Holidays - 2/4 - Retroland

Candy Canes

They are the quintessential Christmas confection, a traditional treat beloved the world over. One glimpse of their prominent red and white stripes is all it takes to recognize them as candy canes, a treat that has been putting kids in the holiday spirit for well over three hundred years

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

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Ask any random group of people what their favorite annual holiday television show is you will likely get substantial votes for How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Based on a children’s book of the same name, written in 1957 by Theodor Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss,) the characters were brought to life (in animated form) on television for the first time during the Christmas season of 1966 and over 40 years later, there are no signs of diminished popularity.

Christmas Caroling

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What we talk about when we talk about caroling -- a small group of festive singers moving door-to-door in the neighborhood regaling residents with holiday songs -- is actually the practice of wassailing, which has a history dating back to pre-Christian times. Carols, which are sung by people when they go wassailing, were originally circle dance songs associated with religious mystery plays.

The Little Drummer Boy

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From the Production Company of Rankin/Bass, creators of such timeless holiday classics as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman, came another beloved stop-action animation offering for the Christmas season – The Little Drummer Boy. And, like most of their seasonal offerings, it is fondly remembered by many who still make it part of their annual viewing tradition.

Home Alone

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When it came right down to it, Kevin McCallister had a few more sadistic leanings than your average eleven-year-old. And it turns out, that we rather like that in a young hero, especially during the season of giving. And make no mistake, Kevin had plenty to give, in the way of bowling balls, staple guns, BB guns, and that old archaic standby, a good old blast of fire – all in the name of protecting his beloved family home. His violent antics and precocious demeanor won the hearts of millions of moviegoers who made 1990’s Home Alone one of the most successful movies of all time.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Thanksgiving

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It is a day set aside for the gathering of family and friends. It is a day of feasts and football, of pilgrims and parades. Most importantly, it is a day that we are to stop for a moment and be grateful for all that we have. Often containing equal portions of relaxation and chaos, Thanksgiving may have various mixed emotions attached to it, but it is a tradition that we’ve collectively celebrated, through thick and thin, throughout our entire history as a nation.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving is a time of traditions, and for kids of the past few decades, one of the most beloved of them, besides the behemoth meal, is curling up in front of the television to watch the classic animated special, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Created by master illustrator Charles M. Schulz and filled with all of his colorful Peanuts characters, this seasonal cartoon has delighted kids for over 35 years.

Halloween

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With the exception of that traditional eve when jolly St. Nick visits the chimneys of the world, there is perhaps no holiday quite as beloved, or more anticipated by kids than Halloween, the last day in October that we have long set aside as an evening to congregate in costume and perhaps even scare ourselves silly. It is a time of ghouls and goblins, of witches and black cats, of costume parties and grinning pumpkins. And, if that wasn't enough, every kid knows that it is the one night when it is perfectly acceptable to beg door-to-door for candy. Now, that's a holiday!