Friday, December 11, 2009

Letters to Santa - 1927

In 1927 the Kingsport Times published more than 1,000 letters to Santa from local children. Here is the final haul, printed on Christmas Day 1927.

Friday, December 04, 2009

Suction Cup - 1964 satirical (??) magazine from D-B

In 1964 when the Dobyns-Bennett English department published a student literary magazine, Arrowhead, Steve Moriarty and I created our answer, a "trash magazine" called Suction Cup (the arrowhead on a little kid's arrow).

It was all handwritten and lost for more than four decades. But now, unfortunately, it has been found. And here it is.





Thursday, December 03, 2009

Most Popular Christmas Songs


1. "Winter Wonderland," Eurythmics
2. "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)," Nat "King" Cole
3. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," The Pretenders
4. "Sleigh Ride," The Ronettes
5. " Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," Frank Sinatra
6. "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" Michael Buble
7. "White Christmas," Bing Crosby
8. "Jingle Bell Rock," Bobby Helms
9. " Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," Gene Autry
10. "The Little Drummer Boy," The Harry Simeone Chorale & Orchestra
11. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of Year," Andy Williams
12. "Rockin' Around Christmas Tree," Brenda Lee
13. "Silver Bells," Kenny G
14. "I'll Be Home for Christmas," Amy Grant
15. "Feliz Navidad," José Feliciano
16. " Frosty the Snowman," The Ronettes
17. "A Holly Jolly Christmas," Burl Ives
18. "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas," Johnny Mathis
19. "Blue Christmas," Elvis Presley
20. "(There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays," Perry Como
21. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," John Mellencamp
22. "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)," Gene Autry
23. "Carol of the Bells," David Foster
24. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Band Aid
25. "This Christmas," Gloria Estefan
This list is from the industry group ASCAP, which tracks radio play over a five-year period. This is the latest list, from November 2008.