Here are some special Fun Facts for this wonderful time of year...

It’s a Wonderful Life Quotes:

"Each man’s life touches so many other lives, and when he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole" Clarence about the world without George in it.

"Attaboy Clarence" George congratulating Clarence on his promotion

"Why don’t you just kiss her instead of talking her to death" Grumpy old man played by Dick Elliott to Mary + George from his porch.

"Look daddy. My teacher says every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings" Daughter Zuzu

"A toast to my big brother, George, the richest man in town" Harry Bailey’s salute to his brother George

"What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You…you want the moon? Just say the word and I’ll throw a lasso aroundit and pull it down. Hey! That’s a pretty good idea! I’ll buy you the moon, Mary…then you can swallow it, and I’ll all dissolve see, and the moonbeams would shoot out of your fingers and your toes and your hair…am I talking too much? George to Mary

"You sit around here and you spin your little webs and you think the whole world revolves around you and your money. Well, it doesn’t, Mr. Potter…I’d say you are nothing but a scurvy little spider" George to Mr. Potter

"Dear Father, I’m not a praying man, but if you are up there and you can hear me, show me the way. I’m at the end of my rope. Show me the way, oh God" George

It’s A Wonderful Life Relic Rack Christmas Fun Facts…

Did you know?

…Donna Reed, who became Mrs. George Bailey in the movie, grew up as Mary Hatch?

…Alfalfa Switzer, who starred in the Little Rascals "Our Gang" series, was the young man who wanted to dance with Mary Hatch in "It’s a Wonderful Life"?

…Ward Bond, of Wagon Train" fame played Bert the cop in "It’s a Wonderful Life"?

…George’s brother "Uncle Billy" played by Thomas Mitchell was chronically absent-minded which explains the string reminders on his fingers?

…Sam Wainwright, played by Frank Albertson was a lifelong friend of George’s in "It’s a Wonderful Life" was commonly known by his nickname "Hee Haw?

…Uncle Billy had a pet Raven called "Jimmy" who appeared in many Frank Capra films.

…The rumblings of voices heard in the opening of "It’s a Wonderful Life" are people praying that George Bailey gets help?

…Clarence, who is just an angel second class at 292 years of age, wants to earn "his wings"

…The 2 girls in the Mr. Gower’s drug store are Mary Hatch and Violet Bick? Oh Violet orders 2 cents worth of licorice candy shoelaces?

…In the same scene Mary whispers in George’s bad ear" George Bailey, I’ll love you till the day I die.

…On his way home with his gift from Mr. Gower, George runs into Bert the cop and Ernie the cab driver and Violet? It’s a noteworthy scene as Jim Henson decided on Bert and Ernie for his Sesame Street characters after watching this movie. Oh, later Ernie appeared as Dobie Gillis’ father on TV.

…The song playing at the high school dance when Mary & George start doing the Charleston is "Buffalo Gals" which inspired Bobby Darin to revive with new lyrics on his 1959 hit "Plain Jane"? The lyrics "Plain Jane won’t you come out tonight, come out tonight and dance with me"

…It’s hard to believe that the movable dance floor with the swimming pool below in "It’s a Wonderful Life" actually existed in 1946 at Beverly Hills High School in Los Angeles, CA?

…When George attempts a kiss on their walk home, Mary pulls away which wreaks havoc as Mary loses her robe leaving her "apparently" wearing only unmentionables and high heels. How in the world did her heels survive the famous swimming pool scene?

…Mary’s mother obviously thinks Sam (on the phone) is the guy for his daughter? However, Frank Capra makes it clear that Sam has other thoughts as the camera show Sam in his office with a woman playfully teasing him.

…Mary devised a "Rube Goldberg" and phonograph that plays as the barbecue spit with two chickens rotates?

…When the Baileys are moving the Martinis (and their 2 puppies and goat) from their rented house to their new home in Bailey Park "O Sole Mio" is playing? We’ll probably never know if this scene inspired Elvis’ hit "It’s Now or Never" which was crafted from the Italian classic"O Sole Mio"?

…In "It’s a Wonderful Life" when George returns to Mary after he turns down Potter, she informs him she is "on the nest", i.e. expecting, which was the expression used as you could not use the word pregnant in movies? Huh!

… Potter was never charged or convicted for taking the money from Uncle Billy, which was quite unusual in 1940’s movies?

…Even though the main drag in Bedford Falls is referred to as Main Street, a real close look reveals a signpost saying "Genesee Street"?

…In the final "It’s a Wonderful Life" reunion scene the sheriff rips up the warrant for George’s arrest and begins to sing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"

More Relic Rack Christmas Fun Facts…

American mistletoe is NOT a deadly poison, although the berries do have negative effects on some people. Further, mistletoe doesn’t as believed thrive in frigid climates. Better suited for warm climates.

