1940's Christmas Records - Picture Discs

This weekend is the "Christmas in July" weekend that seems to be growing in popularity every year in retail. As someone who loves Christmas, I really enjoy a little hint of Christmas in July. I'm old fashioned when it comes to malls and retail stores decorating for Christmas too early in the fall though. For Christmas in July, it's just a hint, and then it's gone, which works out great. But, when malls start decorating for the Christmas season at the beginning of October, it feels too early to me. I like to enjoy autumn decorations and Halloween decorations in October. Then, the day after Halloween, that's when the malls and stores should GO FOR IT!  Out with the orange and brown and in with the red and green. 

To celebrate the Christmas in July weekend, here's a 1940's children's record. I LOVE these vintage picture discs. They look so sweet and cheery, and the music on them is just as charming.  Unfortunately, record players that play 78s aren't as easy to find these days. Most stores that sell stereos will sell at least one record player, but often it only plays 45s and 33 1/3s. Why do they even make record players that can only be played at two speeds? Anyone who buys a record player is obviously doing it for nostalgia purposes to play their own records, so why not just create record players that play all three speeds? 78s weren't being sold in stores anymore by the time I was born, but there are still millions of 78s around the globe that are waiting to be played again. 

Luckily, some people with 78 record players have been kind enough to share recordings of their records on YouTube so that these records have a chance to be heard again by the public. 

Thank you to althazarr for sharing this on YouTube, a 1946 record of "Jingle Bells" from The Record Guild of America (there was no artist listed on the record). Click on their YouTube User ID to see and hear a variety of old records. 

If you want to see more vintage Christmas records (picture discs), here's:
 

We Three Kings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUaVvWGEzx0&feature=related

A Message From Santa Claus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSLW4OWlwEA

Auld Lang Syne: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSIi-fNK10g&feature=related