This N That

Today is Friday the 13th 😱 all day.

If you have a fear of this date, your fear is known as paraskevidekatriaphobia. 

But, fear not, as this is the only Friday the 13th in 2025.

This post contains That N Thats — vintage cars, a theater mural, unique seating in a downtown Nashua NH, walkway, Father's Day and knee update — all in a single post. 

On Wednesday, the Hudson Senior Center, which we're members of, had an early Father's Day  vintage car show. While the turnout was smallish, here's a few of the vehicles.

These two Jeeps are privately owned

These two Jeeps ere equipped with a lot of ordinance, including hand grenades, all of which were deactivated and served as reminders of what soldiers used in times of conflict.

Hudson's low-slung body gave it a sleek look uncommon for its time

This Hudson sedan was produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company produced sedans from 1909 until 1954, with production continuing under the American Motors Corporation (AMC) brand until 1957. Hudson was a medium-priced brand. It cost more than a Ford or Chevrolet, but less than luxury models like Packard. 

The Ford Galaxie was a best-selling convertible

The Ford Galaxie was a full-size car model produced by Ford from 1959 to 1974. It was a top-trim level car, often competing with the Chevrolet Impala and Plymouth Fury. The name was inspired by the Space Race and the excitement surrounding it. Initially, it was the top trim level for Ford's full-size cars. 

The Chevrolet Impala was in production from 1958 to 2020 for a total of 64 years. with some periods of discontinuation. It was among the better-selling American-made automobiles in the U. S. The model was discontinued primarily due to declining sales and a shift in consumer preferences towards SUVs and crossovers. 

Chevelle SS convertible is highly sought by collectors

The Chevelle SS (Super Sport) was available as a convertible starting in 1965 and continued to be produced as such through the 1970 model year. Chevelle was a mid-sized automobile produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors (GM) in three generations for the 1964 to 1977 model years. It was one of Chevrolet's most successful nameplates that was retired in 1977 with the Malibu taking its place.

Hot rods reached their peak popularity in the US during the 1950s and 1960s, often referred to as the golden age of automobiles. This era saw a surge in interest in modifying classic cars for speed and unique customization. 

Mercury was a popular U.S. car in the 1930s and 40s

While this classic Mercury sedan has undergone some engine modernization, it was still a beautiful car. This sedan was part of the Mercury brand which was produced by the Ford Motor Company from 1939 to 2011. The brand was established to bridge the gap between Ford and Lincoln models.

An Oldsmobile from 1967 was easy to identify

The Olds 67 license plate refers to the 1967 model year of this Oldsmobile which was produced by General Motors. Oldsmobile produced a variety of models in 1967. Although Oldsmobile as a brand continued to produce cars until 2004, the specific models that were introduced or redesigned in 1967 would have ceased production at the end of that model year to be replaced by their 1968 counterparts. 

This vehicle looked like a modified PT Cruiser

The Chrysler PT Cruiser was produced from 2001 to 2010. Production began in 2000 for the 2001 model year and ended in July 2010 with the last PT Cruiser coming off the assembly line. A convertible variant was available from 2005 to 2008. Car enthusiasts enjoy modifying and customizing vehicles to enhance performance, appearance or both. This car is a popular choice for such projects.  Some PT Cruiser modifications, such as those inspired by classic hot rods, are designed to attract attention and showcase creativity. 

The Ford Ranchero model was a car-truck

For car buyers who couldn't decide between a sedan or pickup truck, there was the Ford Ranchero, which was produced from 1957 to 1979. This was a coupe utility vehicle, also known as a car-truck, that combined the features of a sedan and pickup truck. Unlike a standard pickup truck, the Ranchero was adapted from a two-door station wagon platform that integrated the cab and cargo bed into the body. A total of 508,355 were produced during the model's production run. We learned that the one above had belonged to the current owner's grandfather and was all original after being stored in a barn and later a garage.

This mural was recently completed on the walls of the Court Theater which is the primary stage used by a local children's theater group, The Peacock Players.

A new mural in downtown Nashua, NH

The mural is one of the newest in Nashua, NH, completed by Positive Street Art (PSA), which has been responsible for creating many colorful downtown murals in the city.

New seating options in downtown Nashua, NH

The top photo shows a walkway that leads from Main Street to the Nashua Public Library, and is known as Library Walk. Last month, the above seating areas fabricated by MakeIt Labs were installed here. (MakeIt Labs is New Hampshire's first and largest maker-space, a unique non-profit organization run by a volunteer staff.) Full disclosure, I tried the new seating and none were very comfortable.

This Sunday is Father's Day and while the calendar changes annually, it's always celebrated on the third Sunday of June. Below are photos of our fathers, who passed away years ago.

