Christmastime is obviously the greatest time of year for children because of all the presents. That's just a given. However, it's also a pretty groovy time for children's television, and I'm here today to talk aboot that.
Now, as far as Christmas Specials are concerned, you've got your big 4:
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Frosty The Snowman
And the classic stop-motion animated Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
All were made in the 60s and all were railing against the plague that is Commercialization @ Christmas.
The Christmas Special is awesome because it's one of the few instances where there's palatable television for children IN the prime time of the evening. You're not stuck watching whatever bullshit Old People show your parents are watching; for one half hour in December, they're stuck watching what YOU want!
Obviously my favorite is the Charlie Brown Christmas, because I like to think me and Charlie Brown have a lot in common. We're both bald with ginormous heads, we're both awesome at baseball, we both pine for the Little Red-Haired Girl who never gives us the time of day, and we never get the respect from our peers we rightfully deserve. And I know what you're thinking, "But, the Charlie Brown Christmas isn't funny!" Very true. It's a lot of dancing around and complaining on all sides, I'll give you that. But, there are other factors at play here. First and foremost you have to consider the soundtrack, the greatest Christmas album of all time, by pianist Vince Guaraldi. It's just so good it's insane. The other thing about the Charlie Brown Christmas is The Moment. That Linus Van Pelt moment where he walks out to the middle of the stage in the empty theater with the spotlight on him giving Charlie Brown the meaning of Christmas. It's one of those goosebump moments no matter what you believe in.
As far as animation is concerned, nothing tops How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Made by Chuck Jones - of Bugs Bunny/Warner Bros. fame - he pulls out all the stops using every trick of the trade available at the time. It's like watching a 25 minute version of a Roadrunner cartoon. All the Whos and their crap, Mount Crumpit, that poor beleaguered dog, and the Grinch himself with all his maniacle expressions. Plus, Tony The Tiger and his singing, top notch all around. You nauseate me ... Mr. Grinch.
Looking back, I don't know exactly what my attraction was to Frosty The Snowman. Because I just watched it again and I can't imagine why I was going so crazy the last few years when I couldn't find it online. It's OH kay, but even for a cartoon it's pretty fucking cartoony. Like a bad Wacky Races episode or something. And the whole thing with the child's tear bringing Frosty back to life just made me think of that scene in Six Feet Under when Billy went batshit over the tarnishing of his own favorite childhood story. Nevertheless, you can't drop Frosty altogether because it was an inspiration to one of the greatest South Park episodes ever - the Woodland Critter Christmas. BLOOD ORGY!!!
But we GOT to have AIDS before we pee in her eye socket!
Finally, I've been saving Rudolph for a special occasion because it's twice as long as all the others. We're talking 50 minutes here! Rudolph really does have it all: ostracization, an evil bastard of a Santa Claus who only supports Rudolph when it's in his best interests, an island to isolate all the freaks, demoralizing authority figures. Hermey the Misfit Elf has always been my favorite, I love his dentist schtick. But that fucking Santa, if I ever met him in real life, I'd give him a piece of my mind.
So, that's it. Hail Satan.