Look Out Disney We Have Cookie Jars Christmas

Party and Holiday Disney Cookie Jars

Maybe you don't have royal blood running through your veins.  As kids we all hoped we were some lost child of a King, Prince, Duke or other royal noble.  Take the cottage tale Cinderella, a daughter of a noble family, brought low to the mere housemaid in her own home.  We all hoped the someone someday would whisk us away to a Royal Ball.  At that Ball, we were finally noticed for our sure grace and regalness.  Huge Royal Balls where everyone arrives in a glamorous coach with stately coachmen. Cinderella's Fairy Godmother changed a garden variety pumpkin into her coach that carried to the Ball and changed her life.  The Cinderella Coach cookie jar displays the elegant magical transformation of a mere squash to glorious coach meant for a Princess.

Get those glass slippers on and go!

Where is the Footman?

Where does the gilded coach go on the night of the royal ball?  We all the know to a castle.  As I have written before my wife and I have been drawn to a castle for over fifty years not Cinderella's Castle but Sleeping Beauty's Castle in the Disneyland park.  On the 45th anniversary, a special cookie jar was released.  It was of Sleeping Beauty's Castle.  Other than Mickey Mouse this was one of my first collected cookie jars.  

Center of our lives and the Magic Kingdom.

The view from Fantasyland.

Let's storm the castle walls and rescue a princess.

No matter what side you look at, it's still home of a Princess.

The Tinker Belle's view

Pumpkins riped to a bright orange in a household garden scream one thing, fall.  As the days grow shorter and leaves shed their life giving chlorophyll revealing flamboyant colors whose only function is to provide beauty to us.  The air chills to provides that proverbial "frost on the pumpkin."  Yes, fall whose days are brightened by leaves and a special first holiday of giving in our family, Halloween.  How can you not have a Disney Halloween cookie jar.  Disney characters dressing up and popping out all over.  Mickey in his Fantasia Wizard Mickey attire.  A Dalmatian dressed as a lion king, and our favorite pixie Tinker Bell riding a broom as a witch.  When the Moon is new, I told my kids that it was the hidden Cheshire Cat.

Grab a cookie if you dare!

From pixie to friendly witch, Tink can do it all.

Halloween. over the years, has become a large holiday but not as big as that later winter holiday Christmas.  However, Halloween characters wanted to have a larger involvement in Christmas.  That was especially true for Jack Skellington.  In Nightmare Before Christmas, Jack's heart felt desires to bring the World something other than scaring.  He involves all the other characters in Halloween Town to create a Halloween- Christmas hybrid.

Jack and Sally, Halloween love.

Zero and shinny nose so bright.

Put on a happy face Mr. Mayor, Jack's back!

To accomplish this holiday Jack enlists Lock, Stock, and Barrel to kidnap "Sandy Claws."  The three greatest trick or treaters go from Halloween Town to Christmas Town to bag the old boy in the bright red suit.  But instead of taking Santa Claus back to Jack,  they take him to the Boogie Man, Oogie Boogie, in a walking bathtub.

World's most famous trick or treaters.

Where have they hidden Santa? 

There is Sandy Claws, as he is called.

Then we come to "the most wonderful time of he year," Christmas.  Christmas and cookies are synonymous.  How can any Disney fan not have Disney cookies jars?  There are some fanastis things about Christmas,  The Christmas tree, the surprise gifts wrapped in colorful paper, decorations adorning a snow covered house are some of the most enjoyable things.  What is better than going out on an early December evening and shopping for that perfect tree.  The right height and shape with no major flaws. The smell will fill your home with the pine scent throughout the entire month.  Then it is wrapped in colorful lights and keepsake ornaments and topped with a star.  The Disney Christmas cookie jar tree is also a green tree. Only it is being decorated by our old pal Mickey Mouse and some famous Disney movie friends.

"Deck them Halls"

"Ring them Bells"

A struggle to keep the cat from the tree.

Maybe a flying elephant to pull the sleigh?

Mickey already has gifts under his tree.  Gifts are some of the best things of the Christmas holiday.  Sitting there under a tree with a name tag attached that says someone took the time to buy you something that they thought you wanted or needed. You are drawn as if by magnetism to that box.  You inspect it carefully.  You sneak over and pick it up.  Checking the weight and sometimes daring to give it a small shake to see if it rattles.  The Disney cookie jar that depicts a wrapped present is full of surprises.