Happy Father's Day to ours (Patrick's top & Dorothy's bottom)

Did you know that according to Hallmark — about 72 million Father's Day cards are exchanged in the U.S. annually. It's the fourth-largest card holiday (after Mother's Day). The most popular dad gifts are cards, outings, and clothing, but a survey revealed that what most fathers wanted was to stay home or spend time with family. If you are fortunate enough to have your father nearby, do celebrate this day with him. Time is priceless.

Last, an update on my left knee posted about previously. After a 6-week orthopedic follow-up and PT sessions, I’ve been discharged with at-home exercises, The orthopedic PA (physician's assistant) advised that an MRI could be done if wanted, which she neither recommended nor discouraged, so I opted out (for now). There's recurring, but not persistent, discomfort due in part to arthritis.

Enjoy Your Weekend Everyone

It's another ☔️Saturday in Nashua, NH, the 13th consecutive rainy weekends

Just a Coincidence?

No Regrets & Update

Have you ever heard yourself or someone else say he/she wished they had been in contact with someone before it was too late?

This past weekend, Solange, my friend and Scrabble-playing partner, who resided here in the mill apartments, passed away. While her death was not totally unexpected because of health issues, it was still a shock. We had spoken a few days earlier to schedule our next game, she told me she was feeling too tired to play. As she often had these days in recent weeks, I told her I would call again in a day or two. She was a fierce Scrabble player who disliked losing and would always ask to play another game. We often split our wins and always shared a treat.

When her son phoned on Saturday, I instinctively knew that the call was not a good one.

Solange was 95 years young, born in Antwerp, Belgium and a Holocaust survivor. She was a registered nurse who later relocated to the US with her late artist husband and they lived in many cities in our home state of NJ. Coincidentally, their last NJ address was close to our last NJ address, although we had never met there. She relocated to NH after her husband's passing to be closer to her son who lived in the state.

Solange became a close friend of both myself and my husband. Patrick. We enjoyed food and conversations through shared dinners at our apartment homes. The most recent was at our home on Easter when she and another resident joined us for dinner. She insisted on bringing a homemade banana tart, which was delicious, even the leftovers.

Private services were held quickly in NJ early this week in keeping with her faith. We were unable to attend; however, I asked her son about holding a celebration of life here at a later date. Her family will be returning to clear out her residence.

This isn't the first time a family member or friend has passed and as sad as it's always been, my goal is to never have regrets about not having called, visited or written. Of course, we all have regrets for many things, but for myself keeping in touch means having a few less.

Thanks to fellow bloggers who asked about the status of my left knee injury, 

Here's an update following an orthopedics consultation and my first physical therapy session. The good news is that the orthopedic review showed the knee structure are intact with a mild degree of arthritis and a mild kneecap dislocation, without any significant tissue damage. Recovery (no pain) could take 6-8 weeks.

My nemesis: Elliptical 

The physical therapy appointment included an evaluation and balance testing and confirmation that my balance could be improved, the lack of which can be attributable to age. For the record, the knee injury wasn't caused by a fall, as I am always careful to avoid hazards as much as possible, particularly snow and ice. Instead, my injury was caused by exercise, specifically the use of an elliptical, stationary equipment in the Clocktower gym. 

As I've learned, repetitive motion on an elliptical can lead to overuse injuries, especially in the knees or hips. Also, the elliptical's motion has been labelled awkward or unnatural, potentially leading to improper form or discomfort. 

If not appropriately positioned using the elliptical, a user could strain their knees — as I did. Also, the low-impact design of this machine often leads to overuse injuries in the knee and hip as users tend not to realize they're doing more than they’re physically able — and that would describe my actions. And, when the orthopedic PA (physician's assistant) shared that she never uses this equipment, I thought, why did I ?

My PT assessment concluded that no brace or walking assistance (cane, walker) are needed. However, I received a set of at-home exercises to perform before the next appointment later this week. Yes, I've been doing them them as this will be the routine for up to 10 weeks

Which do you think results in death more often — hip fracture or cancer?

That's what the PT therapist asked me and, while I had not read any statistics beforehand, I knew that given my age the correct answer would be hip fracture.

While cancer is a leading cause of death at any age, hip fractures can have a higher mortality rate for older adults in the short-term. Being cancer-free may not result in death, but breaking your hip could be fatal. 

Studies have indicated that the one-year mortality rate for older adults with a hip fracture can be over 20% and sometimes worse than those with various types of cancer. Also, the risk of death after a hip fracture can persist for up to 10 years after a fracture.

Why are hip fractures so deadly?

