December 23 - Holiday time in Disneyland, Mickeys Christmas Carol, and Christmas Vacation

Exactly 50 years ago, Dec 23, 1962, Walt Disney hosted a fun, travelogue version of his "Wonderful World of Color" show. While TV and Disneyland had a symbiotic relationship from the start, this was a neat look at the park 7 years into operation and was a commercial of sorts that no one seemed to mind. It sure makes you long to visit the park! Walt is at his zenith of Charm and magic throughout and was hard at work not only pulsing Disneyland, but at preparing for the 1964 Wolds Fair in New York. This episode is one of my favorites that he produced during the run of the show.

Another seasonal favorite is "Mickeys Christmas Carol" starring Scrooge McDuck as Ebenezer, Mickey Mouse as Bob Cratchet and the whole Disney gang in roles throughout. It was a producttion of the 1980s based on a record from the 1960s which in turn was based on the Dickens classic from the 1840s. It marked Mickeys return to the big screen and a new beginning for Scrooge McDuck as he went on to star in Ducktales on TV just a few years later. John Lassiter in his pre-Pixar days worked on this project at Disney.

Finally, Christmas with the Griswold family is always fun. I must confess, I have a bit too much of this movie in my soul and not only quote the film throughout, but have lived quite a few of the moments.