O Holy Night was frowned upon in the 19^th century when French composer Adolphe Charles Adam wrote it because the church considered its lyrics absent of the total spirit of religion.

Mary’s Boy Child, as sung by Harry Belafonte, was written by his friend Jester Hairston who later played Rolly on TV’s Amen series.

Silent Night was adapted on Christmas Eve in 1818 for a tenor, a bass and 2 guitars by church organist Franz Gruber when his organ failed. Both Gruber and co writer Father Joseph Mohr died without ever knowing their beloved piece became a classic.

The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole celebrated both the indoor and outdoor joys of the Christmas season when it premiered just months after WWII ended.

Rocking Around The Christmas Tree by 14-year-old Brenda Lee first appeared in 1958.

"Rudolph" songwriter Johnny Marks crafted a classic line "new old fashion way" in the lyrics.

Happy Birthday Jesus by Patti Page carries a social message reminding Christians about the over commercialization of Christmas. Its author Lee Pockriss ironically is the creator of the novelty hit "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini"

I’ll be Home for Christmas was written in 1943 about GI desires to be home in America at Christmas. 22 years later, Bing Crosby’s version was requested by astronauts James Lovell and Frank Borman as they were hurdling back to earth after 206 space orbits.

(All I want for Christmas is) My Two Front Teeth was first heard on the Perry Como Chesterfield TV show as sung by the Satisfiers. This led to the 1948 version by Spike Jones and the City Slickers that’s still heard every Christmas.

(I’m getting) Nuttin for Christmas was introduced to us on the Milton Berle Texaco TV show by 5 year old Barry Gordon. It was the behavior of writer Roy Bennett’s daughter Claire that inspired the tune.

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer which was originally created by adman Robert May for Montgomery Ward in 1939 became a craze that spread world wide when the singing Cowboy Gene Autry performed it in front of a packed Madison Square Garden audience in New York City in 1949.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town was rejected several times by publishers. Eventually Ida Cantor, wife of radio performed Eddie Cantor convinced him to include it in a Thanksgiving broadcast in 1934. It caught on instantly.

Jingle Bells was written for a Thanksgiving Day program to "entertain" 40 youngsters during a church service in 1857. Although technically it is not a Christmas song it will forever be associated with the holiday. And, exactly 100 years later in 1957, it evolved into Jingle Bell Rock for the baby boomer generation.

White Christmas was written for the movie Holiday Inn in 1942 by Irving Berlin who never celebrated Christmas

The first known depiction of the Nativity was found in the catacombs of Rome around 308 AD. The first crèche display is attributed to St. Francis the Italian monk who made saintliness and poverty synonymous.

Yuletide greetings in America sprouted in the 1870’s when lithographer Louis Prang began providing them throughout Boston.

Wrapping gifts is a fairly new phenomenon in America. It started in the early 1900’s when people began to "buy" rather than "make" Christmas gifts.

Christmas became a legal holiday in America in 1890. Prior to that it was formally celebrated in a handful of states with Alabama being the first to legalize the holiday in 1836.

In the Christmas movie "Home Alone"…

• When Kevin’s mom is frantically trying to get home from Paris you can see an Eastern DC-9 at the Paris airport, which is impossible, as Eastern never had service from Paris, and even if they did DC-9 planes were designed only for domestic use.
• Finally, Kate departs on an American Airlines 767 and arrives on an American 757. Did she change planes over the Atlantic Ocean?
• Harry Lime, the criminal burns his left hand on the red-hot doorknob only to plunge his burned right hand in the snow?
• When Kevin’s mom asks her son what he bought at the store he says fabric softener. An earlier scene has Kevin buying Tide?
• Finally, after all the turmoil and destruction while fighting with the criminals, the McCallisters return the house is immaculate –I mean repaired fixtures, walls etc.?

A thought to ponder this Christmas…

A class of students recently responded as you would expect when they were asked to name the 7 Wonders of The World - Egypt’s Great Pyramids, Grand Canyon, St Peters’ Basillica, etc. However one student seemed to be having trouble with her list.

The teacher said, "Tell us what you have and maybe we can help" See hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:

1. To see
2. To Hear
3. To Touch
4. To taste
5. To Feel
6. To Laugh
7. And to love

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The things we overlook as simple and ordinary and that we take for granted are wondrous!

A gentle reminder ---that the most precious things in life cannot be built by hand or bought by man.

A gift from Jacqueline Lorenzo

Our Christmas Wish

Real peace and safety for all the world’s citizens.