Something I just realized about Christmas specials

[Drtooth]

I don't know why I never came to this conclusion before, but...

you know the countless Christmas specials that focus on saving Santa Claus to save Christmas? Everything from A Year without a Santa Claus to Super Mario Bros Super Show's episode "Koopa Claus." Now, let's take the moral and spiritual aspects out of Christmas for this example. That sort of thing was only really ever mentioned in the Grinch (book, musical, cartoon, and movie). And let's take his international helpers/incarnations off the table as well. Here's what I wonder. Now, if something happens to Santa (being kidnapped by Dr. Claw among others, the heavy snowstorm in Rudolph, he gets sick, he becomes an overworked dying husk... etc. etc.) then Christmas is always canceled... yet, well... Santa only brings presents to children. The presents children receive from Santa. Uh... don't other people buy each other presents? Worst case scenario is kids don't get presents from Santa, but they still manage to get the subpar gifts from relatives. As far as the adults are concerned, other than very disappointed kids, it doesn't effect them, and they still exchange gifts anyway, basically saying Christmas is happening, just no Santa. So why do they always say he's the one that has to cancel Christmas, when it's just a part (a major part, but a part no less) of it anyway?

 

[D'Snowth]

Because if Santa didn't bring MORE presents to good lil' boys and girls all over the world, all those good lil' boys and girls would just die.

 

[robodog]

In most Christmas specials it seems to be implied that Santa IS Christmas. The entire holiday revolves around him. They never seem to take into consideration that others are perfectly capable of buying for each other without Santa.
What I've always wondered about is why adults don't believe in Santa in specials where Santa clearly exists. Who do they think leaves those presents under the tree every year, The Underpants Gnomes?

 

[D'Snowth]

In most cases, it's because they aren't aware he actually does exist until, like, the end of the special, when Christmas is saved; otherwise, it's kind of to show the contrast between kids, who do believe, and adults, who have outgrown believing in him.

 

[Slackbot]

"And he, he himself, the Grinch, carved the roast beast."

 

[Hubert]

This is really my biggest beef about Christmas specials and movies. Everything is so Santa, Santa, Santa. I roll my eyes when "Santa" shows up in a description of something and immediately dismiss it, because I'm tired of the same old saving Santa or helping Santa or becoming friends with Santa or doing this with Santa or doing laundry with Santa or doing that with Santa. I mean, Santa is great, but I'm sorry, let's try a Christmas special without him for once!

I'd like to see more people actually try stuff that doesn't revolve around Santa. I've always been a fan of when someone takes a non-seasonal special/movie plot that in the end promotes love and throw it right in the middle of the holiday season. That way, the special has enough Christmas cheer in it, but also has a convincing storyline, yet in the end somehow connects to the moral and spiritual sides of Christmas.

 

[Slackbot]

By an incredible coincidence, tomorrow I'm going to "A Fraggle Rock Holiday" at the Center for Puppetry Arts, where they will be showing The Bells of Fraggle Rock and The Perfect Blue Rollie.

 

[Drtooth]

In most Christmas specials it seems to be implied that Santa IS Christmas. The entire holiday revolves around him. They never seem to take into consideration that others are perfectly capable of buying for each other without Santa.

You know what the funny thing is? The Arthur Christmas special (not to be confused with Arthur Christmas)... they play it from a very realistic perspective and they.. uh... kinda imply Santa isn't real and Mom and Dad really get you the presents. Something strange, considering Arthur's primary demographic of kids 4-8. It's probably just subtle enough to slip by, but there are a few little asides between Arthur's parents about not being able to get Teena Tiny the Talking Tabby. Especially the look of dread they give each other just before D.W. opens up the duck they got instead.

This is really my biggest beef about Christmas specials and movies. Everything is so Santa, Santa, Santa. I roll my eyes when "Santa" shows up in a description of something and immediately dismiss it, because I'm tired of the same old saving Santa or helping Santa or becoming friends with Santa or doing this with Santa or doing laundry with Santa or doing that with Santa. I mean, Santa is great, but I'm sorry, let's try a Christmas special without him for once!

I think the problem is that it's the easiest trope. It fits in perfectly for Christmas episodes of TV cartoons. The funny thing is, they're not really playing it straight anymore... Billy and Mandy and KND (I have to watch every year) seem very satirical about it. Plus, that's basically just what the lamer new Christmas specials do. I don't want to list or name them, I just don't bother.

But there are perfectly good Christmas specials devoid of Santa. Garfield, Fat Albert... every retelling of A Christmas Carol. Spiritual and Moral stuff is fine, but you just can't have too much fun with it. That's why they do those Save Santa specials. They can really have fun making fun of how overused it is, and they seem to do that quite a bit.

But for my money, I miss Rocko's Modern Christmas. Not spiritual or commercial, but rather personal. Just like Garfield was. I'm not a huge "slice of life" guy (I'm a "Slice of life then a portal to Hades and Eldrich Abominations popping up" guy), but that's a nice change of pace.

 

[robodog]

These specials also seem to imply that Santa is incompetant. Seems like he's always screwing up and needing to be rescued or to have the main characters doing his work for him in some way.

 

[CensoredAlso]

... Santa only brings presents to children. The presents children receive from Santa. Uh... don't other people buy each other presents?

Oh I've noticed this odd plot point for years, lol. Yeah Santa's the one who gives presents, not the parents, and if he's gone, there's no presents, period. It makes sense when you consider the target audience is children.

Though some specials have tried to be a bit deeper about Santa's role in Christmas. I noticed this when I reviewed the 1970's cartoon version of A Christmas Carol (aka The Stingiest Man in Town). Yes, shameless plug here, lol:

http://herald7.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/lost-treasure-5-the-stingiest-man-in-town/