My Top 10 Cartoon Christmas Shorts

 

Way back when I was just a little kid, it always excited me to combine two things I loved into one offering, and for today’s topic it’s cartoon shorts with a decorative Christmas make-over. While I certainly had my fill of the half-hour specials in the vein of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, and “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, it was also an accomplishment for a special to leave an impression on my childhood within the span of only ten minutes. I’ve already done a countdown of my favorite shorts featuring all the classic Disney characters, so I felt I was due to countdown my other favorite Christmas shorts, including some from MGM, and others from Disney, but excluding Mickey or any of his famous co-stars.

 

#10 “Prep and Landing – Operation: Secret Santa” (2010) 

Most of the shorts on my list are specials I watched when I was a little kid, but I figured, why not start my countdown with one of the more current generation shorts. “Operation: Secret Santa” is part of Disney’s “Prep and Landing” series. For this adventure, two of Santa’s Elves seek a gift belonging to Mrs. Claus, and they face many fun obstacles along the way to obtain it. While this short is nothing demanding, it's still an enjoyable watch all the same. There’s plenty ingenuity and energy to the short to make for a fun watch, and I generally prefer it over the half-hour specials of the “Prep and Landing” series.

 

#9 “Once Upon a Wintertime” (from Disney’s “Melody Time” - 1948) 

In this silent musical short, two romantic young lovers go out sleigh riding on a beautiful December day. Their company soon involves various woodland animals, including two rabbits that are likewise in love. The males try to show-off while skiing, only to upset their respected dates. What follows is a near-tragedy on the ice, and a timely rescue ensues. While the characters are consistently silent, they still convey enough through the animation, and I love the overall design of this short. The colors pop, and it almost resembles one of those Christmas Hallmark cards, that is if one were to come alive in animated form. More than anything, I just love the simplicity of the premise. It’s just a little venture into the frosty country side, and it’s an experience full of action and romance. The title song at the center of this short is nothing great, but it does its job carrying the tone and feel of the short.

 

#8 MGM’s “Alias St. Nick” (1935) 

It’s Christmas Eve, and a family of mice are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus … that is with the exception of one loud mouthed boy, who just doesn’t believe. Meanwhile, a nasty cat is outside, and itching to make a meal out of this mouse family. Thus, he discuses himself as Saint Nicholas, and gains access to the home by bringing the kids gifts. The one doubtful child naturally can see through the charade, and leads his siblings in a revolt against the invader, with their means of combat naturally being all their new toys. It’s all around a fun and cute little short, with kids using their plays toys as a means to fight-off a villain. 

 

#7 Disney’s Silly Symphony: “The Night Before Christmas” (1933) 

Following after the 1932 short “Santa's Workshop”, Disney followed-up with “The Night Before Christmas” in 1933, and it’s my preferred choice of the two. In this short, Santa doesn’t just leave toys for kids … he makes a party out of it, with all the toys coming to life, dancing to music, and decorating the house for the kids. It’s funny to think that during Santa’s busy work schedule, he has time for these mini parties in each house … but it makes for a delightful little watch. The animation is detailed, the music is upbeat, and even the backgrounds are memorable highlights … the moon with the smiling face always lingered in the back of my mind. 

 

#6 “The Nutcracker Suite” and “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” (from Disney’s “Fantasia” – 1940, and Disney’s “Fantasia 2000” - 1999)

Even if you’ve never seen the ballet, you’re probably still familiar with the music from “The Nutcracker”, as that too has become a staple of the holiday season. As for the music, I was initially introduced to these famous medleys through Disney’s 1940 animated classic “Fantasia”. While the sequence of “The Nutcracker Suite” doesn’t feature any of the principal characters, it still captures the same spirit of the Ballet, as it features fantastical creatures and elements that dance and move with the same grace and spirit as Ballet dancers. The final scene with the fairies skating on the ice always got me in the winter, holiday mood, despite the lack of any Nutcracker on screen. Every now and then around Christmas, I like to watch this segment, along with “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” sequence from the 1999 sequel “Fantasia 2000”. While the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale of “The Steadfast Tin Soldier” is a completely different entity all together, it still has a similar look and feel to “The Nutcracker”, and just has that same magic touch. Back-to-back, they make for a perfect holiday package, and neither even had to mention Christmas.

