News of the Week: Christmas Thoughts, the 102-Year-Old Toymaker, and How to Make (and Watch) a Yule Log

Random Thoughts (All-Christmas Edition)

In Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa is kind of a jerk.

I’ve seen the original Miracle on 34th Street 50 times, and it’s one of my favorite movies, but I still don’t understand the last line, “Maybe I didn’t do such a wonderful thing after all.”

There are two types of people in the world: the ones who hate the televised yule log fireplace and those who love it. I’m in the latter camp.

I think tinsel gets a bad rap these days.

Why do Reese’s Christmas tree-shaped peanut butter cups taste even better than the regular ones? What’s the science behind that? Is it the shape? The thickness?

I’ve seen a lot of weird Christmas candy, but this may be the weirdest*.

If you don’t like Christmas, you can always celebrate Seagull Day.

Do people who live in Hawaii also dream of a white Christmas, even though they know it probably won’t happen?

This Walmart commercial is a sort-of sequel to How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and it’s pretty good!

I still don’t know why Folger’s doesn’t run this commercial every single year.

Some Christmas movies you might want to catch (in addition to It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story): Christmas in Connecticut (1945), Cover Up (1949), It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947), Lady on a Train (1945), and The Thin Man (1934).

*Okay, I’ve seen weirder Christmas candy but nothing I can link to from a family magazine.

One Is Better Than Two

Did you like Mayim Bialik as the host of Jeopardy!? Sorry! She’s no longer going to co-host the show (though it’s possible she could host the special tournaments that air on ABC). Ken Jennings is now the permanent host.

What Are the Chances for a White Christmas Where You Live?

Well, it helps if you live in the northern parts of the U.S. or in the mountains.

The Toymaker

You probably don’t know the name Eddy Goldfarb, but you certainly know some of the 800 toys and games he invented, including Ker Plunk, Battling Tops, the Bubble Gun, and those chattering teeth (officially called Yakity-Yak Teeth). CBS Sunday Morning profiled Goldfarb, who is now 102, has a new book  and is the subject of a short documentary directed by his daughter Lyn.

Uploaded to YouTube by CBS Sunday Morning

Gift of the Week

If you have someone hard to buy for on your Christmas list, maybe they need an Addams Family Thing Chia Pet. I guarantee you they won’t be expecting it.

Christmas Song of the Week

My favorite version of “Winter Wonderland” is by Perry Como. I don’t know if it is looking like Christmas where you are — this very minute it’s incredibly rainy and windy and warm here — but maybe this will get you in the mood anyway.

Uploaded to YouTube by Perry Como

RIP George McGinnis, James McCaffrey, Jim Ladd, Dan Greenburg, Richard Kerr, Jack Axelrod, Kenny DeForest, Camden Toy, and Norma Barzman

George McGinnis was a Hall of Fame forward for the Indiana Pacers. He died last week at the age of 73.

James McCaffrey was the star of the ’90’s action show Viper and also had regular roles on Rescue Me, Swift Justice, and New York Undercover. He was also the voice of Max Payne in the video game series. He died Sunday at the age of 65.

Jim Ladd was a legendary disc jockey for KMET and KLOS who once hosted the music interview show Innerview. He was also a SiriusXM host and made appearances in movies and on albums. He died last week at the age of 75.

Dan Greenburg wrote many novels, essays, children’s books, and screenplays. He died Monday at the age of 87.

Richard Kerr wrote or co-wrote several songs for Barry Manilow, including “Mandy” and “Looks Like We Made It.” He also wrote Dionne Warwick’s “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” and released solo albums. He died earlier this month at the age of 78.

Jack Axelrod was a veteran character actor who appeared on TV shows like General Hospital, My Name is Earl, Grey’s Anatomy, The Office, and The Help, as well as movies like Bananas, Hancock, Super 8, and Little Fockers. He died last month at the age of 93.

Kenny DeForest was a standup comic who made several appearances on late night TV. He died last week at the age of 37.

Camden Toy was an actor who portrayed several monster characters on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. He died last week at the age of 68.

Screenwriter Norma Barzman and her husband fled the U.S. in 1949 when they found out they were going to be subpoenaed by the House Committee on Un-American Activities. They were both blacklisted but returned to the U.S. in 1976. She died Sunday at the age of 103.

This Week in History

Poor Richard’s Almanack First Published (December 19, 1732)

It was published by Benjamin Franklin, who we know also had a big connection to the Post.

It’s a Wonderful Life Released (December 20, 1946)

It used to run on every TV station imaginable, 1,000 times in December, because the copyright had expired. But for the past several years NBC has owned the rights and they’re airing it on Christmas Eve at 8 p.m. ET.

This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: “Christmas Ornaments” (December 18, 1943)

This is a beautiful cover by John Atherton, and I love how you can see the other side of the room in the reflection in the bulbs (though I honestly can’t tell what they depict).

Christmas Recipes

Here’s a mix of recipes you may want to try this holiday season (or you can email the recipes to the person who is making your Christmas meal so they’ll make it).

Start off with cocktails and appetizers. Country Living has this Traditional Wassail and a Grilled Orange Old-Fashioned. For appetizers, we have Martha Tinkler’s Christmas Ornament Cheese Balls and Taste of Home’s Cranberry Sauce Meatballs.

Many of you will be making a turkey, so how about Bon Appétit’s No-Fail Turkey?

Side dishes? How about the Post’s Sweet Potato Casserole or this Cornbread Dressing from Tastes Better From Scratch?

And when everyone is done with the turkey and the side dishes — and before you pack up leftovers for people to take home — you’ll be having dessert, so make this Peppermint Bark from AllRecipes, these Classic Sugar Cookies from Food Network, and/or this Yule Log from The Pioneer Woman. You can eat the Yule Log while watching the Yule Log.

Merry Christmas everybody!

Next Week’s Holidays and Events

Festivus (December 23)

“A Festivus for the rest of us” was started by TV writer Dan O’Keefe’s father in the mid-60’s.

College Bowl Games (December 29)

The Cotton Bowl, the Gator Bowl, the Liberty Bowl, and the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl (yes) are all being played today, but there are many, many other bowl games in the next couple of weeks. Here’s the full schedule, including TV times.