Steven

🎄 Put on your cute little helmet and join us on a journey back to 1984 for a Christmas special based on the toy craze that turned holiday shopping from a winter wonderland to a warzone.  Julia (Tis the Podcast) and Steven (The Bigfoot Club) join the adventure from the hidden home of the Cabbage Patch Kids to the unnamed but totally identifiable big city in search of the Christmas spirit, while we evade 2 nearly identical but probably not related trios trying to kidnap us. It’ll all make sense.  Actually, no. It will not.  📺 “The Cabbage Patch Kids’ First Christmas” is well preserved on YouTube. Here’s an upscaled version.  Watch Steven’s film, “The Bigfoot Club,” on Prime Video.  ****  💬 Topics & Tangents:  The totally official, extremely bonkers Legend of the Cabbage Patch Kids.  Babyland General Hospital.  ‘Custody’ fight over Cabbage Patch dolls (Christian Science Monitor, 1983)  Josh Rodine (Dawson Glenn) in “Sparky’s Magic Piano” (1987)  Sparky Marcus (Xavier) as Banjo the Woodpile Cat (1979)  “Kudzu: The Invasive Vine that Ate the South.”  Piedmont Park.  What idiot took the gay out of “Don we now our gay apparel”?  ****  📼 Commercials:  Cabbage Patch Kids Talking Phone (1984)  Cabbage Patch Kids Hide and Seek Game (1984)  ****  “The Cabbage Patch Kids’ First Christmas” © 1984 Ruby-Spears Enterprises, Inc.  Theme song by Bronwen’s Ghost.  Full show notes with links at adventcalendar.house.  Hosted by The Retro Network.

Slime to the world. Guests: Shawn Robare, Steven.

Punky and pals visit Santa’s workshop and accidentally start Christmas too early. Guests: Adam Pope, Steven.

A roller coaster of emotions from sad raindrop to beautiful snowflake. Guests: Adam Pope, Steven. Find show notes at https://adventcalendar.house

🎄 It’s time for toys and time for cheer as the Advent Calendar House begins another 12-episode countdown to Christmas in July, starting by rewinding at twice the normal speed back to 1981 to revisit the Christmas special that helped kick off the revival of Alvin and the Chipmunks.  ****  🎙 Guests:  Steven (Wizards: The Podcast Guide to Comics, @StevenStaples81).  Sean Sotka (The Christmas Podcasts Podcast, @xander0527).  ****  💬 Topics & Tangents:  Steven’s story of accidentally erasing his VHS recording of this special, only to find another recording of the same broadcast years later.  The History of the Chipmunks (RIP The Hourchive).  Witch Doctor.  R.J. Williams (Tommy) was 3 years old in this special.  Wake, Rattle, & Roll, also starring R.J. Williams.  Dave’s 3-story Victorian mansion seen only in this special and never again.  Yes, the Chipmunks wear pants.  Vintage Echo harmonicas are real, but good luck finding a gold one.  Selling photos of Santa with dogs dressed as reindeer looks way more fun than selling dollar store junk door-to-door.  Clyde Crashcup invented a popular Simpsons joke.  Today’s TV trope: Talking in Your Sleep.  Paw Patrol makes no sense.  ****  📼 Commercials:  A Chipmunk Christmas Soundtrack Album, 1981.  7up Countdown to Christmas Posters, 1986.  ****  “A Chipmunk Christmas” © 1981 Bagdasarian Productions.  Full show notes and social links at adventcalendar.house.