Do you see what I see?

Every year, on top of the major commercials for Christmas sales that we’ve seen since March, are hundreds of Christmas specials and holiday episodes of our favorite shows. Some do well to remind us that Christmas isn’t the only holiday (Rugrats, Glee), while others not as well (Warehouse 13). So while we have our classics that remind us that it’s okay to exploit freaks and steal without being punished, I decided to look for the better unappreciated and forgotten specials and holiday episodes out there.

 Star Wars Christmas (1978):
 

(part 1)

Whenever I watch this I wonder even more how George Lucas was ever allowed to continue the Star Wars empire past “A New Hope.” Combining light effects, guest stars with very little purpose, and lots and lots of Wookie-speak, the Star Wars Christmas Special tells the tale of Han and Chewie attempting to return to Chewbacca’s family on Kashyyk for Light Day. That’s right- this is a Christmas special about a made-up holiday. Along the way, the two have to escape from the Empire’s agents who are traversing the galaxy in search of rebels. While this is going on, Chewie’s family waits in worry for them. Several highlights of this include his father watching Diahann Carroll in what can only be construed as musical porn. This special was also the first introduction of Boba Fett, a fact I am sure many people tried to forget in order to appreciate Empire Strike Back.

 

Will Vinton’s A Claymation Christmas Celebration (1987):

(The California Raisins- Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer)

A common trend in animation during the 80’s, this special uses claymation to portray a variety show of popular Christmas carols, presented by Rex and Herb, 2 dinosaurs who enjoy the season. The highlight of this special for me has always been the finale featuring the California Raisins. When I was a kid, every time the raisin commercial would come on TV, I would always stop what I was doing immediately to watch it. I do the same with their Rudolph spot.

 

Pee Wee’s Playhouse- "Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special" (1988):
 

(Full Special)

 

Another staple of claymation in the 80’s, Pee Wee’s Playhouse often incorporated the craze in the cartoon of the day, most notably Penny. This special incorporates all fun aspects of Christmas specials, to the point that it parody’s the entire idea. With many unexpected guest starts (Whoopi Goldberg, Magic Johnson, Cher), ice skating and snowball fights (if you don’t have snow, just use 20 lbs of coconut shavings), musical numbers at ridiculous moments, and of course the kid who wants everything and doesn’t appreciate casual gifts like fruitcake (Pee Wee). It’s the perfect show for the entire family to watch and celebrate the end of another great….year. Aaaaahhhhh!

Doctor Who- "A Christmas Carol" (2010):

 

(Trailer)

Every year I can’t wait for Christmas just so I can watch the newest Doctor Who Christmas special. This year I’m awaiting the first episode with the new companion, Clara. But I still love some of the past year’s specials, including 2010’s “A Christmas Carol”. When a space liner on which companions Amy & Rory are spending their honeymoon gets caught in a planet’s electromagnetic field, the Doctor must travel to the planet and convince bitter old Kazran Sardick  (played by Michael Gambon), the only person in control of the planet’s atmosphere, the allow the ship freedom. To change Kazran’s mind, the Doctor takes the Tardis through time back to Kazran’s childhood, where the two release Abigail (Katherine Jenkins) from a cryogenic pod. However she can only be released one day at a time, so every year the Doctor meets up with Kazran, and the 3 have an adventure. Will the Doctor’s good deed make Kazran a better person? Will Kazran save the 4,000 people on the liner? Just ask the ghost of Christmas past, present and future.

The Neighbors- “Merry Crap-mas” (2012):

 

(Part 1)

This show just premiered Fall 2012, and while I’m still a bit skeptical on it lasting a season on ABC, the premier season’s Christmas episode may have actually cry for a moment (granted, it was probably from laughing). The show’s premise revolves around a community of extraterrestrials who landed on Earth, inexplicably forgetting the charger for their communication device, stranding them on Earth in a small housing complex in New Jersey. In 2012 the human Weaver family move in, and soon begin teaching them what human life is really about.

In this episode, when the Weavers ask to hide their children’s presents at the Birds’ home, the family gets interested in the idea of Christmas, winding up in a frenzy of package opening and passing gifts out to the community. In the end, the youngest Weaver, Abby, talks to Larry Bird (Simon Templeton), leading to a sentimental Christmas morning, topped off with strippers hula dancing and a pig running around the house.