It's due to many factors including immobility-related complications, surgical risks and the overall impact on health and quality of life. One of the most serious risks is the increased likelihood of developing blood clots, leading to pulmonary embolisms or strokes. 

Sometimes, recovery can be long and challenging and can also lead to less independence. Other potential health risks include pneumonia, heart failure or blood clots, any one of which can increase the risk of death. Female patients tended to have better post-fracture survival than men, but had a significantly higher risk for getting a fracture. Unfortunately, people over age 85 had the worst odds for survival.

It's important to note that statistics for hip fracture deaths do not apply are not a one-fits-all scenario. It's not just age that's a factor, but gender, pre-existing conditions like cardiac disease, dementia and chronic respiratory issues, plus the timeliness and quality of surgical treatment — all can impact mortality rates. While a 1-year mortality of about 21 to 22% has been cited in online sources for surgically-repaired hip fractures, this is only an average.

Just to be clear — Hip replacement does not result in as many deaths as hip fractures. While this surgery does have certain risks, it's usually much lower than the mortality rate associated with hip fractures, especially in the initial months after the fracture. Several people I know, including fellow bloggers, had successful operations and recovery from hip fractures.

Exercises to improve my balance

Balance decline in adults of (ahem) a certain age isn't uncommon, so I'm not alone. Lack of balance can lead to increased risk of falls and possible fractures. Aging brings a loss of muscle mass and strength, especially in the legs and core, making it harder to maintain balance. While I've been fortunate not to have a serious fall, not taking chances is my goal. 

The balance and strengthening exercise I've been assigned to do at home do not require specialized equipment. All that's needed is a chair and who doesn't have that equipment at home and resistance band provided by the PT therapist, but which can also be bought online. Since I'm not planning to become a statistic anytime soon, these are being done on a daily basis. 

Fall detection (not fall protection) is why I wear an Apple watch  as I often go walking alone. This device will automatically call emergency services if someone becomes immobile after a hard fall and send a message with the location to emergency contacts. Apple is not the only fitness tracker with fall detention, brands by Samsung, Garmin and Goggle also have this important feature.

If anyone is interested in more information, The National Institute on Aging website has helpful information here Older Adults and Balance Problems. 

Holiday This 'N That #4

Thanks to all who have commented on the Holiday This 'N That posts in recent weeks. I've enjoyed researching, learning new things about Christmas and sharing with all of you. 

Regretfully, the holiday season comes early and goes away too soon especially as stores set up displays before Thanksgiving, then dismantle them before Christmas. We hope that the spirit of the holiday season stays with you all year long.

This (almost) final holiday post includes some of our favorite holiday movies and music, a bit more holiday trivia and photos of some holiday decos inside and outside our apartment.

Our Christmas tree, stockings hung with care, favorite ornaments

Favorite Classic Movie(s): The Bishops Wife, Holiday Affair, Beyond Tomorrow, Miracle on 34th Street, The Great Rupert, The Holly and the Ivy

Favorite Newer Movie(s): Love Actually, The Holiday, Mixed Nuts, Home Alone, A Christmas Story, Scrooged, The Grinch, The Santa Clause trio, Charlie Brown Christmas

Favorite Tunes: I'll Be Home for Christmas, The Christmas Song, Last Christmas, Santa Baby, Merry Christmas, Darling, Silent Night, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Snowmen and the Grinch reside on a window ledge in the Living Room

A colony of penguins, snowmen and Santa on a bookcase shelf

Last Christmas was recorded in 1984 and potentially could have reached #1 during the holiday season, but was eclipsed by Do They Know It's Christmas? a song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for the 1983–1985 Ethiopian famine. Geldof and Ure assembled Band Aid, a supergroup of 40 popular British and Irish performers, and recorded the song at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill, London, in a single day, November 1984. George Michael was also in the group and later donated all the royalties from Last Christmas to the cause.

The Nativity belonged to my late mother, the music box sled was a gift from a friend who's since passed and the penguins are because we like them

In 2023, 39 years after its release, Last Christmas was the No. 1 holiday song in the UK. This year, it again reached No. 1 on Friday, December 13. The tune fended off competition for the top spot from All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey. Ironically, George Michael died on Christmas Day 2016, age 53. Another one of my favorite singers, Eartha Kitt, also died on Christmas in 2008, age 81.

This holiday decked penguin sat on the front porch of our VA home for years and is now indoors outside our apartment entry with friends 

These were not the only performers who passed on Christmas, others have included: William Claude Dukenfield (W.C. Fields) died in 1946 at age 66, Charlie Chaplin died in 1977 at age 88, Joan Blondell died in 1978 at age 73, Dean Martin died in 1995 at age 87; James Brown died  in 2006 at age 73. (My mother passed away 10 years ago, 3 days before Christmas.)

