Christmas

Gone are the days when you had to wait for Christmas movies and specials like A Charlie Brown Christmas or A Christmas Carol to get scheduled for a one-and-done airing by the big three networks.  Today, outlets like the Hallmark Channel and streaming services like Netflix combined have more content than you can watch in an entire year.  Does the proliferation of this content make it less special?  Who are the major players?  What are the new classics?  Pop Life host Joe Lee is joined by Syracuse University Newhouse professor and popular TV expert, Bob Thompson, to discuss this and more.  

Whatever it may be, most of us have a holiday classic or two we count on every year to get us in the holiday spirit.  Joe Lee and Bob Thompson from  Pop Life  are no exception. This week they sit down to discuss holiday favorites such as Rudolph and A Charlie Brown Christmas, that are being considered differently in today's culture. 

They'll also share their favorite rendition of the holiday classic, A Christmas Carol.

There are so many memorable melodies that encompass the holiday music catalog.  In this edition of Jazz Journeys, we take a closer look at the origins of The Christmas Song and the artist who made it famous.

Preparations are well underway at the OnCenter for the Salvation Army’s Christmas Bureau distribution on Monday.   Friday, a forklift operator unloaded a Wegmans truck filled with 19-thousand pounds of non-perishable goods including canned vegetables and fruit, juice, sauces, coffee, cocoa,  and tea.  That includes 27-hundred bags of potatoes, which Salvation Army Marketing Manager Greg Meitus says wasn’t expected.  

On this holiday edition of Jazz Journeys, I dip into our bag of jazz goodies and introduce you to 5 Christmas songs that you might not be all that familiar with plus one extra bonus surprise at the end.  Take a listen and best wishes for the holiday season and New Year ahead.

The holiday shopping season is now in full swing, but while it’s true a snowy winter wonderland can get consumers in the Christmas shopping spirit, New York State Retail Council Vice President Ted Potrikus cautions that the chilly weather can result in some frustrating situations for retailers: 

With Christmas now just a week away, procrastinating consumers are simply running out of time - and even the most treacherous weather around New York State isn’t stopping that final Christmas rush.