I'll be Home for Christmas

[Big Daddy Audio]

Ho Ho Ho!

There seems to be an uptick in the availability of Christmas and Holiday things at thrift stores.  On someone's tip, I picked up an excellent copy of Christmas with Coniff today at Goodwill.  I forget who said it was a "different" album - so far, it's an okay album, but I was thinking more along the lines of Esquivel-esque lounge type music.  It's a good diversion from Windham Hill. 

I've already hooked up to my stereo my thrifted Kenwood 100 CD changer filled with my Christmas and Holiday CD's (most of them, sadly, were not thrifted).  I've already started playing it, much to the chagrin of the family.

Anyway - what does everyone do as far as accumulating decorations and music and ornaments and whatnot?

I do a train around the tree - a K-Line (they were bought out by Lionel about 2 years ago) version of the Long Island Railroad (where I grew up in NY) - that was bought off of eBay for less than retail (probably less than wholesale, if I remember correctly).  I also set out my "A Christmas Story" village items.  They were all bought at Sears at the beginning of the season when they were 30-40% off, so does that count as thrifting?  (Rhetorical question, of course it doesn't, silly!)  I'll look to see if they do any other things this year.  I also have a radio station that sits at the edge of the village (WXMS).  I'd like to expand it, but things have to have a personal meaning to ME.  I don't want to expand it just for the sake of urban sprawl.

I do have the "Halloween" lights up (lit-up crystally-looking giant candy corn) and the jack-o-lantern set out.  It's a good trial run for the Christmas display. 

I'd love to hear what everyone does, and maybe see some pictures when things get done.

That is all.   

[Good Buddy]

dude, I have an Esquivel Christmas I'll dupe for you...
E-mail me and gimme an addresss to mail it

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

I thrifted a bunch of boxes of Christmas ornaments one year. Nice ones, looked old but aren't. But cheap. And have lasted nicely so far.

Haven't found any Halloween things at a thrift that tempted me yet. But did get some stuff 60% off at Michaels-- potions bottles, etc. And I've made a bunch of potions bottles and creepy prop type things from thrifted items.

Good fun!

I don't have thrifted music for Christmas, but MUST listen to my A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack CD every year, as well as my Jethro Tull Christmas album. Oh, and Gary Hoey's "Ho Ho Hoey" album-- Christmas tunes played on grinding electric guitar... the guy's "Grinch" is totally non-traditional, but very fun.

[Big Daddy Audio]

Here's a shot of the album:

[SecondhandSophisticate]

Hey Big Daddy!  I had to buy "Christmas with Coniff" on CD because I loved it so much.  The song that drove me to CD buying is "Christmas Bride". Perhaps because I was a child in the Kennedy era, that song just sums up my childhood memories from New England/Noo Yawk.  It's soooooooooo early 60s to me...l think that "Mad Men" on AMC, if it was to run throughout the Christmas season, could use that cut in particular, as well as other cuts off the album as part of its soundtrack. ( I may have found the vinyl at a thrift after I got the CD)

Speaking of Christmas, We found an interesting album at a thrift this week.  First, check out the cover:




Do Dad and number one son look a little, um, familiar to all you TV fans from the early 60s? (Gawd, I hope there's somebody else who gets this )  Well,not to keep you young'ins guessing:

It's Carl Betz and Paul Peterson from "The Donna Reed Show" I said to my DH when he found it: "Doesn't that guy have a "Carl Betz-zian" appearance about him?  And doesn't number one (and only) son look like Paul Peterson, of "My Dad" AM radio fame and one of my early crushes?"  So, we turned the album over, and sure enough!  It's Paul and Carl and some faux Donna Reed and Paul's real-life little sister, Patti! This came out in 1964.

However, when we looked at the vinyl, the orignal vinyl was NOT inside. Instead, we found a "Special Service Records" vinyl..."Collectors Series", #CSS 1433, which is a compilation of Christmas music, including (but not limited to) Charlie Byrd, The New Christy Minstrels, Eddie Layton, Robert Goulet, and the late/great Burl Ives!  The album itself appears to be called "Christmas Greetings" and is it very good condition. So, for .50, we bought it anyway. 

We do have an Esquivel Christmas CD somewhere.  The dreaded kitchen remodel is in progress, and I can't put my hands on it.  But I understand the sound you are looking for, Big Daddy.

TSR:  Jethro Tull made a Christmas album?

Feliz Navidad,
SeSo

PS:  We are foregoing Halloween decorations this year, due to dreaded kitchen remodel. But I would love to see y'all's pics!
 

