Yule Logs

December 11, 2013 9:51 AM

Yule Log. Yule Log on TV. Yule Log '83. Yule Log on YouTube. Yule Log with Music. Yule Log on Netflix. Yule Logs for Designers. Yule Log with Bacon. Previously, previouslier, previousliest.
posted by Sokka shot first (19 comments total)

Winner.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 9:54 AM on December 11, 2013

The fact that they offer the Yule Log on Netflix makes me ridiculously happy...even though I have a crackling wood stove in the same room.
posted by Kitteh at 9:56 AM on December 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

Every time I think of yule logs now I think of the scene from Raising Hope:

“...a pine log, which is the worst kind of log. Best kind of log? Yule log. Best yule? Yul Brynner. Best Brenner? David Brenner. Best David...now that's where it starts to get complicated.”
posted by phunniemee at 9:59 AM on December 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

It's big,
It's heavy,
It's wood!
posted by T.D. Strange at 10:10 AM on December 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

Those two big, bulbous eyes...surrounded by flame, yet coldly staring out at me...unblinking...uncaring...
posted by Thorzdad at 10:16 AM on December 11, 2013

I'm really hoping that Tribune would either re-air or upload It's a Logs Life to YouTube.
posted by dr_dank at 10:24 AM on December 11, 2013

The Yule Log was created in 1966 by Fred M. Thrower, President and CEO of WPIX, Inc. Inspired by an animated Coca-Cola commercial a year earlier that showed Santa Claus at a fireplace, he envisioned this television program as a televised Christmas gift to those residents of New York who lived in apartments and homes without fireplaces. This also provided time for employees of the television station to stay home with their families, instead of working for the usual morning news program.

Imagine that. A CEO that actually gave a crap about the employees.
posted by octothorpe at 10:25 AM on December 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

We have a fireplace.

Last year for Christmas, we had Metafire.
posted by louche mustachio at 10:34 AM on December 11, 2013 [2 favorites]

Festive Special!
posted by maudlin at 10:34 AM on December 11, 2013

I have a cat in my lap who thought the Festive Special was very festive indeed.

"Lookit those chickens, roasting and roasting!"

"PURR! PURR! PURR!"
posted by louche mustachio at 10:38 AM on December 11, 2013

Imagine that. A CEO that actually gave a crap about the employees.

1966.
The business schools have since made sure that sort of unprofitable attitude has been weeded out.
posted by Thorzdad at 10:39 AM on December 11, 2013 [2 favorites]

Yule laugh.
Yule cry.
posted by trunk muffins at 10:50 AM on December 11, 2013 [2 favorites]

I'm only slightly embarassed to admit that I have watched this on channel twenty in SF and felt triumphant when I finally saw them put another chunk of wood on the fire.
posted by vapidave at 11:10 AM on December 11, 2013 [3 favorites]

Yul log

1949 Port of New York
1956 The King and I
Anastasia
The Ten Commandments
1958 The Brothers Karamazov
The Buccaneer
1959 The Journey
The Sound and the Fury
Solomon and Sheba
(etc.)
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 11:59 AM on December 11, 2013 [2 favorites]

The 1983 one was great, so retro! Christmas is kind of timeless, as are yule logs, but those idents! Yowza! For gigs, I pulled an earlier date at random and woot, 1979 yule commercial!. Somebody apparently really loved WPIX.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 12:08 PM on December 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

It's better than bad.... it's good!
posted by St. Peepsburg at 12:08 PM on December 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

Yule never regret this!
posted by slogger at 1:03 PM on December 11, 2013

So I really loved WPIX (Saturday Afternoon Movie!), and especially Phil Rizzuto. So I googled "Phil Rizzuto Yule Log". The result is the History of WPIX, including... well, you know.
posted by joecacti at 1:18 PM on December 11, 2013 [1 favorite]

No mention of the Pixel Fireplace?
posted by ropeladder at 1:43 PM on December 11, 2013