Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Thursday Thirteen 136: A Charlie Brown Christmas




It's time for Thursday Thirteen!




1. Anyone looking forward to A Charlie Brown Christmas Tuesday night may have been disappointed to find the president on instead. Have no fear, Chuck and friends have been rescheduled for next Tuesday, Dec 8.

2. You can buy your very own Charlie Brown Christmas tree for $9.99 at Walgreen's.

3. If, like Lucy, you prefer those gaudy aluminum trees popular in the 1960s, there are several currently on display at the Wisconsin Historical Museum, through January 9. Did you know a Wisconsin company was the biggest manufacturer of aluminum trees?

4. I've noticed a lot more Christmas lights than there were this time last year, probably due to the milder November. We'd already had several inches of snow and weeks of chilly weather by last December 1. This year? Not even an inch!

5. Last year's T13 posted December 3 was on the history of Christmas cards.

6. If, like us, you do not (yet) have snow, you can make your own snowflakes here. My creations are under the name "WORDTRIX" or "Romance Divas" for location.

7. Does anyone else feel over-emotional every year when watching the lighting of the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center?

8. Since it is after Thanksgiving, I've been tuning in to the all-Christmas station for an hour here and there. Don't you love the thrill of not only hearing an old favorite, but your favorite rendition?

9. The only Christmas song that causes me to immediately change the station or switch the radio off: The Christmas Shoes. I absolutely hate, loathe, despise and abominate this song, which they seem to play every two hours. I know some people love it, but every two hours? Give it a rest already!

10. The phrase "hate, loathe, despise and abominate" is from one of my favorite classic movies, shown at 11pm CST on TCM every Christmas Eve. It also features one of my favorite Christmas songs. Anyone care to guess what it is?

11. The most recent movie I've seen: New Moon. A couple friends and I went last Saturday and, as I kept hearing, it was indeed better than Twilight.

12. There are two full moons during December, on the 2nd and 31st. The second full moon of a month is often known as a "blue moon." This will not occur again until August 2012. The term "blue moon" is often used to describe the rarity of an event (once in a blue moon).

13. After the movie we made a quick stop at Wal-Mart. One of my friends was laughing at me for my sudden detour down the cookie aisle for a bag of Stauffer's Animal Crackers. Have you tried these things? They're less than $2 for a two-pound bag, are low in fat, have zero grams of trans fat, and are sooo good. Heading towards the checkout, it was my turn to laugh as two girls passed us, each carrying her own bag of animal crackers.




LINKS TO OTHER THURSDAY THIRTEENS:
(Please leave your link if this is your first visit!)

Colleen * Malcolm * Alice Audrey * Shelley Munro
Americanising Desi * Beati * Ms Menozzi * Hootin' Anni
Bec * Stephanie Adkins * Elise Logan * Ornery's Wife
Hazel * Brenda ND * Calico Crazy * Paige Tyler
Ella Drake * Adelle Laudan * Emily Ryan-Davis * Inez Kelley
Lauren Murphey * A. Catherine Noon * Kristen * Storyteller

You can find more Thursday Thirteen participants HERE





33 comments:

colleen said...

I don't know that song. I like to hear John and Yoko's And So This is Christmas and Joni Mitchell's I wish I had a river I could skate away on.

Heather said...

Colleen~ Lucky you! They play this schmaltzy song so often it grates on my nerves. I love Happy Xmas (War is Over) and River. Have heard the former a couple times, but have not yet heard the latter this year.

Malcolm said...

Is the answer to #10 on your list "Meet Me In St. Louis"?

Alice Audrey said...

I had no idea aluminum anything had anything to do with Wisconsin.

Heather said...

Malcolm ~ Way to go! I thought it would take much longer to get a correct answer, but you got it in one. *g*

Alice ~ I know, kind of scary, huh? Thankfully, more real trees than aluminum ones come from Wisconsin now.

Shelley Munro said...

I haven't heard any Christmas songs yet. Our radio stations have been Xmas-song free. It's all good. I'm not ready for Christmas yet.

Americanising Desi said...

it feels like christmas already :D

13 People I Answered To

i beati said...

Yesterday I heard a station say people were adverse and calling in about the Hippo Song ..sk

Ms Menozzi said...

I wish I'd make it home in time for the Charlie Brown Christmas this year, but alas, my plane lands too late!

Oh, well. It's a non-Christmas for us, this year anyway.

Still, I'm wishing Happy Holidays to everyone - celebrate double for me, please!

Hootin Anni said...

Oh yes....yes!!!
I'll have what you're having! I too love those sweet morsels. They're almost too good to be true. Yep, I agree. Those animal crackers are tops.

My Thursday Thirteen is posted now...if you'd like to stop by...it's 13 'plays on words' that make you wonder....stop by if you have a chance. Click Here Then, scroll down below my Thursday Thunks Meme....Have a great day.

Bec said...

Meet Me in St. Louis!
Luckily I have my own copy of the Charlie Brown Christmas movie, so I won't have to wait to watch!

Stephanie Adkins said...

I agree! New Moon was indeed better than Twilight. :) Happy Thursday! *Hugs*

Elise Logan said...

I'm not big on "traditional" Christmas music, but I love being able to break out my TransSiberian Orchestra stuff.

orneryswife said...

