Last week, on Unwrapping Christmas Reruns…
Ricky Stratton learns a very important lesson in giving, without ever showing signs of being a spoiled brat.
Not all Christmas episodes within a regular series are light-hearted and happy. Did you ever notice how many sitcom episodes take on a slightly more serious tone when it comes to the holidays? How about primetime dramas? Ever notice how they tackle an important topic during the holidays?
Shows use this time to remind us that while we are celebrating what we have, we should be reminded that the holidays aren’t always merry and bright for others. The very real problems that live within functioning society during the rest of the year are there during the holidays. Depression/mental health, sick family members, coping/grieving, and financial straits happen no matter what time of year it is. These problems tend to become worse and more noticeable during the holidays, and should never be overlooked .
I don’t say this to sadden anyone, I say this as a reminder about sensitivity toward others.
Last week, we were reminded of the financial plight of others during this time of year, and this week, we’ll see the coping/grieving side of it.
You may (or may not) remember the family drama Our House. It aired on NBC from September 1986 to May 1988, lasting two seasons. It has aired sporadically in syndication since that time (I can recall it being on the former Family Channel and PAX network, which is now Freeform and Ion, respectively), and a faith-based channel called The Inspiration Network. I was lucky enough to catch the reruns during the latter syndication, but it hasn’t been syndicated in at least five years.
Thankfully, there are some nice people on You Tube who are nice enough to put the episodes out there. The sad shame is this show was dime-a-dozen in the primetime world – it was a family show about real family, but it had the distinction to air at 7 pm ET, opposite 60 Minutes (which apparently was a ratings powerhouse). But of course, everyone remembers that Wilford Brimley did commercials for Quaker Oats at the same time. Amazing what we remember, don’t you think?
Episode 13 of season one (oh no, here we go with unlucky 13!) was the show’s Christmas episode (entitled “Green Christmas”), and deals with the Witherspoon children at Christmas time – Molly (the youngest) doesn’t want to celebrate Christmas due to her father’s passing, and David (the middle child/only son) has a special hiding place for his gifts…but Grandpa Gus tries to redirect this hiding place. And Kris (the oldest daughter) is adamant about having the type of Christmas that they would have in Fort Wayne, even if there isn’t any snow to be seen in Southern California.
So, whenever you’re ready, press play on the first video. This is the first half hour, and the second video below it is the conclusion of the episode.
Enjoy!
As all the pieces of the house come together, we wrap up part 2 of our three-part unwrapping of Christmas-themed reruns. The third (and final) part will be revealed next week. What will it be? You’ll see next time!
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