Holiday Traditions - The Cinnamon Bear

     In 1937 radio was the entertainment method of the day. Transco (a radio transcription company out of California) developed a fantastic story of two children who are sent to find Christmas decorations and find themselves in a land of make-believe to air in the Portland, Oregon market area. "The Cinnamon Bear" is designed to be listed to six days a week in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

      After several years financial difficulties prevented Transco from releasing new transcriptions of the series, though some stations played previously released transcriptions. In the 1950s the program was picked back up and has been aired in Portland and Eugene, Oregon, as well as the Chicago, Illinois, area. 

     Through the broadcast, twins Judy and Jimmy are sent to the attic in search of the family's silver star for the top of the Christmas tree. There they meet the Cinnamon Bear Paddy O'Cinnamon and travel into Maybeland chasing after the Crazy Quilt Dragon who has stolen their star. Along the way, Judy, Jimmy, and Paddy O'Cinnamon are captured by Ruthless Ink Blotters, befriended by Pirates, encounter a Giant, threatened by a Witch, helped by the Queen of Maybeland, foiled by creatures great and small, and they meet Santa Claus. But will the twins make it home with their Silver Christmas Star?

     I grew up listening to the Cinnamon Bear broadcast each year on the radio. The show is short and sweet with twists and turns as the children chase their star across Maybeland. They're interrupted and helped in turns as they adventure back to the attic and family tree waiting for the Silver Star. "The Cinnamon Bear" has inspired a cult-like following of people whose lives have been touched by the story.