Each year I add to the list of historical holiday moments of the Christmas holiday season – the good as well as the bad. Here is this year’s edition. Enjoy.
We all have our favorite holiday traditions from decking our hallways with Christmas decorations to the annual viewing of A Charlie Brown Christmas. But when did these traditions start? Who was the first department store Santa Claus? When was the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? What is the most popular Christmas movie of all time?
Here’s a short trip through holiday history from the 14th century to 2023 featuring the highs and lows of Christmas pop culture.
Christmas Carols
Nailing down which was the first song written about Christmas is difficult to do, but according to Billboard, the song “The Friendly Beasts” is one of the oldest songs that is still sung today. The French tune which is about the gifts that a donkey, cow, sheep, camel, and dove gave to Jesus at the Nativity was written sometime in the 14th century. Burl Ives is credited for being one of the first American singers to include the song on his 1952 album Christmas Day in the Morning. (Image: Pixabay)
Candy Canes
The origins of when the first candy cane was made comes from folklore. It is said that the treat was first made in 1670 in Cologne, Germany when a candymaker was asked to make a stick candy that would keep the kids quiet during the Living Crèche tradition of Christmas Eve. Since giving candy to children during a worship service was unheard of, the choirmaster requested that the candymaker create the treat with a crook at the top to help the children remember the shepherds who visited baby Jesus. According to The Fact Site, over 1.7 billion candy canes are produced worldwide each year. The candy company Sprangler have been making these treats since 1906 and Doscher’s have been making their canes since 1871! (Image: Pixabay)
Twas the Night Before Christmas
A Visit from St. Nicolas (aka Twas The Night Before Christmas) was a poem written by Clement Clarke Moore in 1823. The poem has been credited for bringing uniformity to people’s notions on what Santa looks like and some of his personality traits. Before then, views about what St. Nicolas varied a lot.
A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens published the first edition of A Christmas Carol on December 19, 1843. It is said that it was Dicken’s own humiliation of a poor childhood that inspired him to write the story. The story was written in six weeks and since his last three books had been flops, his publishers refused to print it, so he had to self-publish the book. The very first movie based on A Christmas Carol (Scrooge or Marley’s Ghost) was made in 1901. Since then, many filmmakers have created their own versions of the story. In 2011, The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol was created for home video. Dickens was not pleased. The most recent adaptation (sort of) is 2022’s Spirited which stars Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell. (Image: Wikimedia)
Poinsettias
Poinsettias first became a symbol of Christmas back in the 17th century in Mexico. There is a legend that a little girl named Pepita went to see the Nativity scene at her chapel. It was customary for guests to bring the Christ child a gift, but she was poor and had nothing to give, so she gathered up some weeds to make a bouquet. Knowing that even the humblest of gifts would be a pleasure, she laid the bouquet at the manager scene, and it turned into a beautiful plant known as “Flowers of the Holy Night”. The plant was mostly unknown to Americans until U.S. ambassador Joel Roberts Poinsett brought the plant to the United States in the early 1800’s. However, poinsettias didn’t become popular during the holidays until poinsettia grower, Paul Ecke Jr. delivered these colorful plants to TV stations all across the country to be featured on Christmas specials and even The Tonight Show. December 12 is National Poinsettia Day, the anniversary of Poinsett’s death.
Nativity Sets
The first nativity set was a rather large one thanks to St. Francis of Assisi. In 1223, he wanted families to “keep Christ in Christmas.” Getting permission from Pope Honorious III, Francis built a manger using a cave in the village of Greggio outside of Rome. He placed a wax figure to represent the baby Jesus, found an ox and a donkey and recruited local villagers to play the roles of Mary and Joseph. Other churches began to follow suit throughout Italy. This tradition eventually led to the creation of smaller “home editions” that we are familiar with today.
