Dino Drac’s 25 Days of Christmas!
Welcome to Dino Drac’s 25 Days of Christmas! From now through December 25th, I’ll be posting a little something, every single day. Remember to check back, because I won’t be plugging this often!
12/18: Kay-Bee’s Christmas Sale! (1989)
Here’s a Kay-Bee Toys circular from the 1989 holiday season, highlighting their “Dear Santa Sale.” We actually covered the entire circular for the latest Purple Stuff bonus show, but I thought I’d at least show the cover here, since it’s such a beaut.
Featured prominently were two of that year’s hottest gifts: The Nintendo Game Boy, and Toy Biz’s Batman collection. The Game Boy was of particular interest to me, but “Santa” refused to cooperate. I ended up getting one for my birthday instead, a few months into 1990.
It really was a life-changing little device. I owned other handheld games and even a freakin’ Sony Watchman, but no portable thingamajig packed the boredom-destroying power of the Game Boy. No longer did those four-hour visits to Grandma’s house feel like sixteen days. Tetris was like a license to disassociate.
12/17: Starry Cranberry Blizz! (2024)
Acting as a replacement for Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash, Starry Cranberry Blizz infuses the usual lemon-lime soda with a blast of cranberry flavor.
It only comes in a Zero Sugar variety, and I’d describe it as more sweet than tart. In my opinion, it doesn’t beat some of the other seasonal sodas (I’d take Cranberry Canada Dry over this), but in fairness, I felt the same way about the Sierra Mist version.
If they make this again next year, I’d like to see them spike the sourness by 15% or so. But even as things stand, it’s a pleasant addition to the holidays. I’m always thrilled when these seasonal sodas arrive without calories, so I don’t have to feel guilty about pairing them with wheelbarrows of Pepperidge Farm Goldfish.
PS: If you decide to try Cranberry Blizz, make sure it’s cold. The soda is pretty great when it’s chilled, but when it’s warm, it tastes like Play-Doh.
12/16: Christmas at Kmart in ‘92!
This Kmart circular from 1992 sparks so many memories for me. Back then, Kmart was still the biggest chain in town, and a must-visit during Christmastime. It was where your family bought everything from wrapping paper to stocking stuffers to strands of lights.
It’s fitting that this particular circular gave artificial Christmas trees the cover story, because it was right around 1992 that my parents switched from real to fake. I protested that decision with every fiber of my being, but my father wouldn’t budge.
I don’t even think it was because he disliked real trees. In the early ‘90s, it felt like fake trees – the higher-end ones, anyway – suddenly became a bit of a status symbol. Maybe not to the extent of driving a Mercedes or whatever, but on par with adding a few inches to your TV screen. My father was hardly a slave to fashion, but he could pick his spots. Read More…
Dino Drac’s December Funpack is here!
Dino Drac’s December Funpack is here! Actually, most of them have already been shipped, and some have already arrived! (With the holiday insanity at the USPS, I wanted to get these out as early as possible!)
Subscriptions are maxed out, and I only have a couple of spares to offer this month. If you’re not a subscriber and you still want this box, jump to the bottom for ordering info. (It’s $25, shipped.) But this one’s mostly to show subscribers what they will be getting!
As always, I try to infuse the December Funpacks with a healthy dose of yuletide cheer. Keep reading to learn about everything in this month’s box! Read More…
1984 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
Well, it’s finally time for The Purple Stuff Podcast’s annual review of an old Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! And we’ve picked a truly stellar example. Let’s head back to 1984!
Yes, it’s the 58th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which aired live on November 22nd, 1984. This year marks that parade’s 40th anniversary, so it was only fitting that we’d spend an hour going completely berserk about it.
This is the oldest parade we’ve covered on the show, and it was a reminder of how much looser the event used to be. They run a tight ship nowadays, but back then, things could get a little wonky – but usually in a good way!
Join me and Jay from Sludge Central as we marvel at everything and everyone from Scooby-Doo to the Care Bears to evil space alien lizard people. Even John Ratzenberger makes the cut!
Click here to listen to this month’s show!
….which you can also find on Apple, Spotify, and wherever else you listen to podcasts.
It’s honestly one of the most jam-packed Macy’s Parades I’ve seen. Even with this jumbo-sized episode, we barely scratched the surface! If you want to see the whole thing, it’s on YouTube in all of its grainy 480p glory. (Well, maybe more like 360p, but it’ll get the job done.)
PS: For those who subscribe to our Patreon, we’re going to be dropping a special bonus episode where we gush about a bunch of the TV commercials that aired during this broadcast. Look for it tomorrow!
Thanks so much to everyone who listens to the show, and especially to those who share it around! This is our seventh annual Macy’s Parade review, and it’s one of our favorite podcast traditions. Here’s to many more! Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone!