The Year Without a Santa Claus

Rankin/Bass have been responsible for a fair number of Christmas classics, such as Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming To Town, Frosty the Snowman and The Little Drummer Boy. The Year Without A Santa Claus is almost as good as them and definitely one of the better Rankin/Bass Christmas specials. The stop-motion animation is wonderful, very detailed and both enchanting and atmospheric. I also loved the music, the score is whimsical with some lovely themes that never take away from the story or the festive feel of Christmas. The songs are sweet and catchy, I happen to think that they are memorable too. The Miser Brothers songs are a lot of fun as is Blue Christmas, and I also want to give a shout out to I Believe in Santa Claus, which I have always found very touching with a beautiful and truthful meaning without beating the audience around the head with it. The writing is amusing with the Miser Brothers, and there is evidence of conflict and pathos, and the story while bizarre in places has a lovely subtly handled message and gets you into the Christmas spirit. The characters I also like very much. The Miser Brothers definitely steal the show, especially Heat, but I do also enjoy Mrs Claus' wit and sarcasm, Vixen's cuteness and Santa's benevolence. The voice acting is terrific. Overall, a lovely special that brings me great joy every time, when something gives you that feeling you know it's done something right. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Almost everyone who was a child in the US during the early to mid-70s seems to remember that Christmas special with Heat Miser and Snow Miser, but no one can remember the title, or much else about the show. After finally tracking it down and watching it again after all these years, I can understand why. The non-Miser Brothers parts don't hold up so well for this adult, at least. I guess the thought of a sulky, depressed Santa isn't as dramatic as it seemed when I was five. However, my brother and I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to sing along again with "He's Mister Heat Miser, he's Mister Sun...."

It's a mystery to me why the folks marketing the video give only a plot summary on the package with no mention of what kids find most memorable. This is also true of most the guides to holiday viewing in the entertainment magazines. Hint to marketing people: make sure you advertise this as the one with Heat Miser and Snow Miser in it, and everyone born between about '66 and '72 will be buying it for their kids, if not themselves.

There are 45 reviews detailing this show, mine won't make a lick of difference. If you have never seen this; Welcome To Earth!!

I grew up on this (I'm 54) and still watch it every year, more than once.

I eagerly awaited for it when the commercial announced its airing date. I was obsessed with Heat Miser's hair; that crazy poof of multicolored fuzzy fur with lights flickering in it to resemble flames. His minions also had it.

To this day, I can't wait for that scene and it's accompanying song.

I admit it!!! I am one of those grown ups (a Generation Xer to be exact)who has never really fully grown up-at least not when it comes to watching Christmas Specials like this one. I have this on DVD now and plan to collect all the Rankin Bass Specials in addition to the Charlie Brown Holiday specials.

A Year Without a Santa Claus is just great. You can't beat it in my opinion. I agree with all the other comments that the Miser Brothers are the highlight of the special and should be mentioned whenever this special is marketed. But unlike some of the other comments, I liked the ENTIRE story. Another person who commented, Oldra, seems to hit the nail on the head about the song "So You Don't Believe in Santa Claus". Call me silly, but my eyes get just a "little wet" whenever Ignatious's Father and Mr. "Clouse" start singing to him about the existence of Santa Claus. Even though in real life, a man does not come down chimneys in a red suit to deliver presents, the symbolism of what Santa stands for what the song is trying to convey-and it does a very good job in my opinion!!! To quote the song, "Just believe in Santa Claus, like you believe in Love, and just believe in Santa Claus, and everything he does". Happy Holidays and beyond!

If you were alive and cognizant during the 1970's, you must remember the "Heat Miser" and "Snow Miser" songs, but less remembered is one other... "So you don't believe in Santa Claus", which is, imho, one of the most important that Rankin & Bass ever produced. It is about faith backed with personal experience, but in a non-religious-specific way that everyone can relate to alike. The only other Rankin/Bass special that even comes close is "'Twas the Night Before Christmas", and its song about belief in the world's true magic, a belief that some children hold and most adults sadly do not.

The animation in "The Year Without A Santa Claus" is stop-motion in the tradition of "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", and "Rudolph's Shiny New Year". I call this a must see for every child -- and adult.