I agree about the Christmas shoes. So sad, and I don't like to cry. It reminds me of the loss of my mom to cancer when I was nine--40 years ago! I can only handle listening to Christmas music for a very short time during the holidays, even though I used to love it. Working in retail where they play it ALL THE TIME burned me out.
Happy TT!!
tm

Hazel said...

It will be wonderful to have an all-christmas station in our part of the globe. Those of us who celebrate christmas in Thailand will have to be contented with just commercial trees and decors.

Mia Celeste said...

Grin. I once had a tree like Charlie Brown's.

Calico Crazy said...

I am always amazed that there aren't more Christmas lights up outside in the south since the weather is so agreeable for it. Saw New Moon and it was better than Twilight and it had wolves, I'm silly I know. I won't even get started on that particular Christmas song, I just promise it will never make one of my musical 13s. ~ Calico Contemplations

Paige Tyler said...

Interesting facts! Fun TT!

*hugs*
Paige

My TT is at http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com/

Heather said...

Shelley ~ I'm not quite ready for Christmas yet, either, but it appears to be coming whether ready or not. LOL

Desi ~ It is beginning to feel like Christmas, though it'd feel more Christmasy here if we had a bit of snow.

Beati ~ LOL...Younger Sis hates "I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas," but I think it's a fun, cute song. Plus I used to have a huge stuffed hippo when younger, and Henrietta was my fave on "New Zoo Revue." *G*

Ms Menozzi ~ I'm sorry Christmas won't be very fun for you this year, I do know what that's like. Too bad your plane doesn't land in time for Charlie Brown!

Ella Drake said...

I didn't used to listen to holiday music so much, but now with the kids, we load up the CDs. Just got a new CD set & can't wait to listen.

Heather said...

Anni ~ Yay! Someone else who thinks those animal crackers are like sugary crack. And while they're good plain, they're also great dipped in anything chocolate.

Bec ~ Yup, that would be the movie! I did see "Charlie Brown" last year, and "I Want a Dog For Christmas" too, so if I'm good if I miss either of them this year.

Stephanie ~ LOL...that seems to be a general concensus. It will be interesting to see how Eclipse compares. And we only have to wait six months!

Elise ~ Love Trans-Siberian Orchestra! Saw them live two years ago, and would have liked to go again this year, but tickets were just too expensive. Maybe next year...

Heather said...

Ornery's Wife ~ I can understand the retail burnout. I had a friend who worked at Sears in college, and she grew to hate this time of year, just for the constant music deluge. And that was before they started playing it three months out.

Hazel ~Our local station is also streams on the net, so if you want to check it out, WOLX FM.

Brenda ~ LOL...I have a friend who once had an artificial tree that we termed "The Charlie Brown Tree," it was that old and decrepit. The January we carted it out to the dumpster was both sad and kind of funny, as the tree was literally disintegrating in our hands. *g*

Calico ~ They don't do a lot of lights in your area? The places I've been in the south in December (which granted aren't many) were overdone in lights. I remember one cul-de-sac being so lit up it looked like a runway. And thank you for your promise never to include that song in any top 13 music lists. *G*

Paige ~ Thanks!

Ella ~ Our family has always been huge on Christmas music. Younger Sis was amazed over the weekend that I had found our favorite old kids album. Yes, album. And heavily scratched from thousands of listenings. lol

A. Catherine Noon said...

What a cheerful TT! Thank you!

Heather said...

Thanks, Catherine! *G*

Kristen said...

The only Christmas song I can't stand is Wham's "Last Christmas." My Christmas station plays it too often and then it gets stuck in my head and then I find myself singing it all day. Great list.

Heather said...

Kristen ~ You know, I don't think I've heard "Last Christmas" yet this year, though growing up on it, I don't mind it so much. Right now they're playing TSO's "Christmas Canon," which those of us who have ever played in an orchestra know is really Pachelbel's "Canon in D" with a few seasonal lyrics added, but still... Absolutely beautiful!

Inez Kelley said...

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat. Please to put a penny in the old man;s hat. If you haven't got a penny, a ha-penny will do. If haven't got a ha-penny then God bless you.
What? I got sidetracked singing.

Heather said...

Inez ~ Grooooaaan. Thanks! Now I have Miss Piggy singing in my head (John Denver and the Muppets). lol

storyteller said...

Kewl 13 today ;-)
I put snow on my WordPress site last year ... and noticed it showed up again on December 1st though it's not been there all year. You're right that it looks a bit strange with my sunny beach photos. Thanks for visiting my 13 at Happily Retired Gal. I've shared 13 Sky views at Sacred Ruminations ... just because.
Hugs and blessings,

Jennifer Leeland said...

I can't wait to decorate. This weekend is Christmas Cookie weekend. WOOOOOOT!!!
I love "Meet Me In St. Louise".

Lauren Murphy said...

Great list. I'm really getting into the season. :)

Heather said...

Storyteller ~ Kind of cool that your snow showed up automatically again this year. Sometimes I wish the decorating would get done without any help from me. *g*

Jennifer ~ Did you say Christmas cookies? I'm there!

Lauren ~ I'm trying to get into the season. I got my tree up and decorated, and a few other decs out, but am not doing as much as in previous years. Doesn't seem worth a grand effort when I'm the only one who will see it.

Betty said...

I heard about the blue moon thing! I think it's so cool! =)