1. Just to clarify, Tribune's WGN America will be airing this version of the Yule Log. WPIX and many of Tribune's other broadcast stations will be airing the traditional WPIX Yule Log (in NY the WPIX Yule Log will air 9a-1p on 12/25)

jb at 4:37PM on Dec 22nd 2008

2. Even the few seconds you show of side-by-side comparison seem to demonstrate how much cozier the original one looks and feels.

Mandy at 5:14PM on Dec 22nd 2008

3. WGN America has just announced they will ALSO run the traditional WPIX Yule Log (12/25 from 8:30-10am ET)

jb at 5:50PM on Dec 22nd 2008

4.
The old one looks cozier-the new one makes me want to add coins to keep it burning.

Andrea at 6:13PM on Dec 22nd 2008

5. I wouldn't state which one makes me feel cozier until I know what type of wood they are burning. This lack of knowledge about the new type of wood is probably what is truly making the traditionalist feel uneasy about the change. Hardwoods like Hickory pack a lot more heat and last longer than softwoods. Some people may also want to know whether the new log has been properly dried because if it is wet wood then the flame is liable to go out at any time which wouldn't help the ratings.

leatherbury at 7:25PM on Dec 22nd 2008

6. Oh, Mr. Rocca....

I LOVE IT when you hit upon something I have actual *experience* w/...

I have never used the TV version of fireplace comfort zones, but I have 5 fireplaces in my house. When we had the B&B, I regularly allowed 1 fireplace in 1 guestroom to be lit by guests (trust me when I say not *every1* can be trusted w/ matches), & I used the 1 in the kitchen in the evenings & during breakfast service in the morning(s)... When I "cheated" & used a Duraflame (we had periodic wood shortages), it was noted by guests. Not in a bad way, but it was not the same as au natural fire... Mind you - *sometimes* I knew my guests would be completely inept, & not able to *handle* real logs, so they wound up w/ Duraflames via my common sense & hope of preserving my 250+ year old house... Those folks appreciated not having to think/worry about the fire starting. I appreciated not having to worry about their ineptitude... Or the *square* logs rolling out of the fireplace in their room.

BOTH of those onscreen fires are fake... The "original" is a fake log firestarter (Duraflame) fire. The "logs" burn better than the "new" fire, which is a gas fireplace scene. The "logs" in the new 1 never even actually appear to burn. All the ambience, no headache about what could roll out & burn you on the ass (which is what happened to me last winter, when I actually used the kitchen fireplace for *heat*), either way.

Today, my local radio jock told a story about growing up in a Boston apartment, & having a cardboard fireplace w/ cardboard flames & a cardboard chimney (this was in the 50's)... & believing that Santa would (somehow) come down that cardboard chimney, & NOT get his ass burnt by cardboard fire.

The gas fireplace scene looks more like it belongs in a beach house... The other is more "New England Winter Classic".. Neither is convincing.

It's cheating - but certainly better than folks starting a bonfire on their parlour floor to capture the mood.
Sherry

S.L. at 7:59PM on Dec 22nd 2008

7.
I like fire.

mac at 11:01PM on Dec 22nd 2008

8. Hi,

You better keep the old Yule Log, It is more warming
than that piece of crap loser of the new yule log.
The person who wants the new yule log is a f**king
loser and an communist. He should get fired from his
job.

Merry Christmas,

Karen Heckmann

Karen Heckmann at 1:03PM on Dec 23rd 2008

9. The last shot of Mo sitting uncomfortably between the old couple is priceless! That's truly Christmas... sitting in uncomfortable silence while watching a simulation of what is supposed to evoke warmth.

janneke at 1:10PM on Dec 23rd 2008

10. I am positively *shocked* that no 1 mentioned the lack of color/depth of the "new" version...

If we dig deep, we must realize that we appreciate in fire what we appreciate in stars... All the colors - red, white, blue orange & yellow...

Seems downright unpatriotic to not appreciate the old-school fire - except for the orange & yellow bits, of course.

After posting to this yesterday, I actually HAD TO put a fire in my kitchen fireplace this morning, to take the chill off.... I have oil heat, but my 1st floor is like an iceblock, when the weather outside is psychotic. I had the therm set @ 67, but it was only 62 - that is just SO not - oh wait - SO cool.

I burned Catalpa... I LOVE to burn Catalpa - it's dense, it's tidy, not very sappy, & it burns clean - like many well-intended Americans... So it's patriotic (no?). Catalpa is also known as the "Indian Cigar Tree', due to the extremely long seedpods it drops during the Summer months... The flowers are GORGEOUS, ruffly things - white, w/ purple freckles, & the bees LOVE them. When they drop blooms, the ground actually buzzes (seriously) from the bumblebees that crawl into them even when they are on the ground... They look like a Snapdragon, almost.

The trees grow straight up, lean, mean & w/ well-formed... Well, you get the idea.. along the way.

Me Hearts You Guys
(blush)
Sherry

S.L. at 2:49AM on Dec 24th 2008

11. It had never came to mind untill the TV news aired it. I perfer the old log fire and xmas music behind the log fire cracking sounds. I think the new log fire with voices of the stars back in the hay day as for jack benny, are out-dated for this this vision of the new log fire. Also, the old log fire vs ths new log fire has a better stance, more so, you can see the stack of logs high and mighty burning and here it crackaling moreso than the new log fire. At least in my mind-set. Happy holidays

truckerdan57 at 8:31AM on Dec 25th 2008

12. No one comes over to your house, looks at your gas fireplace and says - wow those logs look so real !! Listen, the logs in a gas fireplace look fake, they are fake, they don't make any noise, they don't shift and their is no way they are going to fall over. There is no reason to watch the fire in a gas fireplace.

And that's the primary reason that there is no reason to watch this version of the Yule Log. Shame on you Tribune company for giving those of us without a real fireplace, a gas fireplace, with ANIMATED FLAMES no less. And whose idea was it to go to pick up those outdoor lights that look like presents ?

Obviously the economic woes that the Tribune is facing have resulted in a move to the new media, but this is a travesty. The costs associated with hiring unionized camera crews and production staff to focus on the scene and pan over the Christmas tree, ornaments, and presents, before moving back to close ups on the old yule logs have been eliminated by the use of a digital loop. Could you at least zoom in and out a few times for crying out loud? I suspect the production was overseen by outsourced resources in India as there is nothing here that feels warm or inviting.

Finally, additional costs must have been saved through the use of the old radio shows. Licensing and rebroadcast rights for 8 or 10 half hour programs is no doubt cheaper than 5 hours of good old Christmas music. This is great for the person who doesn't have anyone to talk to on Christmas or any friends and family stopping by, whereas with the old Yule Log you could at least talk to someone while the music played in the background.

Shame on you Sam Zell, but what else would you expect from the new Tribune company. Has anyone read the Chicago Tribune lately? The Sun Times now looks like a journalist gem by comparison.

I quess I'm now going to be forced to build a fire in my outdoor firepit, point my Sony camera at it, download a bunch of Christmas music on my ipod, and use my DVD software to create my own Yule log...wait I wonder if I can download something on BitTorrent!!!

Merry Christmas to all to all a Happy NEW MEDIA New Year!!!

Paul at 7:36PM on Feb 2nd 2009