I am so happy to participate in Sprite Write’s Virtual Advent Tour again! This is my third year of joining with Sprite to spread some Advent Cheer as we count down the days to Christmas! Thank you, Sprite for including me again this year!
Today, I want to share with you a bit of a childhood memory – Firestone Christmas Albums.
In the 60’s and 70’s the Firestone Tire store sold the most amazing Christmas albums (for the whopping price of $1.00) and I remember sitting in the car while my mom ran into the Firestone store on Pine Avenue in Holland to get the latest album.
The albums had the best music sung by varied artists – these albums were my first taste at hearing the Vienna Boys Choir and the Columbus Boychoir, and opera singers like Roberta Peters, Risë Stevens, Leontyne Price… and Mary Poppins…err Julie Andrews, Gordon MacRae, The New Christy Minstrals, and Harry Belafonte!
I can remember getting home from school and loading a stack of records onto the stereo (which was the most behemoth piece of furniture!) and singing along with them – for hours on end! Which was made easier as all the lyrics were printed on the back of each album.
I can remember my sister getting so angry with me and threatening me with great bodily harm if I sung one more word! Ahhh, yes… the best of times! Haha!
I knew that I could find some of the albums on YouTube but imagine my delight when I discovered a Firestone Christmas Album playlist on Spotify!! Friday night Happy Hour was a bit happier thanks to this playlist!
The joy of childhood memories – maybe not such simple times but made sweeter thanks to music.
What about you? Do you have Christmas Music Memories? Please share them, I’d love to hear about them!
I remember those Christmas albums as well. They were the best! Thanks for the memories…and it’s great to know that Spotify has a playlist. I’ll be listening tonight!!
Yes, we had those albums, plus a zillion other Christmas albums. My mom loved Perry Como and Andy Williams and Bing Crosby. And my dad liked Ella and a few others compilations albums. It was Christmas music all the time in our house.
Oh my God this is one of my most favorite and happy Christmastime memories! And also how I was introduced to so many performers and orchestras that I would enjoy beyond this time of year. Every single year, I think fondly of those records, and wish I still had one or two. We played them so much, they seriously just wore out.
I’m also glad that someone else had this experience – I haven’t come across anyone else until now …
What a cool thing! I don’t really listen to a ton of Christmas music (for obvious reasons) but tend to enjoy the old classics the most — things like Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, etc.
Oh, I remember those albums, they were great! I recently found a favorite album from my childhood on youtube, Fred Waring & the Pennsylvanians Sounds of Christmas. Of course I love Bing Crosby, Perry Como, & Andy Williams. Enjoy!
I love that feeling when you get to relive and enjoy sweet memories! We didn’t have Firestone Christmas albums, but I wish we had. Something about a tire store selling great Christmas music makes me smile. My musical memories are mainly about taking the train to Philadelphia to go to Wanamaker’s for their Christmas pipe organ concert. My father loved it.
Oh, what a great memory!! Cool that you found that playlist!
I’ve never heard of those albums. That surprises me since my dad really loved his albums and my Uncle Bobby owned a Firestone store. LOL
How nice that you can find them on Spotify.
A lovely soundtrack to read my Christmas-set book to. Thank you!
We had those albums, too. Christmas music was constantly playing in my house when I was a kid and now as an adult it’s something I still embrace.
Nice memories! It must have been so special to get excited to get the latest album and wait for them to come into the store. I remember my parents had a collection of CDs that we would play a lot and I was looking for it on Spotify one day but couldn’t find it. I would love to own the collection one day or find it online. Whenever I hear songs on the radio from the CD it takes me back to time spent at my childhood home with my family, anticipating Christmas coming, which is my favourite memory of Christmas. Thank you for sharing!
We had a HUGE stack of Christmas albums, but I don’t recall Firestone among them. I’ll have to ask my mom! I do recall putting that stack on the stereo and singing along – Bing Crosby and Johnny Mathis were special favorites (still are!)
I, too, remember when my parents would run in to buy the newest Firestone Christmas album! I still have a few a them in my collection (and my sister has the rest). Just LOVED them! XO
We had them! No memories of actually getting them but they were there! Fun stuff Kat!
Nowadays, my faves are on CD as well as playlists on iTunes, etc. My memories of Christmas music always includes my parents’ listening to opera and drinking egg nog on Christmas Eve…
my sister and I were supposedly sleep…
Cheers~
I remember a few Christmas albums and we too had a behemoth of stereo system!