Christmas TV Specials from the 1960's & 1970's!

Born in 1968, I can't remember a Christmas without a Rankin Bass special on TV. Me, all snuggly warm in my flannel pajamas, sitting in front of the TV (my mother: "Not too close. You'll ruin your eyes that way!"). Ready to enjoy one of my all time favorites, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer.

Based on the song made famous by Johnny Marks, written by Robert May and Romeo Muller and produced by Rankin Bass studios, this holiday classic was first released in 1964. This story is beautifully narrated by Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman who tells us that Rudolph was born as the child of Donner and his wife, with an embarassingly bright red nose. No amount of mud will cover up that glow, and Donner shows his wounded pride and shame, at what should have been a joyous moment of the birth of his son!

This sets the tone for Rudolph's first year of growth and playing, when even the other reindeer yearlings don't even want to play with him. Comet, as the Coach, isn't overly mature on this matter either!

'Comet the Coach: From now on, gang, we won't let Rudolph join in any reindeer games.'

But Rudolph finds friends amongst other reindeer who are more caring, in particular, my favorite character (cuz, I'm a girl), Clarice the pretty reindeer with the long eyelashes who is fond of Rudolph!

With wounded confidence and a determination to prove Donner, Comet, and Santa all wrong, Rudolph runs away from home and is off on an adventure to meet other characters who are all wrong for what they are doing: Yukon Cornelius, the miner who keeps finding silver and gold but really he is looking for a peppermint mine; Hermey, the elf who really wants to be a dentist; the Abominable SnowMonster, who is nicknamed Bumbles due to his clumsy efforts as a scary monster and his bouncing ways; and all the creatures on the Island of Misfit Toys like Charlie-In-The-Box, the Doll Made For Sue, and many more.

Rudolph promised to get Santa to help the Misfit Toys and has to return to the North Pole by Christmas Eve. As he returns, he finds Christmas about to be cancelled due to a heavy fog. How can Santa's sleigh get thru on a night like this? Rudolph has the answer!

Well, you know how the story goes. I won't finish it here, but I would recommend if you haven't watched it in a while, make some hot cocoa with your kids, put the DVD in or check your local TV listings, and make a fun evening of watching this old holiday classic.

If you asked most people if they have seen The Year With Out A Santa Claus, they will say they don't recall it. But as soon as you start to sing the tune or mention the Heat Miser and Snow Miser, ding ding ding, memories come flooding back! Of course, you've seen this one! You just didn't know what it was called or confused it with another of the many Rankin Bass holiday TV specials.

This classic involves the story of what happens the year Santa gets a cold and decides to cancel Christmas.

The main story is narrated by Mrs. Claus, who tells us about the time Santa had a bad cold and believes some misinformation. The doctor who comes to the Kringle residence to check on old Santa, really stirs the trouble when asked can something be done to pep up Santa? How soon will Santa be well and ready to drive the sleigh again?:

'Dr. Bobbin: And for what? Just to deliver presents to a bunch of folks who don't give a hoot in the first place.
Mrs. Santa: Now, now, Doctor. It's not just presents and you know it. What about all that Christmas spirit and good will?
Dr. Bobbin: If you had any sense, you'd give it up as a bad job and stay home in bed this year.
Mrs. Santa: Oh come now, if Santa stayed home, why there would be no Christmas.
Dr. Bobbin: Who cares? Nobody cares about Christmas anymore.
Santa Claus: They don't?
Dr. Bobbin: Of course not. Wouldn't surprise me none if nobody even believed in you anymore.'

After that, Santa decides to cancel Christmas that year because he believes that no one appreciates the effort anymore and no one will even notice or mind. Santa is really having a down in the dumps day!

Never ones to put off their duties and loyalties to Santa, his elves Jingle Bells and Jangle Bells take Vixen and go out to find children to convince Santa that the Christmas spirit is still important to everybody else. But they have to get past the Heat Miser and Snow Miser first, before they land in Southtown, USA, where it never snows for Christmas. Southtown needs snow to elevate the Christmas spirit and the Misers are the perfect duo to help out but due to family squabbling, they can't agree to let it snow in Southtown. Luckily, Mrs. Santa knows their mom--Mother Nature. So it's off to visit Mother Nature for some tea and a harsh talking to those sons of hers!

