Totally Rad Christmas!

What’s up, dudes? Grab your fold-out poster and your secret word, because we’re cracking open one of the most Christmas-adjacent kids’-mag crossovers of the late ’80s — Muppet Magazine #17, Winter 1987, the “Pee-Wee & Kermit: Playhouse Pals!” cover! I’ve got Tim Babb from Can’t Wait for Christmas  and Mike Westfall from Advent Calendar House with me to talk all about it!

It’s Volume 5, Number 1 of the Henson Company’s full-color quarterly, and the cover alone is peak Saturday-morning destiny: Kermit the Frog hanging with Pee-wee Herman right when Pee-wee’s Playhouse and Muppet Babies were sharing the CBS morning lineup. Inside, Frog-In-Chief Kermit drops by the Playhouse for a visit/interview (Fred Newman on the byline vibes), Miss Piggy goes jogging with Ari Meyers and Allison Smith, Rowlf sits down with Jonathan Silverman for “Barking Beach Memoirs,” and the Muppet Babies crash Clement C. Moore with Louise Gikow and Bruce McNally’s “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Plus the pull-out that every ’80s kid fought over — “Hip Holidays from M-MTV!” featuring the Electric Mayhem — because nothing says Winter 1987 like a Muppet MTV Christmas parody and a mailbox full of Miss Piggy’s Advice.

Playhouse pals on the cover? Check. Muppet Babies night-before-Christmas comic? Got it. Fold-out Hip Holidays M-MTV poster? Definitely! So hang your Muppet Magazine on the fridge, whisper the secret word, and flip to this episode on “Muppet Magazine #17 Winter 1987!”

Advent Calendar House
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Can’t Wait for Christmas
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What’s up, dudes? Grab your pillowcase and your leftover Halloween candy, because we’re gonna have a watch-along party for A Pup Named Scooby-Doo’s holiday-adjacent spookfest “Ghost Who’s Coming to Dinner!” I’ve got Jeff Loftin from Lost Christmas podcast with me to provide commentary and enjoy the ride!

Kid-sized Mystery Inc. is trick-or-treating when they stumble on the Johnsons’ ramshackle haunted house — the one Shaggy swears used to belong to pirate Boobeard. Inside: a kindly couple, a park full of trees somebody wants to bulldoze, and the one (1) Scooby-Doo ghost who is actually a ghost. Bartholomew Byfard Boo, a sweetheart of an ectoplasm roommate, will poof out of existence if the house comes down, so of course a nasty pirate spook shows up demanding they vacate. Velma’s got blueprints, Daphne still refuses to believe in ghosts while standing next to one, and the “Boobeard” terrorizing the neighborhood is Jack the handyman, flipping the Johnsons’ land for cash like it’s the most obvious real-estate Scooby scheme in Coolsville.

Friendly ghost roommate? Check. Pirate landlord with a demolition clause? Yep. Handyman named Jack in a bedsheet? Like, totally! So unmask that pirate, save Mr. Boo, and scooby-dooby-doo into this episode on “Ghost Who’s Coming to Dinner!”

Lost Christmas Podcast
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What’s up, dudes? I’m dreaming of a white Christmas… and also punk Christmas, pizza-place Christmas, power-metal Christmas, and New Kids on the Block Christmas! Today we’re diving into the ’80s versions of Irving Berlin’s classic “White Christmas!”

Before the neon snowstorm hits, a quick rewind: Berlin wrote it around 1940, Bing Crosby introduced it on radio at Christmas 1941, then recorded it May 29, 1942 for Holiday Inn. Wartime America lost its mind for that wistful fireplace fantasy — 11 weeks at No. 1, an Oscar for Best Original Song, the 1954 movie, a 1947 re-record that became the one everybody knows, and roughly 50 million copies as the best-selling physical single ever. So of course the ’80s had to get weird with it. Country legends, pop stars, punks, metalheads, jazz cats, claymation raisins, and yes — animatronic ShowBiz Pizza bears — all took a crack at dreaming of a white one.

Punked-up Yobs? Check. Animatronic Rock-afire Explosion? Got it. Helloween sneaking holiday chaos onto a metal EP? Absolutely radical! So dust off the vinyl, cue up the cassette (or that shiny new CD), and dream along with this episode on “’80s Versions of White Christmas!”

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PARENTAL WARNING: DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE WITH CHILDREN PRESENT!

What’s up, dudes? We’re closer to Christmas, so we’re gonna have a watch-along party for the absolute classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. I’ve got CJ Bélanger from Rose Suchak Ladder, Jeff Loftin from Lost Christmas podcast, and Jeremy Phelps the Alamo City Santa with me to provide commentary and enjoy the ride!

