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Saturday, December 27, 2014

2014 in Pop Culture - Movies

How is it that 2014 is slated to end in a little less than a week from now?  Is it just me, or has this year gone by so fast?  I'll admit that sometimes I think that we're still midway through the 1990s!  Or, maybe I am just getting older, and it just seems that time is passing by so fast the closer we get to death.  After all, death is one of two things that we cannot avoid.  The other being taxes.

Well, okay, some people have managed to avoid filing tax returns for years.  Eventually, they get caught.

But we are not here to talk about death and taxes.  Instead, we are going to talk about the past. 

More specifically, the year that has almost just gone by.

I did this last year in my blog around this time, and it seemed to get some decent results, so I thought that I would try the same thing again this year.



All this week, we will be looking at 2014 IN POP CULTURE

Yes, 2014 was a rather huge year in the world of entertainment and pop culture, and there is a lot to talk about!  So, I thought that I would dedicate the week of December 27, 2014 to January 2, 2015 to talk about it.

And, to determine the order of what we will be discussing, we will go with the order of the theme weeks that I have been doing all year long.  So, here is the scheduled itinerary for the week (keeping in mind that it can be subjected to change).

12/27/2014 - 2014 IN POP CULTURE - MOVIES
12/28/2014 - 2014 IN POP CULTURE - MUSIC
12/29/2014 - 2014 IN POP CULTURE - FADS/TOYS/GAMES
12/30/2014 - THE FINAL TUESDAY TIMELINE OF 2014
12/31/2014 - 2014:  MY RETROSPECTIVE
01/01/2015 - 2014 IN POP CULTURE - TELEVISION
01/02/2015 - 2014 IN POP CULTURE - NEWS AND EVENTS

I suppose this means that we will be having a look at the film industry in 2014, talking about box office hits, box office blunders, and box office controversies.   

So, let us begin by taking a look at what the top ten grossing films were for the year.  Now, I got this information from "Box Office Mojo", which is a fairly accurate source for movie rankings.  This information is accurate as of December 26, 2014, and this year, I decided to put the amount that each of these films made.

1.  TRANSFORMERS:  AGE OF EXTINCTION            $1,087,404,499
2.  GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY                     $772,152,345
3.  MALEFICENT                                                        $757,752,378
4.  X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST                          $746,045,700
5.  CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER         $714,083,572
6.  THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2                        $708,982,323
7.  DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES                  $708,279,489
8.  THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PT. 1         $647,155,981
9.  INTERSTELLAR                                             $638,357,000
10. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2               $618,909,935

So, what do you think?  Have you seen any of these films?  Do you agree?



Whether you do or don't, one thing is clear.  2014 seemed to be the year of the superhero.  Half of these films are superhero/action themed!  The top ranked picture - the fourth film in the "Transformers" series - is only the nineteenth film in history to top the one billion dollar mark at the box office.  And since we're focused on the number nineteen, take a look at the tenth film on that list.  "How To Train Your Dragon 2" is the nineteenth highest grossing animated film of all time! 



As far as this list goes, I can't say that I am all that surprised.  Everyone I know is obsessed with "The Hunger Games", so it is no surprise that it would be on the list of highest-grossing films of 2014.  I am surprised that it is only ranked at #8.  I would have thought it would have made at least Top 5.  Oh, well.

Now let's take a look at who the big winners were for the 86th Academy Awards, which aired in March 2014.  Granted, the winners are all from 2013 films - but that is only because the nominees for the 2014 films won't be announced until January.  Either way, the Academy Awards ceremony was a big hit, and between host Ellen DeGeneres ordering pizza for the audience and John Travolta butchering Idina Menzel's name, there were a lot of awards given.  Let's see who won the big awards, shall we?