 

Community- "Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas" (2010)"

(Intro)

A pop-culture induced show of all sorts, Community’s second season came with a complete stop-motion animated episode. When Abed wakes up, he discovers that everything is stop-motion animated, and therefore that day must be Christmas special. Worried about Abed, the group tries talking him through a therapy session, which instead leads Abed on a mission through his own Winder Wonderland, to the North Pole to find the meaning of Christmas. Unlike the rest of the series, but not unlike the way Christmas specials should be, this episode includes many original holiday melodies, which makes Abed’s winter wonderland even more special.

Simpsons- "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" (1990):

(Full episode)

(I apologize about the quality. There aren't many quality youtube clips)

 

If any other episode had been chosen as the pilot of the Simpson’s 22-and-counting year span, I’m sure it would never have lasted as long as it has. While at the mall Christmas shopping, Bart decides to sneakily get a “Mother” tattoo, hoping to impress his classmates and his mother. When Marge catches him at the tattoo parlor, she pulls him out and immediately goes to a surgeon to remove it, spending all the Christmas money. Meanwhile, after discovering he isn’t getting a bonus, AND all the money is gone, Homer gets a job as the mall Santa. When he receives his check on Christmas Eve however, he learns the pay is only $13, and decides to spend it at the dog tracks with Barney. Homer and Bart bet it all on #8, Santa’s Little Helper, who comes in last. Despite all this, the Simpsons become the owners of Santa’s Little Helper, who has been abandoned by his owner due to his failure. As a dysfunctional family, the Simpsons proved in this first episode that presents and money are not entirely necessary for a wonderful Christmas, but instead, with their new family member, being together is all that is important.

X-files- "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" (1998):

(Clips from the episode- again sorry about the quality.

Copyright infringement just isn't the same anymore)

In 1917, a young couple living in a house in 1917 agrees to a lover's pact—one killing the other, then committing suicide. Years after, any couple who ventured into the house on Christmas has the same fate. The shosts, who could not stand being apart in life, now especially not in the afterlife, wish to show how depressing Christmas can really be. After hearing this story, Mulder calls upon Scully to investigate. After the agents enter the house, the two ghosts of the two lovers (Ed Asner & Lily Tomlin) begin playing, causing walls and doors, bodies under floorboards to disappear and reappear, all the while appear themselves to Muder and Scully, discussing their flaws in order to force both of them to murder each other. Both Ed Asner and Lily Tomlin, playing the spirts who have now unusually aged, are the perfect couple in the episode, especially due to Asner’s grumpy old & sacastic attitude.

Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy- "Billy & Mandy Save Christmas" (2005):

To watch. click here:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xu7t6z_the-grim-adventures-of-billy-and-mandy-save-christmas_shortfilms

To prove to Mandy that there is a Santa Claus, Grim creates a whole in the fabric of space so he, Billy and Mandy can go to the North Pole. At the workshop however, they discover that Santa’s been turned into a vampire, and the only way to save Christmas is to kill the Head Vampire, Baron Von Ghoulish. When they discover that they actually need to stake the Head Head Vampire (they did this whole reorganization this a couple 100 years ago), Mandy, Grim and the Baron continue on the adventure. Meanwhile, Billy remains at the workshop helping Mrs. Claus do all the work Santa has promised to do since marriage but has been too busy to do.

If you have ever seen The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, this is a must watch. If not, it’s a great start into enjoying the adventures of sarcastic Mindy, mindless Billy, and their Jamaican Grim Reaper, Grim. The only qualm I have ever had about this episode is that Santa is voiced by Gilbert Gottfried. Hearing his voice always gets on my nerves, and playing Santa Claus means having to hear him and important parts of the show.

 Many of these specials, along with tons more Christmas television and movie madness can be found in Joanna Wilson’s book “The Christmas TV Companion.” I bought her book a few years ago at Oddmall and was so excited about all the old shows I’d forgotten about and all the new joys I immediately went to youtube to find. Also, if you haven’t already played all the videos above, you may notice that I found full versions and playlists of several specials listed. I would probably have found even more not-so-traditional shows to list here, but as we near Christmas, I wanted to post this so all could enjoy these shows while the season was still in full swing.

What are your favorite holiday specials? If you have any more off-the-wall holiday specials, leae them in the comments.