DAILY DIRT: Donald Duck cartoons, influence of Coca-Cola and 3 billion Christmas cards … all part of the holiday season

Daily Dirt for Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022

I usually start dreaming of a White Christmas about right now … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 470 of The Daily Dirt.

1. I don’t think anyone would disagree that thoughts of the holiday season this month likely include visions of families gathering, friends meeting, singing Christmas carols and watching film classics like “Love Actually” and “It’s A Wonderful Life.”

Well, here are 10 items tied to the Christmas season not everyone might realize:

• 1. Santa Claus has worn many colors in his time, including blue, green, white, and red. The red suit came about when Coca-Cola had an advertisement campaign in the 1930s.
• 2. The story of “Rudolph the Red Nosed-Reindeer” was rejected at first because back in the 1930s. At the time, a red nose was considered to be a sign of a drunkard.
• 3. Scientists have calculated that for Santa Claus to deliver presents to every home in the world, he would have to travel at a speed of 4,921,200 miles per hour.
• 4. Turkey wasn’t always the Christmas go-to; England’s traditional meal of choice was once a pig’s head and mustard.
• 5. In 1942, Irving Berlin wrote “White Christmas.” The Bing Crosby version sold more than 100 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling Christmas single of all time.
• 6. In December 1965, “Jingle Bells” was the first song broadcast in space from Gemini 6.
• 7. In the song “12 Days of Christmas,” all the gifts mentioned within the song add up to 364 gifts.
• 8. In the U.S., an estimated 3 billion Christmas cards are sold annually.
• 9. Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the United States, was the first to place a Christmas tree in the White House, way back in 1856.
• 10. It’s a tradition in Sweden to watch Donald Duck cartoons on Christmas Eve.

2. Let’s see what gems Facebook has provided us in recent days:

• “The inventor of the wind chill factor died recently. He was 82, but felt like he was 64.”
• “A copy of ‘Christmas Carol’ just fell on my foot. It hurt like the Dickens.”
• “Bigfoot is sometimes confused with Sasquatch. Yeti he never complains.”
• “Why did one of Santa’s helpers see the doctor? Because he had low elf esteem.”
• “Scribble: Board game for doctors.”

3. Let’s see who are celebrating notable birthdays:

• Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench is 75 today.
• Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird woke up today and he was 66.
• If former Doors lead singer Jim Morrison were alive today, he would be 79 on Thursday.
• Singer Donny Osmond will be 65 on Friday.
• One of the great actresses of our time, Donna Mills, will be 80 on Monday. For those who might not be aware, Mills starred the monumental night-time soap opera of the 1980s, “Knots Landing.”

Steve Thought O’ The Day — I’ve had a crush on Donna Mills for about 40 years.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. His stockings are hung.