Nutcrackers
1872 Wilhelm Füchtner, known as the “father of the nutcracker,” made the first commercial production of nutcrackers using the lathe to create many of the same design. In 1995, George and Arlene Wagner opened their Nutcracker Museum in Leavenworth, WA. It features over 7,000 different nutcrackers. (Image: Pixabay)
Wreaths
It is believed that the earliest wreaths were used as a symbol of victory or power in ancient Greece and Rome. But the Christmas wreath is said to be linked to Christianity. The round shape symbolizes eternal life and God’s unending love. In the 16th century, Christian began turning the wreath on its side and adding four candles to create an advent wreath. Each week for four weeks a different candle is lit. Three purple candles are used representing hope, love, peace and a pink one representing joy. For wreaths placed on the doors, it can represent welcoming others in the home, but for many though, it is just a design element of the holidays.
Electric Christmas Lights
It as was only three years after Thomas Edison invented the light bulb that Edward Hibberd Johnson created the very first string of electric Christmas tree lights in 1882. The string featured 80 red, white and blue lights. Up until this time, families decorated their trees with candles. However, the first electric lights weren’t cheap. It is estimated that wealthy families would pay up to $300 for an electrician to string the lights on their Christmas tree. At least they didn’t need to worry about burning the house down. (Image: Pixabay)
The First Department Store Santa
While it is commonly believed that the very first department store to feature in-person visits with Santa Claus was Macy’s, the truth is, Santa first appeared at a little know dry goods store located on Main Street in Brockton, Massachusetts. In 1890, James Edgar purchased a Santa costume tailored for him and set up the first Santa meet-and-greet a couple weeks before Christmas. News traveled quickly and within days, children from as far away as Boston and Providence traveled by train to meet the jolly old elf. By the next year, Santa began appearing in major department stores all across the country. (Image: Wikimedia)
Stockings
The tradition of hanging stockings by the fireplace appears to be born out of legend. There are two common stories that have been passed down for generations. One involves a poor man who didn’t have money to give for his three daughters dowries. Saint Nicholas wanted to help the family, but he knew that the father was too prideful to accept money. So, he entered the family’s home and placed a bag of gold in each of the girl’s stockings which were hanging to dry by the fireplace. A variation of the legend states that perhaps he threw the bags through a window or tossed them down the chimney. The other story involves the Norse god Odin. It is said that children who fill their stockings or shoes with food for Odin’s flying horse and Odin would exchange this food with treats and toys.
Salvation Army Kettles
The very first Salvation Army kettle was created and used in San Francisco, California in 1891. Today, kettles are used as far away as Korea, Japan and Chile helping over 29 million people each year. In some locations, the ringing of the bells is considered an annoyance, so some bell ringers hold a bell-shaped sign that reads, “Ding, Ding.” In 2019, the charity began taking electronic donations at the kettles.
The Nutcracker Ballet
The two-act ballet, The Nutcracker was originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky providing the score. It premiered in St. Petersburg in 1892. Initially, it was not a success. Today, just about every city in the U.S. has at least one production performing every year. (Image: Pacific Northwest Ballet)
Yes Virginia …
In 1897, eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York’s Sun asking him if indeed there was a Santa Claus. Francis Pharcellus Church responded quickly with the famous, yet unsigned, newspaper editorial. It has since become history’s most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials.
Christmas Seals
Used as a promotional tool for the American Lung Association, Christmas Seals went on sale for the first time in 1907. Emily Bissell came up with the idea after she had read about similar Danish seals used in 1904. Bissell hoped to raise funds for a sanitarium in Delaware. In 1908, the stamps were used nationally to promote the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis (which later became the American Lung Association) and the National Red Cross (which later discontinued their involvement). (Image: American Lung Association)
Frango Mints
Macy’s popular Frango Mints first began as a frozen dessert served at the Tea Room at the Frederick & Nelson department stores in the Northwest in 1918. The candy version of this treat didn’t arrive until 1927. In 1996, Frederick & Nelson closed its doors for the last time, but the product was sold to The Bon Marche’ (which later became Macy’s) to continue the tradition.
