A Claymation Christmas Celebration

Will Vinton's Claymation Christmas Celebration is an animated Christmas television special originally broadcast on the American CBS TV network on December 21, 1987. The special featured stop motion clay animation and was produced and directed by Will Vinton. The special debuted alongside A Garfield Christmas and the two continued to be aired back to back in subsequent years.

WWW willvinton.net

Synopsis

The special is co-hosted by Rex, an erudite Tyrannosaurus rex, and Herb, a dimwitted and bespectacled Styracosaurus with a gluttonous appetite. The two appeared in previous Will Vinton videos dating back to 1980 including Dinosaur, but this Christmas special is the first in which they have dialogue and contemporary personalities, vaguely parodying Siskel and Ebert respectively.
Situated in a facsimile of London's Christmas Square, Rex and Herb introduce several stand-alone videos of Christmas carols and holiday standards and discuss the origins of each song relating to different holiday traditions around the world.
Among the musical performances:

The Biblical Magi sing the verses of "We Three Kings" traditionally, while their camels sing the chorus in the style of doo-wop.
At Notre Dame Cathedral, The Paris Bell-Harmonic, a group of anthropomorphic church bells who strike their own heads with chime hammers to achieve their respective notes, performs "Carol of the Bells". The low C bell constantly dawdles, chimes out of tune and loses his mallet, enraging the maestro, Quasimodo, who uses a slingshot on the bell to get the proper tone at the end. announcer: Craig Bartlett other bells: Patric J. Miller
A children's choir sings "O Christmas Tree", with the video depicting various scenes taking place inside of Christmas ornaments.
"Angels We Have Heard On High" is set to a walrus couple doing an interpretive ice ballet while several luckless penguins watch.
At a black church in the countryside, a soul/jazz hybrid rendition of "Joy to the World" plays out in colorful scenes. Featured vocals: Ron Tonsley, Backing vocals: Patric J. Miller
The California Raisins perform "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," in the style of The Temptations, after they miss the last bus out of town Christmas Eve following a concert—and fly off in the style of Santa Claus's reindeer into the night.

Throughout the program, Rex futilely attempts to clarify the true pronunciation and meaning of the term "wassail', featured in the Christmas carol "Here We Come A-Wassailing". As the show progresses, Rex is accosted by different groups, all singing parodies of the song.

"Here We Come A-Waffling", by a kennel of dogs selling waffles from a vendor's wagon.
"Here We Come A-Waddling", by a gaggle of straggling geese carrying baskets of goodies.
"Here We Come A-Wallowing", by a herd of slovenly pigs on a John Deere-style field wagon gorging themselves on an abundance of assorted fruits.

Rex is convinced that his own pronunciation is correct, but he is continually questioned by the others, including Herb, when the latter is not busy excessively partaking of the various Christmas treats offered by each group; consulting the dictionary provides no meaningful help. Finally, near the program's end, a large truck loaded with cider-swilling Irish elves arrives in Christmas Square singing the correct version of the carol, validating Rex's theory much to his delight. When asked, one of the townies explains the real meaning of wassailing: going around the neighborhood singing Christmas carols, and getting treats and cordials.
At the end, the entire cast performs "Here We Come A-Wassailing", and then "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" as the end credits roll.

Production

Filming took place in Portland, Oregon.

Awards

1988—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program given to Will Vinton, David Altschul and Ralph Liddle

Soundtrack and video

A companion soundtrack album was released by Atlantic Records in 1988 and was originally available on LP, cassette, and compact disc. The album contains six songs not featured on the special, including an alternate version of "Angels We Have Heard On High". The song "O Christmas Tree", as featured in the special, was excluded from the soundtrack.
The special was released on the Hen's Tooth Video DVD Will Vinton's Claymation Christmas Plus Halloween & Easter Celebrations in 2003.
Track List :

1. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer performed by The Streetcorner Singers
2. Good King Swing performed by Ron Tinsley with Patric J. Miller
3. We Three Kings Bop performed by Dan Sachs, Jim Steinberger, Pat Harryman, Ron Tinsley, Patric J. Miller
4. God Rest Ye performed by Calvin Walker
5. Carol of the Bells voices of Craig Bartlett, Johnny Counterfeit, Tim Conner, Patric J. Miller
6. Silent Night Jazzy Night performed by Linda Hornbuckle
7. Noel perfotrmed by John Koonce and Marilyn Keller
8. Hark! performed by Ron Tinsley, Marilyn Keller
9. Up on the Housetop performed by Jane Satern, Patric J. Miller
10. Joy! performed by Ron Tinsley with Patric J. Miller (credited to Isaac Watts by Rex in the special, but not on the album]
11. Waffle, Waddle, Wallow, Wassle performed by Tim Conner, Johnny Counterfeit, Dan Sachs, Reid Stewart, Greg Black, Patric J. Miller, Will Vinton, Roxy Ragozzino, Bernadette Caughlin, Deborah Miller, Doug Aberle
12. Angels We Have Heard On High performed by Marilyn Kelller, Ron Tinsley, Lea Jones

Musicians:

Patric J. Miller: keyboards, bass guitar, drums, programming
Terry Robb: guitar on "Noel"
Bill Barnett: bass on "Noel"
Jeff Horman: sax on "Noel" and "Hark"
Don Latarski: guitar on "God Rest Ye"
Warren Rand: sax on "Joy"
Julia Heydon: crum horn on "Wassle"
Jesse Gram: tuba on "Wassle"