For this issue though, I wanted to feature a Christmas Special that was actually originated during the 80's. This year I chose to feature Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special. This special episode of the Saturday morning favorite first aired on December 21, 1988. Even though Pee-Wee's Playhouse usually aired on Saturday mornings, this special was debuted during prime-time on CBS.

This Christmas Special was as odd and eclectic as the regular Pee-Wee's Playhouse show always was. In this episode, Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) and the Playhouse gang hold a Christmas party. Things threaten to get out of hand fairly early as the increasingly disappointed Pee-Wee receives one fruitcake after another. When he complains that he didn't get anything he really wanted, our hero learns an important lesson about sharing from none other than Santa Claus. Pee-wee makes a list for Santa Claus 1 1/2 miles long, teaches Little Richard how to ice skate, goes for a sleigh ride with Magic Johnson, commands Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello to make Christmas cards, receives a long phone call from Dinah Shore, even has more musical fun with k.d. lang, the Del Rubio Triplettes and Charo. Finally, Santa Claus arrives and to tell Pee-Wee that his Christmas wish list is just too long, and no one else will get presents if he doesn't shorten it.

Other guests included Oprah Winfrey, Cher, Grace Jones, Joan Rivers, Whoopi Goldberg and Zsa Zsa Gabor. Here is the opening sequence to Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special:

I think the synopsis on Rotten Tomatoes describes it best, "In this surreal pastiche of television-age nostalgia, sprung from the perpetually prepubescent mind of Paul Reubens, Pee-Wee and his friends celebrate Christmas in all kinds of unique, fun, and creative ways in a holiday special unlike any other. This Christmas classic is fun for the whole family, with all the cleverness and charm of the TV series."

Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special was nominated for three Emmy Awards including Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design and Title Sequences (which you were able to watch in the video above), Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program and Outstanding Costume Design for a Variety or Music Program.

Here is the last 6 minutes of the episode which includes the quality Christmas message that the show delivers. Despite all of the silliness and wackiness, Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special still promotes the true meaning of the season.

In the end, Jambi asks Pee-Wee what his other wish for the day is. "My wish is that there's peace on earth and that everybody has the very merriest of Christmases and a happy new year."

It obviously does not deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Charlie Brown, Rudolph or Frosty, but it definitely holds it own and as far as 80's Christmas Specials go it might be the best. That will wrap up this issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks as always for reading. If you are interested in reading more of my 80's related issues, please click there for a summary. You can always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. While you are up there in the upper right hand column, please take a moment to rate/vote for Kickin' it (I appreciate it). Peace and much love.

Check this out: Here is a cartoon that made me chuckle, so I thought I would share it. Reminded me of those pretentious hoity-toity wine sommeliers describing a fine wine...

Quote of the day: "Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself..."
-Norman Wesley Brooks, "Let Every Day Be Christmas," 1976