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The holidays are all about engaging in traditions, whether its your mom’s penchant for goofy sweaters or the always-awkward yearly Christmas party at the office. One of the more enjoyable customs associated with X-Mas is the annual onslaught of holiday specials that dominate the tube over the next few weeks.
Most of these 30-minute-long throwbacks, which typically preempted regular programming, can be a bit heavy on the schmaltz and saccharine (and often have a lesson to be learned at the end), but such things are a staple of the “most wonderful time of the year.”
We’ve been watching these Christmas-themed cartoons and television programming since we were wee tykes and have compiled a list of some of the best and most memorable holiday specials. Read on for a rundown of our favorites, which includes a few surprises.
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7. The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
The Plot: Han Solo and Chewbacca must evade the Galactic Empire and return home for the annual Wookie celebration of “Life Day” and reunite with Luke, Princess Leia, and their droid companions.
The Lowdown: While it’s admittedly an unusual choice to include this 60-minute-long fiasco (which aired during Thanksgiving weekend in 1978), it’s arguably one of most famous specials of all time. It’s also a pop cultural curiosity that’s features a variety of late-’70s celebrities (Art Carney, Bea Arthur, Jefferson Starship) and is worth watching at least once in your lifetime. Plus, it features the first ever appearance of Boba Fett.