 

#5 Fleischer’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed-Reindeer” (1948) 

While Rudolph’s modern-day popularity ignited with the classic 1964 Rankin/Bass TV special, I just can’t dismiss the original 1948 short that first made Rudolph one of the season’s most marketable characters. For an eight-minute short, it delivers the straightforward story of Rudolph in a tight and effective package. The iconography on display can still impact young viewers to this day, and it’s just a warm little classic on its own. If anything else … it made for a funny segment to spoof on 2010 “RiffTrax Live: Christmas Special”.    

 

#4 MGM’s “A Pup’s Christmas” (1936) 

It’s Christmas morning, and as a family open-up gifts, two curious puppies go exploring, and find themselves going from one goofy encounter to another, culminating in a battle with a rogue toy-tank, who really should have been taken off the market. Both the premise and appeal of this episode couldn’t be more simple, as it’s just these cute pup’s going on a mini-adventure amidst all these Christmas decorations and toys. It’s cute, lovable, and for me and my little sister, it was a real joy to watch at a young age.   

 

#3 Tom and Jerry: “Twas’ the Night Before Christmas” (1941) 

I was only a passive fan of the famous Cat and Mouse duo when I was a kid, but looking back as an adult, I’ve come to admire Tom and Jerry as cartoon icons in their own right. Among the limited shorts of theirs that I regularly watched as a kid, it was their 1941 Christmas short that I loved the most, which just happened to only be their third short ever released. While the cartoon slap-stick is fairly simple compared to their later outings, this one makes-up for it with a warm holiday atmosphere, gorgeous backgrounds, and a very touching ending, in which Tom rescues Jerry from a snow storm. There’s something touching about enemies looking out for one another, and along with the quality animation on display, this was a winning sign that MGM’s cat and mouse duo were sticking around for the long-run.

 

#2 MGM’s “Peace on Earth” (1939) 

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, we see animals have taken over the globe, after human kind destroyed itself during a savage war. It’s Christmas Eve, and Grandpa Squirrel teaches his kids about humans, and through his tale, we see a dark and horrific depiction of how “Man” lost fighting each other. How’s that for a set-up, not too often a children’s short begins with … “Merry Christmas! Mankind Didn’t Make It!” I was about five years old when I first saw this short, and it terrified me, but also left a memorable impression. While the message is direct, it still effectively gets it’s point across that, if we’re not careful, we’ll doom ourselves. The imagery in this short is unforgettable, disturbing, but also quite beautiful in its presentation. This short was nominated at the Academy Awards, but lost to Disney’s “The Ugly Duckling”. Personally, I feel this short deserves more attention, and I highly encourage anyone to look it up this Christmas season. 

 

Before I reveal my Number one Favorite Christmas short, here are some quick Honorable Mentions … 

“One Ham’s Family” (1943)

“Santa's Workshop” (1932)

 

“The Captain’s Christmas” (1938)

 

“Cookie Carnival” (1935)

 

“Christmas Comes But Once a Year” (1936)

 

#1 Disney’s “The Little Match Girl” (2006) 

In this seven-minute short adapted from the Hans Christian Anderson novel of the same name, a homeless little girl sets out into the cold winter streets to make money selling matches, but unfortunately, no one is buying. With the weather baring down hard, she seeks warmth from the vary matches she was trying to sell, and begins to imagine herself sharing a Christmas day with her late grandmother. I won’t spoil the ending, but’s it’s among one of the most powerful moments I’ve ever experienced in the realms of animation. Once again, this is a short that’s not directly aimed at Christmas, but it’s set during the holiday season, and its simply Disney at its finest. 

It’s got great animation, and lots of heartfelt drama, as it mainly focuses on the fragile nature of human life. It's a truly heartwarming story that highlights the importance of hope, dreams, and helping the innocent. I watch this short every year, and I never have a dry eye at the end ... it’s just that moving. This short was also nominated at the Academy Awards for Best Short film, but lost to “The Danish Poet”. “The Little Match Girl” in general has always been one of my favorite Christmas stories. It’s a tail that my own late grandparents read to me all the time as a kid, and I always felt it deserved its own holiday special. Thankfully, in the absence of a motion picture, we have this terrific little Disney short that ranks among the finest the studio has ever produced, and it’s personally my favorite Christmas short.

Thanks for reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the specials you love!