BEST PICTURE - 12 YEARS A SLAVE
BEST DIRECTOR - ALFONSO CUARON (Gravity)
BEST ACTOR - MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY (Dallas Buyers Club)
BEST ACTRESS - CATE BLANCHETT (Blue Jasmine)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - JARED LETO (Dallas Buyers Club)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - LUPITA NYONG'O (12 Years A Slave)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM - FROZEN
BEST ORIGINAL SONG - "LET IT GO" from FROZEN

Again, no real surprises for 2014.  Everyone who was nominated really deserved to win.  I didn't feel that there were any major upsets, but I will say that if I had to choose a category that was tough to choose a winner from, it would be "Best Actress".  Lots of talent in that pool!

So, we have taken a look at the best.  What about the worst?  Here are the winners of the dreaded "Golden Raspberry Awards" - or "Razzies", if you prefer.



WORST PICTURE - MOVIE 43
WORST DIRECTOR - THE DIRECTION TEAM OF MOVIE 43
WORST ACTOR - JADEN SMITH (After Earth)
WORST ACTRESS - TYLER PERRY (A Madea Christmas)
WORST SUPPORTING ACTOR - WILL SMITH (After Earth)
WORST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - KIM KARDASHIAN (Temptation:  Confessions of a Marriage Counselor)

Again...not really too surprised, though I do find it funny that Tyler Perry won for Worst Actress.  I will admit that the Madea character was funny the first time around, but now she just grates on my nerves!  And, Movie 43 was one of those "too many cooks spoil the broth" features.  The cast was oversized and bloated, and thirteen people were credited as directors!  No wonder the film tanked!  No wonder you can find that film in our $4.88 bin at my workplace!  At least Kristen Bell redeemed herself with "Frozen", but the others...yikes.

Sadly, the trend of churning out sequels and reboots did not go away in 2014, and I hear that 2015 isn't much better.  But some of them did work better than others.

Naturally, "Mockingjay" will be mentioned as a good sequel.  "The Hunger Games" is doing what Harry Potter did a decade ago.  The movies do keep getting better and better, and I imagine when the last part of Mockingjay is released, it will be phenomenal.



I was also fairly skeptical of the reboot of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" when it was first released in the summer of 2014 (which makes sense, since I grew up watching the original), but in what I have seen of it, I admit I was pleasantly surprised at how it wasn't terrible.  I still like the original better, but these new turtles are kind of cool too.



But was there really any need to make another Expendables movie?  I get that these sorts of films are the only ones that Sylvester Stallone knows how to make, but still...enough is enough!



And, while Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles worked as a reboot...I can't say I felt the same way about "Robocop".  I tried to watch it.  I really tried.  But it just did not interest me as much as the 1987 original did.



Of course, there are some good news stories to mention when it comes to the box office.  "Veronica Mars" fans were so keen on getting a film release of their favourite TV show that they helped the cast and crew fund it themselves!  Now that's teamwork!



The year also seemed to be the year for tragic romances, as "If I Stay" and "The Fault In Our Stars" did phenomenally well at the box office.  "Brick Mansions" also did quite well, given that it was one of the final films that Paul Walker acted in before his death in a car accident in November 2013.  And, while the film did get a lot of mixed reviews, Seth MacFarlane's "A Million Ways To Die In The West" seemed to attract people as well.



Of course, I cannot end this blog off without mentioning the most controversial film of 2014.  "The Interview" - which starred Seth Rogen, James Franco, and Rob Lowe - had a controversial subject to begin with - two American journalists arrive in North Korea to assassinate the leader of the nation, Kim Jong-un.  And, certainly when North Korea heard about this film, they obviously were not very happy.

When Sony Pictures Entertainment's computer systems were hacked in November 2014 - one month before the film's scheduled December 25 release, the group that took responsibility for it was known as "The Guardians of Peace", which the FBI believed to have originated from, or had ties to North Korea.  The hackers threatened widespread terrorist attacks on movie theatres that dared show the picture on Christmas Day, and as a result of these threats, the release of "The Interview" was temporarily shelved.

