If you enjoy ringing in the new and ringing out the old in a state of frozen anticipation, Times Square will certainly be the place for you tonight. High winds approaching 50-mph and temperatures dropping to 20 degrees by midnight are predicted at this year’s famous get-together. For added fun, a wintry mingling of sleet [...]
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Orchestra leader Guy Lombardo was “Mister New Year’s Eve” for nearly half of the twentieth century. He became the Spirit or Champion of each fledgling year for countless audiences and, from 1929 to 1976, was as recognizable a presence as the Times Square Ball. First on radio and then television, his Royal Canadians presented the [...]
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New Year’s Eve was first celebrated in Times Square in 1904. The commemoration marked the official opening of The New York Times‘ new headquarters at the triangular intersection of 7th Avenue, Broadway and 42nd Street. Manhattan‘s second-tallest building at the time, the Times Tower rose on the small spot of land overlooking the Square newly [...]
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Nowadays, Evacuation Day lies dormant in the annals of American history; its significance entirely lost or unknown to most Americans. Outside of scholars, studied in this nation’s history, a mere handful of people would know what transpired in New York City on November 25, 1783: The orderly return of a city to its citizens, seven [...]
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This show, now 11 years old but still fresh and interesting, encompasses about 160 years and 200 objects drawn from the Staten Island Historical Society‘s 4,000-piece toy chest. An 1840s vintage doll is the gallery’s senior mamajama. Knowing that you can’t very well show children a pile of toys and then deny them playtime, the [...]
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One of the most poignant moments in the history of warfare occurred in 1914 during World War One: a “Christmas Truce.” Proposed by Pope Benedict XV earlier in the month, it was flatly rejected by commanders on both sides. The Russians were the first to reject the truce (their Orthodox Church celebrating Christmas on January [...]
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New York, December 1913. “Christmas tree, Madison Square.” 8×10 glass negative, G.G. Bain Collection. Another superb shot from Shorpy, The 100-Year-Old Photo Blog Sphere: Related Content
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Christmas MySpace Graphics Merry Christmas to my large and silent audience of Unique Visitors, and/or anyone or anything else who passes through this modest space, the Best Of the Season. For further reading enjoyment(?) and Yuletide cheer(?), Santa At Dream-Light Speed and A-Glitter Among Glittering Lights, two posts from last Christmas, are linked here. The [...]
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Four centuries ago, when England erupted in Civil War, Christmas was in a sorry state. In 1644, the victorious Puritan faction outlined its numerous and fundamentalist decrees by completely banning the holiday. They saw Christmas as a solemn, pious occasion and opposed the drunken debauchery and revelries that, in their opinion, had distorted its religious [...]
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THE YULE LOG CELEBRATES 42 YEARS PIX 11 TO AIR THE YULE LOG ON DECEMBER 25 FROM 9AM TO 1PM NEW YORK, December 3, 2008 – It wouldn’t be a holiday in New York without The WPIX Yule Log! The Yule Log, the famous film loop of a burning log in a hearth, has mesmerized viewers [...]
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When I was a child, growing up in the wilds of Brooklyn, pudding was synonymous with My*T*Fine Pudding; since 1918, the “premium cook-n-serve pudding” for many Americans. Directions: stir 4 cups of milk into the mix, heat on a medium flame until the mixture thickens, pour the bubbly brew into serving dishes, allow to cool [...]
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Once upon a Yuletide time of year in 1890, there lived a man named James Edgar. A longtime resident of Brockton, Massachusetts, he was often called the “”P.T. Barnum” of that city. He loved donning costumes and would entertain the townsfolk with his protean masquerading. His customary clown outfit was his most popular, but during [...]
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