In 1978 on Nov. 17th, The Star Wars Holiday Special aired. Star Wars mania was at a high, as fans flocked to the theaters to watch their favorite movie again and again. To encourage toy sales for the Christmas season, this special was created with all the main characters making an appearance. But even if you’re a serious Star Wars fan, you may have missed this, because unlike other Holiday specials shown here, The Star Wars Holiday Special never aired again.

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Given the multi-cultural, intergalactic nature of Star Wars, no Earth Holiday would do for the Star Wars Holiday Special. It focuses instead on a Wookie tradition called Life Day. Presents are exchanged, so you can guess which holiday it was meant to emulate. The story is rather trite, but seeing that Chewbacca has a family was enough to enthrall most little kids. In the movies the political tensions, between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire, were beyond the comprehension of most youngsters.

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But this holiday special succeeded in making storm troopers the literal face of evil. This was no cops and robbers game. Storm troopers went up to the bedroom of Chewbacca’s son, and trashed it, then tore the head off of his stuffed animal. Every child who had been watching the wookie boy argue about doing chores, and delighting in watching his favorite cartoon, could relate and instantly saw the Empire as their own enemy.

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If you dare to watch this special, you’ve been warned. It mixes in a healthy dose of 70s variety show styled entertainment. The costumes are more elaborate, but it is a jumble of colorful distractions from a weak plot. Harvey Korman does multiple roles, including one in drag. But to an adult audience, the suggestive hypno-erotic piece by Diahann Carroll, will leave you wondering why this is part of a children’s special.

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How the Grinch stole Christmas written by Dr. Seuss. He was a celebrated author had only been writing children’s books for 3 years, having started in 1954 with the Cat in the Hat as a literacy project to encourage 1st grade reading. By 1966, when the animated special How the Grinch Stole Christmas aired on television, he was a household name. And the beloved special airing year after year became a favorite for many referred to simply as The Grinch.

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The television adaptation of How the Grinch Stole Christmas did more than bring to life the rhymes of Dr. Seuss with the eerie baritone voice of Boris Karloff. It gave us music. The song, “You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch”, also written By Dr. Seuss, is a holiday favorite. Just as the Grinch has become an icon to represent any cankerous person lacking the well-wishing, good-nature holiday spirit. But he does more than replace the Victorian penny pinching Ebenezer Scrooge, who was a cut throat business man. The Grinch, by comparison, is a common thief, who could be from any walk of life. An outcast in his hatred, from all the righteous qualities that traditionally have flourished in this season.

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The silly rhymes of Dr. Seuss stick with us through the years. Although the particular scenes of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, are visually unforgettable. Seeing him sneaking and snaking around. The decorations disappearing up the chimney, pour Max burdened with the load, how he conned Little Cindy Lou Who. But I believe the real beauty of the story is the redemption of the Grinch. He gets away, but the people of Whoville celebrated anyway and he has an epiphany. He returns to undo his terrible deed and the people welcome him as one of them. Doesn’t everyone with regrets wish that they could undo things just as easily, and feel that warmth and love?

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The Bells of St Mary’s stars Bing Crosby who is joined by Ingrid Bergman in the 1945 holiday classic, It was first released in December of that year. As for Christmas, the only link is a cute scene involving a children’s’ pageant. In it Bing Crosby reprises his award-winning role as the priest Father O’Malley. This black and white film has plenty of songs, as we’ve come to expect from Bing Crosby, but it also has a great story-line. The tale takes place in a run-down inner city school, run by nuns who are praying for a way to keep the school open and thereby keep the teachers and students together. The alternative is to bus some of the students elsewhere, with the poorer ones unable to attend the newer private school being put out entirely, while the nuns would be dispersed. Father O’Malley arrives to supervise the school and decide if it can be salvaged.

The Bells of St Mary’s, there is great chemistry between Ingrid Bergman’s character, Sister Mary Benedict and Bing Crosby’s Father O’Malley. The pair are at odds with how things should be run at the school, with Sister Mary being the experienced one and Father O’Malley being an astute judge of character, who seems to work his magic behind the scenes. As the movie is ending Sister Mary is being transferred away from her beloved school. She thinks it is done in spite because she wasn’t always the most cooperative with Father O’Malley, and struggles to remain calm, but in reality her saddened heart is for naught, as she is actually being moved for convalescence of a health condition. Just before she leaves, Father O’Malley reveals to her the reason for her transfer, unburdening her heart from her conflicted feelings.

The Bells of St Mary’s is twice linked (to my favorite film) “It’s a Wonderful Life”. First, it is the film shown on the marquee in Bedford Falls and secondly Henry Travers who plays George Bailey’s guardian angel, is in The Bell’s of St. Mary’s. His role is pivotal, first as a cantankerous industrialist who seems to dislike children and then as the hero of the film who’s generosity saves the school.

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