Have a Merry Christmas! 

 

 

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) (Movie Review)

 

  A common staple in Christmas specials is an element of fantasy or magic, with stories or settings that embraces a sense of wonder and imagination. While I certainly enjoy the more fantastical elements associated with the season, I also feel that the sign of a truly great Christmas movie is one that has no magical elements at all, and yet … still feels like a magical experience. In this regard, the 1947 classic “Miracle on 34^th Street” stands out as one of the all-time best, as there’s no magical elements in the film at all, but the experience still feels very wonderous and enchanting all the same. Like a fine wine, it’s one of those old pictures that just seems to get better with age. For me, I actually find myself forgetting I love this movie … until I sit-down and watch it again for the holiday season, and I’m like … “Oh Yeah, this movie is still great.” There’s definitely a reason it continues to appear on lists of the best Christmas movies. While I might have one or two reservations with this film, I still feel it holds-up as a classic. By extent, it has a place among my Christmas favorites too, and is well worth revisiting and discussing.

  We open on Macy’s Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, and everyone is in the spirit for a new holiday season. However, before the parade can get going, the leading Santa is caught drinking, and removed from the event. At the last minute, the parades manager Mrs. Walker singles out a kind old gentleman from the crowd to stand-in for the jolly one, and by extent take a position as the Macy’s department store Santa Claus. Not only is the guy a picture-perfect Kris Kringle, but his warmth, and persona is simply brimming with the spirit of the holiday. Things get interesting when this kind old man reveals himself to be the genuine article … the real Santa Claus. While he has no real magical capabilities to back-up his claim, he still insists that the people of New York just need to have faith in him. This comes much to the irritation of Mrs. Walker, who only believes in practical things, and views fantasies as harmful. Caught in the middle is Mrs. Walkers young daughter Susan, who wants to see things her mother’s way, but is also very open to the kind words and thoughtful ideas that Kris Kringle provides to her. However, the longer Kris claims to be Santa, the more he turns some worried heads, resulting in him being put on trial, to determine once and for all if he really is Santa Claus.

  As a quick side note, when this movie was first released in the United Kingdom, it was originally called “The Big Heart” … kind of ironic as the films story was written by a man named Valentine … Valentine Davies to be precise. He came-up with the original story for the film, and would later write a short novelization of “Miracle on 34^th Street”, which was likewise a best-seller that same year. 

Back when I was a little kid, I was first introduced to the story through the 1994 remake, staring Richard Attenborough, which I had a great deal of fondness for. As such, it took me a while to finally sit-down and watch the original classic. Needless to say, this film quickly won me over, and has its place among my annual Christmas re-watches. The film is honestly quiet engaging for such an old 1940’s picture. Director and screen writer George Seaton knew just the right tone, with a fine balance of both hummer and drama, without going too far on either front. It’s hard to put into words, but there really is this infectious charm to the film. This was also one of the very first Black and White movies to be colorized, and for me, it only adds to the appeal of the film. I usually prefer when original Black and White movies are left alone … in fact, many old movies look better without color. However, “Miracle on 34^th Street” is an exception, as it’s so decorative, that the color really makes the visual design pop with all these greens, reds, golds, and brightly colored outfits. Honestly, this film looks like it was meant to be shot in color, and they just didn’t have the money for it back then … but that’s just me speculating. Most DVD releases have both colored and Black and White versions attached, so you can have your pick, and for my liking, I always go with the colored version.   

  Aside from the technical details … the main appeal to this film without question is it’s cast of characters. Maureen O’ Hara stars as Doris Walker, and she finds that perfect balance as a mother closed-off to the world of imagination and fantasies, but she isn’t a dry stick in the mud either, and still shows signs of being hopefully optimistic. I also grew-up with many of John Wayne's classic movies, and Maureen O’ Hara was always my favorite reoccurring actress to appear in his films … my sister was even named after her character from “The Quiet Man”. She was also very memorable in the role of Esmerelda from the 1939 version of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. As such, I loved seeing such a familiar actress to me in this film. Maureen O’ Hara was actually reluctant to the role at first, mainly because she had just moved back home to Ireland post World War 2, but was quickly won-over to the film once she read the script. Acting opposite her is John Payne as Mr. Gailey, who’s a subtle love interest, and later a representative to Kris Kringle when he eventually goes on trial.   

