I'm a '90's child, and I'm not ashamed to say it. I'm also a holiday lover, and I'm not ashamed to say it. I love Christmas, and all the preparation that leads up to it, my inner Buddy the Elf comes out alive and jolly.
One tradition I must fulfill for myself every year is re-watching my favorite Christmas and holiday specials. I could go on and on about my favorite specials, and ABC's 25 Days of Christmas takes care of that for me, but there's certain specials that seem to have been forgotten over time. So forgotten, that you can't find these specials on YouTube, you have to dig deeper in the bowels of Google to bring the specials back into the holiday light. Let's take a trip down the holiday nostalgia train that never air anymore.
Rugrats' Passover Special
Like most 90's kids, I adored Rugrats. I wasn't aware at the time, but Rugrats were breaking new ground, being one of the first shows (cartoons especially) to have Jewish holiday episodes to air. The first one being about Passover, which retells the story of Moses and how he freed the Hebrew. I'm about 1/8 Jewish, my maternal grandmother being half Jew, but I didn't even know my ancestry until middle school. We never celebrated Passover or Hanukkah, so these Rugrats specials were enough for me, just to educate me and give me some reference and pride over what special holidays my ancestors have to celebrate.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2omo5z
Rugrats' Chanukah Special
Another Rugrats Jewish special. This episode explained the Miracle of Hanukkah (or CH-anukah as Angelica spits) and the meaning behind the menorah. This episode was more lighthearted than Passover, as the babies slowly grasp the concept of the holiday. A Maccababy's gotta do, what a Maccababy's gotta do.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3aavso
As Told By Ginger: An Even Steven Holiday Special
As Told By Ginger was a very horrible underrated show. It dealt with real issues and had believable characters. In this episode, Ginger discovers she's 1/4 Jewish and becomes obsessed with learning and celebrating Hanukkah, completely turning her back on Christmas. Meanwhile, Carl doesn't believe in Santa, as Santa never granted Carl's Christmas wish: a visit from his father. Cue the heart tugging.
Olive, the Other Reindeer
Based off a children's book of the same name, this Fox special tells an adorable story of a Jack Russel named Olive, a jovial dog that is determined to save Christmas when Blitzen the reindeer is injured and can't fly. Despite being a tiny, flightless dog, Olive believes she's the only one who can save Christmas, and inspires others around her. What makes this special better? It's a musical with catchy songs, including REM singer Michael Stipe in one of the numbers. Drew Barrymore really brought Olive to life. I'm proud to say I used to own this movie on VHS as a kid, and that I watch the special on YouTube year.
Arthur's Perfect Christmas
Arthur remains one of my favorite cartoons from my childhood. It talked about real issues, cultures, included funny jokes, and was educational and good natured without it being preachy. Arthur is determined to have the perfect Christmas, but sometimes holiday perfection is even better than you expected. From Francine celebrating Hanukkah, to DW's tireless crusade to gain the toy she wants the most, and more. It's cheesier than Arthur usually is, but that's a given with a holiday special.
The Powerpuff Girls: 'Twas the Fight Before Christmas
