What's Your Favorite Holiday TV Special?

For me, the answer is easy: the Rankin/Bass Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which was originally broadcast on NBC in December 1964 and has been shown annually for the last 45 years. It's got colorful characters, a sweet story, and memorable songs by Johnny Marks (e.g., "There's Always Tomorrow," sung to Rudolph by her girlfriend Clarice, is quite lovely). But I think the biggest reason for Rudolph's enduring appeal is the Rankin/Bass "Animagic"--stop-motion animation that gave the characters a unique charm (e.g., the Bumble looks more like a stuffed toy come-to-life than a fearsome creature). I think the voice actors deserve a tremendous amount of credit, too. It's interesting to note that, except for Burl Ives, there are no big name performers doing the voices--a sharp contrast to today's animated films, such as  The Fantastic Mr. Fox which "starred" George Clooney and Meryl Streep.

The history of the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer TV special is well-documented elsewhere, so I won't repeat it all here. But did you know that Rudolph been re-edited a few times over the years? In the original version, the fate of the Misfit Toys wasn't shown--so a new ending was shot the next year, showing the toys being rescued. To add that footage, other scenes were shortened or deleted...and some of those were restored for later versions. Rankin/Bass also produced two sequels: Rudolph's Shiny New Year, which debuted on ABC in 1976, and Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July, a 1979 theatrical film that was released in the summer (!). For more on Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and other Rankin/Bass specials, check out the Enchanted World of Rankin/Bass web site.

OK, that's my fave. Are you a Rudolph fan or do you prefer A Charlie Brown Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol, or another holiday classic? I'd love to hear from you!