However, some cinemas did decide to go ahead with a limited release at selected theatres on Christmas Day, and on December 24, the film became available for view on most streaming video sites.  I suppose in the end, Rogen and Franco ended up having the last laugh.  And, hey...I completely agree with the decision.  Maybe this film isn't one that I would go out to see, but I don't think it should be censored just because a country run by a dictator didn't like it.

And there you have it.  Our look back on 2014's movie industry.  But grab your Beats headphones and crank up that bass, because tomorrow, we will take a look at the best and worst in music for 2014!

Friday, December 26, 2014

The Boxing Day Blues

Hello, everyone!  I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas yesterday!  Aside from the lack of snow, my Christmas was absolutely near perfection!  I certainly hope yours was just as magical.

For those of you who wrapped up Hanukkah festivities earlier in the week, I hope your eight days were absolutely fantastic, and may the next year bring you even more.

And for those of you who are celebrating Kwanzaa...have a fantastic one!

So, yesterday marked off the end of Christmas songs on the radio, Christmas specials on television, and THE POP CULTURE ADDICT'S ADVENT CALENDAR.  And, you know, all that good stuff ending makes me sort of feel a little down.

Don't get me wrong.  I have absolutely no reason why I should feel down on the day after Christmas.  After all, I do have today off from work (the first time in seven years, might I add), and I did have a wonderful Christmas celebration with my family yesterday.  I even managed to pick up a gift or two along the way which I absolutely love.



I don't quite know how else to explain it, so I will just come out with it.  I seem to have developed a case of the Boxing Day Blues.

And in order to try and squash those blues, I decided to write about it.  Funny how that always seems to be the way I seem to solve most of my problems, isn't it?  Oh well, let's just go with it.

I suppose that one of the reasons why I get the blues immediately after the holidays end is because of the whole attitude of "oh, well, we had our one day together, so let's go back to normal as if nothing ever happened" that a lot of people seem to have. 

In some cases, that's fine.  I understand that some people run businesses and that they need to open them back up on December 26th to keep the money flowing in, and some people want to get their Christmas decorations boxed up as soon as possible to free up more living space in their homes.  But in the cases of some people I know, the end of Christmas Day marks the end of the charade that they have managed to put on during the holiday season.

And after receiving their award nomination for "best fake sincere personality during the holiday season", they go right back to being the Scrooges that they were before the calendar page flipped over to December.  It is really sad to see, and I actually know (or, should I say knew) a couple of people who did exactly that. 

To me, it really is a letdown knowing that a few people out there in this world put on a big act for the holidays, concealing an uglier personality which they save until after the holidays.

And where is one of the perfect places where you can see this sort of thing in action?



If you guessed a shopping mall, you guessed right!

I'll tell you something right off the bat.  I have worked plenty of Christmas Eve shifts.  I have also worked plenty of Boxing Day shifts.  If I had the choice between which day I would rather work, I would absolutely choose Christmas Eve.  On Christmas Eve, you have very few people in a bad mood as everyone is looking forward to spending time with their families, and picking up stocking stuffers (or starting their Christmas shopping, but that is beside the point), and things run very smoothly despite how busy the store is.

Contrast that with Boxing Day - (also known as Black Friday Lite) - where people are trampling over each other for deals on discounted merchandise, clearance Christmas decorations, and other deals within stores.  And it has been my experience that people can be a lot meaner on the day after Christmas than they are the day before.  With people treating stores as if they were their own personal bartering market and complaining that they are paying more than they should for items which will more than likely break after six months anyway - well, let me just say that Advil should be kept at the customer service desk for courtesy purposes.  If you had to work the returns desk on Boxing Day, you would want an entire truckload of it.

Maybe I am just being a little bit naive about the world in general.  Maybe I am an eternal optimist, trying to find the good in everyone and everything.  Or, maybe I'm just nuts and I have just been denying it until now.  I just feel as though we should not let the Christmas spirit end once the 26th arrives.  There is absolutely no reason why we can't make it last the whole year long.