  All the supporting actors in this film have their own screen appeal, including Gene Lockhart as Judge Harper, who’s legally bound to rule a verdict on Kris Kringle, and all while subtly showing signs that he’s rooting for him. Porter Hall plays the antagonistic Mr. Sawyer, who views Kris Kringle as a crazy loon, and while he’s a nasty worm, he isn’t a one-note mustache-twirling crook either. This is a guy who certainly comes off as slimy, but also deludes himself into believing he’s doing the community a favor. In comparison, the 1994 remake has stock, one-note bad guys, who wear all their tropes on their sleeves, and it just never worked for me.  

  Of course, I can’t forget the young Natalie Wood in her breakout role as little Susan. She has amazing chemistry with all her co-stars, and naturally is quite lovable, without ever being too cute in her delivery. The first time I ever saw Natalie Wood was in John Wayne’s 1956 Western classic “The Searchers”, then I really took note of her in the 1961 musical “West Side Story”, and finally, I became a big fan of the actress when I saw her comedic chops on display in the 1965 comedy “The Great Race”. It took me a while to discover she was one of the most cherished child-stars of the late 40’s, and her role in “Miracle on 34th Street” was definitely a high-mark for her.

  At last, rounding-up this incredible cast is Edmund Gwen in the role of Kris Kringle. This is easily one of the all-time great portrayals of Santa, and rightfully won him the Academy Award for best supporting actor. This is the movie that presented Santa on the human spectrum, and it’s Edmund Gwenn’s performance that makes the character feel so convincing as a normal man creating this illusion of being so much more. I also love that this Santa is something of a schemer, one who sets-up ideas and motions, and then watches everything fall into place. He knows he can’t perform real miracles, but his gears are constantly turning, and he’s always thinking of ways to pull-off what seem like impossible feats for one man. Being a warm screen presence would have been fine enough, but it really is the subtle details in Gwen’s performance, that of a quiet mastermind, which makes this Santa feel so unique among all the others I’ve ever seen on film.

  Once we segue into the films third act, the movie becomes a courtroom drama, but it still maintains its signature charm that can appeal to younger viewers. There’s a very cute moment when the prosecutor’s son is called to the witness stand, and a moment where we visually see what the manager of Macy’s Toys thinks when asked about Kris being Santa … which is kind of cheesy, but delightful all the same. At the end, the court house receives several hundred letters addressed to Santa Claus (they were part of the postal services dead letter collection), all now meant for Kris. Thus, the argument is made that the Post Office, a branch of the U.S. federal government has acknowledged Kris as the one and only Santa. This admittedly brings me to one of my reservations with the film, as I feel the final verdict is more cleaver in legally proving a case, but doesn’t really tie-in with the moral of the film. The overarching theme is about keeping one’s faith and beliefs alive in a practical world, and while the letter argument is fine, I just never felt like it complimented the message.

 This is where I want to put a spot-light on the 1994 remake, because while it’s overall not as good a movie, I do feel the final verdict more suitably compliments the films message. 

In the remake, the judge gives a passionate speech about the collective faith of people who believe in something greater than themselves, like the belief in God, which is based solely on faith alone without any real facts. He then determines that be a similar example, there is a Santa, and that he exists within a man named Kris Kringle. Back in the original, the judge is very quick to dismiss the case without any speech, and it just never felt as satisfying by comparison. Thankfully, when the original dose convey it's moral, it comes from Mrs. Walker, highlighting that this was her story, and now she's ready to live in a practical world, while still keeping hope and faith alive. That's all very good, and we get a traditional happy ending with everyone coming together in a new house as a family at the end, and it's hinted that it was all Kris Kringl's doing. Once again, I must confess, I don't like where the film chose to close-out, with Mr. Gailey commenting "Maybe I didn't do such a good thing after all." ... that always felt kind of off-putting to me.

  Putting aside those little hang-ups, I still love this movie all-around, and there’s no denying that “Miracle on 34^th Street” has its well-deserved place among all the classic holiday offerings. In 2005, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant”. Along with Edmund Gwenn wining the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, Valentine Davies won the Academy Award for Best Original Story, and George Seaton won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay. 

