Sunday, December 20, 2020

Have a Matching Christmas

Began a cloudy morning with gingerbread pancakes and one of my earliest Christmas CDs, Christmas Carousel by Peggy Lee. I bought this on a 1994 Christmas Eve errand run with Mom. We first stopped at a local liquor store; I remember, because I bought a mini-bottle of Coke. I'd never seen a soda bottle the size of a Hugs juice drink! After that, we went to the Acme. While she bought what she needed, I cruised the CD rack and ended up with Peggy Lee. My favorite song on this has always been the lilting title number. I'm also fond of the opening version of "Jingle Bells," "I Like a Sleigh Ride," the ballad "The Christmas Spell," and her version of "Happy Holidays." 

Switched to another album I've had for a long time, In the Christmas Mood, while doing the dishes and getting ready for work. I believe I picked up my original cassette copy of this one on a trip to Staples with Mom and the girls during Christmas 1993. My favorite numbers on this Glenn Miller Orchestra studio album are the two medleys, but their lively "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" is so cute, even the Acme's played it.

Picked Uber up less than ten minutes later and got in with no time to spare. With the exception of 20 minutes sweeping inside, I spent most of the day rounding up carts. Couldn't have been happier. It was cloudy and showered a few times, but it wasn't windy or that cold. There was even a lovely magenta sunset when I picked the car going home. 

Rose called me not long after I got into work. I called her back, but didn't get her. I did see a pile of bags, vintage games, old furniture, and bins on the porch. Jodie left them there for the Veteran's of America to pick up tomorrow. I decided to save someone the trip to Goodwill and added my full pillowcase of things I wanted to get rid of to the pile. (I also claimed a vintage Othello game in perfect shape that I thought Lauren might want to play when she visits.)

Messed around on the computer for a half-hour before I heard voices in Jodie's den. Rose and her kids were visiting for the game. Jodie gave us our Christmas presents now. Khai got a book he wanted. Finley received a Bluey doll house and figures. Rose and I both got gift cards. Rose's is for Chewy, the online pet accessories supplier, so she can buy supplies for the puppy they're hoping to get. Mine is an Amazon card. 

Rose and I were also able to split Jodie and Dad's DVD collection, mostly stuff they either bought to watch with Khai when he was younger, or action and fantasy movies that Dad loved but Jodie doesn't. I claimed Happy Feet, Finding Nemo, the first and second Ice Age films, Cars, three Harry Potter movies, and the anime film Howl's Moving Castle

Played with Finley in the den, making Little Tykes figures in cars slide down the plastic mountain and putting together a dinosaur puzzle, and in the living room, playing with her new doll house and eating fries and chicken nuggets. Rose and Jodie went through the closet between the bar and the door to my apartment. Among the things they found - old folding chairs, swimming trophies that belonged to Dad and Uncle Ken, framed photos of my cousin Guy, and...er...magazines and videos of an adult nature. (Those last ones went in the trash. Mark will send Guy his stuff in Taiwan.) 

Watched Finley for about 20 minutes in my side of the house while Rose got her things together to go home. Finley poked holes in the bruised apples sitting on the dresser in my kitchen as I put on A Disney Channel Christmas. We played with my Mickey and Minnie dolls styled to look like real 30's toys that I keep on the futon before Finley got bored and returned to her mother and grandmother. 

Went out to see Rose's new car. Evidently, they claimed Dad's car after he died, but it ended up needing too much work and they just got a new one instead. I don't think anyone's doing anything Christmas Eve, but Rose invited me to come over Christmas Day for a few hours. I might do it in the late-morning, early afternoon, after the kids opened their gifts. 

Finished Disney Channel Christmas while making Apple Cinnamon Muffins with the apples Finley poked. Mom taped this combination of two earlier Disney holiday TV specials around 1988, and I've watched it almost every Christmas since then. Jiminy Cricket introduces holiday-themed cartoons like "Pluto's Christmas Tree" and "The Art of Skiing" and we get segments from several Disney films that involve winter, parties, magic, or gift-giving. There's even a segment from the then-new Mickey's Christmas Carol included at the end. 

Ended the night after a shower with more Christmas game show episodes. Match Game always did at least one Christmas-themed episode a year, usually with Charles Nelson Reilly dressed as Santa Claus. By far the funniest of these came in 1978, when Brett joined Charles as a little girl sitting on Santa's knee who called herself Bretzy La Brat.

Christmas and game shows go back a long way. The original 1950's and 60's I've Got a Secret upped their cute quotient by having the children of crew members give the "secrets" on their 1957 holiday show. Two young ladies in the end had my favorite secret, about how old their mincemeat pie was, but the little girl who was related to two of the panelists was just such a cutie in her huge dress, it was hard to resist her. 

Family Feud let older relatives in on the fun. The Richard Dawson episode I went with from 1983 has the returning champs trying to keep their title by answering Christmas-related survey questions. I might have seen the 1991 episode as a 12-year-old; I would have been a huge fan of the show by then. The Christmas episode also happened to be the finale of their Tournament of Champions, pitting two winning families against each other. 

The last episode I did tonight was a real rarity. Until recently, I never knew Wheel of Fortune was on daytime as well as at night or that anyone besides Pat Sajak ever hosted it. Alas, most of Chuck Woolery's daytime run was erased, but somehow, all but the last few minutes of this 1980 episode survived. The game play isn't much different than the nighttime episodes...but instead of just winning prizes, the contestants buy prizes from a display with the money they've earned. Wheel doesn't often turn up online, especially in Chuck's version, so getting to see this at all is a treat.

Here's more Christmas game shows to keep you guessing until the big day!


Oh, and though the Eagles did try hard, they eventually lost to the Arizona Cardinals 33-26. 

1 comment:

Linda said...

Many years ago when GSN had their "black and white Sunday night" they did something they called "A Merry Garry Christmas," four Christmas episodes of I've Got a Secret. I recorded it to DVD. A lot of fun!