A Claymation Christmas Celebration
The 1980s were a very odd time, whether you’re looking at the fashion trends or the TV trends, and Christmas specials seemed to be running rampant during the decade. One of the hottest trends in animation at the time was claymation, so of course, what better way to showcase the hottest new innovation in animation than by making a Christmas special dedicated to it entirely? And that’s how A Claymation Christmas Celebration was born.
The show was a hit in 1987 and even won the 1988 Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program (and beat out A Garfield Christmas Special, which aired the same night). However, it never really reached that annual holiday classic status like some others did.
The show focused on different segments with claymation characters in holiday vignettes built around classic Christmas carols. It was hosted by two dinosaurs who introduce all the claymation guests in a showcase of animator Will Vinton’s best work. One set of characters you probably already know are the California Raisins, arguably Vinton’s biggest success.
The California Raisins weren’t the stars of the show, since they decided to focus more on the animation rather than any single character. But for some reason back in that decade, they were huge, appearing in both TV commercials and animated specials. A group of claymation raisin characters who sang R&B covers of songs was one of the hottest animated sensations, and in this holiday special they appeared performing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” It really is one of those things that could not have been popular in any other era. They were literally anthropomorphized raisins that sang. Why were they so big?!
After the show first premiered, the soundtrack was released on LP, cassette (remember those?), and CD, with six new songs not in the original special, including a new version of “Angels We Have Heard On High.” The movie was released on VHS the following year, and has since been featured on a DVD compilation of Will Vinton’s best Christmas, Halloween, and Easter celebrations. It’s strange that the show never got the acclaim of something like Rudolph, but I guess you can’t predict what will become a classic!