"I think people who like to smoke candy and listen to cigarettes will love it."

A Very Vintage Christmas post #7

The Shop Around the Corner

1940

Starring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan

It's Christmas time at the shop down the street and around the corner in Budapest.One Mr. Alfred Kralik (Stewart) is the top salesman of the little store. There's another employee in the store by the name of Klara Novak (Sullavan).

During the typical work day, Miss Novak and Mr. Kralik despise eachother.They bicker and argue over everything, and never seem to get along.They do have more in common than either of them would think,however.Both of them have a "pen-pal" of sorts, who they regularly send letters to.For both of them, the communication has become more intimate and romantic.They find themselves falling in love with the person on the other end.The only problem is that they've never actually met their pen-pal's in real life.If they want to continue the relationship,then they need finally come together and meet, and get to know eachother.

So, Mr. Kralik sets up a meeting with his pen pal at the same time, place, and night as Miss Novak, only to find out that his love letters have been sent all along to Miss Novak!She is his pen pal.Mr. Kralik is shocked beyond belief, and a little bitter, at first.He just can't bring himself to go into the restaurant and be her date.Plus he knows she'd never believe him if he told her the truth.

So, while Mr. Kralik has discovered the truth about the whole thing for himself, Miss Novak is still oblivious.She feels that her date, whoever he was, stood her up.She's very upset about it, and believes it's all Mr. Kralik's fault, because he came into the restaurant and caused trouble for her that night.So, things continue on just as they had been before in the little shop-with difficulty.Over time, Mr. Kralik begins to see that it's not so unreasonable to think that Miss Novak has been his romantic pen pal along.In fact, he actually finds that he has feelings for her.He just has to work up the nerve to tell her how he feels, which he eventually does, and he and Miss Novak have a very merry Christmas in the shop around the corner.

"Well,I really wouldn't care to scratch your surface, Mr. Kralik, because I know exactly what I'd find.Instead of a heart, a hand-bag.Instead of a soul, a suitcase.And instead of intellect, a cigarette lighter.Which doesn't work."

The Shop Around the Corner is a really fun movie.It's witty, sarcastic, romantic, and of course has to do with Christmas (And, honestly, who doesn't love Jimmy Stewart?).

It's always been very popular, and has been remade a couple of times.

First, in 1949, as In The Good Old Summertime, starring Van Johnson and Judy Garland.

And, if you've ever seen the movie You've Got Mail, you'll notice a lot of similarities.That's because the 1998 flick starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks was based on the original, The Shop Around the Corner.

Ordinarily I would go ahead and post the trailer, and maybe a couple scenes from the movie, but instead I'm just going to tell you to watch the movie tonight, at 12 am ET on Turner Classic Movies!I promise you won't regret it.

I think two is the limit on posts for today.

I will pick out two more classic Christmas movies to do posts on this Saturday and Sunday.

Then everything should be running on the original schedule for this next week.

So, as usual, subscribe and comment, please.

Follow @Think_Classic on Twitter for regular updates.

And have a very merry and A Very Vintage Christmas!

"In the air, there's a feeling of Christmas.."

A Very Vintage Christmas post #6

I'm so sorry that I'm late with this post.I guess it's a good thing that I forewarned you with the last one that I was going to be busy,so it was possible that this would happen.

So,I'm going to pretend that this is actually Thursday,which means another classic Christmas song for you!

"City sidewalks, busy sidewalks

Dressed in holiday style.

In the air, there's a feeling of Christmas.

Children laughing, people passing

Meeting smile after smile

And on every street corner you hear

Silver bells, silver bells

It's Christmas time in the city.

Ring-a-ling, hear them sing.

Soon it will be Christmas day."

This song was written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, and was actually first recorded by Bing Crosby in 1950.It was very popular when released as a single. So popular that it became an added track to Crosby's Christmas album, Merry Christmas, when re-released in 1951.

You can listen to the Bing Crosby version here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8HdU0XNBJ4&ob=av2n

Like most classic Christmas songs, Silver Bells has been recorded many times by many different people.It's not exactly my favorite Christmas song, but the Bing Crosby version is good,and, even though it's not vintage, I have to post a link to my favorite version of the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dY3q20F1Dg

There's your classic Christmas song for the week!

