Christmas in July 2013 is COMING: Part 3

1982's The Snowman

By now, you've heard the news that I'm hosting guest bloggers next month.  Everyone is writing an essay about their favorite ANIMATED Christmas entertainment.  Click HERE for the original introduction and instructions.  Click HERE for Part 2: more images to jog your memory about animated episodes, specials and movies.

1979's Bug Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales

Here in Part 3, I want to let you know what titles have already been reserved.  If you'd like to participate, please also send a 2nd choice just in case your 1st choice has already been selected by someone else.  The following lists titles already taken:

--Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol
--Batman: The Brave & the Bold episode "Invasion of the Secret Santas!"
--Cosmic Christmas
--Twas the Night Before Christmas
--Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
--The Simpsons episode "Marge Be Not Proud"
--A Charlie Brown Christmas
--Polar Express
--The Small One
--A Garfield Christmas
--Santa & the Three Bears
--Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too
--Yogi's First Christmas
--Mickey's Christmas Carol
--Little Drummer Boy
--Santa Claus is Comin' to Town

What would YOU like to write about?  As you can see, there are still plenty of titles both classic and contemporary still available.  Email me according to the instructions with your selection.  Let me give you a few more images to inspire you.  Come and join the party!

Family Guy's 2010 Christmas episode "Road to the North Pole."

1974's "Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Claus" or this 2009 re-make.

1936 cartoon "Christmas Comes But Once a Year."

Any one of the several Prep & Landing specials.

1976's Rudolph's Shiny New Year

Squidbillies 2006 Christmas episode "Rebel With A Claus"--or any of the many Adult Swim Christmas installments.

The original 1966 Grinch special is still up for grabs!

Maybe the contemporary film Arthur Christmas touched your heart?  Tell us all about it in July.

Disney's Christmas Carol is currently streaming on Netflix.

Christmas in July is Coming: ANIMATION Part 2

Who wants to share their favorite moments from the Bob's Burgers holiday episode?

It's that special time of year again!  I'm getting ready for our annual summer party here on the blog--a time I invite readers to participate in sharing their favorite Christmas entertainment memories.  In years past, we've spent the month sharing our favorite 1990s holiday entertainments and Science Fiction Christmas programs.  This year, we are all going to write about our favorite ANIMATED Christmas episodes, specials, and movies.  (It can be Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, or New Year's too!)  Want to join the fun?  Click HERE for the original INTRODUCTION and INSTRUCTIONS.

Any music fans want to share about the TV Funhouse segment with Darlene Love?

Still not sure what to write about?  Let me give you a little more inspiration.  I did a little digging yesterday and compiled an incomplete list of animated holiday programs currently streaming on Netflix.  Of course, this only helps if you subscribe to Netflix--but I know many of you do.  You can always use your local library as a resource--and I hope you already know that.  If you'd like to write about something specific but you don't know where you can find it, email me--I'll be glad to make some suggestions.  Anyhoo...here's a list of animated holiday programming currently streaming on Netflix:

2009's Disney's Christmas Carol
2011's Arthur Christmas
2000's Casper's Haunted Christmas
1993's Nightmare Before Christmas
2005's A Very Barry Christmas (cute Australian characters)
1996's How the Toys Saved Christmas
2002's Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales
2003's I Want A Dog for Christmas (also with Charles Schulz' Peanuts characters)
1986's Happy New Year, Charlie Brown
1973's The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas
2006's Eloise (TV series based on Kay Thompson character--has Christmas episode)
1997's Babes in Toyland
Dreamworks Holiday Classics--which includes Merry Madagascar, and the newer Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury (from How to Train Your Dragon movie franchise), and more.

Dreamworks Holiday Classics is currently streaming on Netflix.  It includes the Christmas animated short from the How to Train Your Dragon movie franchise.

Netflix also has many Christmas cartoon film shorts that are currently streaming. Still not sure what to write on?  Check out the images below for more ideas.  Reserve your title soon.  Good luck!

Ever seen this animated special?  It's more than a little creepy.

1974's The Year Without A Santa Claus

2011's Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas

2010 Christmas episode of TV series Community.

Any one of the several Rugrats holiday specials.  Above, Rugrats Chanukah.

Any one of the several Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas episodes.

2003's "Twas the Fight Before Christmas" on the Powerpuff Girls.

Jetsons Christmas Carol

2002's A Scooby Doo Christmas or 2012's Scooby Doo's Haunted Holidays.

"Santa-Witch" and "Scrooge Loose" are both great Gumby Christmas installments.

I feel like I've barely scratched the surface with suggestions.  If you'd like a more personalized suggestion, email me.

Christmas in July 2013: Animation!

1966's How the Grinch Stole Christmas

It's that special time of year again!  I'm starting to get ready for our annual summer party here on the blog--a time I like to invite readers to participate in sharing their favorite Christmas entertainment memories.  Just as in past years, we'll all focus on one topic:  this year, let's write about our FAVORITE ANIMATED CHRISTMAS episodes, specials or movies.  (It can be Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, or New Year's too!)  Doesn't that sound like fun?