The film was even nominated for Best Picture, but lost to the 1947 Drama “Gentleman’s Agreement”, staring Gregory Peck. I personally would have rather seen “Miracle on 34^th Street” win Best Picture, but it was still a cool rarity for a family Christmas movie to even be nominated … although, I should probably note that “The Bishops Wife” was also nominated that same year, and that too is a holiday staple. In the end, if your someone who loves watching Christmas movies during the holiday season, I’d say the original “Miracle on 34^th Street” is required viewing. It’s able to convey a thoughtful message without being overly sentimental, it’s visually appealing, and the cast is extraordinary. More to the point, like I said in the opening, it really is one of those rare Christmas offerings that leaves you feeling like you experienced something magical, without any real fantastical elements on display.     

Thanks for reading my review of the 1947 Christmas classic “Miracle on 34^th Street” … and continue to enjoy the holiday specials and movies you Love!     

 

Family Matters and All their Christmas Episodes

 

  Good old “Family Matters”, it was one of ABC’s most successful family sit-coms, running from 1989 to 1997, and ended up becoming a staple of TGIF. In the beginning, the show followed Officer Carl Winslow, played by Reginald VelJohnson, and his African American family, the Winslow’s, in all the humorous, yet heart felt and somewhat relatable offerings one would expect from a family sitcom. Things changed when the goofy, and nerdy next door neighbor Steve Urkel, played by Jaleel White, came on the scene to steal the show. 

Originally meant as one-off character, he became a main stay in season 2, and eventually became the shows main character. Not only did the show become a full-on comedy series, but it also got re-tooled into a Science Fiction series, with Steve coming-up with all kinds of outlandish contraptions, and goofy oddities ensuing. This made the shows frequently annual Christmas episodes all the more fun to look forward to, because with Steve Urkel, and the shows unpredictable nature … there was no-telling what kind of cheer and delight you’d get along with all the laughs and mayhem. So, I thought it would be fun to go through each of the shows individual Christmas episodes, and see how they hold-up.

 

“Have Yourself a Merry Winslow Christmas” (Season 2, Episode 13)

For the very first Christmas outing with the Winslow family, things are bright and cheery at home, and everyone’s in a jolly mood … then Steve Urkel shows-up announcing that he’s been left all-alone for the holiday season, naturally playing on the family’s sympathy … and much to Laura Winslow’s displeasure, as Steve is frequently putting the moves on her. It doesn’t take long for Urkel’s clumsy nature to get the worst of him, resulting in a tipped over tree, and shattering Laura’s treasured antic ornament. Furious, she sends Urkel back to his lonely basement to spend the rest of the holiday season alone, prompting this sentimental remark … “If that makes you happy, that’ll be my Christmas gift to you”. 

What follows is one of those morbid moments that’s both funny and sad, as we see Steve alone in his cold basement, with nothing but a tipped-over tree and single letter to bring him cheer. Eventually, Laura comes around to apologize and invite him back over for Christmas. This results in a classic funny reaction from Steve, who’s so overwhelmed, he falls over on his back-side, and quotes the famous 90’s phrase “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up”! There’s also a sub-plot with Carl Winslow on a mission to find a special toy for little Nicky, which is flying off the shelves, and is very hard to get, especially when dealing with the crazy mob of shoppers … kind of feels like a pre-curser to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1996 film “Jingle all the Way”. 

Naturally, being a family sit-come, everything results in a cheerful ending, with a montage of everyone unwrapping gifts, while seeing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, and depending on what kind of mood you’re in, it’ll either make you cringe, or feel all warm and cozy inside … honestly, I could see it affecting viewers either way. For me, it’s very simple comfort food, and takes me back to a time when family sit-comes just had a special feel all their own. 

   

“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Urkel” (Season 4, Episode 10)

Following after the last holiday outing, Urkel once again tries to put the moves on Laura, only to have them back-fire big time. Now, Laura is furious, and wishes he’d see things form her perspective. In an obvious, yet loving nod to “It’s a Wonderful Life” … right down to the movie playing in the background … a guardian angel appears to Laura to grant her wish, but there’s going to be a catch … she in turn has to experience things from Urkel’s perspective. Now the roles are reversed, and we see things differently at the Winslow home, with Urkel as the upright family member, and Laura is the nerdy neighbor who just can’t take no for an answer. 

