Nuts!

Many's the time I think it would be cool to have a Scrooge nutcracker, such as this one from the Steinbach company:

Pretty neat with the little Marley's  ghost and all!

Then I'm always reminded that they go for large dollar amounts!

I may have to settle for a little guy like this:

But when one pops up for sale at a reasonable price, it goes fast!

Someday...

Down Under!

A couple of things about this Australian issue of Decca's oft-coupled "Mr. Pickwick's Christmas" and "A Christmas Carol" (from an undetermined  year):

First, what's with the crazy looking Marley's Ghost? He seems to be a skeleton and wears a ball and chain. Talk about off-model!

And Scrooge shouldn't be in bed yet!

But most of all: why would they put Charles Laughton's picture on the cover and not Ronald Colman's?

Photogenic-ness was not the criteria!

"Charles Dickens Christmas Stories" - World Publishing (1946)

Here's an interesting edition from the "Rainbow Classic" imprint of World Publishing in 1946:

The art by Howard Simon seems like such a1940s Americanized interpretation of Victorian England!

And Bob Cratchit especially seems very off-model here:

I get kind of a caveman vibe!

But always interesting to see different takes on these familiar subjects! 

"The Sesame Street Storytime Calendar" (1982)

A new year always brings new calendars and 1982 was no exception, with that year's "Sesame Street" calendar featuring scenes from classic stories for each month, with the Muppets taking on the parts, as illustrated by Michael J. Smollin.

So, December wisely chose "A Christmas Carol":

Oscar the Grouch naturally takes on the Scrooge part, which anticipates 2006's "A Sesame Street Christmas Carol," although in that special he was still himself as a Scrooge surrogate.

Bert is portraying Bob Cratchit and Ernie would be Peter, as he's wearing one of Bob's collars, which is a nice touch.

The calendar's cover points out that these are the "Sesame Street" Muppets, as opposed to "The Muppet Show" Muppets, who, of course, later featured in 1992's "The Muppet Christmas Carol."

So, a nice little vignette here!

As a bonus, let's go back ten years to 1972, for what I think was the first "Sesame Street" calendar (the show had premiered in 1969).

It interestingly features art by the legendary Jack Davis, best-known for his work in "MAD" magazine.

Here's the December page:

It never fails to amaze me how Jack Davis could do spot-on caricatures that still look like Jack Davis characters!

And a shout-out to the late Bob McGrath, who passed away at age 90 last month. Rest in peace.

"Disney Holiday Treasures" - Upper Deck (2004) - The Cards

We were just looking at the Upper Deck figures of Mickey and Minnie Mouse from "Mickey's Christmas Carol," but since Upper Deck is better know as a trading card company, they had some cards included with the figures!

Featured in the "Holiday Classics" subset of 2004's "Disney Holiday Treasures" was this card:

Then another subset was "Mickey Mouse's Christmas Carol: The Actors," which featured this array:

I love how the cards portray the gang as actors in the production of the show!

Here area  couple of the backs, which give a little inside information:

Lots of fun!

"Disney Holiday Treasures" - Upper Deck (2004) - The Figures!

Hope your 2023 is off to a great start!

We swing back to 2004 (which I can't believe was 19 years ago) for a stop at the Collectibles Corner with this pair of figures from Upper Deck's "Disney Holiday Treasures" from my personal collection:

Pretty cool! And no mention of Emily!

Happy New Year!

Not-really Mrs. Dilber* cleans up after Mr. Scrooge's first-ever New Year's Eve blowout!

*Mrs. Dilber really being the laundress, but now the charwoman for purposes of this bit!