Sorry, once again, that it was late.

Please subscribe and comment, whether good or bad.

Follow @Think_Classic on Twitter for regular updates.

Have a very merry and a Very Vintage Christmas!

"O hush the noise,ye men of strife,and hear the angels sing."

A Very Vintage Christmas post #5

Christmas countdown: 16 days

So, at this point in time, I'm really glad that when I posted the schedule for A Very Vintage Christmas posts, I said it was only tentative.

I'm very sorry I didn't post this yesterday, as was my plan, but I am a lowly college student, and this was finals week.I guess it's a good thing I put up an extra post earlier this week.

Anyways,let's just pretend this post is for Thursday, which means it's time to add another classic Christmas song to your playlist!

"It came upon a midnight clear,

That glorious song of old,

From angels bending near the earth,

To touch their harps of gold:

'Peace on the earth,good will to men,

From heaven's all-gracious King.'

The world in solemn stillness lay,

To hear the angels sing."

(random side note: verse 2 is my favorite)

"Still through the cloven skies they come,

With peaceful wings unfurled,

And still their heavenly music floats

O'er all the weary world;

Above it's sad and lonely plains,

They bend on hovering wing,

And ever o'er it's Babel sounds

The blessed angels sing."

Like a lot of our classic Christmas carols, It Came Upon A Midnight Clear was originally a poem, composed in 1849 by Unitarian pastor, Edmund Sears.It was paired with an already existing traditional English melody in 1874.There are actually five stanzas (or verses) to this poem/song, but the first two are the most well known.

And now for the version I've picked for you.It Came Upon A Midnight Clear was featured in the track listing of Frank Sinatra's 1957 album, A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra.I love, love, love this version.I happen to really like this song, anyways, but I think Sinatra's version is very peaceful and very well done.

To listen,you can go here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpKzBTy1yNY&ob=av2n

You can price/buy A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra on Amazon.

Bringing up that tentative schedule again,I will be traveling home for the holidays this weekend,so will not have real computer access until Monday, December 12.

That being said,I will do two classic Christmas movie posts but they will be on different days this next week.So, just keep an eye out for them.

Please don't forget to subscribe, and comment whether good or bad.

Follow @Think_Classic on Twitter for regular updates and ideas.

Have a very merry and A Very Vintage Christmas!

Oh, Christmas tree!Oh, Christmas tree!

A Very Vintage Christmas post #4

As I'm sure most of you know, it's officially 19 days til Christmas, as of today.Most people I know have already set up their Christmas trees by now, and if you haven't, odds are you will soon (although, if you're the minority who waits til like, Christmas Eve to set up their tree,that's totally cool, too).

That being said, I thought I would take a little time to do a post all about the history of Christmas trees, etc.Just for fun.

The earliest Christmas trees were put into use in the 15th century, in Eastern European regions like Estonia, Romania, Latvia, etc (and they did not, at the time, look like the above picture).An evergreen tree (sometimes decorated, sometimes not) would be primarily used in outdoor gatherings, kind of like in a town square.There would be alot of dancing, socializing and merriment centered around the tree, and then it would be set on fire later on.

However, the Christmas tree as we know it today, is usually credited to the Germans.Germans used evergreen "Trees of Paradise" for mystery plays in churches during the Middle Ages.The use of Christmas trees slowly spread outward from the church.They became fairly popular during the 16th century in guild halls, where they would be decorated with candy, sweet pastries, and little gifts for children to collect on Christmas day.From there, they found themselves in houses of the upper class, because, naturally, that's who could afford them.They would traditionally be decorated with things like candles.They became a much more common household item for all the classes during the 1800s.

In the midst of war in the 1700s, the Christmas tree was brought to Canada by Brunswick soldiers.It's said that General Riedesel hosted a Christmas party, and had a tree decorated with candles and fresh fruit.It wasn't until the late 1800's that the tradition of putting up a decorated Christmas tree became popular in America.In fact, a year ago, I went to a historical reenactment of decorating for Christmas in the 1700s, and it was noted that during that time period, it was still considered highly unusual by Americans to have a Christmas tree set up in your home.

