A shortage of Christmas Specials and TV

[Fezziwig]

I can only speak to the USA but is anyone else noticing a shortage of Christmas Specials and TV over the years? Maybe I am being nostalgic, but it seems like the Holiday special was a staple of most TV shows years ago?

[MinnesotaMike]

I know exactly what you mean. I think a big part of that is so many shows vary in their filming schedule. Also, the networks pick varying weeks to premier their Fall lineup. So, they never know exactly which week a given episode will air. I just think since it isn't as "cut and dry" as it used to be, most shows opt not to try to tie in a "holiday" episode. I still see it in several of the sit-coms.

[ornamentmaven]

Yes, when I was a kid most tv shows had Christmas shows and there were many Christmas specials. Now we mainly see reruns, which are nostalgic and fun to watch - but we've memorized all the lines and there are no surprise endings!

[JollyElfDC]

This Christmas will be the 50th anniversary of the Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer special:rudolph:. I am guessing they will make a big deal over it. It will be kind of sad if it just airs without any special mention.

[ornamentmaven]

This Christmas will be the 50th anniversary of the Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer special:rudolph:. I am guessing they will make a big deal over it. It will be kind of sad if it just airs without any special mention.

Oh I hope so. I vividly remember the very first airing of Rudolph. I was 8 years old and thought is was magical! My father, who was an artist, actually did the artwork for an animated Christmas special back in the 1960's - then the height of popularity for this format. Unfortunately, the writers never sold the feature to the networks, so it ended there. Exciting times!

[JollyElfDC]

Oh I hope so. I vividly remember the very first airing of Rudolph. I was 8 years old and thought is was magical! My father, who was an artist, actually did the artwork for an animated Christmas special back in the 1960's - then the height of popularity for this format. Unfortunately, the writers never sold the feature to the networks, so it ended there. Exciting times!

How cool!:elf3: Do you have his artwork? I know it was a long time ago, but do you remember what the unsold script script was about?

[ornamentmaven]

How cool!:elf3: Do you have his artwork? I know it was a long time ago, but do you remember what the unsold script script was about?

I will have to check with my Mom. I used to know what the script was about- but my memory fails me now

[JollyElfDC]

I have noticed some Christmas shows recently got added to Netflix. Christmas with the Cranks is one of them. When I get a chance I'm going to watch it. I've never seen it before.

[steph535]

I have noticed some Christmas shows recently got added to Netflix. Christmas with the Cranks is one of them. When I get a chance I'm going to watch it. I've never seen it before.

I noticed that, too. Christmas with the Kranks is pretty funny.

[Shanniclause]

I am a Christmas junkie like everyone else here. The problem I am facing is as follows. I am always tempted to watch Christmas movies in the late spring through early fall. After early Fall, there is so much going on that time kind of flies until Christmas. My problem is that I have a 5 year old kid who also loves Christmas. I think that if he sees Christmas movies throughout the year, that it may take away from the excitement that I remember having when I was a kid when I started seeing Christmas stuff in stores, on tv, knowing that the big day was right around the corner!

Do you all think that kids can be desensitized to the excitement of the season if they watch Christmas shows in the Summer time?

[MinnesotaMike]

YES! I have a 5 and 7 year old. Our rule is that they cannot watch the Christmas DVDs until mommy or I tell them it's okay. Up to this point, we ususally break out The Great Pumpkin around the end of September. Then, after that's been out for a handful of weeks, I introduce Happy Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown. We roll with those 2 until early November. Then I will start asking them which cartoons/movies they'd like to get out to start getting excited for Christmas. I usually have the whole bin out by the 2nd week of November. I am very careful not to overload them because of my own memories. When I was a kid, we only got to see those specials ONCE...when they aired. The anticipation both killed and thrilled us!! I see that in my boys. I absolutely believe they can become desensitized, and I want them to feel the magic of the season in all of it's glory as much as possible. I will say this...so far it has worked for us. They are already watching the calendar for The Great Pumpkin!!!

EDIT: oh, and I also have another rule...Once Halloween is over, The Great Pumpkin gets packed away until next year! As far as Christmas stuff, I let that roll until we take down all the decorations.

[MinnesotaMike]

My first comment in this thread was directed more toward "Christmas episodes" of television shows. That is what I thought the OP was about. We always see the full compliment of cartoon specials. I miss the episodes of popular shows that were written with a Christmas theme in mind.