77 Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland
By suggestion from Dominick, we travel to Frankenmuth, Michigan to visit the world’s largest Christmas store. Thank you Paul in the UK for your generous gift. Go to Contribute.MyChristmasStocking.net if you’d like to give. Join the family on Facebook, Twitter.com/XmasStocking, and Google+. All the episodes are at MyChristmasStocking.net, where you can also learn how to be on the show.
Click here to download the show to your device.
Featured music:
“Silent Night” by BYU Women’s Chorus from “Merrily on High: Celebration of Christmas (Live at BYU)” (BYU Records)
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Background music:
“Silent Night” by Alice Gomez from “Christmas on the Mesa” (80-Minutes of Music/Talking Taco Music)
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“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” by John Nilsen from “Heaven and Nature: Music of Christmas” (Magic Wing)
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More information:
The Lansing State Journal writes often about the store.
Update 6/7/15: A profile of Bronner’s Click here to learn about CEO Wayne Bronner, and Click here for the fun facts about the store, both from Click here for MLive.com.
74 Christkindlmarkts
November 27, 2012
Filed under Christmas, Episode, Holiday, Podcast, Xmas
Tags: Christkindlmarkts, Christmas, Christmas Markets, Episode, Places, Podcast, Shopping, Weinachtsmarkts, World, Xmas
They’re more popular than ever–and they’ve been around a long time! Follow the show on Twitter.com/XmasStocking, circle the show on Google+ and like the show on Facebook. What does Christmas mean to you? Tell me atMyChristmasStocking.net by clicking the Call Me button or email an audio file to TopElf at MyChristmasStocking.NET.
Click here to download the show to your device.
Featured music:
“A Star Shall Rise Up Out of Jacob” by BYU Combined Choirs and Orchestra from “There Is a Star: Celebration of Christmas (Live at BYU)” (BYU Records)
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Background music:
“In Dulce Jubilo” by The Manor House String Quartet from “I Saw Three Ships and Other Carols”
“Ding Dong! Merrily on High” by Davyd Booth, Michael Stairs from “It’s Christmas Again At Longwood Gardens” (DTR)
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More information:
Wikipedia has a lot to say about the markets.
Vancouver, Canada not only has a Christmas Market, they have a pretty good history of them, too.
71 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2012
We look at the history of the biggest Thanksgiving parade in the country. It’s been six years since the last time we focused on it, so I figured let’s do it. Also the first Merry Christmas wish of the season from a listener! Call me privately from MyChristmasStocking.net using the Call Me button or email an audio file to TopElf at MyChristmasStocking.NET. Show notes are now on the front page of MyChristmasStocking.net. Join the conversation on Facebook. Plenty happening on Twitter.com/XmasStocking, too. Thank you to everyone who has given to the Christmas Stocking this year. It’s been really helpful (info on that is at Contribute.MyChristmasStocking.net).
Click here to download the show to your device.
Featured music:
“It’s The Time” by The Chi-Lites from “Street Carols” (Street Gold Records)
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Background music:
“Angels We Have Heard On High” by Darren Rahn from “Smooth Soul Holiday” (NuGroove Music LLC)
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“Have Yourself A Merry Merry Christmas” by Tema Digital Media from “Instrumental Christmas” (Tema Digital Media)
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More information:
Macy’s website will tell you all about the parade.
About.com has some great info if you’re going to the parade. MommyPoppins.com has even more.
Marching.com has a listing of…the bands. And how you can submit yours to be in a future parade.
Of course there’s a Wikipedia page!
If you really want to compare with the original (first!) episode you can.
51 Christmastowns, USA
From Christmas 2010: We tour the country for just a few of the communities with names inspired by, or sometimes just coincidentally named for, Christmas things. Tell us what you really want for Christmas at MyChristmasStocking.net. Find the Call Me button and enter your phone number. My voicemail will call you for free; and you can mark your number private. Or email: TopElf at MyChristmasStocking.NET. Join us on Facebook. And follow us on Twitter.com/XmasStocking.
Click here to download the show to your device.
Featured music:
“I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day” by The Victorian Singers from “Songs Of Good Cheer”
(Clarity Sound & Light)
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Background music:
“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” byBrian Bunker Christmas (from GarageBand.com)
“I Saw Three Ships” by The Columba Minstrels from “Christmas – Celtic Traditions”
(Classic Fox Records)
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More information:
Here’s a nice master list of Christmassy towns.
Info on Christmas, MI, Santa Claus, IN (plus a little more, and even more), North Pole, AK, and Nazareth, PA.
