Currently browsing: Americana
Americana means different things to different folks. Here at Great American Things, it means cool stuff that doesn’t fit into any other category. I guess we could have called it Miscellaneous, but “Great Miscellaneous Things” doesn’t tell you much, does it?
Holiday: A Charlie Brown Christmas
It’s almost nostalgic to remember back to the time when our primary concern was about the commercialization of Christmas. At least...
Read MoreHoliday: Christmas Light Displays
Today, we’re tipping the hat to America’s Best and Top 10, which has a ranking of America’s best Christmas light...
Read MoreAmericana: National Christmas Tree
Okay, first let’s get this formality out of the way. It’s not a holiday tree. There are no trees associated with Hanukkah or...
Read MoreSong: "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)"
The most-performed Christmas song isn’t “White Christmas” or “Silent Night”, but “The Christmas...
Read MoreHoliday: How The Grinch Stole Christmas!
Most movies made from TV shows reflect nothing so much as Hollywood’s lack of imagination. So it was with the movie version of the...
Read MoreFood: Thanksgiving Turkey
On Thanksgiving Day, everyone looks forward to a feast unlike any other day of the year. And while the supporting cast is important, the...
Read MoreAmericana: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Marching bands and gaudy floats are mandatory. And it just wouldn’t be Macy’s without Santa Claus riding into Herald Square....
Read MoreAmericana: "Happy Birthday To You"
It probably won’t surprise you to know that this is the most recognized song in the English language. (The runners up, according to...
Read MoreAmericana: Covered Bridges
You don’t have to go to Madison County, Iowa to see them. Most are on small, out-of-the-way byways, since they’d have been...
Read MoreAmericana: The SS United States
It had no rock climbing wall. No Olympic-size pools. You couldn’t play miniature golf, or go bowling, or ice skate. What you could...
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