The Spirit of Christmas

I've been looking for this for years, but didn't know the title. I heard the familiar voice on a TV program and made note of the name--Alexander Scourby. It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I found out the title and that it was available on DVD. Like a previous poster, I saw this every year as a child in elementary school. It was something I looked forward to each year. The puppetry was so impressive to a younger child back then--waaaaay before all the overdone CG effects of contemporary entertainment. Even now the puppet work still looks good. Both segments have such a simple charm. The puppets are costumed as live actors would be---this is far from a shoestring production! This is a timeless classic--required Christmas season viewing.

I remember seeing this show in the 1950's when I was a child in Lancaster Pennsylvania,brought to us by the "Bell Telephone Company."

When my family moved to New Jersey in 1961 my beloved Christmas Show was not broadcast by New York stations.

When I would visit friends in PA I would mention the show and anyone raised in PA remembered it,and hoped it would be available on tape or DVD,SO FAR NO LUCK!

I mentioned it to a friend and he sent me a tape of "The Spirit of Christmas" and I was elated,it even included the commercials.

Despite the grainy tape quality I was able to make a DVD.

Hopefully it is made for wide release soon,it's a treasure.

I like so many others grew up watching The Spirit of Christmas in Pittsburgh. It was broadcast every year for a long time and then seemed to disappear. Two years ago, I was searching the internet for it which took a long time, because I didn't have a clue as to what it was called. I found a web site called TV Party that had a reference to it, and found a TV station in Philadelphia that gave it away as a promotion for a donation. Now here's the great news for us all, it's been released on DVD and even has extras! Type in The Spirit of Christmas on your search engine, and look for a site that says released on October 11, 2005. You can order it for $9.99

Enjoy! Rich P.

This Christmas program is not going to please many people because it lacks a huge WOW FACTOR in terms of visuals. What it does so wonderfully is that it lets you use your imagination. Mabel Beaton uses puppets in this program to great effect.

The story is pace beautifully. The film is made "WITH GREAT LOVE" which is apparent.

The way this program was made and produced I am sure was the inspiration for the well know "Rankin-Bass" Christmas Specials. If you have kids watch this with them during the holidays.

It may play on some PBS stations but it is however worth buying.

Trust me it is GREAT.

My memories of this fantastic Christmas special are the same as most others. Christmas in the 1950's was officially here when we saw the Bell Telephone special, "The Spirit of Christmas" shown not only at our school (Ingomar Elementary), but we also got to see it again on TV.

Every subsequent Christmas was missing something without being able to see this special memory from my childhood. I was so happy to find that it is now available on DVD.

My question is: Does anyone know of a version of this special that includes the original introduction, intermission and ending with the Bell Telephone operator speaking? To me, this helped to make this special what it was.

Thanks for any help. Bob Eich, Pittsburgh, PA