It's all under wraps, the best place to hide the cookies.

How do those ears fit with all the cookies?

I think that's Mickey?

Yeah there he is!

Get out the ladder and that ball of lights that spent the entire last year entwining itself into a Gordian Knot, and climb up and hang the lights on the house.  Our family loves to display an outdoor illumination spectacular.  Also we love to climb in the car grab a Starbucks coffee or hot chocolate and cruise the streets of town at night enjoy the displays of other celebrants.  Mickey's house also needs decorating.  

"Karen in the Gifts"

Late for the party, hurry up Goofy.

"Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?"

Why does he think the chimney will get him in?

Christmas is tradition around the world and in our home.  When a couple gets married, they register for all manner of gift suggestions.  China pattern are often included.  My wife, whose birthday is close to Christmas chose the Lennox pattern Holly.  Over the years we have added to this collection.  Disney also has Disney characters in Christmas images on Lennox china.  Of course there is a Disney Lennox cookie jar.  

A elegant Disney cookie jar.

A Christmas Message.

Great filled with Fattigmann Bakkels!

This is the last of my cookie jars.  It has been a pleasure to share them with you.  The Disney cookie jars post continue to get hits every week.  This why they remain at the top of the popular posts selections.  If you are curious about these cookie jars please check these previous links.

http://midasgoldstouch.blogspot.com/2012/05/look-out-disney-we-have-cookie-jars.html

http://midasgoldstouch.blogspot.com/2012/05/look-out-disney-we-have-cookie-jars-two.html

To all of you from all of us Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Peace to the World.

Time Machine Travelogue Eleven

A Theme Parks First Christmas

The Warmth of Christmas and Family

There are many technical  advancements in any piece of new machinery. If you build a time machine, you'll understand that. One of the most obvious problems is the arriving in an area undetected. Some inter dimensional and  trans time devices have used phone booths like Dr. Who. However phone booths are an ancient relic. Poor Superman must be unafraid to change in alleys.  In the world we currently live there has been a serious increase in surveillance cameras. In the past however there were far fewer. But still you cannot just appear with a machine in a middle of crowd. Even the glowing doorway that you step through would attract more attention than you would like.  However, with planning we should be able to return to a destination I told you about in the Time Machine Travelogue Seven post on March 30, 2012.  We are dropping you near the fireplace in the main lobby.  Be careful of the Christmas tree.

"Oh, Christmas tree, Oh Christmas Tree"

Makes me homesick

In 2001, California Adventure was celebrating it's first Christmas, we were celebrating with them. We had the sponsor, my mother, with us on that trip. We went first class.  With all the necessary planning, we were able to take my seven year old twins on a trip to Disneyland and a magical visit from Santa Claus.   We arranged a stay on the concierge level of the Grand Californian Hotel.  When you stay at the concierge level,  they put you in a room on the sixth floor.  The sponsor got a suite for herself  this would allow extra room for a Christmas Morning celebration.  She and my daughter mostly stayed in that room except Christmas Eve Night. The rest of us stayed in an adjoining room.  In the suite,  the hotel placed a decorated artificial Christmas tree.   The tree was about four foot tall and sat on a table in the suite. It was very nicely decorated with Disney character ornaments. Two of the ornaments  were mercury glass Radko's of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse dressed in Victorian attire.  My Mom loved Christmas. I once saw her hang tinsel a single strand at a time on a seven foot Christmas tree because she wanted that draped flowing effect. My wife also is a Christmas fanatic. Her birthday is just a few days before Christmas so she has to wait all year to celebrate something. They both looked at hotel decorated tree and said in unison,"It is not enough."  followed by, "We need more ornaments." Luckily, the Grand  Californian Hotel has a shop,the Acorn. They had many distinctive ornaments shaped like glittery leaves and pine cones.   You add our newly purchased ornaments to the ornaments from Disneyland and the tree was incredible.  The tree and the original ornaments were ours to keep. To maintain the kind of Christmas that we all were use to, we had to pack all the gifts into our limited luggage space.  We, however, had too may toys.  This required that some of the toys be shipped to the hotel in advance and be stored by the concierge personnel.  