In fact, that is what one of my 2015 objectives will be...carrying on the Christmas spirit all year long.

(Well, the most heart-warming things, anyway.  I would go broke if I bought everyone a gift 365 days of the year.)

Seriously, try it.  Keep the Christmas spirit alive all year long!  And maybe, just maybe if we do that...then we can eliminate the Boxing Day Blues!

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Happy Christmas, Everyone!

Well, hello there, everyone!  And a very happy Christmas Day to all of you out there!



And, welcome to the twenty-fifth and final day of THE POP CULTURE ADDICT'S ADVENT CALENDAR.  I do hope that you have enjoyed this look back at the holidays, and I certainly want all of you to have a very Merry Christmas. 

I know I certainly plan on having the best Christmas ever - even though we have no snow on the ground.  I have only ever experienced three or four "green Christmases" in my life, and I suppose that now it will be four or five.   But that is one variable that you just can't control. 

One thing that I CAN control is how much fun we are going to have today.  Because today I am going to fill up this blog entry with a lot of surprises.

You see, I have carefully hidden several "presents" inside of this blog entry, and you will have to do your best to find them.  Most of them are going to be hiding within this text (and I purposely used blue font today to hide them a little bit better).  They could be in the form of a song, they could be in the form of a holiday special, or they could just be little surprises that I found on the Internet.  In all, I have ten "gifts" for you to unwrap in this blog.  Can you find all ten?

Well, at least part of the fun will be looking for them.  And, part of the fun of Christmas morning is definitely the opening of all of the presents under the tree.

Not that Christmas is all about presents, mind you.  Just that for a lot of kids (and some big kids, I have to admit), the anticipation of wondering what Santa brought you all comes to a head!  I admit that sometimes I got a little bit TOO anxious and I would unwrap my gifts so vigorously that I would sometimes not even read the card that was attached on the gift.

Now, that would be an embarrassing moment, let me tell you.  Imagine opening up a gift and admitting that you didn't know who it came from.  Why, you would not only feel bad about it, but you would make the person who bought the present for you feel terrible about it too.

So, here's a good tip for you all.  Remember to read the card.  

And also remember to be appreciative of every Christmas gift you get whether it be in the form of gift, food, or just a simple hug or kiss to the person of love.  As I said before, being with the ones you love most in this world makes it feel like Christmas more than the most expensive gifts in the world.

Speaking of food, I have to say that I am definitely looking forward to having Christmas dinner with my family this year.  I will tell you one thing though...with the wind blowing last night, I thought for sure that we would lose power and we wouldn't be able to cook Christmas dinner, let alone me write this blog!  But there truly are Christmas miracles that do exist, and we thankfully stayed on.  

Now, I only wish that I could make kitchen magic, but if you tried to get me to cook a turkey on Christmas Day, I would either set the kitchen on fire, the turkey would still be frozen, or I would find some way to turn the turkey into a hair accessory.  Needless to say, my place is NOT in the kitchen.

But that's okay.  I am sure my family appreciates me NOT being in the kitchen.  After all, Boxing Day food poisoning is not the kind of Christmas gift that I really want to give.  Fruitcake, maybe, but not food poisoning.

The one thing that I wish that we had this Christmas was some more snow.  Right now, Christmas is looking mighty green.  Not that it really matters much in the grand scheme of things, but I always found Christmas more fun when it was a white Christmas.  Going out and seeing snowflakes fall as you take your sleigh rides through the park, or sipping hot cocoa on park benches.  There's just something about snow on the ground that makes Christmas more magical.

Just don't go outside in stocking feet.  You wouldn't want to get frostbite on your toes.

Most importantly, as we close off this final note in the advent calendar, I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas no matter what it is like outside, or whether you have snow, or whether you have presents under the tree.  As long as you are with the ones you love the most in this world, that is all that counts.



