The Year Without a Santa Claus

The Year Without a Santa Claus is a 1974 Christmas stop motion animated television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions. The story is based on Phyllis McGinley's 1956 book of the same name, illustrated by Kurt Werth. It was originally broadcast on December 10, 1974 on ABC.

This could be a sequel to "Santa Claus is Coming To Town" and it is in a spiritual way. Their is however isn't. The animation is different and the elves in this special are not the same elves we see in "Santa Claus is Coming to Town". It is however produced by the same company (Rankin/Bass) and Mickey Rooney voices "Santa" in this special as well.

Now in this film "Santa" decides to not deliver presents this year because he sees that people no longer have "Christmas Spirit" and no longer believe in Santa.

In an effort to save Christmas Mrs. Claus dispatches two elves out into the world to prove to Santa wrong.

Now this special has the now classic songs from "The Heatmiser" and "Mr Snow". There is however 2 other songs that should of been cut or re-worked. Then again that is just my opinion

This special is a true classic. To call it "One of the crown jewels of Holiday Programming" would not do it justice. It is one of the finest programs ever produced for TV.

This special really gained a huge following once it hit Home Video. ABC held the rights for TV broadcast for years but seldom aired the special. After it became obvious that this special was loved by millions ABC began running it again on "ABC FAMILY" and the "ABC Network". The same thing happened with "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" that special was also returned to the ABC Network because of its huge following. That special was syndicated for years. ABC has now re- gained broadcasting rights.

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.

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!

I loved this one as a kid; and its right-CBS had all the best Christmas specials in the '70s-Rankin Bass' in particular. Who can not like this one-Santa takes a holiday, Heat Miser and Freeze Miser, 'Blue Christmas' being done with some oomph for a change....

A certified must-see if you saw this as a kid or want your kids to see it . *** outta ****, it still works today.

OK, so this film came out 4 years before I even existed...I still absolutely love it! I've always adored the Rankin/Bass classic "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" but it hasn't been until more recent years that I began really getting into other Rankin/Bass movies. Rudolph will always be my favorite, but I think TYWASC is my next favorite, largely due to the Miser Brothers, Snow Miser and Heat Miser. They definitely steal the show! Their catchy theme songs will get stuck in your head, and you'll find yourself humming them! ("I'm Mr. White Christmas, I'm Mr. Snow...I'm Mr. Icicle, I'm Mr. Ten Below!") Other highlights in the movie is the absolutely adorable baby reindeer, Vixen, who falls ill after being subjected to the heat in South Town (but fully recovers!) and of course Ignatius (Iggy) who's the boy who learns to believe in Santa. I love the part when Mrs. Claus starts talking about Iggy and she says "nice name too," in kind of a sarcastic manner.(I think someone else mentioned that in an earlier post, but I have to agree, it's hilarious!) Over all, it's not an edge-of-your-seat thriller by far, but it's not meant to be. It's a nice classic Christmas tale with that stop-animation that Rankin and Bass are so famous for. I highly recommend this to children and adults alike. And if you don't like the movie as a whole, you can't help but love those Miser Brothers!