You know Dasher and Dancer, and you definitely know Rudolph. Everyone’s favorite red-nosed reindeer was first born as a 1939 short story, but he truly shot to fame when his tale was adapted into a song by Gene Autry in 1949. Rivaling even the song’s fame is the Rankin/Bass stop-motion special that airs like clockwork every year around Christmas. Generations have now grown up with Rudolph, so it may be surprising to learn that his journey to the small screen started as a General Electric promotion. The company had a running television special on NBC called the “GE Fantasy Hour,” which they used to market their products directly to viewers. The better the story they told, the more viewers they got — and the more toasters they could sell. The script introduced crucial new characters like Hermey the elf, Yukon Cornelius the prospector, and of course, Bumble the abominable snowman. GE hired innovative Japanese animators to create the film using stop-motion techniques that were highly advanced for the time. GE invested the modern equivalent of $4.5 million into the production of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and the special first aired in 1964. Those who are familiar with the film know that it ends with Rudolph enlisting Santa to save the Misfit Toys from earlier in the movie — but it didn’t originally. The version that aired in 1964 concludes with Rudolph leading Santa’s sleigh but forgetting all about his homeless friends. The backlash was swift, and viewers wrote in to express displeasure at the heartless resolution. GE decided the special had to be corrected and played again with the proper ending in 1965. And so, a tradition of annual airings was born. Today, “Rudolph” is the longest-running Christmas special in history, and our favorite misfit deer shows no signs of slowing down after 57 years. The movie has transformed into a marketing bonanza, with new Christmas decorations, figurines, and toys being produced each year. Behind the Evergreen Christmas Special Rudolph, You’ll Go Down in History
CONQUER SALT STAINS How We Can Help You Defeat Michigan’s Salty Sidewalks
‘Tis the season for eggnog, roasted chestnuts, and sugar plum fairies. But if you’re a lifelong Michigander, you also know it’s salt season! Sidewalks and roadways are covered in this handy ice- melting tool, but that also means our vehicles, coats, and pants become caked in it, too. If you notice a friend, coworker, or relative with that tell-tale salt stain ring on the bottom of their pants, be sure to tell them about Janet Davis Cleaners. As fifth-generation dry cleaners in Michigan, we know a thing or two about removing these pesky stains — and we can do so while protecting the integrity of pants. The trick to removing salt stains from clothes is to use compounds that are strong enough to lift the stain but gentle enough to protect the integrity of the fabric. Home remedies usually involve water, which is why they are so detrimental for clothes. At Janet Davis Cleaners, we use powerful solutions that don’t rely on the harmful aspects of water. Instead, we cater each “wash” cycle for your clothes to the specific fabric and stain needs of the garment. This allows for the “gentle-yet-tough” method we mention above.
And here’s how you can prevent salt stains!
Salt is a corrosive substance that, when left to do so, can eat away at fabrics and the colors of your clothes. This is what makes salt so powerful against ice. However, you can prevent salt stains in a few steps! 1. Wear boots ! Wear boots and tuck your jeans into said boots. If you want to wear different shoes, simply pack those shoes in your bag and leave your boots by your jacket in a public closet or near the coat rack. 2. Have your clothes properly hemmed . You may not be able to completely avoid salt stains, but you can limit how much salt gets on your pants by wearing clothes that fit right. Seek help from a tailor or seamstress to shorten pants that may drag in the winter! 3. Wear snow pants . Wearing a pair of snow pants over your regular pants as you walk to your destination is great for those traveling long distances. Come the end of winter, only your snow pants will need a thorough dry cleaning. Friends don’t let friends walk around with salt rings on their pants. If you see someone with the infamous Michigan winter salt stain, tell them about Janet Davis Cleaners!
Though it’s somewhat shocking to our modern sensibilities to see Santa bullying his reindeer employees and their children,
fond childhood memories mean that parents continue to pass the special down to their kids. Even as we recognize its flaws, the dazzling animation and famous songs continue to bring joy and Christmas spirit to households around the country. Just as sure as Santa comes every year, so does Rudolph.
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