Merry Christmas, everybody!  

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Christmas Eve Chatterings

Happy Christmas Eve, everyone!  Unless you happen to live in New Zealand, Australia, or some eastern parts of Asia.  For you guys, it is already Christmas Day.  In which case, I hope Santa was awesome to those of you living in Sydney, Melbourne, Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, and every place in between.



For the majority of the world, though, it is December 24, and it is also Day #24 for THE POP CULTURE ADDICT'S ADVENT CALENDAR.  I know, we're almost at the end!  So quickly this month has flown by, hasn't it?

I will tell you this...I am quite happy that Christmas Eve is here.  This is probably one of my favourite days of the year.  Mind you, it wasn't always the case.  And, in this edition of WHO AM I WEDNESDAY, I talk about Christmas Eve.  I talk about why I didn't like it that much when I was a child, what changed my mind about it, some of the traditions that I associate with Christmas Eve, and why I admittedly get a little bit misty eyed whenever I think about Christmas Eve.

December 24, 2014

How is it that Christmas Day is tomorrow?  I can't believe it!  And in a little more than a week, 2014 will be just another page in the history books as we welcome 2015 in with open arms!  I swear, the older we get, the faster time flows.

Anyway, Christmas Eve is here, and I absolutely love it.  The prospects of my town having a white Christmas this year is admittedly a little bit questionable, but at least we'll have a white Christmas Eve.  And as people open up the final door on their chocolate advent calendars, and decide on what treats they will leave behind for Santa Claus, I can't help but think of my own experiences of Christmas Eve from my childhood.

To be truthful, I found Christmas Eve to be more of an annoyance than a good thing when I was really young.

Let's put it like this.  No child likes to wait for anything.  I was definitely one of those kids who asked "Are we there yet?" every ten seconds when we would go out on car trips.  And, I was definitely the kind of kid who would absolutely be antsy on Christmas Eve.  Imagine seeing a whole bunch of beautifully wrapped gifts underneath a Christmas tree just waiting to be unwrapped.  And imagine being forced to wait twenty-four long hours before being allowed to open them all up. 

As a kid, it was pure torture.  I even got so desperate that I chewed the corners off of some gifts just so I could find out what they were so that I knew what I could expect.  That plan lasted all of fifteen minutes before I was busted.  What could I say though?  At least I tried to think outside the box!

Now, we were allowed to open up one gift every Christmas Eve morning...and of course, the gift that we had to open was wrapped in a special way so that every year, our gift was always a pair of pajamas.  Of course, as an adult looking back on it, I completely understand it.  Our parents wanted us to have new pajamas to wear on Christmas morning.  The child in me was upset that I always seemed to "pick" the gift that contained pajamas year after year.  But, again, who can argue with tradition?

But, as I grew older, I began to appreciate the little things that came with a Christmas Eve celebration.  For one, I remember that for many years, we would go to my aunt's place where my mother's side of the family would all meet up for a Christmas Eve party.  It was good to see all the cousins and enjoy a lot of great food.  This continued until my grandfather's death in 2001.  I suppose after he died, it didn't make sense to continue it.

Of course, there were little fun things that my own family did on Christmas Eve.  We would turn on the tree early so that we could have the lights on most of the day.  I would go through the house and find some food that I thought Santa would like, and I would leave behind a marker in case he wanted to write me a note back.  For some reason, he never did.  I suppose he was sleep-deprived though.  He did always deliver gifts in the wee hours of the morning, after all.

These days, my Christmas Eve celebrations are a little bit on the quiet side.  Well, okay, maybe not this year.  This year, I have to work the Christmas Eve shift.  But that is fine with me, as I am off at six o'clock in the evening, which gives me plenty of time to share an Oriental Party Pack with the parents.  It sounds like a nice way to end the day.

