Happy Holidays from Le Sheppard and TSGcreations!!
Welcome to the Sheppard's Christmas Card
full of Sheppard's photos and memories.
To all our family, friends, partners in crime, customers, suppliers, associates, and all others ... Merry Christmas from Le, Mary Jane, and Maggie - and from TSGcreations / TSGSPORTS / theSHEPPARDgroup!
May the spirit of Christmas - the glory of the gift be with all of you. LOVE is the joy of giving. LOVE is the blessing of the gift.
LOVE is those you LOVE and that is what HOME truly is.
Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays!
2024 Christmas
Our 2024 Sheppard Christmas Card ... Art by Maggie P Sheppard
Home
A great year with and for Maggie ...
Past Christmas Memories
Le Sheppard and Mary Jane (Tettemer) Sheppard early Christmas' in Cranbury NJ and in Wrightstown PA
Le Sheppard as Santa at WAWA 43 in Spring House, 1984
Christmas music.
No time this year for writing my Christmas posts, so I will repeat this one from a year ago along with a beautiful piece of music — 12.19.17 ... Growing up there was always music around the holidays as there was all year round (being surrounded by talented artists and musicians). Whether at Granny Fulmer's or in our Sheppard home on the farm or up at Uncle John and Aunt Skip's in Lancaster - someone was always playing the piano (Uncle John, Dad, or one of us) and other instruments. Singing carols, hymns, and songs while harmonizing. At times there was even a string ensemble. Best for me was hearing Pop on the piano alone and playing for himself. Simple and heartfelt - my Father's and his brother's musical and artistic legacy. Pictured is a VERY young Bob Sheppard (Pop) on the left, his brother John Sheppard (the artist) at the piano, and my Mother's brother Roy Fulmer with 3 women sitting around the piano at Granny Fulmer's in Cold Point.
AND ... this from Abbey Road posted today. Beautiful.
https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=UfsbnewzIVE
I do miss my father - my friend. And another ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLd9PcZW5PQ
Christmas Music and Movies
"THE" Christmas Song
A MUSICAL HISTORY LESSON
Nat 'King' Cole - "The Christmas Song"
This is the very first recording of this classic
by Nat with just the trio. King Cole Trio recorded
in 1946 on June 14, 1946 in NYC.
This version was never
released during Cole's lifetime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdMSDg4tDCI
Later that same year (08.19.1946),
this version was recorded with the
a string section and a harpist and drums
as Not wanted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-RXKcc0sZs
In 1953 came the first version to feature a full orchestra
with Ralph Carmichael conducting. Recorded in mono.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU1f8K3XH6c
Finally, in 1961 came the version most played nowadays
with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. Stereo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-FqB1JfRLE
Every one is perfect.
The Christmas Carol
Every year we Sheppards would gather and listen to the record of the old radio broadcast of Lionel Barrymore playing Scrooge in "The Christmas Carol" with Richard Hide narrating while using our imaginations to see the best version ever looking / staring at scary illustrations in a book Dad had. Fond memories - we all knew it by heart - and would quote it often ... LINK
As noted, Le's favorite Scrooge is from the book we looked at while listening to the Lionel Barrymore record as children in the Sheppard house . But as for the the rest (Alastair Sim, Magoo, Michael Caine in the wonderful musical "The Muppet Christmas Carol", and Albert Finney in the musical Scrooge), Alastair Sim is the favorite.
Christmas Movies
It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
Alastair Sim's A Christmas Carol (1951)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
The Bishop's Wife (1947)
The Spirit of Christmas (1953)
Albert Finney musical Scrooge (1970)
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
The Polar Express (2004)
White Christmas (1954)
Going My Way (1944)
... and others.