Holiday TV shows
My list of favorites
It’s that time of year again.
For this part of the world, it means gray skies and rain, then snow, then rain until march.
When I was in the military, when people found out I was from Seattle (I never said my real hometown, they would never know where that was) they always made the comment “Oh, it rains a lot there, doesn’t it?”. I’d always answer well, no, it’s not that bad.
My first year after I retired, it rained for over 100 straight days.
I digress.
Growing up in the 60s, there were certainly some holiday traditions that were part of our collective childhoods. One of those was the TV specials that have turned into holiday classics that are aired year after year. These are the ones I most enjoy.
First appearing in 1965, it became a Christmas staple and an instant classic. It’s basic theme of losing sight of what Christmas is all about still resonates (or it should) today. Sadly, stories like this probably wouldn’t be made today on network TV because of it’s overt Christian messaging. I make it a point to watch this every year, even if it’s by myself.
OK, this one might be a bit unexpected.
I’ve been a huge south park fan since day one. Every year I look forward to their new seasons, and especially their holiday episodes. Their traditional Halloween and Christmas episodes were especially funny. I could list several others, but this one from 2004 is my absolute favorite. Yes, it is crass, irreverent, twisted and demented, but that is what makes it so funny. If you’re easily offended, that one would definitely not be for you. The basic storyline is that Stan inadvertently causes the potential arrival of the antichrist through a series of attempts to help a group of poor innocent woodland creatures (see picture). The entire story is told in clever verse and is funny once the twist comes midway through, then the twist yet again in the end. I never fail to laugh at how ridiculous it is.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Yeah, it’s cheesy, but for 1964, it’s amazing for it’s stop action animation. The addition of Burl Ives as the narrator of the story was a stroke of genius inspiration. This is also a must watch tradition in my house, even it’s to just enjoy the antics of Yukon Cornelius. A bit of trivia, did you know that the ending credits where Santa goes and picks up the misfit toys was actually not in the original broadcast? It was added in subsequent airings due to audience feedback, who demanded that the misfit toys be taken care of as well. Also, if you watch carefully, while all the other toys are given umbrellas to parachute to the homes below, the bird simply hops off, maybe forgetting that he couldn’t fly, he only swam instead. Hence why he was a misfit toy. I hope he landed in water instead of someone’s roof.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The original from 1966. No, not any of the remakes, and especially not the one with Jim Carrey, who just plays the Grinch as Jim Carrey. I never found him funny. My daughter loves that version though. Don’t know why.
This is, by far, my favorite Christmas TV show. I especially love the narration by Boris Karloff, who was best known as Frankenstein’s Monster and other horror classics. His unique gravelly voice was perfect. What surprises me is that the grinch song was not sung by Boris, but by Thurl Ravenscroft, who also voiced Tony the Tiger (They’re Greeeeaaatt!). I always thought it was the same person.
The fact that show was directed by Chuck Jones, who was most famous for his Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig cartoons, is apparent in so many ways the cartoon was animated. Of course, of all the Saturday morning cartoons, his were always my favorites.
So, that’s it, those are my go to every year must watch holiday TV shows. Not Frosty, for some reason I never cared for that character. Looking online, yes, with the exception of the South Park episode, the other three on my list are cited as the biggest ones. Go figure.
Anyone have anything to add to the list? Next, I’ll do the movies I watch every Christmas. Doubt there will be any surprises there either.
Agreed, 100%. The OG Grinch is the bomb! My favorite each year as a kid. The remakes suck.