The Coca-Cola Bears
Some people think that the Coca-Cola bears are a fairly new invention, but they’re not. The first polar bear that showed up in a print ad for Coca-Cola appeared in France in 1922. Since that time, Coca-Cola has used the bears in its advertising sporadically. The first TV commercial using the polar bears didn’t air until 1993. (Image: Coca-Cola)
The First Black Santas
It is said that the very first American black Santa Claus came about in 1920 when the Volunteers of America in Pittsburgh organized a group of men, one of which was black, to help get donations for the charity. In 1936, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, known for his tap dancing and acting, wore a Santa suit to entertain disadvantaged children in Harlem. In 1943, the Harlem department store known as Blumstein’s hired what became the first black department store Santa. In 2016, the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota hired its first black Santa Claus. And in 2021, additional black Santas began popping up. At least two have appeared in Disneyland’s and Walt Disney World’s Christmas parades and Oreo created an ad campaign that features a black man as the jolly old elf.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Debuting in 1924, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has become the world’s largest parade and has only been suspended from 1942 to 1944 due to World War II. The first parade featured Macy’s employees marching to its Herald Square location on 34th Street in New York. With an audience of 250,000 people, the parade featured floats, marching bands, live animals from the Central Park Zoo and of course, Santa who became the “King of the Kiddies” at the balcony at the store’s entrance. The first giant balloons to be featured in the parade were shown in 1928 (replacing the animals). The parade was first broadcast on TV in 1948 and Milton Berle was one of the first TV performers in 1949. Broadway numbers were first introduced in 1975. In 2020, Macy’s announced that the parade will go on as usual, but only for a television audience due to the Coronavirus. (Image: NBC)
The Coca-Cola Santa
Coca-Cola first produced magazine ads featuring a friendly Santa Claus in a red suit in 1931. This depiction of Santa was based on Thomas Nast’s 1881 illustrations used for the poem, The Night Before Christmas. However, up until 1931, the jolly old elf was portrayed in a variety of ways. It was Coke’s contribution that helped solidify what St. Nick really looks like. (Image: Coca-Cola)
Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center
The very first, albeit unofficial, Christmas tree ceremony held at Rockefeller Plaza occurred in December 1931 when a group of demolition workers at the Center’s construction site collected money to purchase a 20-foot-tall Christmas tree. The tree was later decorated with handmade garlands created by the worker’s families. Today, it is estimated that more than half a million people will pass by the tree every day. Many years later, the annual ceremony was broadcast in New York on WNBC. IN 1997, NBC began to air the ceremony nationally and the tradition continues today. (Image: Wikimedia)
Christmas Pickles
Here’s a weird one. Nobody seems to know who started hiding pickles in their Christmas tree or why. Many people believe that this practice started in Germany when a parent would sneak a pickle onto the family tree sometime during the holiday season. Whoever spotted the pickle first, was given permission to open the first present on Christmas morning or they might receive an extra present. However, it turns out that many Germans are either unaware of the practice or just don’t practice it. Some believe that this was story told to Americans in the late 1800’s when promoting German glass ornaments.
The Oldest Santa-Themed Attraction
Known for being the first attraction in the town of Santa Claus, Indiana, Santa Claus Town is also known as the oldest themed attraction in the U.S. The attraction was built in 1935 by Milton Harris who understood the potential the town had to bring in a few visitors due to its unique name. The first shop to open was Santa’s Candy Castle which was originally sponsored by the Curtiss Candy Company (who originally made Baby Ruth and Butterfinger candy bars). This was followed by a Toy Village and Santa’s Workshop which were added in 1936.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph, the 9th reindeer with the red nose, first appeared in a booklet written by Robert L. May for Montgomery Ward department stores in 1939 as a promotional gimmick. The song about the red-nosed wonder wasn’t released until 1949 by both Harry Brannon and Gene Autry. Still later, the Rankin/Bass stop motion TV special first aired in 1964 and has been shown every year ever since.
