Christmas-themed episodes...

[aaron sica]

Considering it's the day before the big day (otherwise known as "Christmas Eve"), after going to Jaime's page to watch some Christmas-themed clips, I pose a question for some discussion: what's your favorite?

It doesn't have to be something you saw for the first time online, it could be something you remember from a Christmas-themed episode as a kid.

Mine is actually one I got to see for the first time this year thanks to the generosity of Chuck Donegan (I have the entire episode and THEN some other stuff), and it's on Jaime's page and other spots too.

The best moment, to me, is now the 12/24/80 episode of "Wheel" - particularly the round where the woman wins a car. Because it's a Woolery episode, Susan is turning letters, we've got all the old music (esp. when we go to commercial), I could watch it again and again.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'141383\' date=\'Dec 24 2006, 12:16 PM\']
Considering it's the day before the big day (otherwise known as "Christmas Eve"), after going to Jaime's page to watch some Christmas-themed clips, I pose a question for some discussion: what's your favorite?
[/quote]
Blockbusters, when they displayed the Blockbusters Christmas Tree, made out of the gameboard elements.

[Blanquepage]

I think mine would be Faye Emerson reading  "Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Clause" on I've Got A Secret.

--Jamie

[Fedya]

Chuck Woolery to Scrabble teen week contestant: What would you like for Christmas?
Contestant: Nothing really, seeing as I'm Jewish.

(OK, I may not have the quote exactly right, but that is the essence of it.  Chuck put his foot further in his mouth by asking the contestant what he wanted for Hanukkah, only for the contestant to reply that Hanukkah was already over.)

[aaron sica]

[quote name=\'Fedya\' post=\'141391\' date=\'Dec 24 2006, 04:53 PM\']
Chuck Woolery to Scrabble teen week contestant: What would you like for Christmas?
Contestant: Nothing really, seeing as I'm Jewish.

(OK, I may not have the quote exactly right, but that is the essence of it.  Chuck put his foot further in his mouth by asking the contestant what he wanted for Hanukkah, only for the contestant to reply that Hanukkah was already over.)
[/quote]

I believe the contestant's response to the Christmas question (and I believe his name was Aaron as well..nice name!) was "Ah, no, considering I'm jewish" and in response to Chuck's question about Hanukkah, responded with "It's not that time of the year yet, Chuck".

One of the funniest Scrabble moments, right up there with the woman contestant whose uncle was Jack Dempsey, the famous boxer...

[irismason42]

Mine is Jeopardy! where every Thursday or Friday episode of Christmas week since 1984 I think where the first round categories were related to Christmas.

[That Don Guy]

Mine is the day they gave a plane away on a daytime TPIR (sometime around 1981) - and not one of these "ultralight" things, either; they threw in something like 100 hours worth of lessons and license training.

(You always know it's the last Christmas show when the first IUFB is that tree that's in the audience...)

-- Don

[aaron sica]

[quote name=\'That Don Guy\' post=\'141398\' date=\'Dec 24 2006, 05:48 PM\']
Mine is the day they gave a plane away on a daytime TPIR (sometime around 1981) - and not one of these "ultralight" things, either; they threw in something like 100 hours worth of lessons and license training.

(You always know it's the last Christmas show when the first IUFB is that tree that's in the audience...)

-- Don
[/quote]

The one thing I'll always remember about Christmas TPiR's is the "Home Viewer Showcase", for either Christmas 1980 or 1981. It had a prize I thought was odd and I questioned my sanity until I happened to catch it on a GSN rerun - it was a color TV set with two smaller B&W tubes also built in, so no more fighting over the TV (a predecessor to PiP, I guess).

[dzinkin]

My favorite: on the Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour, Gene Rayburn counted "one, two, three!" and suddenly the light board showed two Christmas trees.  IIRC the trees stayed up for the rest of the MG portion in place of the normal patterns.

