Jingle Jangle Jingle

"Mr. Bingle" was created in 1947 by Mr. Emile Alline. Alline was an employee of Maison Blanche department stores at the time. There was a trend post WWII for department stores to create fictional Christmas characters that would be their own brand, not just the ubiquitous Santa Claus. After seeing this at Marshall Field's in Chicago, Alline came home and created a chubby little snowman with holly wings and an ice cream cone hat. He christened the little guy "Mr. Bingle," for "MB" as the store was known around town.

Mr. Bingle was a fixture of Maison Blanche until the chain was acquired by Dillard's in the 1990s. Dillard's kept Mr. Bingle even after the MB stores were long gone. In the 1950s and 1960s, Mr. Bingle dolls were the feature of the Christmastime window displays at the chain's main store on Canal Street, between Dauphine and Burgundy Streets. He was also featured in "Santa's Village" upstairs in the toy department.

In the 1980s, MB commissioned a huge Mr. Bingle that they put up on the front of the Canal Street store. After Dillard's bought the chain, they closed the Canal Street location, and Mr. Bingle was moved to the side of their store in Lakeside Mall in Metairie. (The MB building is now the Ritz Carlton Hotel). Mr. Bingle on the side of a suburban department store just didn't work, so the big Bingle went into storage. Dillard's then gave the big figure to the Friends of City Park, who now display him as part of the park's annual "Celebration in the Oaks" light display each holiday season.

TRIVIA (answer in comments if you know): In addition to the main store on Canal Street, Maison Blanche operated a "Budget Store" right behind the main building, on Iberville and Dauphine Streets. Why was this store very important at Christmastime? (NO peeking at others' answers if you're going to take a shot at it... :-))

I hope everyone had a good Solstice and you're having a Blessed Yule season. To everyone celebrating Christmas, best of luck with your last-minute shopping tomorrow. To my Catlick friends, my best wishes that you stay awake at Midnight Mass tomorrow night. :-)