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!)
12/24: Merry Christmas Eve!
Okay, so obviously I’ve missed a bunch of days on this Countdown to Christmas feature, which is what happens when you totally underestimate how FRANTICALLY BUSY the last half of December can get. It’s not like I’ve been staring at a blank page, unable to come up with a couple of paragraphs about holiday bric-a-brac. I just haven’t had time!
I’d intended to drop a giant batch of makeup entries today, but given that it’s already around 3PM on Christmas Eve, you’re going to have to settle for a photo of me in my brand new Grimace holiday sweater.
Today was just the latest in a series of whirlwinds. Did I wait until Christmas Eve to wrap all of my gifts? You bet I did. Did I wait until Christmas Eve to go food shopping for everything I’ll need between now and 12/26? Yep. Did I at least get the laundry done before this morning, so I wouldn’t have to add that to the list? No, no I did not.
I think my breaking point was remembering that I was also in charge of bringing 40 egg rolls from a local Chinese takeout joint to the party. I’m not sure where I thought “three or four hours of blogging” was supposed to fit in.
Eventually, I decided that the most important thing was to just come on here and say “Merry Christmas Eve.” So that’s what I’m doing. If you’re a Christmas person, I hope you have a wonderful day, and if you’re not a Christmas person, I still hope for the same, in whatever way it takes shape. Have a blast!
12/19: Italian Christmas Cookies!
I may not be eating them at the moment, but the holidays ain’t the holidays until I buy a box of Italian Christmas cookies. During December, they’re all over the salumerias where I live, ready to thrill and delight with sprinkles in every color and a snowy dusting of powdered sugar.
These have been part of literally every Christmas season that I can remember. These exact cookies, in these exact shapes and colors. In particular, they remind me of my late grandparents’ house in Brooklyn, where they’d be spread across a dinner plate and served with espresso. I’d grab my share, and then sneak back to the basement to watch the three channels they got on that terrible ten-inch TV.
As a kid, I always rushed for the “normal” chocolate chip cookie (top-middle), on the basis of it being the closest to Chips Ahoy. Nowadays, I plainly recognize that the Rainbow Cookies – which basically taste like a sugary almond cake – are the ones to aim for. Everyone else knows that, too. They’re always the first to go, and there are never enough of them! Read More…
Purple Stuff: 1987 Sears Wish Book!
The Purple Stuff Podcast’s big holiday show is here, and we’ve picked an appropriately festive topic for the occasion. Join us for a 75-minute romp through the pages of the legendary 1987 Sears Wish Book!
You remember these catalogs, of course. In the ‘80s, they were as good as bibles. Featuring what felt like every single toy in the universe (and every single other thing in the universe), these retail tomes monopolized our attention every Christmas season, and gave us pleasant, greedy dreams all through December.
1987 was a particularly great year for the Wish Book, and we had a blast circling our favorite stuff for this yuletide podcast. We think you’re gonna dig it!
Click here to listen to this month’s show!
…which is also on Apple, Spotify, and wherever else you listen to pods!
As a reminder, we’re also on Patreon, where you can grab an exclusive bonus show every month, AND gain immediate access to our enormous back catalog of nearly 100 prior bonus eps! (December’s is coming before Christmas!)
Down below are scans of some of the 1987 Sears Wish Book items covered on this month’s show: 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…