Way back in the dark ages when I was a kid, long before everyone had a color television set in their house (never mind a HDTV that hangs on the wall!), the thing that most heralded the Christmas season for me was when the Christmas specials would come on. It wasn't Christmas time for me until I watched "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", "Frosty the Snowman", "A Charlie Brown Christmas", and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". My two favorites were Rudolph and Charlie Brown, both which could make me cry and laugh at the same time even when I was just a little kid (even then I was pretty sentimental so it must be a genetic trait or something!).When the girls were young, we didn't have to wait until the television networks aired the programs as we owned them all on video tape and could pop them into the VCR as many times as we wanted to see the Grinch slither down the tree and steal the last can of Who-Hash or see Frosty melt into a puddle in the greenhouse when Professor Hinkle cranked up the heat in order to get his magic hat back. There were other shows added to the repertoire but those four were always my favorites and it just wasn't Christmas without them.
So, how about you?
What's your favorite Christmas special? What show heralds the advent of the Christmas season to you or brings you back to the Christmases of your youth?
While I'm on the subject - just why would a toy be classified as a misfit just because it's called a "Charlie in the Box" or an elephant has spots? I never quite got that whole thing because I would have loved them regardless!
Oh, I loved Rudolph and Frosty too. I'm exactly like you, these TV specials bring me right back to when I was a kid. Doesn't quite have the same effect on my little ones these days. I suppose the "special effects" are just too lame, even for my little ones!
ReplyDeleteRudolph. No question.
ReplyDelete"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" does it for me. I'm always sad that the kids can watch these shows again and again and again. And I could only see them once a year. Oh, and I had to walk two miles to school each day. In the snow.
ReplyDeleteI watched Frosty last night. I like that one.
ReplyDeleteWhat you mentioned takes me back. In the early seventies, Christmas tv was brilliant. A repeat-free zone full of the best of the best. The Generation Game, The Morecambe & Wise Christmas Show, The Two Ronnies etc. Now there is nothing. Full of repeats, soaps full of misery, reality tv, old films. The tv companies seem to think that we will all be going out and enjoying ourselves and not watching tv.
ReplyDeleteA Christmas Story. Ever since the first time I watched it in junior high, I've had to see it every year since. RALPHIE!!! I CAN'T GET UP!!!
ReplyDeleteAll the ones you mentioned (Rudolph, Charlie Brown, Frosty, the real grinch cartoon), "A Christmas Story" and "A Christmas Carol" (Alistar Sims or Albert Finney versions)
ReplyDeleteSorry, I detest "It's a Wonderful Life." For some odd reason that movie **really** works my nerves. It's too sappy for me.
Definitely The Grinch and Charlie Brown ;-)
ReplyDeleteA Christmas Story is by far my favorite holiday tradition. When it airs on TNT for 24 hours straight, my husband just grunts, but I watch it all day! :)
ReplyDeleteI also own it on DVD, but it's more fun to enjoy it with the rest of the world..."You'll shoot your eye out!"
CrAzY Working Mom
There are two that did it for me. Miracle On 34th Street and It's A Wonderful Life. Now that was Christmas. :)
ReplyDeleteHi there!
ReplyDeleteOh Rudolph. Definitely Rudolph. WAIT - oh wait NO! A Christmas Carol was the one that scared me and I loved being scared at Christmas 'cause it seemed out of place after Halloween.
I asked the kids the same question you posed and they don't have one. There's too much garb on television to even have a favorite now for them. They enjoy the same Rudolph I did 'cause we have it on DVD.
TV has gotten really horrid.
Great Question!
Monica
I'm not very original. For me, it's definitely A Christmas Story ("You'll shoot your eye out, kid." and It's a Wonderful Life (with the original Bert and Ernie)
ReplyDeleteTar Heel Ramblings
For me, there's no real single favorite. But I do have to say that it doesn't really feel like Christmas until I hear Burl Ives.
ReplyDeletefor me it's always the 24 hour marathon of "A Christmas Story" on TNT!! I can't get enough of that one!!
ReplyDeleteAs a kid I loved all things "Scrooged". ON WTIT we performed maybe 5 different versions of spoofs of the Dickens' classic. About 10 or 12 years ago I scripted out one script using the best lines of all who had previously performed and written the skits...
ReplyDeleteRudolph no doubt about it. Hubby just got Peanut some small decorations of Rudolph and characters for her small tree.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm really into Olive the Other Reindeer. It's endearing with a modern twist. Check it out. I think you'll like it.
We watched "Charlie Brown's Christmas" last week. Loved it as always.
ReplyDeleteRudolph (and the misfits)
ReplyDeleteand Miracle on 34th Street.
Around our house it isn't quite time for Christmas until we put in the musical "Scrooge" while doing a sing along to "Thank You Very Much". Then my son in law added "It's A Wonderful Life" to the must see.
ReplyDeleteThe one on television that I wait for is the Grinch and the absolute faith of Cindy Lou Who.
For Mike and I , its not Christmas until the tree goes up and a nice dinner , while watching "White Christmas", and "Going My Way". We do this with all the light in the house off except the Christmas ones. Its one of our favorite traditions.
ReplyDeleteMy two favorites - Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph :-) I can watch them every day 3 or 4 times a day from Thanksgiving until Christmas!
ReplyDeleteEllie
http://www.thepinkc.net
Well as an adult I have to say I like the new Shrek Christmas Special, it had something for every one. We always watch the Christmas Story and Ralphie shooting his eye out
ReplyDeleteMe and the boys always used to sit down about 3 p.m on Christmas Eve and watch 'Lassie' - whether they wanted to or not! :)
ReplyDeletecharlie brown hands down!
ReplyDeletesmiles, bee
xoxo
Charlie Brown and Peppermint Patty - always my favorite.
ReplyDeleteCharlie Brown, all the way. I have the trio in a box set now. Great pumpkin, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThe island of misfit toys always made me sad. Made me wonder if I'd be considered a "misfit".
Pinky
Well, for me I have to either watch and/or read A Christmas Carol every year. I really prefer The Muppets Christmas Carol...but I have the Michael Keene version that hubby prefers.
ReplyDeleteSonshine however, is currently on a Charlie Brown/Grinch kick. Every day for the last 2 weeks now we've seen both. I don't care much for A Charlie Brown Christmas as I think the kids are really way to ugly to each other and I don't want to hear "boy are you stupid!" repeated over and over. But our DVD also has It's Christmastime Again Charlie Brown which is much better in that respect...however, what I like about the first one is that they read the story out of Luke....it's all a trade off these days.