Actually, if I remember correctly, a lot of my Christmas Eve memories stem from family gatherings and spending time with them.  And in a way, it makes me happy and proud to have had so many memories with them.  But at the same time, I am quickly realizing that the greatest gifts of all during Christmas Eve are not something that can be found in a box, a gift bag, or bought with a gift card.  The greatest gift you can give anyone over the holidays is time.

And believe me...time is precious.  This Christmas is going to be extra special because my mother is out of the hospital and is improving each and every day.  But when I think back to early October when she was so sick, it really woke me up to the realization that my time with my family is limited.  It makes me nervous and sad to think about Christmas without the ones I love the most in this world, and I honestly don't want to even entertain that possibility for another ten, twenty, even thirty years from now.  Unfortunately, we cannot pick and choose when our time to go is, and we cannot ask Santa Claus to give us an immortality potion for Christmas because there is no such thing.

The only thing we can do is just enjoy the time that we have with our loved ones right now while they are still here with us.  And that is exactly what I plan to do on this and every holiday from here on out.



And I encourage all of you to do the same.  In fact, I want you all to make me a promise right now.  Immediately after reading this post, turn off your cell phones.  Shut off your iPad minis.  Disconnect the tablets.  If possible, shut off a light or two.  Sit back with your family and just watch the beauty of the lights, the twinkling of the ornaments, and think about all of the wonderful memories you shared, are sharing, and are going to share for this and every holiday. 

The conclusion to the advent calendar will be posted tomorrow on Christmas Day.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

December 23, 1823

'Twas the eve before Christmas Eve, and all through the blog, a writer was stirring, his mind beginning to jog. 



It was another new day, Day #23, of THE POP CULTURE ADDICT'S ADVENT CALENDAR, you see.

The stockings have nothing to do with today, but we're doing another Timeline post this Tuesday.

And the theme of this blog is quite inviting, as we pay tribute to a piece of holiday writing.

Before we do that, we must pay our dues , to celebrity birthdays and happenings in the news.

So sit right back as we begin to remember, the other events of the 23rd of December...

679 - While on a hunting excursion, King Dagobert II of Austrasia is murdered

1783 - George Washington resigns as commander-in-chief of the Continental State Army

1893 - The opera "Hansel and Gretel" - written by Engelbert Humperdinck (the playwright, not the 1970's era singer) - first opens

1913 - The Federal Reserve System is created with the signing of the Federal Reserve Act by President Woodrow Wilson

1916 - The Battle of Magdhaba takes place at Egypt's Sinai Peninsula during World War I

1919 - The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919 becomes law in the United Kingdom

1938 - The discovery of the first modern coelacanth in South Africa

1941 - The Imperial Japanese Army occupies Wake Island during World War II after fifteen days of combat

1947 - The transistor is first demonstrated at Bell Laboratories

1954 - The first successful kidney transplant is performed by Joseph Murray and J. Hartwell Harrison

1958 - Tokyo Tower is dedicated

1968 - After eleven months of internment in North Korea, 82 soldiers from the USS Pueblo are released

1970 - Completion of the North Tower of the former World Trade Center in New York City - at that time, it was the tallest building in the world

1971 - Actor Corey Haim (d. 2010) is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

1972 - After 73 days, the sixteen survivors of the Andes flight disaster are finally rescued

1979 - Kabul, Afghanistan is occupied by Soviet forces

2000 - Comedian and pianist Victor Borge dies at the age of 91

2010 - Parts of Queensland, Australia are flooded following a monsoonal trough

And for celebrity birthdays, we have the following people blowing out candles today; Robert Bly, Ronnie Schell, Barney Rosenzweig, John Peterman, Harry Shearer, Wesley Clark, Susan Lucci, Adrian Belew, Carol Ann Duffy, Trisha Goddard, Joan Severance, Jim Harbaugh, Jess Harnell, Eddie Vedder, Carla Bruni, Lucy Bell, Quincy Jones III, Manuel Rivera-Ortiz, Greg Biffle, Martha Byrne, Catriona Le May Doan, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, Christian Potenza, Lady Starlight, Matt Baker, Jodie Marsh, Holly Madison, Harry Judd, and Anna Maria Perez de Tagle.

