One of my favorite things to do on a cold, dark winter night is the sit snuggled under a blanket with a cat on my lap, a cup of hot tea, and a good book next to a crackling fire. I don’t have a working wood fireplace in my home nor do I have an electric or gas fireplace. I just have a TV, and thanks to the internet, that’s all I need.
The first Yule Log broadcast was conducted by New York City station WPIX in 1966. The broadcast included a film of a cracking fire recorded at Gracie Mansion, the residence of the New York City Mayor. This 17-second video was streamed on a continuous loop for three hours on Christmas Eve. It was a huge ratings success.
Today, you can find numerous YouTube channels streaming various roaring fires, some even include festive holiday music. Other streaming services such as DirectTV, Dish, Spectrum, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Disney+ offer multiple versions of the Yule Log channel, featuring different fireplaces, music options, and roaring fires. WPIX is still streaming the Yule Log nearly 60 years after they started the tradition. Pluto TV streams two Yule Log channels during the holiday season. I prefer the one without music. I turn the audio low so the roaring crackle is soft and soothing background music. It’s mesmerizing to watch the flames dance around on the screen. Oftentimes, you can’t find where the loop restarts unless you look very closely.
In 1982, Time Magazine declared that TV is the new fireplace. It’s the thing we gather around with family and friends. It seems appropriate the two would meld together in this manner.
I love the Yule Log channels. I am specific about what I want, nothing too complicated or busy. It’s all about the vibe for me. I can create an easy and welcoming ambiance to my home without cutting and hauling wood or purchasing a cord that I then need to store. I don’t have to worry about starting a fire, maintaining a clean chimney and working flue, cleaning out the ash, or paying higher insurance premiums due to the increased risk of fire. It’s all of the benefits with none of the work. I just click a few buttons and have a no fuss, no mess, no risk fire to enjoy. I simply turn off my TV to put the fire out. Smokey the Bear has nothing to worry about.
While there is something romantic to a real fire and the added heat it creates is useful at times, the risk and hassle of maintaining a fireplace and using it to burn wood isn’t worth it to me. Thanks to the advent of central heating and stoves, it’s not necessary to have a fireplace to warm our homes and cook our food. However, we can still enjoy the crackle and charming imagery of a never-ending fire if we have a TV connected to cable or internet.
Happiest of holidays to everyone. May you enjoy quality time with those you love and a Yule Log channel playing in the background.
References
Clarke, J. (2024, February 22). E*xclusive List: Fireplace Channels You Didn’t Know About. Enthralling Gumption. https*://enthrallinggumption.com/exclusive-list-fireplace-channels-you-didnt-know-about/
Cook, L. (2024, December 3). The iconic WPIX Yule Log is on streaming on PIX11+. Pix11: New York’s Very Own. **https://pix11.com/news/local-news/the-iconic-wpix-yule-log-is-now-streaming-on-pix11/
Raga, S. (2017, December 24). The Luminous Story Behind TV’s Yule Log. Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/72899/luminous-story-behind-tvs-yule-log#:~:text=Thrower’s concept came to life, loop of an ornate fireplace.
TV as the new fireplace. (1982). In Time (Chicago, Ill.) (Vol. 120, Number 26, pp. 70-). Time Incorporated. Accessed from: https://time.com/archive/6857116/living-tv-as-the-new-fireplace/