About Christmas TV History

Saturday, June 4, 2016

Christmas in July 2016



The annual Christmas in July party I host each year on this blog is happening soon.  If you've been around awhile, you may remember that each year the summer party is a little different.  I try to do something special in July each year because each of us gets very busy in December and it's a fun to have a get-together when we aren't in the midst of the holiday season.



This year I'd like to repeat the mini-questionnaire as a way to spark a dialogue and to have everyone get to know each other  better.  I was inspired to try this approach from what I saw (and participated in) three years ago on the website Kindertrauma.  With their blessing, I've adapted the questionnaire to fit our needs.  We did this last year too--remember all the fun answers?  Click on these links to see the 2014 introduction and the 2015 intro again.




Answer the following five questions as completely or as briefly as you like.  Everyone is invited to take part--long-time readers, other bloggers, casual TV fans, or just the curious passer-by.  Everyone should feel free to join the Christmas in July party. 

Copy + Paste the questions below in an email, answer them, and email it back to me.  Send your responses in immediately and I'll email you back with a number.  That number is your confirmation that I received your answers and it is your place in the queue.  I will begin posting the responses starting on July 1st--and roll them out in the order received.  (DON'T put your responses to the questions in the comments below--email them in).  Don't worry about photos either--I'll take care of that.  And duplicate answers are part of the party experience--don't exert too much effort trying to find rare examples for your answers.  If you want to change your answers after you email them to me--please resist the urge.  Instead, add comments to your own post when it goes up in July.  Email your responses to: [sorry, Christmas in July is now over.]




This Christmas in July party is supposed to be fun and entertaining so don't sweat your responses.  Don't spend four hours on it--just go with what comes easy.  If you feel you need a little help, feel free to flip through your dog-eared copy of the encyclopedia Tis the Season TV--or put a copy on hold at your local library.  Or, use the search box or click through the archives on this website.  Christmas TV memories will come flooding back, I'm sure.

Whether you send in a response or not, please feel free to follow along throughout the month of July.  Reading other people's responses is half the fun.  I want to encourage everyone to leave comments too--it makes people feel good to know their entry is being read by others.  If you like, please feel free to use the popsicle Christmas in July 2016 badge on your website or social media posts to let others know what you are up to!

Let's get this party started:

Christmas TV Party 2016: (insert your name--your website/optional)

1) What Christmas episode/special/or movie always puts you in the holiday spirit?

2) What Christmas program or scene brings you to tears?

3) What's your favorite quote of dialogue, song lyric, or sentiment from a Christmas program?

4) Is there a Christmas program that unintentionally frightens you--or turns you off?

5) Name one character from Christmas entertainment with whom you closely identify? and explain why.

Since I'm hosting this party, I'll be glad to be the first one to join the party and lead by example.  Isn't this fun already?





Christmas in July 2016:  Joanna Wilson from ChristmasTVHistory.com

1) What Christmas episode/special/or movie always puts you in the holiday spirit?

Watching A Charlie Brown Christmas always puts me in the holiday spirit.  As soon as I see the opening scenes of the animated Peanuts ice skating and I hear the familiar piano chords and the vocals "Christmas Time is Here," it feels like Christmas--even if I'm watching in April or August!

2) What Christmas program or scene brings you to tears?

It is hard for me to pin down just one title or scene because it seems like I'm always crying while watching Christmas entertainment! But the first scene that came to mind is the one in which John Boy opens his Christmas gift in the 1971 TV movie The Homecoming: A Christmas Story. The moment in the film is already an emotional one--the father of the Walton family has finally arrived home, his absence worried the family through most of the movie. The relief of John Walton coming home safely and sharing the story of confronting a stranger (Santa Claus?) on the roof--who dropped the sack of gifts for the whole family is a climax to the drama. But when the sensitive teenage John Boy finds that his gift is several blank writing tablets, he knows that his parents support his desire to write--a yearning he's struggled to share with them because he fears they won't understand. While his younger siblings open their gifts of toys and treats, John Boy has received acceptance and encouragement for Christmas. It makes me cry every time!

3) What's your favorite quote of dialogue, song lyric, or sentiment from a Christmas program?

"Remember no man is a failure who has friends." I love the quote that the angel Clarence writes in George Bailey's book in the movie It's a Wonderful Life.

4) Is there a Christmas program that unintentionally frightens you--or turns you off?

I don't want to be a killjoy but the Christmas TV specials in which toys come to life often make me squirm. The worst one for me is The Christmas Toy. The toys come to life and roam about the house while the humans are sleeping. If they bump into a human in the middle of the night, the toys stop moving in order to hide their true nature. For some reason, Toy Story doesn't bother me--it's fun and delightful--but Jim Henson's A Christmas Toy somehow turns creepy for me.

5) Name one character from Christmas entertainment with whom you closely identify? and explain why.

Sometimes I feel like Buddy the elf from the movie Elf.  With my line of work, it's Christmas 24/7 for me. I'm frequently humming "Jingle Bells," checking Christmas movies out of the library, and wearing a Christmas pop culture t-shirt--all year long. When Buddy left the North Pole and went to New York City, he felt out of place and sometimes I feel out of place too. But, like Buddy, I too like my life and lifestyle so I just keep doing what makes me happy!


If you have any questions, ask below in the comments.

Send in your responses today!  Thanks for playing along and Merry Christmas in July.




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