All right.  So, what date will we visit today? 

How about we go back in time almost 200 years?



No, that is not a typo.  We will be going back to December 23, 1823 in what is the oldest date this Tuesday Timeline feature has legitimately visited (I don't count that 8th century spin from April Fools Day, as that was completely fabricated).

You probably may have noticed that I began today's blog entry with a bit of a rhyme.  This was absolutely intentional.  For it was on this date - hold on, let me get my calculator out, I am horrible at math - 191 years ago today - that a particular poem was first published.

And let me tell you something about this poem.  It is probably one of the most famous poems ever written about the holiday season.  It was also responsible for the world seeing Santa Claus in a whole new light because the way that the poem described him painted a vivid portrait of who Santa was.  I suppose you could say that the poem set the precedent for the amount of Santa Claus images found on television, movies, gift wrap, and gift tags.

But here's the kicker.  Although the poem was published in 1823, it was done so anonymously.  It wasn't until fourteen years later that the author finally came forward.  A man by the name of Clement Clarke Moore finally fessed up to writing the poem in 1837, and he has been given full credit ever since.  He had written the poem during a shopping trip on a typical winter's day, and he initially did not want to have his name published with the poem because he felt that it would take away from his reputation as a professor.  His children convinced him to take the credit.  After all, he did write the poem for them!

Now, when the poem was first published, it was not under the title that most of us know it as.  The original title of the piece was "A Visit From St. Nicholas".  But most of us probably know it better as the title that stemmed from the very first line of the poem.

Perhaps you might know it if I say "The Night Before Christmas". 



Let's see...how did Clement Clarke Moore's piece go again?  Oh, yes.  I remember now.

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there

The children were nestled, all snug in their beds
While visions of sugar plums danc'd in their heads
And Mama in her 'kerchief', and I in my cap
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap

When out on the lawn, there arose such a clatter
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer

With a little old driver, so lively and quick
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came
And he whistled, and shouted, and call'd them by name

"Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen
On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky
So up to the house-top, the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys - and St. Nicholas too

And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof
As I drew in my head, and was turning around
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound

He was dress'd all in fur, from his head to his foot
And his clothes were all tarnish'd with ashes and soot
A bundle of toys was flung on his back
And he look'd like a peddler just opening his pack

His eyes - how they twinkled! His dimples; how merry
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath
He had a broad face, and a little round belly
That shook when he laugh'd, like a bowl full of jelly

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf
And I laugh'd when I saw him in spite of myself
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread

He spoke not a word but went straight to his work
And fill'd all the stockings, then turn'd with a jerk
And laying his finger aside of his nose
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose

He sprung to his sleigh, to his team he gave a whistle
And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"


And to think that it was published exactly 191 years ago today.  Isn't it funny how some Christmas traditions begin, and isn't it wonderful to know that these traditions remain nearly two centuries later?

Do stay tuned for Day #24 in the calendar...where on the eve before Christmas, I share some thoughts and feelings - whether you want to hear them or not!

Monday, December 22, 2014

Cringeworthy Christmas Classics

We're almost there everyone!  Just three days left to go until Christmas Day!

Sadly, there are only four more days left in THE POP CULTURE ADDICT'S ADVENT CALENDAR.  Today, tomorrow, Wednesday, and of course, Christmas Day.  That kind of makes me sad, but alas, the holidays have to end at some point, right?



Anyway, Day #22 also happens to be FUNNY MONDAY, and for this week's edition of the FUNNY MONDAY post, I thought I would look at funny Christmas songs.

(This does not mean that I will be posting funny Christmas parodies in this space though.  I only had enough for two days worth, and if you missed them, you can find them on days eight and twelve of the calendar this year.)

