Christmas Movie Marathon Day 28

           I'm trying something different to get in the holiday spirit this year. Every day, from now through Christmas, I will be watching a different Christmas movie or television special. I have compiled the list of features ahead of time and am drawing one, at random, from my Christmas stocking everyday to determine what gets watched. Thank you for joining me in this endeavor. We are down to the final three. What feature awaits us today?

Frosty the Snowman (1969)

           Frosty the Snowman is the final Rankin-Bass special that is a part of this project. It is unique from the others that we have looked at in that it is not stop motion animated but is instead traditional two-dimensional hand drawn animation. This special is another holiday season staple and airs frequently on whatever name ABC Family is going by now (Freeform, I think). I am certain that I have seen this special numerous times in the past, but I don’t think I have seen it within the last decade or so. I certainly don’t have too many vivid memories of it other than Frosty saying “Happy Birthday” every time he is brought to life by the hat. I’ll be interested to see if it all comes flooding back to me as I give it a watch. Also, I’ll be curious as to whether or not I find the hand drawn animation preferable to the stop motion or the other way around.

Christmas Movie Marathon Day 11

           I'm trying something different to get in the holiday spirit this year. Every day, from now through Christmas, I will be watching a different Christmas movie or television special. I have compiled the list of features ahead of time and am drawing one, at random, from my Christmas stocking everyday to determine what gets watched. Thank you for joining me in this endeavor. Now it is time for the eleventh feature. I wonder what it will be.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

           A Charlie Brown Christmas is a holiday television staple. It has been running nonstop since it was first aired in 1965 and ABC still makes a big deal about its airing. That being said, I have obviously seen this special a number times throughout my life. However, it has never really been something that has become essential for my holidays. I recognize its place in history and I appreciate certain moments from it or references to it but it simply isn't a must-watch holiday special for me. Will this viewing change my opinion? Stranger things have been know to happen.

Christmas Movie Marathon Day 10

          I'm trying something different to get in the holiday spirit this year. Every day, from now through Christmas, I will be watching a different Christmas movie or television special. I have compiled the list of features ahead of time and am drawing one, at random, from my Christmas stocking everyday to determine what gets watched. Thank you for joining me in this endeavor. Hard to believe that we are already so far in to this project. Let's find out what the tenth pick is.

Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)

           Mickey's Christmas Carol represents another special that was once a common part of my holiday season but has since fallen by the wayside. Mickey's Christmas Carol was originally produced as a theatrical short that ran in front of The Rescuers in December of 1983. This short represented the first appearance of Mickey in a theatrical short in 30 years. For those of you keeping score at home, I obviously couldn't have seen this in theaters. For me this feature entered my life in two ways. One was a hand-me-down Children's Golden Book adaptation. The other is that years later the special became a holiday staple on the 1980s NBC Disney anthology series, The Magical World of Disney.

           Television airings are the way I have always experienced this feature. This viewing will be the first time that I will see it sans commercials. I have been looking forward to drawing this one from the stocking as it is the way I was first introduced to A Christmas Carol, which in intervening years has become one of my favorite holiday stories. Will I enjoy it as much as I used to, or will this be another feature that can't compare to the memories I have of it? I am beginning to realize that I am playing a dangerous game of nostalgia chicken by doing this project. Shall we find out if it blows up in my face?