Animated Shorts and Seeing the Holidays

This is a late Christmas Post wishing everyone a very merry holidays. Part of this will be an old post and part of it will be new. A symbolism of the end of this year ushering in the new one. Since it IS December 24th, and most people will be making preparations for Saturday, I decided to make this a simple reading. Some seasonal poems (I've posted these on Facebook but wanted to share them here also), and a few videos from my childhood.

Happy Holidays, everyone! Season's Greetings!

Red mistletoe berries and lipstick kisses,
Green of fresh pine scents and candy-coated sugar cookies,
White of snowflake caresses and joyful laughter at the end of the sleigh rides and sledding hills.
It is the colors of Christmas time and you don't need tree lights to see it all around you!
*****

Snowflakes fall
upon buildings tall
such billowy small.
I enter memory's faded halls
of winter's childhood antics I recall
--a December poem
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Animated Shorts (a repost)

No, I’m not talking about men’s Xmas briefs with colorful flashing bulbs and have a squishy Rudolph nose on the crotch flap as you would squeeze it and Rudolph’s voice would cheerfully say, “Let me light the way!” I’m talking about those nostalgic televised animations shown during the first few weeks of December.

Suzie Snowflake
Hardrock, Cocoa, and Joe
The original Frosty the Snowman

During my childhood, nothing could get me more excited about December than turning on the tv and finding one of these playing. They only showed these three, and there was no telling at what time of day they would appear. They came on Channel 6, NBC, Johnstown-Altoona area that ran in parallel to Channel 11, NBC, Pittsburgh. We lived too far out to pick up the Pittsburgh signal.

Suzie Snowflake



Suzie Snowflake was a favorite, not the most favorite yet a close second. My sister loved this one. Really, there was just something so whimsical about it. The short didn’t celebrate Xmas. It celebrated winter and the first snowfall greeting the people with a mere light tapping on their windows. And who of us hasn’t listened to that familiar sound skipping along the cool pane of glass while we snuggle under warm blankets with perhaps a good book to read, a hot cup of cocoa to drink, or cuddling someone who is fondest in our hearts?

Hardrock, Cocoa, and Joe



This was the fun one and ranked right up at the top of all-time favorites. Everyone in the house loved watching the playful elves. If it came on the television, one of us would shout, “It’s ON!” Then a stomping of feet would sound as everyone rushed into the room. Although, this cartoon illustrated more toward the myth of Santa and the idea of gift-giving, there is still so much whimsy to be found in the black & white animation that you can sink yourself into the story and laugh along with the funny parts.

Frosty the Snowman



This is the Frosty the Snowman song that I love even more than the other classic one many of us know today. This one ranks in at third on my list but is still worthy to be mentioned. The sheer magical moment of when the snowman comes to life and the excited looks on the children make it priceless.

(Sorry, Burl Ives.)