Being that nostalgic time of year, I thought I’d look back on the Christmas shows I watched all those decades ago. So many catchy songs, heartfelt messages, and lovable animated characters, some drawn, some clay, some puppets — are all still alive digitally.
And some of the terms embedded in American culture have their origins right here. So, expect to learn about the “Charlie Brown tree,” and the “Island of Misfit Toys” as you skim through this countdown with a teaser of each show’s beginning.
6. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
This television special was based on the children’s book written by Dr. Seuss that was published in 1957. Boris Karloff voices the Grinch, a green creature who lives with his dog, Max, on a mountain. He hates Christmas and the people in Whoville who live below and steals all their presents and decorations.
5. Frosty the Snowman (1969)
Comedian Jimmy Durante and his unique voice narrate this story. A group of school children build a snowman and when they put a magician’s hat on him, he comes to life as Frosty. When the temperatures start to go up, Frosty is in danger of melting and travels with the children to the North Pole. But one of the children, Karen, starts to freeze and her life is in danger.
4. A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
The lovable characters from the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz, star in this television special that I looked forward to every year. While Snoopy and his bird pal, Woodstock, were my favorite characters, this story is more about Charlie Brown being sad about the commercialism of Christmas.
Charlie Brown rehearses a play with his friends, then decides to leave to find a Christmas tree to decorate. What he selects is a quite small, skimpy tree (a “Charlie Brown tree,”) that is too weak to hold one decorative ball.
The Peanuts gang give the little tree some love and a makeover.
3. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (1970)
The characters in this special have a unique look. They were all made out of wood and plastic and the animation was created by stop-motion photography. Fred Astaire narrates this special as a postman, Special Delivery (S.D.) and Mickey Rooney is the voice of Kris Kringle/Santa Claus.
S.D. tells the story of the Baby Claus who is sent to an orphanage. But after a strong wind blows the baby away, animals take him to an elf family, the Kringles and he grows up to become a toymaker.
This special has lots of enjoyable songs, like, the “The First Toymakers to the King” and “Put One Foot in Front of the Other.”
2. The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
Mickey Rooney voices Santa Claus again. This stop-motion animation is based on a 1956 book by Phyllis McGinley. Santa wakes up and decides he’s not going to deliver presents on Christmas Eve this year. Don’t worry kids. The story ends with the song, “Here Comes Santa Claus,” but below is how the show starts.
Along the way, we hear catchy songs from two rival misers (Heat and Snow) who helped bring this show to #2 in my list.
1. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Who can resist an underdog? I have to put Rudolph at the top of my list. And the animation style was distinctive at the time. This stop-motion puppet animation, known as animagic, tells the story of Rudolph, the son of Donner, Santa’s lead reindeer. Burl Ives is the narrator, Sam the Snowman. Rudolph has a nose that glows red, and he gets bullied when the other reindeer find out.
Rudolph meets an elf, outcast Hermey who ran away from Santa’s workshop to become a dentist. They encounter the Abominable Snow Monster and visit the Island of Misfit Toys, where the unwanted toys live.
That wraps up my list of the best animated Christmas shows on American television in the 70s. Decent animation. Catchy songs. Likeable characters. A few plot twists. That’s all this 70s child wanted. Do any other 70s children out there have a different list?
Karen M. Free 