White Christmas
Irving Berlin wrote the song “White Christmas” for Bing Crosby’s movie, Holiday Inn in 1940, but the movie wasn’t released until 1942. The song was so popular, it stayed at the top of the Billboard charts for 11 weeks, which is amazing for a Christmas song. As for the movie, it too was a huge hit becoming the top movie of the year. It became the highest-grossing musical film at that time. Ironically, the same set from the movie (and the song) was reused for the Crosby’s other similar movie, White Christmas in 1954. The song remains Crosby’s best-selling recording and the best-selling Christmas single of all-time.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Frank Capra first introduced America to It’s a Wonderful Life starring James Stewart and Donna Reed in 1946 and soon everyone knew that every time a bell rings, a angel earns its wings. Despite how popular the film is today and how Americans feel about the sentimentality, it was initially a financial flop. According to IMDB, it is ranked #1 as the most popular Christmas movie. Die Hard is #2. The movie is shown on NBC once or twice during the holidays. (Image: NBC)
Movie Theaters Open on Christmas Day
People scoffed when it was announced that Paramount Studios was releasing Road to Rio, the Bob Hope and Bing Crosby buddy film, to theaters on Christmas Day in 1947. It turns out, the movie made $4.5 million, and Hollywood began including holiday movie releases as a part of their business plans ever since.
Frosty the Snowman
Like Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman became known as a part of Christmas when songwriters Walter Rollins and Steve Nelson wrote about how a snowman came to life when a magic hat was placed on his head. The first version of the song was recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950 and later by Jimmy Durante who also was the host of the 1969 Rankin/Bass Productions’ holiday special. The animated special was followed by three Rankin/Bass sequels (Frosty’s Winter Wonderland in 1976, Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July in 1979 and The Legend of Frosty the Snowman in 2005) as well as the lackluster non-Rankin/Bass special, Frosty Returns in 1992. In July of 2020, Warner Bros. announced that a live-action adaptation of the story was in development and Jason Momoa was in negotiations to voice the snowman. So far that magic has yet to materialize. (Image: Rankin/Bass)
NORAD
In 1955, Sears Roebuck and Co. misprinted a telephone number to put children in touch with Santa Claus. The number went straight to NORAD. Colonel Harry Shoup had his staff “check” the radar for Santa for those who called. Today, children (and adults) can check on Santa’s whereabouts when they visit the NORAD website. (Image: NORAD)
The ‘I Love Lucy’ Christmas Special
In 1956, CBS aired a Christmas episode of I Love Lucy aired a Christmas episode, but it was never shown in reruns. It was considered the “lost” episode until 1989 when the network aired the episode as a Christmas special. In recent years, CBS has rebroadcast the special in a colorized format along with an additional colorized episode. (Image: CBS)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas was first published in 1957. In 1966, the story became an animated holiday classic that was directed by Chuck Jones. The Grinch was voiced by Boris Karloff and the hit song was sung by Thurl Ravenscroft who was also the original voice of Tony the Tiger for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes cereal. A Broadway show based on the story arrived in 1994 and a live action feature film starring Jim Carrey as the green guy was made in 2000. In 2018, Universal released a new animated movie of the story that starred Benedict Cumberbatch voicing the Grinch. All of adaptations of the story were pretty successful. However, in 2019, NBC aired the TV special, Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical which received poor reviews.
The Chipmunk Song
Though disliked by many today, “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” was a huge hit when it was released in 1958. Written and performed by Ross Bagdasarian (under the stage name of David Seville), the song won three Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Performance, Best Children’s Recording and Best Engineered Record. The song even reached the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart. Over 4.5 million copies of the song were purchased in seven weeks.
Black Nativity
Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity, A Gospel Celebration debuted off Broadway in 1961. Many years later, it continues to be produced annually in numerous major cities throughout the US. In 2013, a new movie that was inspired by the play debuted in theaters. It starred Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, Tyrese Gibson, Jennifer Hudson and Mary j. Blige.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
The TV special, A Charlie Brown Christmas aired for the first time on CBS in 1965. It was the first of many Peanuts specials that followed. At the time, executives tried to persuade Charles Schulz from having Linus quote from the Gospel of Luke thinking that it would turn off viewers. Instead, 50% of all TVs in the U.S. tuned into the first broadcast. The special continued to air on CBS until 2001 when the rights went to ABC. In turn, ABC aired the special numerous times over the years through 2019. In 2020, AppleTV+ bought the rights to the special removing the special from broadcast TV. (Oh, good grief!) However, the streaming service had a change of heart and offered the special to air on PBS for a year or two.
