Christmas

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Merry Christmas, Ya'll. Gawd, it was so cold this morning, I had to get up at 3:00a.m. to light the oven and burners. So, while I was at it, I propted the chairs around the stove, and draped my last batch of wash to dry.

Started cooking at five. The urstas are really good and salty. I sent Joe to Binder's at six, when they opened, for the jelly donuts and french bread. The roosters in the backyard cocked, and Holy Trinity's bells rang as he walked out the door. It is gonna be a good day.

I've been having the flu and a toothache. Thank Gawd I still have some paragoric left from the last time I went to Dr. Dileo, because I'd be up the creek trying to find some today. Gawd is good.
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Anyone Remember Christmas Bells at D.H. Holmes?

They used to play recorded bells outside the store and the front of the building had rows and rows of huge bells swinging to the music.
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yes I remember them! It kinda got lost in another memory I had though. My brother worked there for a while doing store decorations until one evening he was working and he went to go move a ladder and it bumped up against a sprinkler setting them all off. He said he stood there for a minute watching everything getting soaked and then quietly went home and never went back. They were just as much a prt of Christmas as Mason Blance's Mr Bingle. And ok I know this isn't a Christmas memory but I remember a blind man sitting on Canal st. with his German Shephard shaking his tin cup. It seemed that any Saturday I went downtown he was there. I would have talked to him but I was really scared of his dog.
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He sat on the downtown Canal St. sidewalk.

Do you remember the Mr. Bingle TV program? It came on for 15 mins before the
news on weekdays M-F during the Christmas season. His regular buddy was 'Pete
Penquin'.
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I remember the tune of 'Jingle, jangle, jingle, here comes Mr. Bingle'. I wonder how the idea for the character originated - the initials MB, of course, stand for Maison Blanche as well as Mr. Bingle!
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I graduated in 70, so when I watched the Mr. Bingle show in the late 50's That is how I found My Roy Rogers play set and the rest of my toys. After I had everything picked out I would go to MB and tell the REAL Santa what I wanted
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Quote from
'Ask Audrey' on the
Southern Yat Hysterical Society' href='http://www.southernyatclub.com/dear_awdry.html'>http://www.southernyatclub.com/dear_awdry.html


Dear Awdry:

My wife is native New Orleans, in the Army and feeling like a lost child in the state of Texas... The only thing that will make her feel at home is the Christmas Mr. Bingle... I can't find him anywhere. I must find Mr. Bingle for her or else she will be very hard to live with in this 'Yankee' state. Can you please help me. I truly have looked everywhere.

Dear Chuck and Sandy:

Dillard's Department Stores has taken over all of the Maison Blanche department stores. The giant Mr. Bingle from the Canal Street store will be out front at the Dillard's store at Lakeside Shopping Center, and on Saturday's, a real - life Mr. Bingle will be at the Dillard's Stores giving away mints so you'll have nice breath to visit Santa.

The cuddly Mr. Bingle dolls will be available soon (the first or two in November) at all New Orleans Dillard's stores.

Mr. Bingle has been the Christmas mascot for Maison Blanche since 1948. He was the idea of M. B. advertising director, Lewis 'Doonie' Schwarz, Jr., and brought to life by artist Emile F. Alline, Sr.

Note: The Canal St. site of Maison Blanche is being converted into a Ritz Carlton Hotel with a one floor mall called, 'Maison Blanche Gallery of Shops'.

Awdry

Bingle
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The Centanni Home Christmas Decorations




Think I'll ride out to Canal St. and see Centanni's Christmas decorations. Anybody want to come along? Is that Santa Claus riding an elephant? Oh, look, there's the elves workshop! What do you guys remember? While you're thinking, I'll go over here and buy some taffy from the Roman Candy man.
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It was quite a display, wasn't it? I can remember that taking a ride around various neighborhoods to 'see the lights' during the Christmas season was a must. Then later there was Copeland's extravaganza...
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Some of Centanni's decorationswere on display at Celebration in the Oaks a couple of years ago. Not sure whether they still are.
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I see a For Sale sign on the old house...