From there, it's pretty easy to see how the use of Christmas trees has progressed to the present day.The traditions are pretty much the same.The only major things that have changed are the use of electric lights, rather than candles, and the use of artificial trees as opposed to real ones.

There are still many towns that have Christmas trees that are lit each year, and there are national Christmas trees, too.

Christmas trees are decorated with anything from glass ornaments, candy, lights, tinsel, popcorn,ribbons, etc.

The popular song O Tannenbaum (or in English, O Christmas Tree) has been around since the 1800s.Typically, in America, we just hear it sung in English, but I have found a version that I think is really neat, because it's by Nat King Cole, and is actually sung in German.

Click to listen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhVyzz_quy8

I think that about wraps it up for today.

The next post will be this Thursday, and will be another song for your vintage Christmas playlist.

Don't forget to subscribe, and always comment, whether good or bad.

Follow @Think_Classic on Twitter.

And have a very merry and A Very Vintage Christmas!

"The only people who grow old were born old to begin with."

And now, my second classic holiday pick.

A Very Vintage Christmas post #3.

(And it's 21 days til Christmas, in case you were wondering.)

The Bishop's Wife

1947

Starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven

A bishop by the name of Henry Brougham (Niven) is involved in the controversial building of a new cathedral in his town.When times become hard, he prays that God would provide him with guidance. His prayer is answered in the form of an angel named Dudley (Grant), who reveals his true identity to Henry in order to gain Henry's trust and prove he is there to help.

Although Henry was wanting help specifically with the cathedral, Dudley isn't there to help get the building project done. He's there to offer guidance of a more personal nature, to Henry and those people who surround him, and have been feeling neglected because of Henry's obsession with the cathedral. People like Henry's wife, Julia (Young).

Dudley goes about trying to show Henry what is truly important in life, which he hasn't been paying attention to. He befreinds everybody in town, and everyone loves him. He uses his influence to get people in Henry's church to donate money to important causes, but not to help build the cathedral.Dudley helps save an older church in town, rather than focus his attention on building a new one. He even redecorates the Brougham's home for Christmas. Henry doesn't like Dudley to begin with, but when Dudley starts spending more and more time with Julia, who has been feeling neglected and sad, Henry becomes jealous and angry. He resolves to confront Dudley, so that he will leave. When he does, Dudley realizes that his job is done, and that Henry and Julia are still in love and back on track.He promises to leave and never return.

Once Dudley departs, he is erased from their memories, and Henry delivers a Christmas Eve sermon that he believes he wrote, but was really written for him by an angel.

I hope you guys will enjoy this movie.I think it's great.It's more serious than something like The Man Who Came to Dinner, but it still has a good deal of humor in it, and it's all about rediscovering what the true meaning of what Christmas is, and what the important things in life are.

View the trailer here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j063r4O33OE

And you can actually watch the whole movie here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLXrdeoenJ8

And you can price/buy it on Amazon or Turner Classic Movies.

Alright, so, according to the A Very Vintage Christmas schedule, I won't do another post til Thursday, but I think I have something extra up my sleeve that should be up on Tuesday.

So, stay tuned for that.

Don't forget to subscribe, and comment, whether good or bad.

Follow @Think_Classic on Twitter for regular updates and ideas.

And, as always, have a very merry and A Very Vintage Christmas!

"You know,Sherry,you have one great advantage over everyone else in the world..."

"...You've never had to meet Sheridan Whiteside."-Maggie Cutler, The Man Who Came to Dinner

Happy December 3rd!

It's officially 22 days til Christmas, in case you're interested.

And so, we've reached the second post of A Very Vintage Christmas.

Today is Saturday, so this is the first classic Christmas movie pick of the season.

I hope you like it!

The Man Who Came to Dinner

1942

Starring Monty Woolley, Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, Richard Travis, and Jimmy Durante

Sheridan Whiteside, aka "Sherry" (Woolley), a famous critic, radio broadcaster, and entrepreneur, is traveling through the town of Mesalia, Ohio. Having to stop anyways, he recieves an invitation to dine at the home of Ernest and Daisy Stanley, a prominent family in the town. It would be rude to not accept, so Sherry must attend, though it is against the vicious old man's will. While climbing the icy steps outside of the Stanley home, Sherry slips and hurts his hip. He is carried into the house and a doctor is called for,who says that Mr. Whiteside must stay indoors and chair-bound until he heals. Mrs. Stanley, a social climber in Mesalia, is overjoyed that THE Mr. Sheridan Whiteside will be staying in their home with some degree of permanance....at first.

