Dino Drac’s Countdown to Xmas!
Welcome to Dino Drac’s Countdown to Christmas! This feature will be updated daily (or close to daily) through December 25th, with some kind of holiday-related thingamajig. You never know what might turn up!
This one’s really for the old schoolers who prefer blogs to algorithmic timelines full of ads for dicey hair products. I won’t be plugging it often off-site. If this is up your alley, remember to check back often! (And visit After Dark and the Xmas Jukebox, too!)
12/17: A Golden Girls Christmas! (1986)
Shown above are shots from the first-ever Golden Girls Christmas episode, ‘Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas, which premiered in December of 1986.
This particular scene happens early in the episode, when the ladies exchange homemade gifts. Rose gives Dorothy a wooden maple syrup spigot. (“This’ll come in a lot handier than those pearl earrings the next time I’m lost in the woods with a stack of pancakes!”) Blanche gives everyone calendars featuring the men she’s dated, and they all take a particular interest in Mr. September. (“I’m surprised you were able to walk in October!”)
It’s all fun stuff, but what really stuck with me about this scene was how idyllically Christmassy everything was. The decorated tree, from an era when people were unafraid to use six pounds of tinsel. The perfectly-wrapped gifts, which looked like props that would’ve been dotted around the cotton landscape at a Mall Santa’s photoshoot. Finally, of course, was the holiday punch.
A glamorous crystal bowl filled with what looked like (and probably was) strawberry Kool-Aid. The sight of Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia sipping away still tickles me!
I’ve clocked countless hours trying to decide if their punch was spiked. None of the girls were teetotalers, and if there’s anything that could make this scene even better, it’s the idea that Sophia was half in the bag five minutes later, eating peeled tomatoes straight from the can.
All in all, it’s just one of the many scenes from old holiday-themed sitcom episodes that became so baked into my brain that I now have to remind myself that I’m remembering stuff from TV shows, and not things I personally experienced IRL.
12/16: Bountiful Blow Molds!
I didn’t mean for this to happen! I guess the ever-spying algorithms caught me talking about that little snowman blow mold from a few entries back, because when I checked Facebook Marketplace in the aftermath, it was just an endless sea of plastic Christmas people.
I couldn’t help noticing that in the mix were several from one particular seller who didn’t only price them much lower than average, but who was also incredibly local. By the time I contacted the guy, he’d already sold off some choice pieces, but there was still enough left for a literal CARLOAD of vintage holiday blow molds.
Two giant Santas! A huge candle! A big snowman! I even bought an enormous jack-o’-lantern, because by that point, the fever had completely taken hold. In my defense, the prices were REALLY good. I paid $135 for a lot that’s easily worth $400+.
I know you want more than the small glimpse this drive-home selfie provides, but you’ll have to wait a little longer for that. I don’t know where to put these things! They’re staying in the car until I clear out some space. Don’t worry, I’ll have an update soon enough – and a very ridiculous photo to go along with it.
12/15: Holiday Lucky Charms! (1992)
While it wasn’t unusual for cereals to have holiday-themed TV commercials in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, actual holiday-themed cereals were rare. Christmas Crunch might have been the first, but right behind it was Holiday Lucky Charms.
HLC, as the hip cats call it, debuted in 1989 and made scattered appearances for years after that. Every time it turned up, the box was redesigned, and sometimes the yuletide marshmallows got updated, too. (Later, even name changes weren’t out of the question. The “Winter Lucky Charms” boxes of the 2000s were arguably part of the same lineage.)
This version, though, might be my favorite. In 1992, Holiday Lucky Charms personified Christmas coziness. That pine green box! Errant branches! The promise of eight different seasonally-appropriate marshmallows, ranging in shape from candy canes to bells! We were overserved on holiday cheer.
(The cereal even came with a free ornament, which isn’t shown here, but was originally rubber-cemented right to the front of the box!) Read More…
Dino Drac’s December Funpack is here!
Dino Drac’s December Funpack is here, and it’s stuffed with yuletide cheer. (And also chocolate!)
I think you’re gonna love this Funpack. It’s kinda like the perfect Christmas stocking, and the lead item is seriously to-die-for. More on that in a minute!
Subscriptions are currently maxed out, but I have a small number of spares that I can sell on an individual basis. The cost is $25, and that includes shipping to anywhere in the United States. If interested, scroll to the bottom to see if there are any left!
Now, in the immortal words of Kuni from UHF, let’s see what’s in the box! Read More…
1985 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
The wait is over! With moments to spare before the stuffing hits the table, the Purple Stuff Podcast is ready to serve up this year’s review of an old Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
It’s our favorite annual tradition, and this year, we picked a hot one for ya. Join us for a long look back at the 1985 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, featuring He-Man, Rainbow Brite, the Cabbage Patch Kids, and whole lotta Bert Convy.
While we covered this parade’s surrounding years on prior shows, this one was definitely distinct, and deserved its day in the sun. Rue McClanahan dressed like Cinderella? A deflated Kermit balloon? Pat Sajak nearly set on fire by a gaggle of torch jugglers? In 1985, there was something for everyone!
Click here to listen to this month’s show!
…which you can also find on Spotify, or Apple, or wherever else you listen to podcasts.
Oh, and if you want to actually watch the 1985 Macy’s Parade, there are a few copies on YouTube. Here’s one that’s complete with commercials. In fact, below are links to let you jump directly to the segments discussed on the show!
1) The Cabbage Patch Kids!
2) Rainbow Brite Sings!
3) Masters of the Universe Float!
4) Toys “R” Us WWF Commercial!
5) Care Bears and Miss America!
6) Rue McClanahan as Cinderella!
7) Pat Sajak Dodges Fire!
8) Weird McDonald’s Commercial!
We hope you enjoy the new ep, whether you get to hear it before Thanksgiving or not! Read More…
Dino Drac’s November Funpack is here!
Okay TURKEYS (complimentary), I’m ready to show ya Dino Drac’s November Funpack!
The November box is one of the most popular Funpacks every year, in part thanks to a longstanding tradition that I’m happy to report is continuing in 2025!
But, there’s a catch. This one is mostly for existing subscribers only. Subscriptions are maxed out, and I have VERY few spares left to offer on an individual basis. They’re $25 each, shipped. If you’re not a subscriber but still want this box, send me an email (dinosaurdracula @ gmail) and if I have any left, I’ll let you know! (UPDATE: Sold out!)
Now, let’s dive in and see what you’re getting! Read More…