I've decided to dip into something that's a little more obscure and weird for Christmas. This special has a Rankin-Bass connection, but wasn't created by them , instead it involves Romeo Muller. If you watched a Rankin-Bass special like "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" you would have seen the name Romeo Muller. He had found ways to take really short things like Christmas songs to make full special stories about them. He also told a story every year on radio station WGHQ and that story is the basis of this special. I also have to mention that Muller died at the end of December 1992.
Noël first aired on December 4, 1992 on NBC, the same night as they aired "Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas" what an odd night. This special has fallen out of play , I think the last US airing was on Fox Family in like 2000 (that channel is now known as Freeform). It's not highly remembered and their might be some reasons for that.
The narrator of this is Charlton Heston with his distinct voice giving a sense of seriousness to a special where there's talking Christmas ornaments and the words "people things". The main story is there is a glass blower who was blowing glass (as one does) to make ornaments back in the time when ornaments weren't heavily factory produced in some factory in another country. His name is Herman, he gets a name but isn't going to be here that long. Anyway, he's really happy because he got news that his daughter has given birth to a girl and he's really happy and his tear of joy ends up going into an ornament.
I'm a little too happy
Noel is our main character and one of those round ornaments, the simple ones, and is red. Because he is filled with the happiness tear he's filled with "a happiness" as it's said. There's another ornament named Miss Freezenda, she seems to be filled with not happiness. I don't even know why she's mad or grumpy. It's also funny that she thinks she's upper class and will be sold , with Noel and 10 other ornaments, for cheap. The other ornaments don't seem to have names. It's an odd set with 12 different types of ornaments.
Some woman buys the ornament set for her family and there's a girl that seems to know Noël's main character energy and likes him best to kiss him. I'm also a little confused on how the other ornaments know more about things than Noël ,like did Noël miss a meeting or something? Also interesting they say people-things to mean humans but then call children, children-things, I guess children aren't people to them. This says the word 'thing' a lot to the point it won't be word anymore.
Noël meets the Christmas tree named Brutus. (Brutus? Noo Noël watch out!) Brutus doesn't seem to be bothered by Noël questions. The tree also has accepted his fate that he was born to be cut down and decorated for Christmas. Ahhh talking train with a face! There's also a little nativity under the tree that's only explained as that's what Christmas is all about. I like how the tree knows about Christmas stuff but only as far as a few things but doesn't know much about the Christmas story.
This is what Christmas is about. What? Umm we won't tell you.
It kind of goes out of its way to explain Christmas Eve night and things (oops) to a point where it feels like this story probably wasn't meant to be 22 minutes long. Noël's happiness also seems to give him the power to feel things that only people, animals, and some trees can. This lore is something.
It runs through the days between Christmas and New Year then the worst day of the year -January 2nd- shows up and everything is taken down. Also Brutus gets dragged out to die. Then it speed runs a year, and eventually allows Christmas to return again. Noël is happy, the little girl kiss him again and it lots of repeating. New Christmas tree, though. (yay)
She senses the happiness
Then Christmas is over again. Fine alright. Then the specials this happens for years and years. It even mentions that the kids grew up, also mentioning World War II, like the boy was in World War II. Everything else. Then, it's decided by the now old parents that Christmas won't be happening at their house. Noël has gone in a deep sleep, while the parents died. Good work this bleak, let's go.
Finally, a 90's family shows up and has bought the house. The new mom finds the ornaments in the attic and is like these are all chipped and old compared to their new plastic ones. The new mom only finds Noël usable. Also, this time a boy for some reason kisses Noël . I don't know why children want to kiss him. Noël is by himself and the new tree talks to him. Anyway, Noël dies. That's right his clip breaks because of age and he falls, breaks and dies. But guess what? Apparently that happiness is his soul and he can finally see the nativity. Now Noël can spread his happiness around the world or something. That was an ending.
Great he thinks he's a god now!
The ending is very much closely aligned with the concept of death being a leaving of your cold glass body but your soul is free. Noël's happiness is explained as his real essence. Does leave some questions open for why the other ornaments are alive and if they die do they cease completely? Oddly it also just goes and shows a nativity and says that's what Christmas is about but doesn't say what they mean. I know what they mean, but it's more like they are going "If you know, you know" sort of thing. Should have just said what it out loud special, don't be cowards!
I'm surprised that the guy who found ways to make very simple stories that were songs and make them into 25 minute or 47 minute specials had a special that really feels like it shouldn't be 22 minutes. There's lot of padding. It goes through how Christmas goes like it's a new unexplored concept then runs through a lot of years in details. There's also not a lot that happens here. It's mostly just Noël asking questions and some other ornaments whining. Then Christmas stuff, then being sent to the attic, then repeat, random kissing, a mention of war and death, then finally one last time and Noël falls and is now just a spirit. It feels like they were going for an allegory but also showing the spirit of joy is inside and we should spread it around. This special might work for younger kids more than any older people.
That's it for now, tune in next time when we question what the ornaments thing about us.