This "rescue" Santa and reindeer face painted 40 years ago are outside our apartment

A number of the rich and famous, who were born on Christmas Day, include: Sir Isaac Newton (1642), Pius VI (1717), Conrad Hilton (1887), Robert Ripley (1893), Humphrey Bogart (1899), Tony Martin (1914), Anwar el-Sadat (1918), Rod Serling (1924), Jimmy Buffet (1946), Barbara Mandrell (1948), Sissy Spacek (1949), Annie Lennox (1954), Justin Trudeau (1971).

Vintage Hallmark teddy bears plus a new-this-year bear inside our apartment

However, wherever and with whom, you will be celebrating Christmas 

and Hanukkah , we wish you the merriest of times and everything good for 2025

The view outside our apartment window a few minutes ago . . . the snow is falling

Unfortunately, it's not expected to last beyond intermittent snow showers the rest of today. 

Nevertheless, it's a wonderful sight on Christmas Eve, even if for a short time.

Holiday This 'N That #3

Santa Claus may employ male and female elves in his workshop, but did you know that the team pulling the sleigh on Christmas Eve was female?

 

Out of some 40 species of deer, reindeer are the only deer species where both male and female have antlers. 

Males lose the antlers in winter usually after the rutting (mating) season in November and December. Male reindeer not only use antlers to impress other male reindeer, but to fight during mating season. So, when Christmas comes around, males are without antlers. 

In contrast, female reindeer retain antlers throughout winter until giving birth in the spring, when they drop them. Females can use antlers for protection when pregnant and to protect their newborn, usually against wolves, their primary predator. Their antlers re also used to brush away snow when foraging for food in winter.

If reindeer did fly from the North Pole around the world at Christmas, only female reindeer would be prepared for the trip.

Because in preparation for winter, female reindeer build up to nearly 50 percent body fat giving them extra inches of thick fat on their hindquarters. This helps keep them warm in temperatures as low as -45 degrees Fahrenheit. Male reindeer typically deplete most of their energy reserves during the previous mating season and weigh in at around 5 percent body fat.

Santa has been around for centuries. Reindeer that fly and pull Santa didn’t show up until the 1800s. The first known written account of reindeer and Santa Claus was in 1821. That’s when a New York printer published a booklet, A New Year's Present that mentioned reindeer leading Santa’s sleigh through night in the an illustrated children's poem Old Santeclaus with Much Delight.

In 1823, the Troy Sentinel published Clement Clarke Moore's famous poem, A Visit From St. Nicholas, also known as The Night Before Christmas, which introduced eight flying reindeer pulling a sleigh and identified them by name: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blixen. It never stated whether they were male or female reindeer.

In 1939, Robert L. May created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer for Chicago department store Montgomery Ward. In 1949, Johnny Marks penned a song Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer.

While the reindeer names in Moore’s poem could apply to females, Rudolph not so much. 

The first line of the last stanza refers to Rudolph as male: Then how the reindeer loved him…

And, the song mentions something common today, bullying. Check out these lyrics: All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names, they never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games.

Seems no matter what sex, Rudolph had a tough time.

Despite scientific evidence that the team pulling Santa’s sleigh would have been female reindeers, they are not usually featured in popular culture. Take these examples:

The Santa Clause movies (1994, 2002, 2006) feature reindeers identified as male. Comet is featured in the 1994 film movies and is Santa's primary way to travel to and from the North Pole. Chet, a baby reindeer, appears in The Santa Clause 2 (The Mrs Clause) and The Santa Clause 3 (The Escape Clause) films and is identified as a young male reindeer.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) an animated special and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie (1998) are about the reindeer who first appeared in a 1939 story by Robert L. May.

Sven, a fictional reindeer in the Frozen (2013) movie, is owned by Kristoff, an ice delivery man. The filmmakers created him as male.

Prancer is the central character in two films: Prancer: A Christmas Tale (1989) and Prancer Returns (2001). Prancer is referred to as "he" in the film, ironically, the reindeer that played the lead was Boo, a pregnant female.

So, the next time you hear a holiday song or see a film which mentions or includes reindeer, know that ladies have the upper hand over males for helping Santa at Christmas.

It’s a proven scientific fact.

Are you dreaming of a White Christmas?

If so, you're not alone

In the U.S., we’re obsessed not only with the thought of a wintery holiday, but with everything that goes with it — sleigh rides, fireplaces, cocoa and cookies, Santa, the North Pole, warm mittens and scarves, walks in the snow. 

Christmas is when those images seem to become fixed in our minds.

Only about 40% of the 48 states are typically snow-covered by Christmas, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

This means that many live where it never snows at Christmas.