Batman, Robin and Santa
During an episode of Batman, which aired three days before Christmas in 1966, Batman and the Boy Wonder encountered Santa Claus during one of their iconic climbs. Santa (played by Andy Devine) tells the Dynamic Duo that he would be happy to bring them gifts if they tell him where the Bat Cave is. Batman (Adam West) turned to the camera and said, “If you can’t trust Santa, who can you trust?”
Black Friday
The term “Black Friday” (the day after Thanksgiving) was first used in the 1960’s by Philadelphia police and cab drivers since they knew that the day would be full of bad traffic. Later in the 1980’s retailers began to embrace the notion that the name came from the date in which shops first began to see a profit, but this is untrue. The term has been watered down in recent years too. “Black Friday” has turned into a term used by retailers wanting to convey Black Friday-like savings throughout the year and many retailers have come to embrace the idea of opening, at least for a few hours, on Thanksgiving Day. In 2023, some retailers began Black Friday sales on the first weekend in November.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Ever since the stop motion animated film, The Nightmare Before Christmas opened in theaters in 1993, it has been debated if the tale is a Christmas movie or a Halloween one. Created by Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick, the story involves the character of Jack Skellington from Halloween Town (where it is Halloween every day of the year) stumbling across Christmas Town (where everything is Christmas). Thrilled by what he sees, he attempts to re-create Christmas back home while kidnapping Santa Claus. Today, the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland gets a “Nightmare” overlay during the Christmas season. (Image: Walt Disney Pictures)
Festivus
This made-up holiday “for the rest of us” is celebrated on December 23. Most Americans became familiar with Festivus from the Seinfeld TV series which aired on December 18, 1997, but this day was actually created in 1966. According to author Daniel O’Keefe, the date celebrated his first date with his future wife. His son, Dan O’Keefe wrote for Seinfeld and included the family tradition in the episode which included the traditions of the Festivus pole, the airing of grievances and feats of strength.
Christmas with the Brady Bunch
On November 2, 1970, Paramount Records released the infamous Christmas album, Christmas with the Brady Bunch. The album featured classic Christmas tunes sung by the six original Brady kids. Given that the children were actors and not necessarily singers, the results were mixed. In 1988, the “family” reunited for the made-for-TV movie, A Very Brady Christmas which aired on CBS. It still airs on a few channels each year. Nobody knows why.
Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments
Hallmark introduced six glass balls and 12 yarn figures as the first collection of Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments in 1973. Since then, the company has introduced more than 3,000 different ornaments and for many families, they are a Christmas tradition.
A Year Without a Santa Claus
Two side characters, Snow Miser and Heat Miser almost stole the show when Rankin/Bass Productions produced A Year Without a Santa Claus in 1974. The stop-motion TV special featured the voices of Shirley Booth as Mrs. Claus who had to take matters into her own hands when Santa (Mickey Rooney) came down with a cold just before Christmas. But it was Dick Shawn and George S. Irving’s characters that everyone remembers the most. In 2006, NBC won the rights to create a live-action remake starring John Goodman (Santa), Delta Burke (Mrs. Claus), Michael McKean (Snow Miser) and Harvey Fierstein (Heat Miser). While the original continues to be shown each year, the latter is nowhere to be found. (Image: Rankin/Bass)
Classic Holiday Commercials
If a TV commercial is done right, it can stir up favorable emotions from those watching. One of the most endearing Christmas commercials of all time was for Norelco. From as early as the 1960’s, the stop-motion animated commercial featured a Santa riding a razor up and down snowy hills.
In 1989, Hershey’s began airing a commercial where 11 Kisses representing bells would play the Christmas tune, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
While not technically a Christmas-themed commercial, Campbell’s Soup’s “Let it Snow” commercial is aired numerous times through the winter months as has done so since 1995. It features a snowman who goes inside to enjoy a nice bowl of hot soup but he turns out to be a boy who had been outside a little too long.