The make-or-break deal of this episode is watching these actors play opposite roles of each-other, and for me, it looks like they had a lot of fun with this episode, and it’s hard for me not to have fun along with them. There’s also a number of details that make this episode stand-out among their Christmas offerings. The opening is classic Urkel, as he comes over to the Winslow home with a new invention that can produce fake-snow for Christmas trees. Naturally, everything goes wrong, turning the home into a giant flurry of white powder … yup, that’s peak Urkel for yah. 

I also love the snowy, shopping mall backdrop, with all the decorations, and Urkel’s goofy Christmas-mobile. Lastly, this episode apparently influenced Adam Sandler’s 2006 movie “Click”, as Laura’s guardian Angel has his own TV remote that can pause, alter and re-wind time. In the end, Laura and Urkel have a new found understanding for one another, and Aunt Rachel plays us out with “O Come All Ye Faithful”, making for yet another corny, yet still cheerful ending. I’d say this is one of the better “Family Matters” Christmas episodes, with a fun premise, memorable character performances, and lots of slap-stick highlights.    

 

“Christmas is Where the Heart is” (Season 5, Episode 11)

For the third Christmas outing on the show, we set-up a new dynamic … Carl Winslow is not in the holiday mood, and Steve Urkel is just the goofball needed to rejuvenate his Christmas spirit ... that will be the formula for many of the holiday episodes moving forward. After accidently smashing another Christmas gift, Carl and Urkel go out shopping, only to get stuck in the blizzard of the century. A sudden black-out strands the two on a subway car, with a number of passengers even grumpier than Carl. 

What they need is a nerd, who refuses to give-up until everyone is feeling the same yuletide cheer of the season. This premise is a double edge sword, as the train setting certainly gives this Christmas episode an identity, and it highlights that despite Urkel’s irritating and clumsy nature, he certainly has a big heart, and I can’t help admiring a character with so much spirit. The downside is that this situation can get repetitive, a little boring, and while there are some chuckles, there aren’t any big laughs either. 

The predictable resolution culminates into an ending with all the ill-tempered strangers coming together to make their own Christmas tree, while singing “Hark the Herald Angle Sing”, and as is tradition with the presentation of this show … it’ll either make you smile or shutter, depending on what mind-set your in. Overall, I wouldn’t call this one of my favorites of their Christmas episodes, but it’s not bad either, and while Carl’s dynamic with Urkel will get a little repetitive, it’s still handled fine here.        

 

“Miracle on Elm Street” (Season 6, Episode 11)

For the fourth of the “Family Matters” Christmas outings, we get perhaps the most straight forward and subtle of their holiday ventures … in that, there’s no adventure, or goofy situation … it’s simply the family and characters being their for one another on Christmas. First, Urkel goes dumpster diving to retrieve an accidentally discarded gift of Laura’s, and makes friends with a stray dog along the way. This culminates into one of Urkel and Laura’s most genuinely touching moments at the end. 

Meanwhile, Little Riche takes to heart his parents lesson of being thoughtful to those less fortunate, and invites a homeless man over for the holidays. Art Evans plays the hobo, and makes for a charming guest role. However, just when you think they’ll do something predictable with this character, like make him a thief, or someone with a sentimental back-story … he’s suddenly reviled to be Santa Claus … making for the one miscellaneous oddity in this episode. 

Aside from a silly opening, with Urkel and Carl getting into mishaps in the kitchen with a bag a flour, this episode really isn’t trying to be that funny, which is a welcome change-up, and thankfully, the episode isn’t overly sentimental with its message either. It’s just a pleasant, cheerful little holiday offering … although, I cold have done without the characters directly addressing the audience before they sing “We Wish you a Merry Christmas”.     

 

"Fa La La La Laagghh!" (Season 7, Episode 11)

By the time the seventh season came around, Steve Urkel was at the height of his popularity, and many episodes were revolving around accidental mishaps he’d cause around the Winslow house … time to see what destructive shenanigans he’ll get into on Christmas. At this festive time, Carl Winslow is naturally in a sour mood, and refuses to allow Urkel to decorate the roof of his house with his crazy light displays. Then, at his poker game, one of his friends says there is a big cash prize for the neighborhood lighting contest, and Carl's mood instantly changes, and basically uses Urkel as a means to rake in five-thousand dollars. Soon, Urkel learns the ugly truth, and their plans for the best-looking house hit rock bottom … quiet literally. 
Their roof is so cluttered with decorations that they come crashing down into the kitchen ... which at the time was one of the funniest things I ever saw in a Christmas sit-com. 

