Christmas at Disneyland
It's almost the BIG DAY! I recommend listening to Bing Crosby's album of Christmas classics to put you in the mood. Or Nat King Cole, he's good too. Or even Elvis! Maybe you need to finish wrapping those last few presents, or you are doing prep for tomorrow's dinner (do you have enough boxes of pizza rolls?). Wear your ugly sweater, even if it is 90ยบ out, OK? I have some classic Disneyland holiday images for you, too.
Let's start with this 1958 photo of the Monsanto House of the Future, with a red ribbon on it. I'm sure all of you have found out how hard it can be to put a big ribbon and bow on an S-class Mercedes (the traditional Christmas gift), imagine wrapping an entire house! Get the butler to help, it will make things so much easier.
Next is this photo from 1967, with the Matterhorn (and the star) on a clear winter day. It looks like there is still some leftover construction walls near the entrance to the New Tomorrowland. Two little boys in identical outfits stroll towards the Omnibus, where are their parents? I suppose the three ladies walking toward them could be their caregivers.
And finally, from 1971 comes this nice photo from Town Square looking north(ish) on Main Street, with the classic garlands and bells overhead. Tasteful, but effective. The guy to the right looks like he could have gone to my high school, I hope he enjoys those Marlboro Reds. The Streetcar is coming our way, he might have to ring the bell so that guests aren't squarshed.
I'm still out of town, and out of order!
16 comments:
Major-
"I recommend listening to Bing Crosby's album of Christmas classics to put you in the mood. Or Nat King Cole..."
That's a nice thought, but I find those songs a bit too traditional. Personally, I'd rather hear Santa's Too Fat for the Hula Hoop, or Surfin' Santa, or Santa Got Lost in Texas, or I Wanna Do More Than Whistle (Under the Mistletoe), or I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus. I find these tunes more enjoyable, less monotonous and easily place me in the proper Xmas spirit-!
And seeing the Monsanto House of the Future with a giant ribbon and bow... does the same.
Thanks, Major.
Am currently listening to Dean Martin singing Christmas songs....
Pic #1: I make ribbon curly-Q's with scissors. I'm picturing giant scissors needed to make this bow.
Pic #2: Someone needs to link the turning star to today's comments. If I have time, I'll try to find it and link it. (That movie footage is a GDB-classic.)
Pic #3: I especially love the Christmas tree.
Thanks, Major, for more holiday treats.
Oh dear, I got a little confused: I put my ugly sweater in the oven and wore the empty pizza roll boxes; but at least I smelled like pepperoni! I stepped onto the back patio to feed the birds, and all the neighborhood cats came running.
1) Hmm, I don't know about you, Major, but MY House of the Future wraps itself in bright red ribbon! (There's a button for that.) I thought sure, with your many mansions, that your HotF would do the same.
I think we've seen a similar photo here before? I assume that there are ribbons on all four wings of the House.
2) The two boys aren't quite dressed the same... The younger one is wearing black canvas high-tops, while the older brother is wearing light brown oxfords(?). But they do look snazzy in their black turtlenecks, and jeans with the cuffs rolled up. This is a nice, bright, clear photo. Extra points for the gaggle of colorful balloons! I don't remember seeing those inner spiky rods on the Matterhorn Star before.
3) It's nice that we get a bit of the Town Square Christmas Tree in the photo along with the garlands and bells. The guy-who-went-to-your-school looks kinda scary. I'd say he was a vampire except he's out in broad daylight.
Nanook, I prefer the Chipmunks Christmas Song. Actually, I like to listen to the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack album, by Vince Guaraldi. (For real.)
Nice, Christmasy photos, Major. Thanks.
I found the GDB post with the movie of the turning Matterhorn star....HERE IT IS!
GREAT news for Christmas! -- I just opened an email from one of Melissa's friends who said Melissa's OK, and it sounds like she'll be getting in contact with us.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, MELISSA - Hurry back - WE MISS YOU!
That IS great news, Sue! Thank you for your diligence.
And to Melissa, it would be nice indeed to have you back with us! :-)
And in a pinch, "Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics" will get things moving this holiday season.
In the second picture, we can see another white flocked tree, but this time, it really is in the Castle moat.