The first TV commercial where Red and Yellow, the mascots for M&M candies, meet Santa for the first time, was presented in 1996. Both parties utter the phrase, “They do exist” and then both Santa and Red faint because of the realization. Yellow just stands there looking confused.
Pillsbury has created at least two endearing holiday commercials that feature Pop-n-Fresh (aka The Doughboy) and Santa. In 2009, the Doughboy offers a cookie to Santa and later in 2017, the company created one where Santa would poke the little fellow in his tummy and Pop would say, “Hee, hee, hee.” Then Pop would poke the Big Guy in his stomach, and he would respond with “Ho, ho, ho.”
David Bowie and Bing Crosby
David Bowie recorded a duet for a Bing Crosby Christmas special in September of 1977. The two had never met beforehand and Bowie didn’t even know who Crosby was. The “Peace on Earth” and “Little Drummer Boy” combo became a big hit. However, Crosby didn’t live to see the song’s success. He passed away in October of that same year. (Image: ITV/Rex Features)
Star Wars Holiday Special
CBS aired the notoriously bad Star Wars Holiday Special in 1978 for the first and last time. To this day, George Lucas barely acknowledges its existence, and the show has never been re-telecast or officially released on home video. Rare clips from the special can be found from time to time on YouTube, but most fans would just like to pretend that it never happened. Ironically, Disney+ began to air a LEGO-themed special in 2021 that was sort of a loose parody of the original special.
A Christmas Story
This movie wasn’t a hit when it came to theaters in 1983, but since then it has become a cult classic. Based on Jean’s Shepherd’s semi-fictional book, In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, the film starred Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, and Peter Billingsley. The story focused mainly on little Ralphie’s desire to acquire a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle while being told repeatedly that he would shoot his eye out. The comedy is so popular, TBS or TNT has shown 12 consecutive airings of the film back-to-back on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day since 1997. In 2022, HBO Max debuted the sequel, A Christmas Story Christmas which featured some of the original cast members including Billingsley. Time will tell if it becomes the next Christmas classic.
Disney Christmas Parade
In 1983, Disney Parks created a new tradition creating its first Christmas Day Parade special. The company has run a similar special every year since with the exception of a “Tracking Santa” special in 2000. The 2005 edition won a Daytime Emmy Award. Covid concerns kept the parade from production in 2020, but the parade and special resumed in 2021.
Must-Have Toys
Babies and Hot Wheels are always popular, but toys companies always looking for the next big seller. In 1983, the makers of the Cabbage Patch Kids found a gold mine with those dolls. Parents scooped them up as fast as they could get them leaving some other parents to go without. In one incident, 5,000 parents and grandparents staged a near riot at the Hills Department Store in Charleston, W. VA trying to get their hands on those critters.
In 1996, it was Tyco who caused the mass hysteria surrounding the Tickle Me Elmo stuffed dolls. Based on the cute little monster featured on Sesame Street, when a child squeezed his tummy, he would giggle and shake.
And in 1998, talking Furbies were flying off the shelves too. The furry robotic toy by Hasbro won the hearts of children, but the ire of their parents. Much like the technology we use today, these “Furbish”-speaking guys would “learn” English when humans spoke to them. Then they would randomly start talking at any time of the day. Eventually, people became fearful that Furbies were actually eavesdropping devices. In 2000, the toys were banned in the U.S., but they came back in 2012, but with a lot less commotion.
E-Cards
The very first versions of “E-Cards” were created in 1984 and they were all the rage. Many thought the electronic cards would make traditional Christmas cards obsolete. While people are not sending paper cards like they used to, they aren’t really sending many e-cards either.
Kneeling Santa
Jeanne Pieper practically started a movement when she published her book, A Special Place for Santa that talks about Santa visiting the Nativity. Soon, figures of kneeling Jesus’ were popping up all over the place. While the message being portrayed is that is important for us to not forget the “reason for the season,” some Christians feel that there is “no room in the inn” for Santa.
