HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS

How the Grinch Stole Christmas was first published in 1957, the classic children’s tale about a Grinch who hates the yearly Christmas celebrations in the nearby village of Whooville. The Grinch, along with his sweet dog, Max does what he can to destroy Christmas by stealing all the food and decorations.


The books can be seen as an indictment of Christmas with it’s focus on presents or seen as another version of Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, but either way it was a classic Christmas tale.


In 1966 the Chuck Jones Christmas special aired for the first time and became a yearly tradition. Boris Karloff was the narrator and the special was a big hit and soon became a Christmas classic.

I would have been 5 years old when this special first aired and I don’t remember that first year specifically but I don’t remember an year where I didn’t look forward to this special. I can pretty much quote it from memory and sing the songs and it still holds up today. I did not see the Jim Carrey movie, the movie was unnecessary, the Christmas special was perfect as it is and I still watch it every year.

CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS SPECIALS

I am old enough to remember the introduction several classic Christmas specials. I remember A Charlie Brown Christmas, Little Drummer Boy, How the Grinch stole Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Frosty The Snowman. I'm going to spend the next few weeks getting more information about these specials and posting my memories of the shows.

more Christmas cats

early Christmas cards featuring cats

For some reason cats were a popular motif on early Christmas cards. I don't understand, but really the early Christmas cards did not have explicitly Christmas themes. You were as likely to get daisies as mistletoe for example, so I guess the Christmas cats aren't really out of place.

Santa and Prince Albert

Nothing says Christmas (and cancer) like Santa delivering Prince Albert tobacco.

1946 MAXWELL COFFEE CHRISTMAS AD

CIGARETTE CARTONS FOR CHRISTMAS

Believe it or not cartons of cigarettes used to be an acceptable Christmas presents and there were lots of ads extolling the virtues of this easy present.