By extent, this is one of Urkel’s best, classic moments in the show, and even if this isn’t the absolute best holiday episode, Steves level of Christmas Destruction certainly makes it one of the most memorable. Afterwords, an angry Urkel sets Carl straight for lying to him and being greedy in wanting to win the prize money, rather than genuinely want to make children happy for the holidays. There’s also a sub-plot with Harriette wanting a little more participation from Eddie and Laura in the family's holiday activities, leaving grandma Winslow the voice of reason to teach them the true meaning of family-time during the holiday. 

Naturally, everything comes together in the end, with the family singing “Joy to the World”. It’s all around a perfect marriage of humble family lesions and outrageous comedy. There’s also terrific gag in which the house pulls so much electrical juice that the whole neighborhood … no, the whole city … no, the whole dang planet has a power outage. It’s so funny it upstages the electrical gag from “National Lampoons Christmas Vacation”. From it’s simple holiday morals, too its decorative details that would make “Die Hard” blush, too it’s out of control comedy, this episode is one Christmas gift that’s well worth keeping.

 

“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” (Season 8: Episode 13)

Tis the season … for Carl and Urkel to find themselves going on one more holiday adventure together. This time around, the pair search for a family Christmas tree out in the Wisconsin woods, but unfortunately for them, a freak blizzard throws them off their path, and the two have to work together to stay alive in a freezing forest at night. Meanwhile, Laura is stuck in a very boring sub-plot, in which her feelings are caught between two other boys, and she has to make a choice on which one to commit with. In the plus column, it’s great to see Jaleel White acting in the duple-ganger role of Stefan, who’s Urkel’s “cooler half”, and highlights the talent as more then just acting as a geeky nerd all the time.

Also, this is the most overly decorated the Winslow house has ever looked, so while the Laura plot is boring, I at least have some colorful decorations to look at. More important, this is a great bonding episode for Carl and Urkel, and unlike their previous Sub-way adventure, I like that it’s just the two characters together, and their chemistry is strongest when they’re not surrounded by extra’s. The epilogue is perhaps their most subdued yet, as they sing “O Christmas Tree”, and head for bed without a lengthy montage. All in all, I’d say this is a half-way decent Christmas outing … in that half of the episode is decent, and the other half can be skipped all together.      

 

“Deck the Malls” (Season 9: Episode 11)

It’s the very last Christmas episode of "Family Matters", and the Winslow’s find themselves facing their biggest holiday challenge yet … surviving a day working at the local shopping mall. Carl has to put on his best act as the department store Santa, Laura is stuck in a dorky helper elf costume, and Steve Urkel gets it worst of all working as a gift-wrapper in the packaging department. Straight to the point … I didn’t like this mall segment at all. Most of the jokes are laugh-free, a lot of it is boring, and what could have been a funny sequence with Urkel overwhelmed with work just never hit the mark for me. 

Carl at least gets a really good moment when he promises to grant a boys wish by helping his dad get a job. Once the whole shopping mall segment concludes, the episode manages to redeem itself with a lengthy Christmas morning sequence of the characters exchanging gifts, sharing some laughs, and Aunt Rachel shows-up just in time to sing “O Holly Night”. This would mark the final appearance of many of the shows main characters, and Mrs. Winslow would be played by a different actress after this, so there’s something suitably sentimental about this epilogue, and seeing all these characters together one last time. While I certainly wouldn’t have called this the best Christmas episode to close on, I feel it at least had the best ending.      

  So concludes my rundown of all the “Family Matters” Christmas episodes, and if I were to quickly rank them from my personal favorite, to my least favorite, it would go like this …

#1 “Fa La La La Laagghh!”

#2 “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Urkel”

#3 “Have Yourself a Merry Winslow Christmas”

#4 “Miracle on Elm Street”

#5 “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”

#6 “Deck the Malls”

#7 “Christmas is Where the Heart is”

 

It's certainly been a nostalgic little trip down 90’s memory lane, and for anyone who also grew up with the series, I hope it was fun looking back. If your someone just looking for any random Christmas special, maybe this will give you something to look into this Holiday season.

Thanks for reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the shows you love!