The story chronicles the seasonal psychosis of the Grinch, a green, cave-dwelling misanthrope whose undersized cardiovascular organ has left him irrationally enraged by the annual Christmas festivities of the Whos down in Whoville. Unable to tolerate another year of singing, feasting, and unsolicited noise pollution, the furry sociopath disguises himself as Santa Claus, turns his long-suffering dog Max into a discount reindeer, and launches a one-man Yuletide home-invasion spree. Throughout the night, the Grinch burglarizes an entire town, stealing everything from presents and stockings to Christmas trees, food, and apparently even the last can of Who-hash. His crime wave is briefly interrupted by Cindy-Lou Who, a dangerously trusting toddler whom he deceives with an easily disproven story about repairing her Christmas tree. After hauling the stolen merchandise to the top of Mount Crumpit for ceremonial disposal, the Grinch discovers that the Whos are somehow celebrating Christmas without any consumer goods whatsoever. This revelation causes his heart to spontaneously triple in size, granting him superhuman strength and presumably creating an immediate medical emergency. Newly rehabilitated, the Grinch returns the stolen property, receives absolutely no legal consequences for dozens of felony burglaries, and is inexplicably invited to Christmas dinner, where the former domestic terrorist is given the ceremonial honor of carving the roast beast.

Roast beast? Check. Loveable curmudgeon? Yep. Bassiest bass voice that ever bassed? It’s grrreeaat! So make your own Santa suit, hop on your ramshackle sleigh, and climb down the chimney to this episode on "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"

Rose Suchak Ladder
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Lost Christmas Podcast
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IG: @alamocitysanta 

Etsy: North Pole General Store 

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PARENTAL WARNING: DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE WITH CHILDREN PRESENT!

What’s up, dudes? It’s one of the bleakest Christmas movies ever made—and Disney apparently decided dead parents, unemployment, bank robberies, and existential despair were exactly what kids needed for Christmas! Yes, it’s “One Magic Christmas!” I’ve got Santa Ambassador Matt Spaulding from North Pole Radio, and Jeremy Phelps the Alamo City Santa here to discuss it.

In this 1985 film, Ginny Grainger is a financially struggling mom who has completely lost her Christmas spirit. Her husband Jack is unemployed, the family has to move out of their company-owned house, and Ginny is working nights at the grocery store while her kids, Cal and Abbie, are still desperately trying to enjoy Christmas. Enter Gideon, a mysterious Christmas angel who apparently decides the best way to restore Ginny’s faith is through some good old-fashioned Yuletide psychological trauma. After Abbie mails a letter to Santa, a desperate bank robber shoots Jack during a robbery, kidnaps the kids, and drives them off a bridge. Merry Christmas from Walt Disney Pictures, everybody!

Luckily, Gideon gives Ginny the chance to travel to the North Pole, where she meets Santa Claus himself and retrieves Abbie’s letter. Ginny finally understands what Christmas—and her family—really mean to her, and some convenient Christmas magic rewinds the nightmare. Jack is alive, the kids are safe, Ginny embraces the season, and Santa even leaves Jack the bicycle he’d wanted when he was a kid.

Christmas angel orchestrating an elaborate supernatural intervention? Yup. Children plunging into an icy river? Got it. Harry Dean Stanton lurking around town with a harmonica like the Ghost of Christmas Existential Crisis? Absolutely! So mail your letter to Santa, hold your family close, and maybe keep Dad FAR away from the bank as we rediscover the Christmas spirit with “One Magic Christmas!”

Alamo City Santa
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Etsy: North Pole General Store 

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PARENTAL WARNING: DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE WITH CHILDREN PRESENT!

What’s up, dudes? It's July, and it's ridiculously hot, so we’re gonna have a watch-along party for the Rankin Bass classic “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town”. I’ve got CJ Bélanger from Rose Suchak Ladder, Jeff Loftin from Lost Christmas podcast, and Jeremy Phelps the Alamo City Santa with me to provide commentary and enjoy the ride!

The story chronicles the rise of Kris Kringle, an abandoned ginger baby who grows up with a family of toy-making elves and eventually decides to deliver their wares to the miserable children of Sombertown. Unfortunately, the town is ruled by Burgermeister Meisterburger, a goose-stepping fun-hater who declares toys illegal after suffering a workplace-related yo-yo injury. Along the way, Kris befriends future Mrs. Claus Jessica, teaches the icy Winter Warlock the restorative power of choo-choos, and recruits a small army of flying reindeer for his increasingly elaborate toy-smuggling operation. After being jailed for spreading unauthorized merriment, Kris escapes, grows a beard, changes his name to Santa Claus, and relocates his entire operation to the North Pole like some sort of Yuletide witness-protection program. Eventually, the Burgermeister dynasty dies out, everyone realizes banning toys was incredibly stupid, and Santa becomes an immortal international trespasser celebrated for breaking into millions of homes every December.

Icy Sauron? Check. Megalomaniacal tyrant? Yep. Late ‘60s acid trip hippie song? Only with psychedelic background effects! So grab your magic feed corn, hop on your flying reindeer, and climb down the chimney to this episode on "Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town!"

Rose Suchak Ladder
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Lost Christmas Podcast
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IG: @alamocitysanta 

Etsy: North Pole General Store 

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What's up, dudes? It's been a beast of a week. We lost two legends of their respective industries. Dolly Parton was one of the greatest people of our time. She was a musician, actress, and humanitarian. Her Christmas albums, all of which were accompanied by a tv special, have been staples of many a family's Christmas season. We've even covered some of her '80s Christmas endeavors on this show previously. 

