Comments on: Friday ‘Tis The Season

By: Crinos

Crinos — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:17:47 +0000

This, and Jack Frost, are my favorite Rankin Bass specials, I always try and catch them when they’re on ABC Family during the Christmas special.

By: Zenrage

Zenrage — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:52:10 +0000

I think I was just off by a century.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:15:59 +0000

@ Spafoom. Right. Right. My mistake. Yeesh. I should know that. That’s a rookie mistake I should have been past years ago.

Regardless, I’m still not aware of a late 1700s banning of Christmas, so I’m curious.

I am aware of the puritan bannings throughout the 17th century (in both the UK and US), and I could have sworn there were some Calvinist issues with Xmas in the 16th, but I don’t know of any in the 18th.

By: Mary Warner

Mary Warner — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:15:55 +0000

Yeah, the Puritans banned Christmas in England during Cromwell’s interregnum– mid 17th Century. Shops were ordered to stay open and churches were required to be closed. And the Massachusetts Puritans banned it as well, although I’m not certain when. I don’t think it precisely matched the period in England.
I’m not aware of any place banning Christmas in the late 18th Century.

By: Ambrael

Ambrael — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:27:57 +0000

Ah, yes. My favorite drunken debate from college.
Christianity = the Borg. Discuss.

By: KD

KD — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:07:18 +0000

They actually converted this into an animated move that every now and again gets play on Cartoon Network.

By: Spafoom

Spafoom — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:47:27 +0000

Jonathan,
18th century =/= 1800′s .

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:05:31 +0000

Actually, the banning of Christmas was in the 16th and 17th centuries under the reformers and puritans respectively. At least, those are the more famous bannings. I understood that it was regaining popularity and made a federal holiday (in the US) in the mid-late 1800s. Who banned it then?

By: Zenrage

Zenrage — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 08:16:35 +0000

Christmas is not as Christian as many bible beaters would have you believe.

First of all, most of the traditions (giving presents, decorating trees, holiday wreaths) that Christmas currently uses were originally used in the Roman holiday Saturnalia which was officially recognized in 275 AD. Meanwhile, the Christian faith hadn’t even gotten around to deciding an official date for Jesus’ birth until the year 325 AD at the first Council of Nicea.

Secondly, in the late 18th Century, and because of this pagan beginning to Christmas, the Christians had the celebration of Christmas officially criminalized. You even had to pay a fine if you were heard wishing anyone a Merry Christmas.

As for this film, there were a few glaring plot holes and the nymph stealing the child sends a kinda creepy message if you ask me. Otherwise, not a bad story.

By: Mary Warner

Mary Warner — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:17:00 +0000

I was thinking this was a very Pagan story for such a Christian holiday, but I see Archguru has already made that point.
I read most of Baum’s Oz books when I was a kid (and most of the Thompson ones as well), but the library didn’t have any of his other books. I’ve always wondered what his other stuff was like– whether it was like the Oz books, or if he had other styles. From what little I’ve seen here, it looks sort of like both. You can see some Oz similarities, but it feels different, too. Although, to be fair, I have no idea how well this matches the book.
Santa Claus had a cameo appearance near the end of one of the Oz books, by the way, along with characters from some of Baum’s other stories.

By: RAC

RAC — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:45:19 +0000

Is it just me, or is the version that has aired in recent years edited for time somewhat? I’m hoping this copy isn’t…

By: ThatNickGuy

ThatNickGuy — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:30:49 +0000

http://scans-daily.dreamwidth.org/1294108.html

Hey MGK, I swear this was one of your ideas. It feels AWFULLY familiar, at least.

By: Archguru

Archguru — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:23:39 +0000

God, I loved this one when I was a kid. Now I am just amazed that they were able to put something on tv related to christmas that had such a pagan themed story. Usually its either super sacharine santa stories or hyper christian stories. I have been looking for it for years. You have made my day MGK!

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:11:09 +0000

I still have this on VHS from when I recorded it something like 20 years ago

By: Illian

Illian — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:42:32 +0000

I was just thinking about this and considering looking it up on YouTube earlier today too.

The sheer oddity of some of the Immortals and their diverse natures (and powers, apparently) which goes trippingly by without even trying to explain really catches at me. Even years later, I have found myself humming their entrance song from time to time. At thematically appropriate moments I can even hear the horns.