Some years ago, before I had a kid, I had time to do these movie studies, digging into different genres and characters and pontificating how they evolved over time. It was a fun side project and, God willing, I’ll back to them someday.
Today, though, I want to dip back into the past and share one such project, from a glorious ten years ago: The Christmas Special. One year I selected 25 of what I thought were the best, most relevant, or most interesting TV Christmas specials, broke them down, and talked about them. And today, I share those articles again with you. Happy reading, Merry Christmas, and avoid the Grinch!
1. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
2. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
4. The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
5. Frosty the Snowman (1969)
6. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (1970)
7. The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
8. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)
9. Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas (1977)
10. The Fat Albert Christmas Special (1977)
11. A Flintstones Christmas (1977)
12. Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977)
13. Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (1978)
14. A Chipmunk Christmas (1981)
15. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1985)
16. The Christmas Toy (1986)
17. A Claymation Christmas Celebration (1987)
18. A Garfield Christmas (1987)
19. A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
20. Christmas at Pee-Wee’s Playhouse (1988)
21. A Wish For Wings That Work (1991)
22. Hooves of Fire (1999)
23. A Scooby-Doo Christmas (2004)
24. Shrek the Halls (2007)
25. Prep and Landing (2009)
Blake M. Petit 