5 To Watch: Vintage Christmas specials for an old-fashioned holiday

Christmas sure has changed a lot in the modern era, hasn’t it? Instead of going out shopping, you probably just point and click on Black Friday; you may send out an email greeting instead of a holiday card; and you can hook up your tree lights at home to your Alexa. All pretty convenient, but there’s something about the season that makes us a bit nostalgic for a less tech-focused time.After all, those looking for modern blockbuster holiday programming can find splashy, showstopping concerts and Broadway-worthy productions right on their small screen. But several decades ago, your big-ticket holiday TV events were more likely to involve cheesy-looking sets, a lot of fake snow, random guest stars, and corny Christmas skits in a variety-show setup familiar to TV viewers of the ’60s and ’70s. And yet, the best of these had an undeniable Christmas charm you just can’t find. So here are a handful of our favorites, featuring some beloved Christmas performers and the songs we’ve grown accustomed to hearing year after year. We recommend taking a break during this hectic season by curling up with one or more of these and some hot chocolate (put some some schnapps in it, it’s Christmas), and appreciate at least one thing about modern technology: These decades-old specials are now available for streaming on YouTube.

We’ll never get to see Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra at the Sands, but The Dean Martin And Frank Sinatra Family Christmas Show, generously provided by PBS, is the next best thing. These two integral members of the Rat Pack had a familial chemistry by this point in their careers, as well as being commanding patriarchs of their own respective clans: Dean’s seven kids and Frank’s three all show up on this special. Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” had been a big hit the year prior, so she gets her own “These Boots Are Made For Santa” number here. But all the kids step up, leading to odd pairings like Frank Sinatra Jr. and Dean Martin Jr. complaining abut their dads via song. Still, it’s Dino and the Chairman who are undoubtedly the stars of the show, clowning to opener “It’s A Marshmallow World,” or hilariously laboring through a seemingly endless medley of Gershwin/Porter standards. The only downside of this special is the fact that Sammy Davis Jr. is inexplicably limited to only a walk-on cameo as Santa.

Judy Garland had an undeniably rough road, especially in the later years of her life, but the resounding emotion that comes through in this charming special is the endless joy brought to her by her children. “I’m going to do whatever everyone else is doing tonight and stay home with my family,” she announces, bringing talented offspring like Liza Minnelli, Joey Luft, and to the forefront. Everyone’s favorite Broadway musical that year was apparently Oliver!, so the family starts out with “Consider Yourself” while Joey ambitiously tries to tackle “Where Is Love?” Liza hints at the unbridled talent that she would eventually display in Cabaret with a challenging dance number, and charismatic crooner Jack Jones stops by to single “Jingle Bells” with Liza and Judy. But the hour’s undeniable highlight is Judy singing the holiday song she made famous in Meet Me In St. Louis, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” to little Lorna and Joey; those who can witness this performance without welling up are made of stronger holiday stuff than we are.

Country-ish pop star John Denver, who had a slew of hits in the ’70s, kicked off The Muppet Show’s fourth season with a guest appearance in the opener. That episode was filmed in April 1979, and went so well that Denver recorded a Muppets Christmas album that summer, followed by this classic special, which aired that December. Denver’s easygoing charm lets him fold right into the rest of the Muppet clan, as he gamely dances with giant toy soldiers and attempts to fend off Miss Piggy’s amorous advances. He really shines in Muppet duets, though, including “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” with Rolf, and the nostalgia-tinged “The Christmas Wish” with Kermit. Large group numbers, like the Muppets’ version of “The 12 Days Of Christmas” and “Christmas Is Coming,” are classics. But this hour’s high point comes when Denver narrates a version of the Nativity story that features 22 new Muppets, including the three wise men, barn animals, Mary, Joseph, and yes, a Muppet Baby Jesus. Jim Henson said of the production, “These are the first serious puppets we’ve made,” and the reverential segment is surprisingly moving.

The classic Andy Williams Christmas special is almost a cliché at this point, but this 1966 offering shows just why the unofficial mayor of Branson, Missouri, was a master of the genre. Basically, Andy Williams was all about the “family” part of the family Christmas special. He himself had started out in a quartet with his three brothers, who all show up here, as do his parents, wife, and a wide variety of offspring and younger relatives, including twins Andy and David, toddlers, and babies all dressed-up for the season. Somehow Williams’ intimate take on the holiday (kicked off with his signature “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”) makes the viewer feel like they’re crashing an actual family gathering. And just to extend that goodwill to the next generation, there’s also an appearance by the Williams-championed Osmond brothers in some sort of peppermint candy fantasy sequence, young Donny displaying the charm that would land him his own variety series (along with sister Marie) about a decade later.

After appearing on Christmas specials with the likes of Perry Como, brother-sister pop sensation duo The Carpenters spun off to their own holiday hours by the late ’70s. This 1978 production boasts guest stars like The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s Georgia Engel and fellow brother-sister team Kristy and Jimmy McNichol, as well as bona fide cinematic musical legend Gene Kelly. But none of these luminaries can compete with the real draw of a Carpenters’ Christmas special, which is the pair’s unparalleled way of breathing new sentiment into age-old carols. Karen Carpenter was one of the most emotive vocalists to ever perform, which made her deliveries of torch-ish songs like “Merry Christmas Darling” just heartbreakingly emotional, as well as a perfect fit for the season. The chance to see Karen and Richard rubbing elbows with Gene Kelly or commiserate about sibling rivalry with the McNichols is just a holiday bonus.