Christmas: Are they shoving it down our throats too early?

[Drtooth]

That's the funny thing about that special. I never even heard of the darn thing for years. The channels that would show syndicated airings of these Rankin Bass specials somehow never reran that specific special. And they had some obscure ones. Some Thanksgiving one I barely remember at some point, yet not "Year without a Santa Claus." And then, somehow in either the very late 90's or very early 00's it became huge, somehow, and among other things, it got a terrible live action remake.

I've seen the special exactly a half a time.

But that brings me to what I think I said last year. With all the So and So saves Christmas specials out there, the logic is flawed. If Santa can't deliver the toys, Christmas isn't cancelled, you just don't get presents from Santa. You still have the much less impressive presents your friends and relatives get you. They really manage to make those all melodramatic. Even if you focus specifically on the gift giving aspect, there are still gifts. And without them completely, Dr. Seuss nailed it in the early 60's. Also, doesn't Santa also have various international counterparts?

 

[Sgt Floyd]

One Christmas special that got played into the ground this year is "Year Without a Santa Claus". Everyone from my generation can quote the Heat Miser song on cue (" He's Mr. Green Christmas, He's Mr. Sun..."). But one plot point that never sat well with me. All the children in the world unanimously agree to give Santa the day off. One billion kids, in the spirit of Christmas, GIVE Santa a day off. Nice sentiment.

Except for one dissenting little girl (I thought this was highly selfish on her part!) who sings/whines/pouts "I'll Have A Blue Christmas Without You". Every other child on the planet generously gives of themselves for Santa. But this ONE girl can only think about what she won't be GETTING!!!!
So Santa forfeits his day off, and the goodwill of a billion kids is shot to Blazes.

I have always took the movie as about people not believing in Santa. Santa goes to South Town to find out whether or not people believe in him/care about him to prove a point.

Santa was the one who wanted a day off, if I'm remembering correctly, because why bother if people didn't care. The whole giving Santa a day off thing just kinda reinforced that the world really didn't care whether or not Santa delivered toys on Christmas. The girl's letter is what proved to Santa that yes, people DO actually care about him.

 

[Drtooth]

I know I just went off on Frosty Returns a couple posts back, but I'm shocked that it still manages to get rerun every year. It's painfully dated. Now, the classic TV specials are dated in the right kind of way. Product of the times, you know it was made in the 60's type stuff. Only way Frosty Returns could be more 90's is if it was called "X-TREEEEME Froz-T Shreds Back" and had the cast of Friends do all the voice work. Just... ugh... and the cheap synth track trying to sound like it's from an episode of Rugrats... Time to dump this one and let it become forgotten.

And yet, there's such a range of better Christmas specials that never get play. Olive the Other Reindeer was always a favorite of mine, yet it just disappeared a few years after it came out. I'm also kinda conflicted about the not so much lost Charlie Brown special so much as the one that isn't the big one, the short sketch one that was made so the big one can have a proper run time, or that bloated 60 minute thing about Lucy's little brother. Though I don't think it would get the appreciation to be rerun every year. But frankly, neither does "I want a Dog for Christmas."

Back on the subject of "Shoving stuff down our throats," I really think the Elf on the Shelf thing is light years beyond overrated and overdone (light years in the proper usage of distance, that is). They have new reindeer friends, now? A terrible Christmas special and different suits to dress the thing up in is one thing. But the freaking thing is on so much merchandise now. They even have spinpops. SPINPOPS!!! Really.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Except for one dissenting little girl (I thought this was highly selfish on her part!) who sings/whines/pouts "I'll Have A Blue Christmas Without You". Every other child on the planet generously gives of themselves for Santa. But this ONE girl can only think about what she won't be GETTING!!!!
So Santa forfeits his day off, and the goodwill of a billion kids is shot to Blazes.

Lol, well the way I take it is Santa never really wanted to take the day off, he was just under the impression kids didn't care about him anymore. Now that the kids have proven they do care and still want him, he doesn't mind going back on the job.

 

[CensoredAlso]

This year, my friend made Christmas even more amazing by finding not one, but TWO of his old VHS tapings of Muppet Family Christmas, including commercials! I know it's a cliche, but I really feel like I've been through a time machine this Christmas.

 

[D'Snowth]

Since there's pretty much no Christmas this year, why not not celebrate by enjoying some sadistic and sociopathic comedy and watch Harry and Marv continually die?

 

[CensoredAlso]

Since there's pretty much no Christmas this year, why not not celebrate by enjoying some sadistic and sociopathic comedy and watch Harry and Marv continually die?

Can we discuss that people in my age group are now as old as Marv was in the film?

 

[D'Snowth]

Better than "Cause of death: crushed by Marv."

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

Well, the day is finally here. Merry Christmas everybody! Frankly i'm just excited for this year to be over so I can watch the new season of Sesame Street and the rest of the seasons of The Muppets and Steven Universe.

 

[mr3urious]

Happy Refrigerator Day to all!

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go buy some paint.