If a white Christmas will never be a reality for many, why do we obsess about it?

Blame it on nostalgia, books and music, all of which have presented what Christmas should look like in a perfect world. Many featured winter time activities amid snow.

A writer to blame is English novelist Charles Dickens, author of the seasonally popular A Christmas Carol, first published in 1843. The story details an English Christmas that includes cold and snow at Christmas. A Christmas Carol became a best seller in America aided by Dickens’ 1867 reading tour in the U.S. around Christmas time. 

According to historical records, it’s possible that London had snow in 1843 as described in the novel. Snowfall in London was more common in winter then. It aligns with what’s called the Little Ice Age, a period of unusually cold temperatures from about 1300 to 1850. It was still occurring in the mid-19th century in Dickens time.

While you can't always count on a white Christmas in the UK, there's an exception. In London's Covent Garden, artificially produced snow has ushered in the season hourly for over five years.

An American writer popularized the idea of a white Christmas as well. In 1868, Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women was first published. It begins on a snowy day just before Christmas in New England.

The connection between Christmas and snow grew thanks to major popular illustrated magazines, most produced in the Northeast, published stories of snow at Christmas — the Victorian version of today’s Hallmark holiday movies.

Snowy images were popularized by New York printmakers Currier and Ives (Nathaniel Currier and James Merritt Ives) from 1835 to 1907. The company designed and sold hand-painted lithographic works, many of these depicted idyllic winter scenes.

You may recall that the firm was featured in the populars song Sleigh Ride in the line, It’ll nearly be like a picture-print by Currier and Ives.

Ironically, composer Leroy Anderson, later said he formed the idea for the piece during a July 1946 heat wave, finishing it in February 1948. (Anderson also composed the Typewriter Song and the Syncopated clock.)

Why must Christmas be white?

Blame it on Irving Berlin and Bing Crosby, the composer and crooner responsible for the popular holiday song. According to Guinness World Records, White Christmas is the best-selling single ever with an estimated 50 million copies sold worldwide. Who hasn’t heard the opening lines reminding us of childhood Christmases?

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

Just like the ones I used to know

Where the tree tops glisten 

And children listen

To hear sleigh bells in the snow

Like the Sleigh Ride song, this one was also penned in a warm weather month in sunny Beverly Hills, CA by Irving Berlin in 1938. The song's original first verse, later cut, was specific:

The sun is shining, the grass is green

The orange and palm trees sway

There’s never been such a day

In Beverly Hills, L. A.

But it’s December the 24th

And I am longing to be up north

Just mentioning snow in a song makes people think of Christmas, take these songs for example: Let it Snow, Baby, It's Cold Outside, Frosty the Snowman, Jingle Bells, I’ve Got my Love to Keep Me Warm, Winter Wonderland, Snow. Most of these songs are about cold, not  Christmas, just about cold, many don't even mention the holiday.

Don't get fooled by recent blasts of cold and snow in much of the U.S. This year’s record warm fall (September to November) indicates that 2024 could be one of the nation’s warmest, possibly the warmest, year on record. Global warming is having an impact, fueling an overall decline in snow and extreme cold events not only in the U.S., but worldwide. The impacts of are expected to intensify annually.

While the forecast a White Christmas in 2024 is still uncertain for most people, those in search of this ultimate holiday weather may want to begin the trek west, or north.

If you're looking for an almost guaranteed white Christmas, you could go to Fairbanks, AK.  According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) there's been snow on the ground nearly every Christmas since weather record keeping began.

This year is no exception. According to the National Weather Service, the city had over 2 feet of snow on the ground as mid-December.

Alaska too far from home for you?

There’s other destinations, perhaps closer. Typically, you could find a white Christmas in MN, ME, upstate and western NY, the Allegheny Mountains of PA and WV, anywhere in ID and, of course, the Rockies or the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

We won't experience a white Christmas here in Nashua, NH, according to the forecast.

Update: Today, a light dusting of snow covered the ground in late afternoon, hardly enough to last until Christmas next Wednesday.

But, we'll be at home watching White Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life and listening to holiday tunes where snow is always a sure thing at Christmas.

May your days be sunny and bright and may all your Christmases be white

Holiday This 'N That #2

This week's Friday post is a continuation of Holiday Trivia posts that are replacing the (more or less) unusual Friday Funnies, which is on holiday hiatus. It's being replaced by holiday trivia posts, as I need some holiday distraction, maybe you do too? 

