced those iconic cars down that plastic orange track into twin loops before crashing them into a wall, or my brother.
And the best thing about all these “traditional toys,” is that batteries are still no longer required.
