Author Archives: dcaligari

December 27, 1947 –Hey kids, what time is it? A bleary eyed world, fresh from the horrors of a second World War awaken to the sight of a freaky marionette on NBC – Howdy Doody premiered on this date. This was the first nationally televised American children’s television show.

Today is St. Stephen’s Day. The citizens of the British Commonwealth denote the day by putting on trunks and gloves to beat each other bloody silly. Another reason to appreciate the American Revolution – a peaceful December 26th. If you are starting your Christmas shopping for 2022, you’re either way ahead of the curve orContinue reading “Perhaps you didn’t know this”

If you’re keeping score, you currently have two turtledoves and a pair of partridges in their respective pear trees (four gifts – remember we’re counting the partridge and a pear tree as a unit.) Begin taking extra copies of free daily newspapers – you’ll need it in a major way. (The gift, the two turtleContinue reading “Most of a (live) Christmas tree is edible”

Your Christmas gifts are starting to arrive (we’ll be keeping a count.) (Remember, we are going to count this as a unit and not as two individual gifts.) As today is the first night of Christmas, here are some more unusual gifts to consider giving – You might have to find an old copy ofContinue reading “Remember, Partridge is a game bird (just saying)”

Put your feet up and read a little bit about the History of Christmas Christmas is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the world, although the form of its observation varies widely from nation to nation. In America, our cultural kleptomania has allowed us to assimilate the most enjoyable of those traditions whileContinue reading “Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas”

December 24, 1968 –Apollo VIII astronauts read passages from the Old Testament Book of Genesis and transmitting a message to all mankind calling for ‘peace on earth‘, during a Christmas Eve television broadcast. The three astronauts, James A. Lovell, William Anders and Frank Borman (our friend with the messy space suit,) had reached the Moon.Continue reading “Christmas in Outer Space (part 2)”

December 24, 1953 –Jack Webb’s series Dragnet aired a special episode, The Big Little Jesus on this date. The episode was network television’s first half-hour color film. It was the only color show of the series. Those of you with very sharp eyes can tell with some prompting that this is not the color episode.Continue reading “Dragnet”

December 24, 1955 –NORAD tracked Santa for the first time in what will become an annual Christmas Eve tradition, thanks to a misprinted phone number in a Sear’s retail catalogue, on this date. For the first several years, it was run by the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Center. (Psst bunkies don’t worry – EvenContinue reading “NORAD is still on the job”

December 23, 1750 –Benjamin Franklin was severely shocked while electrocuting a turkey on this date. Franklin believed electrocuting the turkey would make it more tender. Lost in the annals of history is the crime the fowl committed. And yet I didn’t tell you about –December 23, 1690 –Royal British astronomer John Flamsteed made the firstContinue reading “Shocking, I say!”

Festivus for the rest of us As not to embarrass yourself tonight at your Festivus family gathering, here are the four tenets of the holiday: The Festivus Pole: During Festivus, an unadorned aluminum pole is displayed. The pole was chosen apparently in opposition to the commercialization of highly decorated Christmas trees, because it is “veryContinue reading “Now 100% Tinsel Free!”