This post is about (some) holiday music in non-holiday movies and plays. I'm sure this list is not a comprehensive one. Feel free to add any you know of in the Comments.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas was written in 1943 by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis which documents the life of a St. Louis family over the course of the year, leading up to the 1904 World’s Fair. This Judy Garland movie is not a holiday movie, but it produced one of the most popular holiday songs. In a Christmas Eve scene, Garland’s character sings the tune to her young sister in hopes of cheering her up because the family is slated to relocate.

Silver Bells was sung by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell in The Lemon Drop Kid (1951). The song was originally titled Tinkle Bell. Paramount asked songwriters Jay Livingston and Ray Evans to come up with a holiday tune for this Bob Hope con-artist comedy. One version about the song's inspiration is was from the bells rung by Salvation Army workers on NYC street corners.

Jingle Bell Rock was performed by Brenda Lee in the 1983 film Trading Places. In the film, upper-crust executive Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) and down-and-out hustler Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) are the subjects of a bet by successful millionaires Mortimer (Don Ameche) and Randolph Duke (Ralph Bellamy). When Winthorpe and Valentine uncover the scheme, they set out to turn the tables on the Dukes.

Winter Wonderland, Let it Snow!, Christmas in Hollis, and Ode to Joy make appearances in one form or another in the 1988 action/thriller movie Die Hard. A NYC police officer (Bruce Willis) tries to save his estranged wife and others taken hostage by terrorists during a holiday party at the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for in LA. (There's much debate as to whether or not this is a Christmas film.)

White Christmas, as mentioned in last week's post, was originally written for a Broadway revue, but became popular on Armed Forces Radio during WW II. It became a big hit before being included in the 1942 film Holiday Inn, which did not include a Christmas theme but all holidays. Then, 12 years later, the song was featured in a 1954 film of the same name. 

Merry Christmas, Baby, Sleigh Ride are in the 1998 film, Jack Frost in which Michael Keaton plays a father and musician named Jack Frost, who was killed in a car accident, only to be brought back to life in the form of a snowman via a magical harmonica. The film received negative critical reviews and became a box-office flop. 

Holiday songs have also been included in theatrical productions which didn't feature a holiday theme. Here's a few examples:

Twelve Days to Christmas in the 1964 Broadway production of She Loves Me. The plot revolves around Budapest shop employees Georg and Amalia, who, despite being consistently at odds with each other at work, are unaware that each is the other's secret pen pal met through lonely-hearts ads. This theme was repeated in two films, The Shop Around the Corner (1940) and You've Got Mail (1998).

We Need a Little Christmas is a popular Christmas song originating from Jerry Herman's Broadway musical Mame, and first performed by Angela Lansbury in that 1966 production. In the musical, the song is performed after Mame has lost her fortune in the 1929 Wall Street Crash and decides that she, her young nephew Patrick, and her two household servants "need a little Christmas now" to cheer them up.

Other non-holiday Broadway productions that included a holiday tune: A New Deal for Christmas from the 1977 musical, Annie, Christmas Bells from the 1996 Rent and Christmas is My Favorite Time of Year from the 2011Catch Me If You Can.

Here's more Christmas song trivia . . .

The Oldest Christmas Song is Jesus Refulsit Omnium (Jesus, Light of All the Nations) is reportedly, one of the first known Christmas hymns written by St. Hilary of Poitier in the 4th century. The second is Corde natus ex Parentis (Of the Father's Love Begotten) which was composed by Roman Christian poet Prudentius also in the 4th century.

The Most Popular Christmas song is White Christmas by Bing Crosby has been named by The Guinness Book of Records as not only the best-selling Christmas song of all time, but also the best-selling single with an estimated 50 million copies sold. A list compiled by Newsweek, also named it the most popular Christmas song ever made. Officially released in 1942, it quickly became a favorite of the United States Armed Forces. Crosby once said he attempted to cut the song from his radio show as he thought it would make troops stationed overseas sad; ironically, the oppoite happened and they couldn't get enough of it.

The Least Popular Christmas Song(s) Take your pick because depending on which survey you believe, there's quite a list including: Santa Baby, Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, Dominick the Donkey, A Holly Jolly Christmas, That’s Christmas to Me Wonderful Christmastime, All I Want for Christmas is You.

The Most Recorded Christmas Song isSilent Night holds the Guinness World Record for being the most recorded Christmas song in history. The numbers show over 733 different versions recorded and counting. The song's enduring appeal has inspired countless artists, spanning various genres and generations, to put their unique spin on it. Silent Night, White Christmas and Jingle Bells have the most renditions songs in the holiday canon.

The Most-Played Christmas Song is All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey. The hit tune was released in 1994 and has since become the most (over) played Christmas song.

