A Few of My Favorite Things

We'll get back to our tour of Disneyland soon. Meanwhile, in the spirit of the holidays I thought I would share with you a few of my favorite things. No, they're not raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens. They're items from my collection of Disneyana, things I particularly cherish or that are unique in some way.

Naturally, I have to start with my favorite Disney character, the wacky Professor Ludwig Von Drake. This Mr.-Know-It-All (who's not quite an expert on anything) made his debut back in 1961 on the premiere episode of "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color." Between the silly predicaments in which he finds himself and his wonderfully thick-accented voice (portrayed by Paul Frees, who was also the Haunted Mansion's Ghost Host), Ludwig never fails to make me laugh.

Having a favorite like Von Drake makes collecting a challenge. Very little in the way of merchandise has ever been produced with his likeness. When I do come across something, though, it's like discovering a priceless treasure. So far, I've managed to accumulate eight pins, a 1960s-era placemat, an album of groovy tunes and the Walt Disney Classics Collection sculpture that I've incorporated into the design of this blog. It's not much, but I love every piece and have fond memories of how I came to acquire them.

The most recent addition to my collection is this plush Professor Von Drake. With Ludwig's appearances on "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," he's become a bit more well known to a new generation. This plush doll of him was offered for sale at Disney Stores. I found him propped up in my bed when I came home from work one day. My wife happened upon him at the mall and bought him on sight. She was so excited to bring Ludwig home to me, but not nearly as thrilled as I was to have a new Von Drake to call my own.

Between now and the new year, I'll be sharing more favorite things. Drop me a comment here or on Twitter, and let me know what you like to collect.