No, what this means is that I will be posting real Christmas songs that have been recorded by real artists that I could consider to be funny, weird, strange, awful, terrible, horrible, or a combination of all six adjectives.

Yeah, trust me.  They're that bad.  Well, at least in my opinion anyway.  Some of you may actually like them.  Who knows really?

Now, just so we're clear, I will not be posting songs such as "O Holy Night", "Silent Night", or "Away In A Manger".  Those songs are Christmas classics.  I also won't post songs that are beloved parody or spoof songs such as "Bob and Doug McKenzie's Twelve Days of Christmas", because they are so well loved.



Ah, what the hell.  Let's post that one anyway.  It will get us in the mood.

Sadly, not all of these songs could be considered as well loved as the one above.  Here are just a few examples of songs that were recorded specifically for the Christmas season that just plain missed the mark.

Again, this is merely my opinion.  You may agree or disagree.  In fact, I welcome your comments and thoughts!




Okay.  Those of us living in North America probably have no idea who these girls are.  But those of you in the UK probably know them.  They are Romanian-born twins Gabriela and Monica Irimia who immigrated to Britain in 2002.  The following year, they released this...song.  Believe it or not, the song peaked at #10 on the UK charts in December 2003!

Now, assuming that cheeky is a synonym for fun, I can appreciate the meaning of the title of the song.  After all, Christmas is supposed to be fun, right?  Unfortunately, they decide to take the term cheeky as being "show your cheeks by wearing metallic gold hot pants in a winter wonderland". 

Number one, The Cheeky Girls would develop hypothermia and become more frozen than Olaf the Snowman.  Number two, notice how the reindeer in the video just stares at both of them while they do their cheeky dance?  I bet he's thinking "What are these two idiots doing?  And why won't they wear clothes?"

The bit at the end where the reindeer tries to attack the Cheeky Girls is pretty hilarious though.




Okay, so for those of you who aren't fluent in Spanish (I myself learned my limited Spanish vocabulary from old "Sesame Street" episodes), Feliz Navidad is Spanish for "Merry Christmas".  However, whenever I hear this song played on the radio, it brings forth a homicidal rage in me that makes me want to take a Louisville slugger to the boombox.  It is almost as repetitive as that Backstreet Boys song that repeats the phrase "you are my fire, the one desire" over and over again.  Nothing personal against Jose Feliciano - I'm sure that he's a great guy and all.  I just wish that he would have used more words...in both Spanish and English.




Yeah...just listen to this one.  Enough said.  What is interesting is that fifty-one years after this song was first recorded, it hit the Top 10 on the UK Song Charts...in 2011! 




Oh, Paul McCartney...I do love most of your work.  I really do.  Loved you as a Beatle.  Loved you when you sang with Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson.  Hell, I can even say that I liked some of the stuff you did with Wings.  But this song was not your best work.  I still get migraines from that synthesizer!




Many pop stars have recorded their own holiday albums with mixed results.  Idina Menzel and Michael Buble = good.  Britney Spears and *NSync = not great.  But this song by the New Kids on the Block?  Well, I suppose it would be okay if you were a teenager in the early 1990s.  This is one of those songs that has not aged well at all.




I definitely hate this song in general because the whole point of the song is to show just how materialistic and greedy people can get over the holidays.  I personally would like to take the Sable that is slipped under the tree and run over the singer with it!

But I will say this.  Despite the song's content, Eartha Kitt did a fantastic job singing it.  Madonna, not so much.




Yuck.  And, what makes matters worse is that there is a version that is done by the Irish Rovers.  My grandmother saw an Irish Rovers concert just hours before she suddenly passed away.  It would break my heart if I knew that this was one of the last songs that she heard before she crossed over.  And she died in late October too, so it is definitely a possibility.

Anyway, this is where I end off my list.  Do you have any to add?

We're not long now from the conclusion of the advent calendar.  Tune in for Day #23 for the Tuesday Timeline entry.