[Top image found here. Other images and captions found at Shorpy.]
Of Christmas Past
Category: Retro & Vintage
The Feast Of The Bean Kings
Fest des Bohnenkönigs (Feast of The Bean Kings)
Jakob Jordaens (ca. 1640-45)
The functionary with the above whimsical title played an important part in the festivities of Christmas in the olden time. His duties were to lead and direct the multifarious revels of the season, or, as we should say at the present day, to act as Master of the Ceremonies. The following account of him is given by Stow:
‘In the feast of Christmas, there was in the king’s house, wheresoever he lodged, a Lord of Misrule, or Master of Merry Disports, and the like had ye in the house of every nobleman of honour or good worship, were he spiritual or temporal. The Mayor of London, and either of the Sheriffs, had their several Lords of Misrule, ever contending, without quarrel or offence, who should make the rarest pastime to delight the beholders. These lords beginning their rule at Allhallond Eve, continued the same till the morrow after the Feast of the Purification, commonly called Candlemas Day, in which space there were fine and subtle disguising, masks and mummeries, with playing at cards for counters, nayles and points, in every house, more for pastimes than for game.’
If that description is correct, the Fest des Bohnenkönigs was a celebration that ran for three months every year starting at Halloween, and there’s probably a good reason why the Feast was banned… twice. Click on the link, then zoom, scroll and enjoy the debauchery.
Somewhat related was the British tradition of “The Bean Feast.”
[Top image and description found here.]
Completely Formed Plastic Easy To Build Ready To Paint Hot Links
Q: What’s the link between the USS Arizona Memorial and Elvis?
A: THIS.
It knows what you’re doing [via].
Nope. You can’t swim in molasses.
The Stanford University Marching Band horn section [story here].
To pundits and journalists: Please stop using the phrase, “It begs the question.” It doesn’t mean what you think it means.
I Googled “Hair Monster Food” and got this.
Warning for Parents: this is a potentially dangerous doll.
Gift Ideas Archive is an archive of Gift Ideas.
Saturday Matinee -Slidin’ in Montreal, John Popper with Eric Clapton, The Blues Brothers, John Lee Hooker & Aretha Franklin
Self explanatory slippery wreckage with an appropriate soundtrack. (Here’s another version with a Canuck/Reggae/Punk soundtrack.)
Is it too early for a Christmas jam? Nah.
Yeah, I didn’t recognize Eric Clapton, but you can’t miss John Popper, and I can’t keep the image of John Belushi out of my head while listening to him.
Sorry about that, but I’ll make up for it. Lookee here:
Mitica scena del film “The Blues Brothers” in cui Jake e Elwood entrano nel ghetto per andare a reclutare Matt Guitar Murphy e Blue Lou Marini. Eccezionali le performance di John Lee Hooker (è proprio lui che canta il suo stesso pezzo Boom Boom Boom) e di Aretha Franklyn, che interpreta la moglie di Matt.
Vi auguriamo un grande fine della settimana, la gente. Ci vediamo di nuovo qui domani per più divertente.
Another Great Gift Idea: Chinese Mickey Grits
[Found here.]
Saturday Matinee – Gravy Canes, The TeeTones, & Miscellaneous R&B
This kinda stuff makes me smile.
The TeeTones do it right, and I wanna be their bass man.
No idea who those guys are, but I wanna be their bass man.
These guys are great. I wanna be their bass man.
Have a great weekend, folks. See you back here tomorrow.
[P.S. Thanks to The TeeTones for following. You guys are awesome, and I wanna be your bass man.]
Wright Brothers’ Early Spacewalk Test (ca. 1915)
Using a pressurized helium-vapor suit, Orville and Wilbur Wright sought to solve future problems of space exploration, and their younger step brother “Nottle” volunteered to be the test pilot. Once afloat, the tethers snapped, and he sailed over the horizon. He landed in France and enlisted with the 43rd Balloon Company, serving as a practice target in WWI. Out of eleven volunteers, he was never shot down by the Boche once, and he survived the friendly fire, too.
Okay, maybe it wasn’t a spacewalk test, and maybe it had nothing at all to do with WWI, but maybe it did, depending on how you look at it.
[Original image found here.]
Partly Cloudy With A Chance Of Hot Links
11 Epic RickRolls. This one’s classic-al in case you missed it. Here are two more.
Andrew Loomis’ Fun With A Pencil [1939] was his first book, and my all-time favorite. Download it and give it to your favorite budding artist.
Pink Halibut is not a medical affliction.
Tardigrade plush animals [via].
How to read divinations signs from candle burning – the Hoodoo Method.
An image of a woman wearing hat and sunglasses with a plastic bee on her nose is available for purchase here.
The Divje Babe flute, estimated at 43,000 years old, is the oldest surviving wind instrument. It was played by Neanderthals.
The Geißenklösterle flute is pretty old, too.
[Top image of a drive-in restaurant movie theater found in here.]
Saturday Matinee – Crater Face, Postmodern Jukebox, Gunhild Carling & The Best Moth Joke You’ve Ever Heard
“Crater Face” is an animated short about two lonely moon pimples and a deranged astronaut (by Skyler Page).
Awesome RickRoll by Postmodern Jukebox on the RMS Queen Mary in 2016, featuring Gunhild Carling on vocals, trumpet, recorder, trombone & bagpipes. Really.
BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!
I knew a guy who could play two saxes at the same time (with rubber bands holding down a couple of keys) and I can believe that someone might be able play two trumpets simultaneously, but three? Had there not been a video I’d have never believed it.
The song is “El Manisero“ (aka “The Peanut Vendor) and it dates to 1930s Cuba. Stan Kenton’s version is my favorite because of all the discordant stuff that he worked into it.
Classic Norm MacDonald delivery.
Have a great holiday weekend, folks. Enjoy the leftovers while you can, and don’t EVEN try to retell that moth joke because you’ll fail miserably.
Boy’s Life Magazine November 1927 – Happy Thanksgiving!
Excerpt from L.K. Smith’s short story:
In the early years of this country’s formation, Thanksgiving was celebrated intermittently as a time of a bountiful harvest, an insurance policy against winter starvation, and thanks were given to God. It wasn’t until 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.
Have a great Holiday, and I hope that the children and grandchildren still fight over the wishbone. –Bunk
Tacky Raccoons 