Rudolph, the Red-Nosed reindeer, aired for the first time on December 6, 1964, on NBC. I was 7 years old and living in Owensboro, Kentucky when I watched this Christmas special for the very first time.
And what a vivid list of characters:
- Rudolph
- Santa
- Sam the Snowman
- Yukon Cornelius
- The Bumble!
- Hermey
- Clarice
- The Misfit Toys
- Donner (Rudolph's father)
- Comet (Coach of the reindeer games)
As a 7-year old kid, the Bumble scared me. I cried at the fact that no one loved the Misfit Toys. I laughed when Hermey, who did not want to be an elf but instead a dentist, removed the Bumble's teeth and laughed at Yukon Cornelius when he licked his pick in hopes of finding gold. I was mortified when Yukon Cornelius and the Bumble fell over the cliff and will never forget the line, "Bumbles bounce!". I got a kick out of Mrs. Claus saying, "Eat, Papa, eat," because Santa was too skinny and then knew that everything would be alright when Santa finally belted out the hefty "Ho ho ho," as he was getting ready to deliver the toys. I loved the feeling of Christmas joy when Santa stopped at the Island of Misfit Toys, when Rudolph and his red nose saved Christmas, when the Bumble helped decorate the Christmas tree and everyone was friends at the end.
Rudolph was on TV this year right before Thanksgiving. I was going to boycott watching it because I don't like Christmas to encroach on Thanksgiving. But I had to watch it. It was my favorite Christmas special as a child and still is to this day.
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