Top of the Christmas Morning to You

In 1964, using stop animation techniques, Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass produced a little Christmas film called Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. To this day NBC's museum in New York has a display with the original figurines. The movie, which featured the legendary Burl Ives as the narrating snowman, is still considered a classic. The week it originally aired TV Guide dedicated four pages to its ground-breaking technology. The term "animagic" was coined and Rankin and Bass were on top of the world. In an effort to recreate the animagic, the two would team up several more times over the following decades for stop-animation and cartoon specials, mostly at Christmas time. Examples are 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and The Year Without Santa Claus. They even produced some specials featuring the religious side of Christmas like The Little Drummer Boy, The Little Drummer Boy II and my favorite, Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey. That was all fine until they started doing cross-holiday films like Rudolph's Shiny New Year and Jack Frost (narrated by Buddy Hackett as the February 2 ground hog). The best of the Rankin & Bass cross-holiday specials is by far The Leprechauns' Christmas Gold from 1981. Though only 25 minutes long, this feature manages to pack in a gripping story line that follows the development of intriguing characters through plenty of twists and turns all narrated charismatically (and musically) by the late Art Carney. There's even an evil temptress banshee who disguises herself as a fair maiden to steal the gold. But ultimately, the story is one of redemption and forgiveness at Christmas time as people and leprechauns alike overcome differences and make their way back home for the holidays. So this Christmas Eve as you gather with family and friends, don't forget to set aside a half hour to enjoy The Leprechauns' Christmas Gold at 1:30 pm on ABC Family Channel. If you only see one Christmas special this season, make it golden. If you do see more than one Christmas special, below is a table with air times for all of the Rankin & Bass shows between now and New Year's. (All times are MST. Check local listings for more information) Title Year Date Time Channel Little Drummer Boy 1968 Dec 14 8:00 PM ABC Family Little Drummer Boy II 1976 Dec 14 8:30 PM ABC Family The Year Without a Santa Claus 1974 Dec 15 8:00 PM ABC Family Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town 1970 Dec 15 9:00 PM ABC Family 'Twas the Night Before Christmas 1974 Dec 15 11:30 PM ABC Family Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town 1970 Dec 18 8:00 PM ABC Family Frosty's Winter Wonderland 1976 Dec 19 8:00 PM ABC Family Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey 1977 Dec 19 8:30 PM ABC Family The Year Without a Santa Claus 1974 Dec 20 11:00 PM ABC Family The Year Without a Santa Claus 1974 Dec 20 8:00 PM ABC Family Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 1964 Dec 21 7:00 PM CBS Rudolph's Shiny New Year 1976 Dec 22 8:00 PM ABC Family Little Drummer Boy 1968 Dec 24 1:00 PM ABC Family The Leprechauns' Christmas Gold 1981 Dec 24 1:30 PM ABC Family Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July 1979 Dec 24 2:00 PM ABC Family The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus 1985 Dec 24 4:00 PM ABC Family The Story of the First Christmas Snow 1975 Dec 24 5:00 PM ABC Family Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey 1977 Dec 24 5:30 PM ABC Family Pinocchio's Christmas 1980 Dec 24 6:00 PM ABC Family Jack Frost 1979 Dec 24 7:00 PM ABC Family Frosty's Winter Wonderland 1976 Dec 24 8:00 PM ABC Family 'Twas the Night Before Christmas 1974 Dec 24 8:30 PM ABC Family Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town 1970 Dec 24 9:00 PM ABC Family The Year Without a Santa Claus 1974 Dec 24 10:00 PM ABC Family Rudolph's Shiny New Year 1976 Dec 24 11:00 PM ABC Family Little Drummer Boy 1968 Dec 25 12:00 AM ABC Family Little Drummer Boy II 1976 Dec 25 12:30 AM ABC Family Frosty's Winter Wonderland 1976 Dec 25 11:30 PM ABC Family Rudolph's Shiny New Year 1976 Dec 26 7:00 PM ABC