Top Ten Christmas TV Episodes of All Time

I love Christmas movies. I do. I have them alphabetically arranged in clean crystal cases and I dust them off a few times a year to check on them. I really do this. What do I love even more than Christmas themed movies?
That would have to be vintage Christmas themed television episodes. Here are the top ten of all time.

10. All In The Family, The Draft Dodger (1976). In this episode, Mike and Gloria invite their friend David to the Bunker's house for Christmas dinner. David has evaded the Vietnam War draft by moving to Canada. Archie goes into one of his typical rants about the draft dodger until his dinner guest Pinky Peterson (the hugely talented late Eugene Roche) who has lost his son in combat, welcomes the draft dodger. The special Christmas episode might seem dated to some, but for those of us who lived through that era it is as fresh as ever.

9. The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Christmas and The Hard Luck Kid (1970). Another Classic Christmas episode that stands up well today and is especially sentimental for the Baby Boomer Women among us. It is Mary's first
Christmas away from home and she learns that she has to work at WJM on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Trooper that she is, Mary tries to make the best of it. There are a few seconds of her reminiscing about her dancing days to a few bars of the Nutcracker Ballet that are priceless. This was still a new show when this episode aired,but already the characters were well established and the chemistry palatable between all the players.

8. The Honeymooners, 'twas the Night Before Christmas (1955). Speaking of chemistry no one did it better than the Kramdens and the Nortons, and especially in this Christmas episode. The plot borrows a bit from O Henry when Ralph decides to sell his bowling ball to get Alice a nice gift while Alice gives Ralph a bowling ball bag in which to carry his treasured new ball. Yea its old and its simplistic and silly, but any scene with Art Carney is hilarious and him trimming the tree is at the top of the list. I love any episode of The Honeymooners when that poor drab kitchen had a little something extra. You can see the whole episode on you tube. (www.youtube.com)

7. The Twilight Zone. Night of the Meek (1960). Art Carney, again although this time in an incredible acting job as an alcohol soaked Department Store Santa, Henry Corwin. Henry shows up for work drunk and through a series of events and some rude customers and angry department store management gets fired. After losing his job he comes across a magical burlap bag that contains treasured gifts. The generous Henry is mistaken for a thief and neer do well, when actually, he is the embodiment of the Christmas Spirit. I don't want to ruin it by giving away the ending, but it ends nicely. Especially for a trip to another dimension.

6 Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962). I didn't know until today that this Christmas Special was the first animated special to be produced for television. It is never shown on television today but if you can find it, it is a classic. Sheer and unadultered joy with Jim Backus voicing Mr. Magoo's version of the classic Dickens tale. Made at a time in American history when all was well with the world, it will shake you up just a little if you have the chance to see it. It was a better time and a happier time for many and this version of the many countless versions of A Christmas Carol is magical. A must for Baby Boomers and their parents.

5. The Waltons, The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971). OK, no groaning. The Waltons actually did have some great episodes that were not morality plays about living through the Great Depression. From time to time the show actually played well and conveyed some authenticity and originality. This episode deserves to be a classic for those reasons alone. During these stunningly awful economic times, the story is more relevant than it was in the '80s and '90s when cash or credit was readily available for most of us. This was the pilot episode for the series and starred Patricia Neal as Livvy and Andrew Duggan as John. It is exquisitely acted and as such one of the most moving made for television specials I have seen. They don't show it on television anymore but this episode is available on DVD. Be prepared for a pleasant surprise as well as a reality check about what is really important during the holiday season.

4. Bing Crosby Christmas Special (1977). This would be the last of "der Bingle's" holiday classics and even though I was not a fan of his huge talent, I remember this special all the way. The 60's and 70's were saturated with entertainment family specials including the Andy Wiliams Family, the Bing Crosby Family, The King Family, The Osmond Family, Sonny and Cher and even Lawrence Welk featuring the Lennon Sisters. Frankly they bored all teenagers of the 60's and 70's until this special. Bing did the unimagineable and checked his ego at the door and performed a duet with a very hip and popular David Bowie that remains a classic Christmas moment. The duet was Peace on Earth and The Little Drummer Boy and everyone took notice of the closing of the generation gap in this beautifully rendered performance. It was a very very big deal at the time. Of course, since then we have had Natalie singing with a digitally remastered Nat King Cole and Audrey Hepburn in a dancing digitally remastered televison commercial, but this was a poignant, simple and exquisitely performed piece with two of music's most talented performers. If you can find the special you will love this and if you cant find the whole special at least look for the duet. Amazing.

3. Are You Being Served, Christmas Crackers (1975). One of two memorable holiday specials,the other being the equally hilarious The Father Christmas Affair, this PBS bought BBC gem is a classic to the initiated. In the history of British Comedy, Are You Being Served is possibly the most familar to US audiences and no holiday PBS pledge drive was complete without one of these Christmas specials. In this episode, the Grace Brothers employees are encouraged to boost Christmas sales in their departments and ultimately so by wearing costumes of Childrens Fairy Tales. The best scene of all is the Holiday Christmas Dinner that turns out to be paltry and disappointing to the staff but hugely funny to the audience. Are You Being Served had a huge fan base in the US during the 80's and if you want to see what all the fuss was about, you can order the specials on dvd or find entire episodes at you tube. It just seems so much more like Christmas when you catch these shows.

2.SNL Christmas Specials (1975 to present). While Saturday Night Live has had some ups and downs over its 34 years and many many talented cast members as well, the undisputed excellence of its annual Christmas Special never fails to amaze me. For one, the the vintage pieces from many earlier eras hold up very well and the newer bits match and sometimes exceed the high standards of some of the earlier sketches. My three faves?
1975, Walking in a Winter Wonderland Candace Bergen with Jane, Lorraine, Gilda and Garrett and the rest of the original Not Ready For Prime Time Players. They could act, they were funny and yea they could sing! 1998, The Delicious Dish skit with Molly Shannon, Ana Gasteyer and Alec Baldwin. NPR hosts (Shannon and Gasteyer) welcome Pete Schweddy and his Christmas balls. When the writing was perfect and the performances were impeccable SNL was the best and this is one of its best offerings ever. Christmas Coming to the USA aka The Christmas Song (2000) with Horatio Sanchez, Chris Kattan and Tracy Morgan. Great lyrics, great choreography, and the tune is catchy. These guys are just funny enough to have you howling. Thank goodness NBC has been airing an SNL Christmas special for the past few years during prime time.

No, Virginia, I never doubted there is a
Santa Claus, whose name I am pretty sure might be Lorne Michaels.

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965). Any way you look at it, there is simply no other and no better Christmas show episode or special that is as loved and cherished as Charles Schultz' A Charlie Brown Christmas Special.The score is etched indelibly in all of our minds, the characters come to life are true to their comic strip form and the message is subtle but sure. Schultz's later animations, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and the Great Pumpkin don't meet the quality of this classic. It is gentle, tolerant, kind, compassionate, and touching.

Those are the very things I wish for you this Christmas season. Peace to all.