The most memorable quote from this classic is turned into a song and dance number for the Miser Brothers:

'Snow Miser's Men: He's Mister White Christmas, he's Mister Snow. He's Mr. Icicle, he's Mister 10 below.

Snow Miser: They call me Snow Miser, whatever I touch turns to snow in my clutch. I'm too much.

Heat Miser's Men: He's Mister Green Christmas. He's Mister Sun. He's Mister Heat Blister. He's Mister Hundred-and-One.

Heat Miser: They call me Heat Miser. Whatever I touch starts to melt in my clutch. I'm too much.'

Of course, in the end, Santa realizes that people do have the Christmas spirit and understand the meaning of the season, not commercialism or other hype.

Directed and released by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr. in 1974. Featuring the vocal talents of Mickey Rooney as Santa and Shirley Booth (famous for her role as Hazel) as Mrs. Claus.

For the 2007 Holiday season, the next viewing will be Dec. 16th and 19th on the ABC Family channel. Check your local listings! Or my suggestion: buy the DVD. Often times, these holiday classics are cut for time constraints by the tv stations, and songs go missing or continuity is interrupted.

This classic has a completely different feel to it, in my opinion, because it features the vocal talents and narration of Fred Astaire as The Mailman who decides to answer some of the most common questions about Santa Claus. Also featuring a return visit by Mickey Rooney as Santa Claus, Paul Frees as the town's evil Burgermeister Meisterburger and Robie Lester as the future Mrs. Claus.

The Mailman tells us about a small baby named Claus who is left on the doorstep of Burgermeister Meisterburger, the town's evil overseer. The Burgermeister has no use for children and advises his assistant to drop the child off at an orphanage. The baby ends up at the home of kindly old Tanta Kringle and her elves, a family of toy makers, who take him in and name him Kris Kringle.

The Kringles are the official toymakers to the King and take their work very seriously, as displayed in this memorable song, written by Joan Gardner.

First Toymaker To The King
(sung by Tanta and the Elves)

'It's a difficult responsiblity
When you accept an appointment from His Majesty
You must strive for just the perfect quality
When you're the first toymaker to the king!

All the soldiers must stand erect
Or the king don't they protect
The balls must bounce much higher
If they're to please his royal sire
The ballerinas must pirouette
Upon their musical toes
And the clowns must make a king forget
All his kingly woes!

It's a difficult responsiblity
When you accept an appointment from his majesty
You must strive for just the perfect quality
When you're the first toymaker to the king!

All the sailboats must never sink
And the dollies always wink
The teddybears be furry
If they're to gain his royal curry
The jack-in-boxes must always pop
At every regal command
And the kangaroos must learn to hop
Into the prince's hand!

It's a difficult responsiblity
When you accept an appointment from his majesty
You must strive for just the perfect quality
When you're the first toymaker to the king!'

When Kris grows up, he wants to deliver toys to the children of Sombertown. But the Burgermeister (Herr Meisterburger to YOU!) is too mean to let that happen. Children should do chores, not play with toys! Why should others be joyous when he is not?

'Burgermeister Meisterburger: Toys are hereby declared illegal, immoral, unlawful AND anyone found with a toy in his possession will be placed under arrest and thrown in the dungeon. No kidding!'

And to make things worse, there's an evil wizard named Winter who lives between the Kringles and Sombertown. Kris manages to melt Winter's heart, as well as an innocent schoolteacher's, who is very fond of him, and finally gets to deliver his toys. In the end, he marries the schoolteacher and they become known as Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Here's some trivia for you....according to this story, what is Mrs. Claus' first name? ..............................Jessica!

For the 2007 Holiday season, the next viewing will be Dec. 16th and 19th on the ABC Family channel. Check your local listings! Or my suggestion: buy the DVD. Often times, these holiday classics are cut for time constraints by the tv stations, and songs go missing or continuity is interrupted.