Where's the legendary San Fransisco fog?

If only we coud decorate the real Golden Gate Bridge for Christmas!

However, we had two theme parks to play at while we were waiting for Santa Claus.  Both parks were fully decorated.  I have been accustomed seeing the high level of Christmas decorations at Disneyland over the years.  I could never be immune to the touches that the Disney Staff magically put on seemingly overnight.  Every Christmas seems more glorious than the last.

California Adventure was also decorated festively. The Monorail traveled on its trip from the Disneyland Hotel to Tomorrowland via a replica of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Therefore, as you entered from the Esplanade into California Adventure, you had to cross the bridge.  It was a charming Christmas display that was as beautiful during the night as it was in the day.  As with Disneyland every thing has a little touch of Christmas. The Hollywood area lampposts were festooned much like the streets I remember in the 1950's.  

"Silver Bells, Silver Bells, it's Christmas time in Disney"

Southern California Christmas, palm trees and candy canes.

Christmas adds to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

Clark Griswald would've done a little more.

In an effort to create a look of sights of California,  Disney built an iconic area that resembled San Fransisco.  If you really went to Alamo Square Park in San Fransisco, you will see the famous Painted Ladies, a row of brightly colored Victorian houses.  Also, in the City all that is left of the 1915 Pan Pacific International Exposition is the Palace of Fine Arts.  This is a historical landmark.  The idea of painted Victorian row houses and The Palace of Fine Arts were incorporated in the original California Adventure.  Having once lived in SF, I was pleased to see the area all decorated for Christmas.

Lipstick on the San Fransisco Painted Ladies

"When the lights go down in the City"

We wanted my mother to see and share the new theme park of California Adventure.  You may have noticed we affectionately called her the sponsor.  This was not because she paid for everything but because she oversaw the Disney education of first me and then the twins.  She organized, arranged, made all the calls, and investigated what to see and how best to see it.  I caught this sponsor bug from her and when she passed the honor is all mine.  However, on this time trip, she was still the one to school the twins on the joys of Disneyland at Christmas time.

Enter a World of Christmas Magic

Disneyland is always decorated for Christmas.  Over the years, the sponsor made sure when we were young that we made a trip to Disneyland at Christmas.  Years passed and our distance from Southern California increased, but tradition of visiting at Christmas remained strong.  My Mom lived for the looks in the twins eyes as they experienced new things.  Maybe she also did that with my brother and I, but when you are a kid you don't notice it. The twins  were Disney veterans by then.  But in 2001, they were seven.  This made for so many memories.  Sleeping Beauty's Castle was decked out.  This has become intense over the years but it was simpler then.

Holiday flowers abound

A sea of Christmas red

Christmas time is poinsettia time

On Main Street in the Town Square they always have a large community Christmas Tree.  It is a good spot for a family photo.  Disney cast members are there to take photos that you can purchase from them, however, they will take a photo using your camera.  These are probably the only photos I'm in.  

Ia there a gift for you under this Christmas tree?

Our gift under this tree was spending time with family at Disneyland

While you are waiting on Main Street, there is something special to wait for.  No not only the hot coffee and hot chocolate in the a collectors cup which i highly recommend.  The  Disneyland Christmas Parade.  I'm sure that everybody has seen the parade on television on the Disney Christmas Special broadcast Christmas morning.  The parade at night is a treat.  Colorful floats with Disney characters, magical gingerbread men, snowmen, and of course Santa Claus.  

My little princess love the Disney Princesses

Grab that souvenir cup of hot chocolate, this cookie looks dunkable

Snowmen in Anaheim?

A very cozy Mickey and Minnie

"Santa Claus is coming to town."

On our time trip we shared with three generations the Happiest Merriest Place on Earth.  On December 24th, we put the twins to bed and waited for Santa to arrive.  He not only knows when you are sleeping.  He knows where you are sleeping.  This was a magical Christmas.  Thank you for time traveling with us and sharing a very special Christmas.  When we return you to your own time, you too can make these kinds of memories with your family members.  Just book a trip to a Disney Park.  We at Time Machine Travelogue hope that you will.  Prepare for reinsertion to your own time and rejoin us soon.