That pink wall is confusing. It does look like the same colored wall that they used around the New Tomorrowland construction. But first of all, this was December, and second, why is it way over there? Maybe they were just reusing some of the same pieces of wall that they had used earlier, for the Tomorrowland construction?
And now I'm wondering what construction they were doing over there by those bushes that back up to Snow White's Grotto? I know there was an odd planter kind of in the middle of that roadway, that they eventually got rid of. I believe it even contained a lamppost or two. Could they have been getting rid of that planter at this time, and then slurrying over the opening?
Yay! I'm glad to hear that Melissa is okay! I hope we do hear from her sometime soon. Thanks, Sue!
The biggest problem I've had with MY HotF is getting it under the tree. The Remco Shrink-O-Matic helps, of course. (Get one now! Supplies are limited! Void where prohibited by reality!)
The star on top of the Materhorn always made it look smaller to me, but it can't be the star's fault because "huge celestrial objects have no scale "
I say we jump the dude in the last shot and take his smokes!
Merry Christmas!
Glorious photos. And nice news about Melissa. It’s already a good xmas eve. Thanks again Major.
Oh…MS. Merry Christmas everyone.
The tree when it was real, a spinning giant star, a fanciful and very Disney bow, and an odd fellow with a box of Marlboros...nothing says Christmas more! I see that pink construction wall foreshadowing things to come! And there's the trees on Main Street with no scale. Leopard print never goes out of style! I'm wearing it "loin cloth" style at my holiday party tonight! I'm dreaming of a white Christmas with white trees in moats, and a Kidney Boy tree in the distance.... I am unclear about white blouse and black slacks lady looking intently at HOTF footings....I think she is actually the maid at the house: hence the costume. I just saw a video of some pre-fab mini houses that look very much like THIS house....I am tempted, but won't have any room for my Franklin Mint collection of "thimbles of the world." I think that is a real thing BTW. Hope everyone has a lovely Holiday Eve, where Mother Nature was kind enough to send some "white" to us, but not so much that it's a big shoveling mess....how very kind of her! Happy Holidays to all, and so very good to hear about Melissa!
Hooray! Good news about Melissa! Sue, thank you for your determination!
I will probably listen to my “organ and chimes” Christmas album later, it’s pressed on clear red vinyl.
The idea of wrapping the HOTF reminds me of those termite fumigation tents, get one with a big snowflake pattern.
There was a time that I didn’t trust my memory of the Matterhorn Star, I remembered it, but it never returned, was it ever really there? Like the Barker Bird. Sue, thanks for linking the rotation, another memory validated.
Major, these are good choices for the holiday, I especially like the town square view with all the people. Yes, that guy looks like one of my fellow students too, from the group that hung out behind the shop building and got suspended for smoking on campus. Even a glimpse of a trash can, while photo 1 has no less than four!
Merry Christmas everyone, have a good holiday with family, or however you want!
JG
To begin, the news about Melissa is indeed a wonderful Christmas present for us all. And BU certainly summed up the memories of the rotating star and real Christmas tree, not to mention the traditional (at least for me) look of Christmas on Main Street. The tree was real but augmented and shaped to be perfect backstage behind Hills Brothers and then, with the park closed, lifted and put in place on-stage. Imagine smelling the tree in the break area before it was sprayed with retardant. Happy Holidays one and all. KS
Sue I’m listening to the Ray Coniff Singers Christmas and Perry Como’s Christmas in Williamsburg and the DL/WDW 1970’s - 1990’s Main Street Christmas BGM!!
Matterhorn way has been altered about a dozen times as well as the “Alice in Wonderland” restrooms .
Melissa !! And everyone have a safe festive Christmas wherever you are ! ( it’s raining thru LA and San Diego today…… “ the weatherman has a saying, in everyone’s life, a little rain must fall and it looks like today is our day, but still we say WELCOME to this happy place called DISNEYLAND!!”
Good to see a trash can at the HOF, people are messier in the future. The lady in red(♫ ♪) needs to lift the top of that stroller before she sits in it, goof.
Not listening to anything other than the voices in my head.
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate and best wishes, especially to Melissa.
HoHoHo
Zach
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