The Song That Appears Most Often in Films is Jingle Bells written by James Lord Pierpont is the most common Christmas song to appear in movies. It's been featured in 373 films. The 1857 festive tune has had 373 appearances in total on soundtracks. Jingle Bells was originally written as a Thanksgiving song. It was published under the title The One Horse Open Sleigh.  It was also the first song played in space on December 16, 1965 during NASA's Gemini 6A space flight. It was played on a harmonica and bells by astronauts Wally Schirra and Thomas P. Stafford.  Auld Lang Syne is in second place in movie soundtracks and Silent Night is third.

The Christmas Movie with the Best Music is Home Alone, this Christmas movie is widely considered to be No. 1 due to its score composed by John Williams, which perfectly captures the festive spirit and suspenseful moments of the 1990 film. 

The Most Famous Classical Christmas is The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is considered the most renowned classical Christmas music because of the enduring familiarity of pieces including the Waltz of the Flowers, the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the March.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're going to a swing band concert at the Nashua Arts Center

Holiday This 'N That

The (more or less) unusual Friday Funnies posted here is on holiday hiatus. It's being replaced by holiday trivia posts, as I need some holiday distraction, maybe you do as well? Spoiler Alert, this first one is quite long and others could be too.

Did you know that . . .

The Christmas Song, often subtitled Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire was first titled, Merry Christmas to You. The now classic holiday song was written by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé in July 1945 during a hot summer in CA.

The words were an effort to stay cool by thinking of cold weather activities. Check out the first four lines of the song:

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Jack Frost nipping at your nose

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir

And folks dressed up like Eskimos

After Tormé saw that Wells had written these lines, they co-wrote the song in 40 minutes. Not only was the song written in warm weather but recorded then too. In June 1946, The Nat King Cole Trio recorded it at WMCA Radio Studios, NYC. Two months later over the objections of the label, Capitol Records, Cole re-recorded the tune adding a small string section. This version became a massive hit on both the pop and R&B charts. 

The 1940s song White Christmas led to two films . . .

Written by Irving Berlin, accounts differ as to when and where the tune was penned, the west coast or east coast. One source claims that Berlin wrote it in 1940, in sunny CA, while staying at the La Quinta Hotel, a frequent Hollywood retreat. Consider the opening lines:

The sun is shining, the grass is green

The orange and palm trees sway

There's never been such a day

In Beverly Hills, L.A

But it's December the twenty-fourth

And I am longing to be up North

Other song experts claim that while it may have been drafted in CA, it was most likely completed in NYC. Oddly, according to Berlin, White Christmas was written as a satire. While that sounds hard to believe, he saw it as part of a musical revue and performed by sophisticates with drinks in hand and milling about a Hollywood pool surrounded by palm trees.

Thankfully, that changed in the spring of 1940, when Berlin signed on to do a musical for Paramount. The plot featured a vaudeville performer who retired to run a country inn as a “holiday inn” open only to overnight guests on you-guessed-it, holidays. Berlin was to pen a holiday-themed score through the year of holidays.

The song did not debut in the 1942 Holiday Inn film. Berlin knew that White Christmas was one of his best songs and made a deal with Paramount was that the tune would be included only if Paramount could sign Bing Crosby, a major star at the time, to star in the film. Casting was set and early rehearsals began in the autumn of 1941. 

The unexpected happened in the midst of planning to film when America was rocked by the December 7, 1941 surprise attack at Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. A day later, on December 8, President Franklin Roosevelt delivered the Day of Infamy Speech. Congress declared war, and the U.S. entered WW II.

Two weeks later on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1941, Crosby introduced White Christmas on the Kraft Music Hall, his highly popular radio show. America mobilized for war; men enlisted in record numbers. The song's lyrics took on a new meaning for soldiers headed overseas.

The film Holiday Inn premiered in NYC in August 1942 and radio requests for White Christmas started in early fall. Crosby's October 1942 recording of White Christmas received heavy airplay not only on Armed Forces Radio but on commercial radio during its first Christmas season and became a No. 1 hit. 

The success of the song, White Christmas, then led to a 1954 film based on that title. It again starred Crosby with Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. The plot once again included an inn and the film was viewed as another version of the earlier Holiday Inn.

The 1946 film, It's a Wonderful Life . .

Started as 1 1939 short story, The Greatest Gift, written by Philip Van Doren Stern who after having no luck publishing it opted to print the story as a 21-page Christmas card and sent it to friends in 1943. An RKO Pictures producer, who saw the card, convinced the studio to buy the  story rights, eventually sold to Frank Capra's production company, Liberty Films. Stern's story was published as a book in 1944. It also was published in the January 1945 issue of Good Housekeeping titled, The Man Who Was Never Born.