Tim Curry was a genius in his own right. Had he not made it as an actor, he could've been a prolific musician as well. His role as Wadsworth has so much energy and wit! From Pennywise to Rooster to Darkness to the Concierge, he proved that the term "character actor" is not a bad thing.

Requiescat in pace. Amen.

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What's up, dudes? Remember standing in line for hours to get that one toy? Your parents probably did, especially after you sat down and circled all the toys you wanted in the Wishbook? Vinnie Brezinsky from Huey and Bax joins me to talk holiday shopping and wishbooks! Malls and shopping and commercials! Oh my! 

From Toys 'R' Us to Sears, from JC Penney to Kmart, we talk all about shopping and wishbooks. The Sears Wish Book began in 1933 as a special Christmas edition of the Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog, packed with toys, games, dolls, bicycles, clothing, and other gifts that quickly made it a beloved holiday tradition for American families. Over the decades, the catalog grew into a massive annual showcase—often hundreds of pages long—where generations of children eagerly circled, dog-eared, and dreamed about the presents they hoped Santa might bring. As department-store catalogs declined and shopping shifted online, Sears discontinued the traditional Wish Book in the 1990s, briefly revived it in print and digital forms in later years, and left behind an enduring piece of Christmas nostalgia.

Toys? Check. Clothes? Yeah, they're in there too. Christmas decorations? Of course! So grab your red marker and circle all the things you want in this episode on 1980s holiday shopping and wishbooks!  

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What’s up, dudes? It’s Christmas in July, and apparently Santa is getting a serious head start on his deliveries! The Rainbow Panthers are seeing red—and white—when the big guy himself drops by in Pink Panther and Sons “Insanity Claus!” Yes, Panky believes in Santa, even when everyone else thinks he’s completely crackers! I’ve got Jeff Loftin from Lost Christmas and Alamo City Santa Jeremy Phelps with me to talk all about it!

Pinky, Panky, and the Rainbow Panthers are having a slumber party when a mysterious stranger comes down the chimney. It’s Santa Claus! There’s just one little problem: it’s July! Santa claims he’s getting an early start on Christmas, but the Panthers aren’t buying it. Everyone assumes the jolly old elf is actually a burglar in disguise—everyone, that is, except Panky!

Determined to protect Santa, Panky tries to hide him from his suspicious friends. Unfortunately, the would-be Kris Kringle is eventually discovered and hauled off to jail! Panky insists they’ve arrested the real Santa Claus, and despite everyone thinking he’s been duped, the little panther refuses to give up. Sure enough, the gang eventually discovers that Panky was right all along. Santa really was getting a jump on Christmas!

Christmas in July? Check. Santa breaking and entering? Got it. Kris Kringle in the clink? Only until Panky proves that sometimes you’ve just gotta believe! So grab your sleeping bag, keep an eye on the chimney, and don’t call the cops on Santa as we go completely Christmas crazy with Pink Panther and Sons “Insanity Claus!”

Lost Christmas Podcast
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Alamo City Santa                                                    IG: @alamocitysanta 

Etsy: North Pole General Store

FB: @northpolegeneralstore                                                                                              IG: @northpole_generalstore

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What’s up, dudes? What are you people? On dope?! I’ve got Michael May from After Lunch, Crestwood House, and Hellbent for Letterbox, Scott Leopold from Holly Jolly X'masu, and Tim Williams from 80’s Flick Flashback are with me to talk the Christmas-adjacent movie “Fast Times at Ridgemont High!”

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) follows a group of Southern California teenagers as they stumble through a school year filled with first jobs, romance, sex, friendship, and the everyday humiliations of being young. At the center is Stacy Hamilton, a shy sophomore who begins exploring dating and relationships with encouragement from her more experienced friend Linda Barrett. Meanwhile, Stacy’s older brother Brad watches his seemingly perfect life unravel after losing his job and his girlfriend, while Stacy’s awkward friend Mark “Rat” Ratner tries to work up the nerve to pursue her. Their stories unfold against the backdrop of Ridgemont High and the local mall, capturing teenage life with a mix of raunchy comedy and surprising sincerity.

The film’s most memorable character, however, is perpetually stoned surfer Jeff Spicoli, whose laid-back attitude puts him in constant conflict with stern history teacher Mr. Hand. While Spicoli dreams of surfing and Van Halen, the other students gradually discover that adulthood is arriving faster than they expected—and it comes with consequences. By the end, relationships have shifted, friendships have been tested, and several characters have grown up at least a little. Directed by Amy Heckerling and written by Cameron Crowe, “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” became a defining teen comedy of the 1980s, balancing outrageous moments and endlessly quotable humor with a remarkably grounded look at the uncertainty, mistakes, and small victories of adolescence.

Forgotten wallet? Check. Santa who got peed on? Poor kid. Most paused movie scene ever? You know you did! So grab your surfboard, put on your pirate costume, and scalp some tickets to this episode!

80’s Flick Flashback
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Holly Jolly X'masu
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After Lunch

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