The family is thrown for a loop when Mr. Whiteside takes over their home, confining them to the upstairs rooms, making long-distance calls on their phone, having constant deliveries made, inviting a number of guests over, and snapping at everyone who comes into his presence. The only person who seems to be able to handle the old gentleman is his secretary, Maggie Cutler (Davis), who was traveling with him and is also staying in the Stanley home. Unfortunately, she seems to be forever absent, being caught up in a whirlwind romance with Burt Jefferson (Travis), the owner of the local paper.

Though he would have a good deal of trouble ever admitting it, Sherry has quite a soft spot in his heart for his secretary.So, when Maggie comes home one evening telling Sherry that she's going to marry this Burt Jefferson, Sherry gets very upset.He doesn't want to lose his one good friend, so begins to cook up a plot to keep Burt Jefferson away from her.He calls up a protegee of his, supposedly up-and-coming actress, Lorraine Sheldon (Sheridan). When he has her come into town, he gets her to try and seduce Burt and take him out of the picture. Maggie figures out what he's up to, gets angry, and calls in a friend of her own to try and get Lorraine out of town.The plan almost works, but Lorrain figures it out, and refuses to leave. Things escalate until Maggie tells Sherry she's quitting.She'll get his affairs in order for him up to Christmas Eve, and then she's out.

Sherry soon realizes he's made a much bigger mess than he intended, and has to fix it, because he hates to see Maggie unhappy.Working under a time limit before he's thrown out of the house, because Mr. Stanley is also fed up, he calls up his old friend Banjo (Durante), to help him get rid of Lorraine. With Banjo's help, Lorraine is sent packing, and Maggie and Burt end up together. Sherry goes to make his grand and dramatic exit from the Stanley home, and slips and falls on the steps a second time, re-injuring his hip.

I love this movie!I thought it would be a perfect first pick of the season.It's all about Christmas, and it's full of humor.

If you'd like to see the trailer, go here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9e21ekIPUI

To see various clips of the movie, go here:

http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/82721/The-Man-Who-Came-to-Dinner/videos.html

And if you'd like to price/buy it, go here:

http://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Came-Dinner/dp/B000EU1Q1S/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1322937166&sr=1-1

So, stay tuned tomorrow for another classic Christmas movie pick.

Don't forget to comment, whether good or bad.

Follow @Think_Classic on Twitter.

And have a very merry and A Very Vintage Christmas!

O, holy night, the stars are brightly shining..

It's officially day 1 of A Very Vintage Christmas!

It is also a Thursday, which means today we start building your vintage Christmas playlist.

The first song I picked for this month just happens to be one of my personal favorite Christmas songs.It was actually a poem put to music in the 1800s, but the lyrics we know today weren't used used until they were written by John Sullivan Dwight in 1855.

"O, holy night! The stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of our dear Savior's birth.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,

'Til He appeared and the soul felt it's worth.

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! O, hear the angel voices!

O, night divine! O, night when Christ was born!"

There are more verses that make up the whole song, but the first is the most popular, and the first verse is also the only one used in the version which I now present to you.

O Holy Night first appeared on Nat King Cole's Christmas album, The Magic of Christmas, which was released in 1960, and re-released in 1963 after a couple changes were made.

This is the link to the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRfLI5OEDy8

To my knowledge, the album The Magic of Christmas cannot be bought with it's original track listing.However, you can buy The Nat King Cole Christmas Album, which is a compilation, of sorts, of all his Christmas songs, and does include O Holy Night.

You can buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Album-Nat-King-Cole/dp/B000026K6T/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1322761712&sr=1-1

And I'm sure you can also find the song to download on iTunes.

We here at Think Classic wish you a very merry, and a Very Vintage Christmas!

See you Saturday with my first classic Christmas movie post of the season!

Be sure to comment if you like what you see, and even if you don't.

And you can follow Think Classic on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/#!/Think_Classic