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Yup, you can listen to some of the Tull Christmas tracks here:

http://www.amazon.com/Jethro-Tull-Christmas-Album/dp/B0000CD5I6/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/002-6783907-3741657?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1192649111&sr=8-2



I have a few of my mini-Christmas trees from last year online here, if anyone is in a VERY early Christmas mood. Takes a minute to load because it's pic-heavy:

http://web.mac.com/thriftshopromantic/iWeb/The_Thrift_Shop_Romantic/Spruced_Up_for_the_Holidays.html

[Zed Simon]

Wow! Good stuff, all. Guess I'll have to break out my copy of "We Need A Little Christmas" with The Golddiggers a little early.

And I'm REALLY looking forward to another Ding-Dong Dandy Christmas with The Three Suns this year.

[Big Daddy Audio]

Jethro Tull Christmas - I have it on CD (I don't think it ever made it out on vinyl - if memory serves, this one was done in 2001).  I copied it from the Phoenix Library's collection on my TDK 3824 duplicator.  I was looking for A Christmas Song but the one on here isn't as "in-your-face" as the one on Living in the Past.

I actually made "Old School Christmas" and "New School Christmas" CD's for my family (brothers and sisters) back in 2002, and to this day, they are some of the most popular they (or I) have.  These compilations were made from "downloaded" material from back in the late 1990's and early 2000's, before such a dim view was taken of such practices.  However, it more out of convenience, as I own all the music anyway - doing it this was simply saved me time (enough of the mea culpa, BDA!)

Old School would be Perry Como, Burl Ives, Mitch Miller, etc.  New School is Jorma Kaukonen, The Kinks, Liz Story, Run-DMC, Clarence Carter, etc.

I'm starting to look for excellent condition Christmas vinyl, so I'll keep you posted.

That is all.

PS - GB - I look forward to hearing Esquivel's Christmas. 

[Tammy]

I am both excited and dreading Christmas this year.  Last year we (I) put out more lights than normal.  Ever visit www.planetchristmas.com?  Well I dream how cool it would look all decked out.  So last year I totally went crazy when the thrift stores put out lights and after Xmas sales when bags multiple strands of lights were like a quarter I went more nuts.  I have no idea how many strands and different type of lights I bought but I could decorate a whole neighborhood.  My husband was ready to commit me and I even had to sneak some in the house.  Then this summer I hit the freebie curb weekend at the town next to us and brought home a huge box full of more Xmas lights/decorations that I saw at a garage sale the weekend before for $5 but I got for free. 

[ChrisMiss]

I think many of the thrift stores have a lot of holiday stuff stored away in their attic/warehouse/wherever, and they bring it out in time for the appropriate holiday.  So much Halloween stuff started showing up in August and now the Christmas related stuff including the Christmas albums are showing up more and more to get you in the spirit.

Our new Christmas tradition for about 5 years now has been to play Porky Pig singing Blue Christmas.  It is hilarious! 

Tammy, it sounds like you are going to have some fun getting your house all lit up and decorated up for Christmas.  You'll have to post some pictures.  I'm bookmarking that website too to see all the great Christmas ideas.  Those were and are some of the best memories of Christmas is to drive around as a family and admire the Christmas lights.   

[Big Daddy Audio]

Just for the record (pun intended), the thrift stores by me have Christmas albums for sale all year long.  They also have Christmas stuff (though not as much) for sale as well.  I agree with the assertion that Some stores store up their Christmas Stuff to sell now.  It make sense. 

There is one thrift store that I frequent (Family Attic Thrift Store at 32nd Street and Greenway), and they put out the most gorgeous Christmas trees - I think they are for display only, as there aren't any prices on them.  I'd love to have one that looked that good.  They had a pre-lit 8 footer with no ornaments - They might sell that one.

I love Christmas time!

That is all.

[Big Daddy Audio]

Got the CD - Feliz Navidad!

Thanks.

That is all.

[Good Buddy]

Cool, his stuff is great.

don't have thrifted music for Christmas, but MUST listen to my A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack CD every year

I agree....And we watch A Christmas Story each year too.

[Big Daddy Audio]

Two things bug me about A Christmas Story:

1) Melinda Dillon's (the Mom's) hair...
2) No soundtrack album (I don't even know where to get a song list!)

That being said, it's my favorite Christmas movie of all time.

That is all.

[Monimania]

HA the Moms hair annoys me too! its a style from when the movie was made and I hate it!!!!

I also hate the hair from the movie Dances with layered 80's hair, Oh I mean Dances with wolves