The Simpson’s
The Simpsons is not only the longest running animated television series, but also one of the longest running TV series period. In 1989, “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire” was the first full-length episode of The Simpsons to air on FOX as a TV holiday special. Surprisingly sweet and with a touch less sarcasm than the show it became, it was viewed by approximately 13.4 million viewers.
Trans Siberian Orchestra
Created in 1996 by producer, composer and lyricist Paul O’Neill, the Trans Siberian Orchestra is a blending of classical music and rock music. O’Neill had wanted to create a number of rock operas, a 3-part Christmas production and possibly two other “regular” albums. The orchestra/band’s first album, Christmas Eve and Other Stories, remains the group’s most popular release. The best-known tract from that album is “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24” which features their take on “Carol of the Bells.” The song is one of the best-selling Christmas singles.
Starbucks’ Red Cups
For some, nothing signals the arrival of the Christmas season more than coffee drinkers sipping from Starbucks red cups. They were first created in 1997. In 2015, there was small uproar from Christians complaining that the coffee giant had given up on Christmas when they decided to go with just plain red cups with no design. At the time, Starbucks said that they wanted to give their customers a “blank pallet” to create their own holiday cups. To the surprise of many, the company released many of these original designs in 2016.
Elf on the Shelf
The first “official” Elf on the Shelf book was written in 2004 by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell. However, this elf wasn’t exactly a new idea. In 1946, similar elves called “knee-huggers” were first imported from a company called Yuletide of Japan. Not to be outdone, years later Gill Hoffman created the “Mench on a Bench” for Jewish kids. In 2011, “Horace the Elf” wrote a parody book for parents.
The Santa Clause
Disney stumbled upon a huge hit when they released the Tim Allen comedy holiday film, The Santa Clause in 1994. Originally, the film was planned to be more of a dark comedy to be released by Hollywood Pictures (given that Santa falls to his death at the beginning of the film) but with a few tweaks, the movie was turned into family fare. Bill Murray and Chevy Chase were offered the lead role of Scott Calvin, but they both turned it down. The studio also considered Tom Selleck, Tom Hanks and Mel Gibson before settling on Allen. The movie was a huge hit and is considered a Christmas classic. It was followed by The Santa Clause 2 in 2002, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause in 2006 and the limited series The Santa Clauses which debuted on Disney+ in 2022. A second season of the show began in 2023.
Cyber Monday
The term “Cyber Monday” was first used to describe one of the biggest online shopping days of the year in 2005. It is held the Monday after Thanksgiving. In recent years, Black Friday has become less popular. 2015 became the most profitable Cyber Monday to date for retailers. So much so that Target.com shut down due to the overwhelming response from shoppers
The War on Christmas
Some non-profit organizations petitioned for boycotts of various retail stores demanding that they use the term “Christmas” rather than “Holiday” in 2005. Many retailers have refrained from using “Merry Christmas” in their advertising so that they wouldn’t offend some customers. By doing so, they did exactly what they didn’t want to do. Today, it is still tricky for some retailers. For instance, Target stores proudly say “Merry Christmas” when you enter their stores, but they still sell “holiday” trees.
The Nativity Story
New Line Cinema released The Nativity Story in 2006. The film is one of the few focused solely on the events leading up to the birth of Christ. It also made history as being the first film ever to stage its world premiere in the Vatican City. (Image: New Line Cinema)
Santa Claus Hall of Fame
In 2010, the first of many inductees to the Santa Claus Hall of Fame were nominated. Located within Santa’s Candy Castle in Santa Claus, Indiana, a variety of men from different backgrounds have been inducted. The first alone awarded 14 men the esteemed honor including James Edgar (credited as the first department store Santa), Doug Mellor (who portrayed Santa in a variety of TV commercials) and actor Edmund Gwenn (who portrayed the hero in the movie, Miracle on 34th Street).
Small Business Saturday
In 2010, knowing that smaller stores and businesses really couldn’t compete against larger, national chain stores on Black Friday, American Express came up with the idea of promoting local small businesses in 2010 with Small Business Saturday. The idea has caught on and today, many shoppers do just that.