Actor James Stewart was not the first choice for the lead role as Cary Grant was selected to play George Bailey. However, after RKO Pictures sold the movie rights to Capra's company, Capra replaced Cary Grant with James Stewart in the lead. Stewart had recently home from serving as a flight leader in WW II, the 1946 film was his first movie since then. According to his biographer, Stewart was hesitant to do the film, his only offer aside from a film featuring his war service.

Foamite "snow" on film set

The movie was shot in the summer of 1946 during a 90-degree heat wave. Before this film, most movie productions used cornflakes painted white for snow. Capra found this special effect was noisy for dialogue and had the special effects department mix foamite (a fire-fighting chemical) with sugar and water. Some 6,000 gallons of chemical snow and the set was transformed into a winter wonderland, that was filmed in CA.

Bedford Falls was one of the most elaborate sets ever built at the time. It's a Wonderful Life had a big budget for its time ($3.7 million). The crew put a lot of effort into constructing the town of Bedford Falls. The set took 2 months to build with 75 buildings stretched out over 4 acres in Encino, CA, one of the longest sets ever made for an American movie.

The swim-gym floor that opens to reveal a pool in the film is real. This one-of-a-kind facility was built in 1939-1940 and is located in Beverly Hills High School and still in use.

It's a Wonderful Life was not a box office hit and put Capra into debt. Receiving mixed reviews, the film only made back $3.3 of its $3.7 million budget at first. It struggled at the Academy Awards and didn't win any of the five major Oscars it was nominated for. It placed 26th in box office sales for all films released in 1947, ahead of Miracle on 34th Street.

The FBI flagged the film "communist" in 1947 issuing the following statement: With regard to the picture 'It's a Wonderful Life,' [redacted] stated in substance that the film represented rather obvious attempts to discredit bankers by casting Lionel Barrymore as a 'scrooge-type' so that he would be the most hated man in the picture. This, according to these sources, is a common trick used by Communists.

Thankfully, the House Committee on Un-American Activities (HUAC) opted not to call in the film's writers and director. The film continued to be shown unimpeded. (The HUAC was a congressional committee that investigated alleged disloyalty and subversive activities in the U.S. from 1938 to 1975.)

In the late 1970s, it rose to popularity because of a clerical error. When its copyright elapsed in 1974, copyright holder, Republic Pictures, failed to file a renewal application with the U.S. Copyright Office. This caused the film to enter the public domain and it could be broadcast by any station that wanted to air it, royalty-free without paying licensing fees.

In 1990, the film was added to the Library of Congress's National Film Registry. 

Santa Baby Has Two Versions . . .

It was originally recorded by American singer Eartha Kitt with Henri René and his orchestra at a NYC recording studio in 1953 and again in 1954. Kitt said that it was one of her favorite songs to record.

In August 1953, songwriters Joan Javits and Philip Springer were commissioned to write a
holiday song for Kitt. The result was a tongue-in-cheek look at a list sent to Santa Claus by a woman who wants extravagant gifts because "she has been good all year." Here's what was on that 1953 Santa Baby wish list: 

• Sable under the tree
• '54 convertible, light blue
• Yacht 
• Deed to a platinum mine
• Duplex and checks
• Decorations bought at Tiffany's
• Ring (not on the phone)

The song was released by RCA Victor in the U.S. and Canada. To promote the single, the record label purchased page advertisements in Billboard billing it as "1953's Big Christmas Record" It was pressed as a 7-inch single for wide release; a promotional 10-inch single was created for airplay.

Music critics gave mixed reviews to the single, some labelled it suggestive for a holiday song. It's been included on lists of both the best and worst Christmas songs ever written.

Critics aside, Santa Baby became the best-selling Christmas song of 1953 in the U.S. mainly due to the controversy around it. On the US Billboard Best Selling Singles chart, it debuted at No. 16 before rising to No. 10 the next week and peaking at No. 4. In November 1953, Billboard reported that the single had sold 200,000 copies.

Following the mixed reception for Santa Baby, the original songwriters, Springer and Javits, redid the song a year later in 1954 and updated the wish list. In 1954, Kitt recorded This Year's Santa Baby, featuring these new Christmas wish list wants with the preface: Santa baby, I must admit that you were a dear last year, but December is here, so hurry down the chimney tonight:

• Private plane 
• Queen Elizabeth (the ship)
• White mink (replaces sable)
• Most of the FL coast
• Pet charity - naturally that's "me"
• Big box filled with plain ordinary common stock
• Trim tree with large pear-shaped swimming pool

The tune concluded: There's only 365 days til Christmas

Sadly, on Christmas Day 2008, Kitt, 81, died at her home in Weston, CT, of colon cancer. 

This was a long-ish post, if you made it to here, Thank You. 

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're going to RI for grandson's 18th 🎂