Traditions of Christmas: The TV shows!

[poltr1]

"Hanukkah is that special time between Christmas and Misgivings, when all the bestest shows are on."
--Angelica, "Rugrats" (Rugrats Hanukkah Special)

Some time back, in the early 1960s (or probably sooner), the network TV execs of the time --or their sponsors -- had a brilliant idea. Why not have special Christmas themed programming? The variety shows of the time had special episodes, but they were geared more towards a more adult audience. Why not something for the kids to enjoy? And so, several pieces were commissioned to air around Christmastime, featuring a new one each year. And they were re-aired on an annual basis. Thus, another Christmas tradition was born.


Many of us in my age group grew up watching these shows. We'd all gather around the television and watch with our parents. R said she had fond memories of watching these shows when she was growing up. Now many of us are wacthing them with our kids. And with their release onto home video and DVD, we can watch them whenever we want.

In recent years, the specials have covered a broader range of holidays. There are now a few Hanukkah specials, including one by the Rugrats. Also, the technology has changed. Instead of stop-action animation (used in a few of the Rankin/Bass specials and by Mike Jittlov in his movie shorts), the grunt work is now being done by computer. In a way, it seems that the heart and soul of these programs has been ripped away by the technology. (Tha artists at Pixar are well aware of this; they do a great job keeping the heart and soul in their work.)

Here are the specials I remember watching, either as a kid or as an adult, along with the first year of airing. My 5 AM mind is still a little foggy -- The Girl wanted a sippy and some soothing music, and I couldn't get back to sleep afterward -- so there are probably ommissions or inaccuraccies here.
* Rudoph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
* A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
* How The Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
* The Little Dummer Boy (1968)
* Frosty The Snowman (1969)
* Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (1970)
* The Year Without A Santa Claus (1974)
* A Wish for Wings That Work (1989?) (did this air only one year?)
* Rugrats Hanukkah Special (199x)

What are your favorites? Mine are, in descending order, Rudolph, the Grinch, Charlie Brown, and Santa. In the past few years, I've added The Year Without A Santa Claus to my favorites. Kent Voss, who used to be one of the local tadio talk show hosts, used to play sound bites from the program. Kent has since moved on to Philadelphia. It's just not Christmas without the Snowmiser and the Heatmiser!

Comments

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

Random thoughts as I work...

Saw a box set of Rankin-Bass Christmas special DVDs at Costco today. Too expensive, though...

I want a copy of A Wish for Wings that Work. I have video snippets, but not the whole thing. Not his best writing, but it laps most of the pack easily...

My favorite Christmas classics also include the SNL skit "Hanukkah Harry Saves Christmas" Socks and sweaters, forsooth! And after what Robert Smigel did to the Peanuts gang, it's hard to watch them without smiling the wrong way...

On the other hand, Charlie Brown and the gang are still neck and neck with the original Grinch for best ever freestanding Christmas specials...

And the commercials, from the Norelco razor sliding smoothly over the snow to the Coca-Cola polar bears; without them, there's no season atall.

[ohiblather.livejournal.com]

Rudolph! Tho I was scared of the Abominable Snowman. The Grinch. And Charlie Brown's Christmas, of course. :-)

[suecochran.livejournal.com]

I like the Grinch, but I haven't seen all of the rest of the ones you mentioned. I tend to prefer the live action movies like "A Christmas Carol" in all of it's many editions, "Babes in Toyland"/"March of the Wooden Soldiers", "Miracle on 34th Street" - the original, and of course "It's a Wonderful Life".

[poltr1]

"It's a Wonderful Life" is one of my favorite Christmas movies, even though it reduces me to puddle of tears near the end, mostly because I empathize so strongly with George Bailey.

I also like "A Christmas Story", which came out in '83. One of Ted Turner's channels -- TNT or TBS -- broadcasts it repeatedly throughout Christmas Day.

After foods and music, I should post an entry about Christmas movies.

[allisona.livejournal.com]

I have a favorite Christmas special that no one ever remembers. It's called "A Cosmic Christmas" by Nelvana animation in Toronto. In the special the Three Wise Men are alien astronomers who come to Earth to seek information about an abnormally bright star they saw near the planet. They hook up with a boy named Peter (and a goose named Lucy), who teaches them about the meaning of Christmas.

I also always cry during the last ten minutes of "A Walton's Christmas" when the dad gives John-boy several empty notepads and then says, "How do you suppose Santa Claus knew you wanted to be a writer way up in the North Pole?".

[poltr1]

Nope. Never seen it.

I have vague memories of an animated "Return to Oz" movie, which seemed to be a companion piece to an animated "Wizard of Oz" series that I also vaguely remember watching on one of the Toronto or Hamilton stations in the early '70s. I don't remember the studio that did this. Any ideas?

[poltr1]

Update: Just visited the Rankin/Bass website again and they list a "Tales of the Wizard of Oz" TV series (1961) and a "Return to Oz" TV special (1964). Neither are available on home video at this time. And there are no pictures, so I don't know if this is it.

Out of this series (and TV special), I remember the Scarecrow's head looking like a sandbag, and Dorothy singing a song about moonbeams.

[poltr1]

Update again: Found a picture or two. And yes, this is the one all right. The scarecrow's name was Socrates in this series.

[figmo.livejournal.com]

I always liked the Charlie Brown one. Rudolph was okay. I didn't see the Grinch one when it first came out (my parents wanted to watch something else), and by the time they let anyone in our house see it I was way too old for it. The first time I saw the lyrics to the Mr. Grinch song I thought someone had written something intended to scan to "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown."

I vaguely remember The Little Drummer Boy and Frosty the Snowman, but I don't remember the others.

I guess I wasn't as into the specials as you were. Oh well....