Holiday and Christmas Specials – With Us for Life.

Frosty, Grinch, and Rudolph on TV, or Buddy, Potter, Clarence and Kevin on the big screen.?They’ve achieved “one word” name fame.?That’s the ultimate in celebrity status.?Yet they’re only with us for a short period of time during the holiday season, a month at most, before heading back into in the recesses of DVD storage racks and streaming service queries.?They may be gone, but never forgotten.

No matter your age, who doesn’t relish spending time in December watching holiday and Christmas specials? ?Many of these shows have spanned two and three generations without losing the spirit that captured us the very first time we tuned in.?The feeling is one of being reunited with a long-lost friend that takes you back to the simpler, less stressed and unforgettable time of your childhood.?You’re transported to being a kid again when hearing the narration by Burl Ives or listening gleefully to all the noise from Whoville.

I distinctly remember my introduction to the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer broadcast back in December of 1964 at the tender age of 7 (when I was still a firm believer in Santa).?An hour- long special with breakthrough, stop-motion animation and an imaginative story that literally captured hearts and minds.?It was the topic of conversation at the school bus stop the very next morning and carried on through lunch time.?The lifelong relationship had been cast in stone.?It isn’t a holiday season without one or two viewings, first on broadcast TV, followed by VHS tapes and DVD’s. ?Charlie Brown entered the scene with his blockheaded Christmas tree in 1965. ?The same feeling was true when the Grinch burst onto the Christmas special lineup in 1966, following on the heels of Rudolph’s success.?Frosty joined in 1969.?It was a decade of holiday magic that has stood the test of time as millions upon millions continue to enjoy these creative specials every holiday season.

Viewing these marvels through the eyes of your children and grandchildren brings it full circle.?The amazement in their eyes when first introduced to these unforgettable characters.?Turning their faces away at the first glimpse of the scary Abominable Snowman or the revolting Grinch holed up on Mt. Crumpit.?Falling in love with Hermey and Clarice, and feeling sad for the neglected toys relegated to a lonely existence on the Land of Misfit Toys.?Memories that are literally etched in our minds for a lifetime.

During the season when everything is extremely commercialized, these classics never disappoint.?The messages are creatively woven with an equal parts mix of embracing holiday spirit and being good to people.?The Grinch sees the light as his heart grows and Charlie Brown’s tree is magically decorated.?You feel warm all over after watching the annual viewing or two.?You’re brought back to being a youngster again when your entire life was in front of you.?Your parents are a part of the memories as is the house where you grew up.

All is good in the world.?Couldn’t we all use a lot more of that today??Spend some quality time with these time-tested classics.?Let the holiday spirit live within you during this glorious season.