1965's A Charlie Brown Christmas

Instructions: 
(1).  Reserve your title with me first.  It won't be as much fun if we have 15 or more people writing on the same thing.  Email me with the title of what you want to write about at: Joanna [at] 1701press dot com.  Let me know if you will eventually be sending photos with your essay--if you can't send photos, I can get them for you.  However, I need to know ahead of time.

(2).  Your essay should consist of a brief summary--just 2-5 sentences.  It should be just enough to remind readers of the plot--we've all seen these before so just describe it enough to make it distinguishable from all other Christmas animated programs.

Then write a paragraph or two about WHY this is your favorite animated program.  What does it remind you of?  What makes it especially meaningful for you? or describe one scene that is emotionally satisfying or meaningful.  Just connect with the animated program personally and share it with us.

(3)  Email your essay and photos as an attachment to me at the above email address.  Your deadline is June 30th.  The party begins July 1st--and I need to organize the order of the essays ahead of time.

(4)  During July, come back READ everyone else's favorite animated program essays.   It's not a party if we're not interacting.  But mostly, just have fun with it.

Sound good?  I'm hoping that everyone who has participated in previous years will join the fun again this year--and we'll get some new voices to join our regulars.  I've specially selected the topic of ANIMATED ENTERTAINMENT as a broad category so we encourage some newbies to join the party. 

1964's Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

If you'd like to participate but don't know what to write about--just email me!  I'll be glad to make suggestions.  Also, just as in years past, if you're nervous about writing for the blog, I'll be glad to preview your essay and work with you to edit your essay to your satisfaction before posting it.  Whatever makes you comfortable with participating.  There's lots of room here for many voices.  Come join the fun.

1969's Frosty the Snowman

You are welcome to select a title that is old or new, Animagic (stop motion) or traditional animation, an episode from a Saturday morning cartoon series or a feature-length animated movie.  One of the things I love about guest bloggers during Christmas in July is that we get an amazing amount of diversity--keep it coming!  You can write about something rare (aired only once) or something that has aired on prime time network TV every year since 1964.  Just pick something.  And, of course, I'll be glad to make suggestions if you're stumped.

2007's Shrek the Halls

Need to re-watch your animated title?  I'll be glad to make suggestions on WHERE to find your title too---that's very easy for me to do.  Generally speaking, don't forget your local library, Netflix--streaming and DVDs, Blockbuster.com, Hulu, Youtube, Vimeo,  and your own personal collection.

1993's Nightmare Before Christmas

Ready for some more suggestions?  Check out the images below for some more inspiration.

1970's Christmas Is

1987's A Claymation Christmas Celebration

 

 

 

2011's "Die Semi-Hard" from The Cleveland Show

1965's "Christmas Lost and Found" from Davey & Goliath.

2004's Polar Express

1987's A Garfield Christmas

1983's Mickey's Christmas Carol

1968's Little Drummer Boy

1982's Christmas Comes to Pac-Land

Any one of The Simpsons' Christmas installments.

1982's Yogi Bear's All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper

Any of the several South Park Christmas episodes.

1977's Fat Albert Christmas Special

1970's Santa Claus is Comin' to Town

2011 episode "Do You See What I See" from Eureka.

1962's Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol

1992's Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas

There are hundreds of more titles available to write about.  Just WHAT IS your favorite animated Christmas entertainment? 

List of O.Henry Adaptations

Even Disney pays tribute to great American literature in Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas.

This past Spring, I've been sharing some of my favorite Christmas movies, specials, and TV episodes that have taken inspiration from American author O.Henry's short stories including The Gift of the Magi and The Cop and The Anthem.  Below is a quick list of links to the series.  Please don't mistake this as an exhaustive list because there are dozens and dozens more Christmas entertainments inspired by O.Henry--this is just a starting place. 

One of my all-time favorite Christmas specials: Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas

Adaptations of The Gift of the Magi:

1952 theatrical release film O.Henry's Full House
1978 TV movie The Gift of Love starring Marie Osmond
a segment within Disney's Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas from 1999
Jim Henson Production's 1977 hit Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
1996 operatic TV version from Finland entitled The Gift of the Magi
1979 Christmas episode from sitcom Alice starring Linda Lavin
1974 Christmas episode of the family drama Little House on the Prairie
1955 Christmas episode of The Honeymooners
an anti-Gift of the Magi story from the TV sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond from 2000
and, 2010 TV movie Gift of the Magi which debuted on the Hallmark Channel

Alice and Ralph Kramden share a heart-warming gift exchange on The Honeymooners.

Adaptations of The Cop and The Anthem:

1952 theatrical release film O.Henry's Full House
1954 Christmas episode of The Red Skelton Show
1978 animated TV special A Pink Christmas starring the Pink Panther

The characters on TV's Alice make sacrifices a la O.Henry at Christmas in their unique gift swap.

Do you have a favorite Christmas entertainment inspired by a short story written by O.Henry that didn't make my list?  Share the title with us in the comments below and explain why it's one of your favorites.