You can get the Noel, MO, postmark on your cards.
Find out about the Santa Land ruins in Santa Claus, AZ.
27 The Rockettes and the Rockefeller Christmas Tree
From Christmas 2008: By request via TopElf at MyChristmasStocking.NET, we look at the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes and their history, along with information on this year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. More at MyChristmasStocking.net. Follow me on Twitter.com/XmasStocking. Join us on Facebook. And talk to me be on MyChristmasStocking.net, click the Call Me button, and my voicemail will call you.
Click here to download the show to your device.
Featured music:
“O Christmas Tree” by The GrooveBarbers from “Happy Holiday – Christmas Favorites”
(Rock River Music)
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Background music:
“Nutcracker March” by Pittsburgh Symphony Brass from “A Song of Christmas”
(Four Winds Entertainment, Inc.)
Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Rhapsody
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King’s Blues March” by Marc Reift Orchestra from “Swingle Bells”
(Marcophon)
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Buy at Rhapsody
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“O Christmas Tree (jazz piano trio)” by John Stebbe (from MacJams.com)
Find out more:
You may still be able to buy tickets to the national tour or even the Radio City show!
The New York Times likes the Rockettes: A review from 2005, background on the life of a Rockette from 2005, a profile of the new director and choreographer of the New York show from 2006, and background on last year’s 75th anniversary spectacular. Put ’em together, it’s a lot of information.
The New York Daily News has a nice profile of the Rockettes, too.
Wikipedia has a lot of information, too.
2009 UPDATE: The show opens Nov. 13 this year.
2010 UPDATE: The show opens Nov. 5 this year!
16 Rockefeller Center Tree and The Grinch!
November 27, 2007
Filed under Christmas, Episode, Holiday, Xmas
Tags: Christmas, Christmas Tree, Dr. Seuss, Grinch, Holiday, New York, New York City, Places, Podcast, Rockefeller Center, Rockefeller Christmas Tree, Tree, TV, Xmas, Xmas tree
From Christmas ’07: This year, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in New York City has some 21st century improvements. And there is no improving on the Grinch! Let us know about your Christmas tree, or your Grinch, at MyChristmasStocking.net. Email me at TopElf at MyChristmasStocking.NET.
Click here to download the show to your device.
Background music:
“O Christmas Tree” by Jenny Crook (from “Christmas Harp – Elegant Expressions of Christmas with Celtic & Concert Harps”)
(Classic Fox Records)
Buy at Rhapsody
Buy at Napster
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“We Wish You a Merry Christmas” by the Moscow Symphony Orchestra (from “Christmas Fantastique”) I found it at FeelsLikeChristmas.com
(Nelidova Records)
“Pat-a-Pan” by US Air Force Concert Band and Singing Sergeants (from “Light One Candle”)
(Altissimo!)
Buy at Napster
Buy at Rhapsody
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Featured Music:
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Medley” and “Caroling Caroling Medley” by Tennessee Ernie Ford (from “Family Christmas”) (IMI)
More On This Album
More information:
A detailed biography of Dr. Seuss can be found on the official Seussville site.
Find out about the Dr. Seuss National Memorial.
Want to buy the How the Grinch Stole Christmas – Anniversary Edition: A 50th Anniversary Retrospective?
Want to buy the video version of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (50th Birthday Deluxe Remastered Edition)?
imdb.com’s entry on the TV special.
Wikipedia has entries on Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and the Grinch himself.
4 O Rockefeller Christmas Tree
November 28, 2006
Filed under Christmas, Episode, Holiday, Xmas
Tags: Carols, Christmas, Christmas Tree, Holiday, New York, New York City, NYC, Places, Rockefeller Christmas Tree, Tannenbaum, Tree
From Christmas ’06: A really big tree, and the one the world thinks of when they think of America’s Christmas Tree. How long have they been putting up a tree? The answer, and a really great Christmas original on the Christmas Stocking. MyChristmasStocking.net. Email: TopElf at MyChristmasStocking.NET.
Click here to download the show to your device.
Background music includes:
“O Christmas Tree” by Robb McCormick (from Soundclick.com) (here’s his myspace page)
“The First Noel” by Marti van Lin
Featured song:
“Cool, Cool Christmas” by Dean Krippaehne (from GarageBand.com) (and Dean’s myspace page….)
If you want to learn more about Rockefeller Center and its Christmas tree, the Rockefeller Center website has a lot of stuff.
The Christmas Stocking 