[mmb5]

Of course, my Christmas this year was ruined.  I did not get to see Patti Deutsch and her ping pong balls.


--Mike

[William_S.]

[quote name=\'mmb5\' post=\'141415\' date=\'Dec 24 2006, 09:54 PM\']
Of course, my Christmas this year was ruined.  I did not get to see Patti Deutsch and her ping pong balls.


--Mike
[/quote]
 Hmm...... Can't think of a witty thing to say about that.

Anyway. Any Christmas Episode of the Price is Right with a DSW!!

[tpirfan28]

This particular image, at gscentral.net, can sum it up pretty nicely...(it's Dian!)

...oh wait...the DoND models from tonight.  Now it's sealed up perfectly.

[ChuckNet]

The best moment, to me, is now the 12/24/80 episode of "Wheel" - particularly the round where the woman wins a car. Because it's a Woolery episode, Susan is turning letters, we've got all the old music (esp. when we go to commercial), I could watch it again and again.

And the commercial for Novahistine cough syrup during that one break's quite memorable, as well. :-D But I digress...also agree that Christmas Eve 80 WoF's def a memorable one, as well as:

- The Christmas 74 Newlywed Game finale, w/Bob's emotional sign off, not to mention the tree-trimming that took place during the credits
- The Christmas 80 Dawson FF, which featured a LONG celebration of Richard's birthday that took up so much time, they called the game after 2 questions and just let both families play Fast Money, then brought them back on the next show
- The Christmas 84 TPiR w/Bob's infamous Pick-a-Pair gaffe
- The Christmas Eve 90 TTTT, which featured a 3-time veteran imposter (whose imposters were played by the people he'd impersonated on his appearances during the Moore and Ward eras, clips of which were also shown)

Oh, and while the Christmas Eve 80 P+ featured no seasonal references whatsoever, it did feature (in its OB) another appearance of that aforementioned Novahistine ad, followed by a hillarious spot for the short-lived Kellogg's cereal Raisins, Rice and Rye (ask the central PA contingent for more info, LOL).

Chuck Donegan (The Esoteric "Chuckie Baby")

[That Don Guy]

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'141399\' date=\'Dec 24 2006, 05:53 PM\']The one thing I'll always remember about Christmas TPiR's is the "Home Viewer Showcase", for either Christmas 1980 or 1981. It had a prize I thought was odd and I questioned my sanity until I happened to catch it on a GSN rerun - it was a color TV set with two smaller B&W tubes also built in, so no more fighting over the TV (a predecessor to PiP, I guess).
[/quote]
I thought GSN cut out all of the Home Viewer Showcases when they aired reruns.  I remember seeing a number of episodes where the HVS was mentioned in the opening, but they didn't show what was in it.

<nitpicky>
Actually, Home Viewer Showcase winners were announced a week or two before the Christmas show(s).
</nitpicky>
The one thing I remember about them: I may have missed one or two, but from the ones I saw, either multiple people got it exactly right ("Hey, I got it right on the nose!  What do you mean, 'multiple entries' and 'random draw'?") or nobody did.
At least one HVS was impossible to determine the exact price based on the description; the year they gave away a DeLorean, the price was "FOB Port of Entry", so you had to guess where it entered the country and what it cost to get to (presumably) Los Angeles.

-- Don

[Ian Wallis]

I thought GSN cut out all of the Home Viewer Showcases when they aired reruns. I remember seeing a number of episodes where the HVS was mentioned in the opening, but they didn't show what was in it.

They let at least one slip through, the one from 1983.  They did cut out the part where it says where to write though.

I like all of the ones mentioned, plus the Price is Right episode from Christmas 1974 where Dennis James hosts.  It's a nice look at an early episode from "simpler times"!

I also like the the Hollywood Squares '87 Christmas episode with kids playing, and the 12/24/84 episode of PYL.  I'd love to get my hands on the missing 12/25/85 episode where Peter dresses as Santa!