Favorite TV Christmas Specials

[tomswift2002]

so it’s 2 days before Christmas in the EST Time one. Right now I’m watching “Muppey Family Christmas” a classic Christmas special that I unfortunately don’t see on TV stations anymore.

So what are some of your Favorite TV Christmas specials that maybe, you recorded on VHS or DVD years ago and it’s just not Christmad unless you you get out those old recordings.

 

[RandyS]

I watch my DVD of How the Grinch Stole Christmas every December 24th. Been doing that since I was a little kid in the 70s, although back then it was on TV, then VHS in the 80s-90s, then the current DVD starting around 2007 or so.

 

[Sybok Was Wrong]

-Patrick Stewart in A Christmas Carol
-He Man And She-Ra Christmas Special
-Dean Martin Christmas Special
-Judy Garland XMas Special on YouTube

Not a TV show, but "Santa Claus Conquers The Martians"

 

[tomswift2002]

“Santa Claus Conquers The Martians”! I tried watching it a few years ago (got it in a box set from Mill Creek with other PD cartoons/shorts/TV episodes)—-was there even a script?

But I Hear it’s been released on Blu-Ray—-although apparently sourced from a 60’s 4x3 16mm syndication print as the original 16x9 35mm theatrical prints are either missing or were destroyed long ago.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Beavis and Butt-head Do Christmas

 

[McDuck]

Garfield Christmas is one I never see aired on TV these days. It's certainly among my favorites.

 

[cardinal biggles]

In addition to the usual must-watch stuff like Charlie Brown and the Grinch, three of my favorites that I haven't seen mentioned:

Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas
Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
1984's A Christmas Carol starring George C. Scott

 

[tomswift2002]

Garfield Christmas is one I never see aired on TV these days. It's certainly among my favorites.

This year I found that there were very few Christmas Specials aired. There were lots of movies, but I only saw “Frosty” and Charlie Brown’s Christmas. I was surprised that YTV didn’t even have an all day airing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Of the different Christmas specials. At least I had DVD’s and Blu-Rays, but there still something the watching them on broadcast adds to the season.

 

[Owain Taggart]

This year I found that there were very few Christmas Specials aired. There were lots of movies, but I only saw “Frosty” and Charlie Brown’s Christmas. I was surprised that YTV didn’t even have an all day airing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Of the different Christmas specials. At least I had DVD’s and Blu-Rays, but there still something the watching them on broadcast adds to the season.

I've noticed that too over the last 5 years or so. There's been a decline in what they've shown over the years. Used to be you'd be able to see them everywhere and they'd be hard to miss, but now, not so much.

 

[tomswift2002]

I've noticed that too over the last 5 years or so. There's been a decline in what they've shown over the years. Used to be you'd be able to see them everywhere and they'd be hard to miss, but now, not so much.

I still remember how in the late-90’s/2000’s YTV would usually air Christmas programming every Saturday in December before Christmas, and it would be a mix of current and older specials. So you would see like the Jetsons Christmas Carol, the Flinstones Season 5 Christmas Episode, or the 1970’s Flintstone Christmas, or Garfield’s Christmas mixed in with current and new specials. I was off one Saturday this December and YTV was just running their usual Saturday fare.

 

[McDuck]

Before Christmas I did a scan of Netflix and Amazon Prime and was surprised to see there was hardly anything in their catalogues that wasn't theirs -- especially the classics that we grew up with.

It wasn't so much surprising that Netflix, Prime didn't have the rights to anything, it was more surprising that whoever does hold the rights decided not to air them, or if anybody holds the rights. My anecdotal sense is that Christmas specials are tremendously popular, and I'd think they are sought after.

So I wonder what's going on. Has society simply outgrown a lot of the classics I grew up with?

 

[Marsden]

I like Ziggy's Gift. I saw it once when it aired and then found it 20+ years later on YouTube so I watch it each year.

 

[wissaboo]

The Grinch of course and the 1951 scrooge. The rest i can take it or leave them

 

[Owain Taggart]

So I wonder what's going on. Has society simply outgrown a lot of the classics I grew up with?

Good question. It might be a question of rights and you'd think it'd just be a matter of renewing like clockwork to make sure these timeless classics are shown, but I suspect that sadly society has become too politically correct and rather than risk offending, broadcasters choose to not show them. The sad thing is, as these retreat into the shadows, we run the risk of forgetting these time-honoured classics.

One of our favourites is The Snowman. It's hardly ever shown though.

 

[Admiral2]

I miss Mickey's Christmas Carol. That's never on anymore.

 

[FormerLurker]

No love for the one discussed here?

https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/70s-kids-need-help-identifying-this.297278/#post-12752765

 

[JirinPanthosa]

The one I associate most with my childhood is the Pee Wee Christmas Special.

At the start of the episode somebody calls and starts singing 12 days of Christmas. He bows out and replaces himself with a dummy. Then checks in later and she's up to the 19th day of Christmas. And then again at the end of the episode and it's the 500th day. Everyone gives Pee Wee fruitcakes and he uses them to add a new wing to the Playhouse.