Yesterday was the last day that I referred to that random pop culture generator to help with my Advent. Days 22-25 will be devoted to individual franchises of my choosing. But before we approach those personal favorites, I wanted to spend today looking at ornaments devoted to some classic TV shows that might have been overlooked.
When I think of Classic TV, my mind first goes to I Love Lucy. I think there were several Christmas themed episodes to the 1950s sitcom. But perhaps the most beloved episode is the one where all the adults dress up as Santa to give Little Ricky a Christmas to remember only for the real McCoy to be hiding among the group the whole time. This resin ornament from Charlton Cards has Lucy as Santa along with the title and original air date of the classic episode that has aired as a colorized holiday special on CBS for the past several years.
After I Love Lucy, when I think of classic TV, I immediately go to Leave It To Beaver. The kid-centric sitcom was the TV show that wouldn't die with most of the original cast returning to TV for a LITB reboot that at one point in time aired on TBS. This ornament found on Etsy is a double-sided clear globe decoration that bears the TV's original logo and a little bit of fake snow, garland and a ribbon.
Another classic series that I just couldn't get enough of as a kid was The Andy Griffith Show. Being from North Carolina, to have a popular TV show set in your home state, especially when everything else was in California or New York, was really cool. Even if most of the characters in this show were made up of hicks, hillbillies and boobs. Esty has several eye-appealing aluminum ornaments that bear stills taken from the series. To me, the one of star Andy Griffith playing a guitar is the most festive of the bunch and I love the flowing shape too.
Jumping ahead some, I'm spending this part of the Advent with the grooviest family in all of TV history. Yes, I am talking about The Brady Bunch. This isn't just 1 ornament by 4 in total. From Charlton Cards, this 2001 ornament is of a metal lunch box, the required thermos and a sandwich and shiny red apple. Unfortunately, the whole family isn't represented here. Instead of Dad, Mike Brady, Alice has been slid down to his spot and the Brady Bunch logo is placed in the center square. I'm wondering if the estate of late actor Robert Reed prohibited his likeness from being on the ornament...
My wife's favorite TV show is the 1970s medical drama, Emergency! Though an officially licensed ornament has never been released in honor of that show, there are a few craft made ornaments. I selected this bright red star available on Teeshirtplace.com. With its shape, this almost looks like a badge that you might expect paramedics Gage or DeSoto wearing.
Personally, it's not Christmas without watching several holiday themed episodes of the medical dramedy, MASH. Running an impressive 11 years, about 8 years longer than the actual war in which the series is set, MASH showed the horrors of war while also being funny. Of my all-time favorite episodes, 2 of them are set during the holidays. 'A War For All Seasons' takes place throughout all of 1951 starting and ending on bookending New Years while 'The Day After Christmas' has the 4077th taking a page out of the British soldiers book by with enlisted men and officers switching places during Boxing Day.
To honor one of my all-time favorite TV shows, I am sharing this really cool ornament from Etsy. It's of all the signs posts that tell where some of the medical staff are originally from. As the Christmas episodes focus on Hawkeye, BJ and the rest of the 4077 having to spend the holidays away from their loved ones, I really thought this ornament was the perfect representation of the series.
Another classic from the 70s was the long-running Garry Marshall venture, Happy Days. Set during the 50s and going into the 60s, it originally focused on the Cunninghams, a typical nuclear family. However, it was the greaser biker Fonzie, played by Henry Winkler, who stole the show and later took over after Ron Howard left in order to focus on his directing career. To honor that series, I chose this 2006 American Greetings ornament that represents a juke box with the image of several of the stars of the show. A spinning record on a juke box was what started each episode as the theme song played. When a button is pushed, the machine lights up and a snippet of the theme plays.
Another Garry Marshall created sitcom was the Happy Days spin-off Mork and Mindy. Running from 1978-82, it starred up-and-coming comedian Robin Williams as the off-the-wall alien Mork from the planet Ork. This 2013 Hallmark ornament has Mork in his spaceman costume sitting in the remains of his spaceship, a giant egg. With his hand up to his ear, Mork is more than likely talking to his superior, Orson.
1978 also introduced American families to a powerful and ruthless family from the Great State of Texas. The Ewings were a wealthy family that got it's wealth thanks to oil and the TV show they existed on was called Dallas. The show gave birth to the opulence of TV dramas such as Dynasty and Beverly Hills 90210. The star of the show was clearly JR Ewing, played deftly by Larry Hagman. Known as the man you love to hate, the whole world seemed to stop when JR was shot by an unknown assailant in the show's third season finale in 1980. As I remember seeing that classic moment in TV history live when it happened from my grandmother's house, I'm including this awesome craft made ornament found on Etsy. (And in case you are wondering, JR lived!)
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In the 80s, action and adventure ruled the airwaves. The most action packed series in this decade was NBC's The A-Team. This amazing acrylic snowflake ornament bears the images of the A-Team: team leader Hannibal, muscle man B.A., wildman pilot Howling Mad Murdock and the pretty boy of the group, Face. And yes- you are not dreaming. This ornament lights up in green and a couple of other flashing colors when you flip a switch.
Let's wrap things up with the longest running series on TV- The Simpsons. Though only the first 11 seasons are considered classic right now, the prime-time cartoon is instantly iconic. For that show, I choose this awesome ornament based on the meme that shows Homer disappearing into a giant hedge. The bauble has chunks cut out helping to add to the illusion of Homer becoming one with your Christmas tree. I think the design of this metal ornament is just brilliant!
When it comes to classic TV and Christmas, you can't neglect to mention those TV specials that doubled as variety shows. I could pick from many a one hosted by Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Andy Williams and the big one, Bob Hope. I wanted a compilation of the best moments to share with you all. I just can't find such a thing. So, I am going with a 1967 special hosted by my all-time favorite crooner, Dean Martin. Featuring the incomparable Frank Sinatra and the entire Martin and Sinatra family, this one should be a lot of fun. So, please enjoy my Advent present shown in it's entirety of just over 50 minutes and in stunning color.
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