One of my earliest Christmas television special memories is Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, which originally aired on PBS back in 1978. The special was memorable for several reasons, first being that you finally get to find out what the bottom half of some of your favorite Sesame Street characters look like when they climb out from behind those little half-walls they're always standing behind for a game of ice hockey, using Bert's shoe as a puck...
But you also get a wonderful anti-Christmas diatribe courtesy of Oscar the Grouch, who sings "I Hate Christmas", (lyrics below)...
...while going on a holiday-ruining rampage that includes destroying Christmas decorations (in this case he's torn the letters down from Mr. Hooper's "NOEL" sign, leaving only a protesting "NO"...)
...knocking snow off of eaves onto the heads of formerly smiling gift-givers...
...and handing out presents dripping with motor oil (I hope... although it could just as easily be pig's blood, I suppose!)
I HATE CHRISTMAS
I can't think of anything that's dumber.
To a grouch, Christmas is a bummer.
Beaming faces everywhere,
happiness is in the air.
I'm telling you, it isn't fair!
I hate Christmas!
People loaded with good will,
giving presents, what a thrill
That slushy nonsense makes me ill
I hate Christmas!
I'd rather have a holiday
like normal grouches do
Instead of getting presents,
they take presents back from you!
Here comes Santa, girls and boys
So, who needs that big red noise!
I'll tell him where to put his toys.
I hate Christmas!
And if you want the truth, I ain't so crazy about Thanksgiving or Labor Day either!
Christmas carols to be sung,
decorations to be hung
Oh, yeah? Well, I stick out my tongue!
I hate Christmas!
Christmas bells play loud and strong
Hurts my ears, all that ding dong
Besides it goes on much too long
I hate Christmas!
I'd rather have a holiday
with a lot less joy and flash
With a lot less cheerful smiling,
and a lot more dirty trash, yeah!
Christmas Day is almost here
When it's over, then I cheer
I'm glad it's only once a year
I hate Christmas!
The special ends with the disturbing sight of a ruined Christmas tree, having been eaten bare by a ravenous Cookie Monster!
Christmas Eve on Sesame Street is available on DVD.
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