Welcome to episode 128 of Holly Jolly X'masu! In this special X’mas Stars On 78 episode, I talk about a selection of my Christmas 78s. I hope you enjoyed this look at older Japanese Christmas records. The work and care that goes into these really make me appreciate them even more. Even though I’ve been collecting them for nearly five years, every time I listen to one, I can’t help but think about how remarkable it is that they’re still available. The best example of this is my Fumiko Noso record from 1909. The fact that this brittle disc of shellac has survived 115 years without any major damage is impressive enough, but it’s also lived through numerous earthquakes, tsunamis, two world wars, and a nuclear attack, not to mention being shipped halfway around the world. Being able to listen to records like that is one of the most fulfilling things about this hobby. Towards the end of the episode, I mentioned how Yuji Koseki’s record was the perfect bookend to the episode. Other than having it end with another version of “Firefly Light,” and spacing out the two versions of “Jingle Bells,” the other coincidences weren’t planned. Before I started writing this episode, I didn’t realize he was born the same year Noso’s “Firefly Light” was released, and that Ichiro Fujiyama, the singer who most helped boost the success of Koseki’s Pop songs, had started out by taking piano lessons from Noso and her father. I loved that it worked out that way. As for the picture discs, I have quite a few more that I’ll talk about eventually. Keep an eye on my social media for pictures of them. As always, any feedback on this episode would be appreciated. If have any suggestions, or if you’d like to recommend a song or album for a future episode, drop me a line and let me know. Remember, I've added a button to my Ko-fi page. If you'd like to support me one cup of coffee at a time, a donation is only $3. I’ve also opened a Redbubble store. I only have a couple designs up, but keep an eye on it as I’ll be trying to add more. Half of any proceeds or donations received will be donated to support the people of Ukraine, while the rest will be used to purchase new Japanese Christmas music to review for future episodes. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. And if you get a chance, leave me a review on iTunes. Thanks!
