Adventures in Advent: Advent 2024, Day 13

Today's featured Advent calendar is another from my past. This one was owned by my grandmother and at the time I didn't know it was considered an Advent calendar. I just considered it a countdown to Christmas calendar, which I know is basically what an Advent calendar is. However, it wasn't until the other day when I was scrolling my Facebook feed that I learned that this was marketed as an Advent.

Sold in the 1980s by the Avon company, the Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar with handmade mouse was an annual staple offered by the famed cosmetics company. If I remember correctly, one of my grandmother's aunts sold Avon from her beauty salon. So that must be how she got it. The idea with this calendar, which was made of fabric stuffed with filling, was that Santa and his wife are enjoying cocoa by the fire in anticipation for Christmas. Underneath the scene are 24 pockets with a tiny mouse. Each day that you got closer to Christmas Eve, you put the mouse in that corresponding slot. Why a mouse? I think it has something to do with the line about 'not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse' line from T'was The Night Before Christmas.

This calendar was found by an antique shopper and posted on a group for those who like finding treasured memories at second hand and antique stores. Their photo helped trigger the memory of this item that hung every year either in my Grandmother's den or living room, depending on her decorative mood. In the days since writing up this blog post, at least 2 other shoppers have found Avon mice Advents at 2 other thrift stores nationwide!

I learned researching this item that some fans have created an alternative way to get closer to Christmas. Instead of moving the mouse to a new pocket each day, they've instead bought extra mice. Once you have 24 mice in all 24 sleeves, it's time for Christmas. Sellers on Etsy, Amazon and eBay sell packs of 3-5 mice in order to achieve this method of using the Avon Advent. It's up to you whether you want your rodents to all look like the 80s original or have a slightly differing style appearance.

Jingle Belle: The Whole Package!

Jingle Belle and DC's Mistress of Mayhem, Harley Quinn, are cut from the same cloth. Both are the non-conformist bad girl creations of Paul Dini. But as Harley got a bit more crude and more sexualized, the daughter of Santa mellowed out. 

Inspired by a Christmas card from Stephen Spielberg, Paul Dini created Jingle Belle in the late 90s. Debuting in the #13 issue of Oni Double Feature, readers are shown a family therapy session between rebellious teen Jingle Belle and her stern but loving parents, Santa and Mrs. Claus. The first appearances of Jingle Belle were hilarious but a bit shocking. Jingle Belle was slutty, mixing it up with the local Eskimo boys and getting into all sorts of mischief. As the artwork of the various Jingle Belle specials got more refined, so did Santa's little girl. I think her friends Sheriff Ida Red of Mutant, Texas, Halloween witch Polly Girl and frenemy Tashi Ounce helped give the character some balance. Thankfully, Jingle Belle never lost her spirit. She remains a dreaming slacker who when she gets inspiration for something, she goes a bit overboard to the point of utter chaos. Plus, if you tick her off or you mess with her friends, she will destroy you! Man, she really does sound like a certain ex-girlfriend of the Clown Prince of Crime...

Every Jingle Belle story ever told up to 2016 is included in this IDW Publishing Omnibus with 2 exceptions. 'Jingle Belle's Christmas Party' which was published on Dini's website in 2017, is not here. Although some of the preview artwork minus the narrative from that story does appear in gallery in the back of this book. Jingle Belle: The Homemades' Tale was published later on in 2018. (Whew... Good thing I already have this one-shot!)

After 2018, either IDW or Paul Dini lost interest in the character. There haven't been any new comics starring Jingle Belle in almost 6 years. On his website, Dini posted a Dave Alvarez penned work of Belle surfing atop a narwhal on the shores of Hawaii. This was just 3 days ago. And Dini hinted we'd see Jingle Belle again next fall. I hope we'll see more of Jingle Belle soon and not just as a pin-up. I'd like very much to encounter more hi-jinx from her. I'd LOVE it if Dini would have her team-up with Harley Quinn. That would be such an epic Hanukkah/Christmas crossover that I'd buy extra issues to give out to friends and family as my Christmas card for the year!

If Paul Dini, DC Comics and IDW Publishing (if they still own the rights) could make this happen, it would be the best Chrismukkah ever!!!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Die Kitty Die Christmas Special #1

Kitty is a witch and the star of a popular comic book. But when her publisher wants to increase sales by killing her off, Kitty must use her extensive bag of tricks or she's going to find herself the latest publicity stunt of the comic book industry.

The Die Kitty Die Christmas Special is divided into two stories. The first story takes place before Kitty's scheduled 'execution.' Set in the early 60s, it's a parody on Archie and other teen comics. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus are fighting over the fate of some not so great quality toys. Enter Kitty and some called in favors to save the day.

The second story takes place after Kitty's planned demise. She's still alive and kicking but her publisher would like nothing more to still cash in on her death. A pair of Santa's elves are planning on taking out Kitty in hopes of seriously earning some street cred and maybe some cash. But it's not going to be easy as elves aren't as powerful as witches. So, enter Jack Frost to be Kitty's judge, jury, and executioner.

This special was created, written and illustrated by Archie contributors Dan Parent and Fernando Ruiz. As I mentioned early, Die Kitty Die is a parody on Archie Comics. (Most of the characters look like residents of Riverdale!) It was quite funny and a little saucy. This isn't a title I would consider needing to be rated mature. But it's definitely not the all-ages material that one might be used of from this creative team.

A major shout-out needs to go to the crew over at Books Do Furnish A Room. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have know about this book and I would have missed out on 32-pages of holiday fun! (At least until years from now when I'd come across it in a bargain bin.) Great work guys!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.