Christmas Myth Billboards
American Atheists began producing “myth” billboards to bring home the point that they don’t believe in God and that others shouldn’t either around 2011. This stunt continues to annoy and sadden Christians everywhere each year.
Giving Tuesday
GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a national day of giving and was added to the calendar on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
The World’s Largest Nativity
In 2014, audiences at Rock Canyon Park in Provo, Utah might have possibly seen the most impressive live nativity reenactment since the real thing. Breaking the Guiness World Record, 1,039 volunteers showed up for the non-denominational Christian ceremony which also featured The Piano Guys and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The previous record contained 898 people.
Christmas Drones
In 2016, Disney and Intel were the first in America to use 300 drones for a new show experience over the skies at Disney Springs at the Walt Disney Worlds Resort. “Starbright Holidays – An Intel Collaboration” invited guests to wish upon a holiday star and enjoy the choreographed show.
The Star
Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, with a partnership from Walden Media, Affirm Firms and The Jim Henson Company, The Star, the first animated movie about the nativity story was released in theaters in 2017. It starred the voice talent of Steven Yeun, Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Keegan-Michael Key, Kelly Clarkson, Patricia Heaton, Kristin Chenoweth, Tracy Morgan, Tyler Perry, and Oprah Winfrey. The film’s main song was sung by Mariah Carey.
Pizza Candy Canes
In 2013, the “big” gift idea were giant versions of favorite candy bars such as Snickers and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. In 2019, Archie McPhee’s introduced the world to pizza-flavored candy candy which are supposedly baked in candy-fired oven by Sicilian elves. If that flavor doesn’t excite you, the Seattle-based company also offers other flavors including ham, kale, clam, mac ‘n cheese, dill pickle and bacon.
Mariah Carey Beat Out The Chipmunks
Originally released in 1994, Mariah Carey’s song “All I Want for Christmas is You” was so popular in 2019 (thanks to a new album) that it reached the top of Billboard’s Christmas music and Hot 100 Pop Singles charts at the same time – a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since David Sevilles’ “The Chipmunk Song” which was recorded in 1958.
Another Year Without a Santa Claus
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the department store chain Macy’s announced in 2020 that Santa Claus would not be making an appearance in its stores ending a 159-year holiday tradition. Since 1947, children have climbed up on Santa’s lap to tell him what they wanted for Christmas. But Santa did make an appearance through a “virtual engagement” on the company’s website and he appeared in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. (Image: Pixabay)
Virtual Santa Meet-and-Greets
While the Coronavirus of 2020 caused Santa to avoid large crowds, he decided to keep in touch with the kids via Zoom calls. Different services, like VisitFromTheClauses.com, began offering live chats with the Jolly Old Elf and his bride. Sure, it’s not the same as waiting in line for hours, but it will do. (Image: Visit from the Clauses)
Journey to Bethlehem
In 2023, Adam Anders, known for his work on just Disney Channel hits like High School Musical and the FOX TV series, Glee, directed the first comedy musical nativity movie with a pop music score. The family-friendly movie stars Fiona Palomo, Milo Manheim, Antonio Banderas, MŌRIAH, Stephanie Gil, For King + Country’s Joel Smallbone, Lecrae, Rizwan Manji, Geno Segers and Omid Djalili.
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve
Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians played his first New Year Eve radio special in Chicago in 1927. Due to its popularity, the show was brought to New York’s CBS and NBC radio stations in 1929. The shows became an annual CBS TV special in 1956. In 1972, Dick Clark created what became known as Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. The first special, which aired on NBC, was hosted by Three Dog Night. The following year, George Carlin hosted the show. In 1974, the special was moved to ABC where it has continually played ever since. In 2004, Clark suffered a stroke and that crazy rocker, Regis Philbin filled in for the hosting duties. In 2005, Clark was back, but had trouble speaking, so Ryan Seacrest was brought in to assist. Clark showed up every year until his death in 2012. Today, the special continues as Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest and is still the most popular NYE special on TV.
Writer of Pop Culture 
Leave a comment