The Spirit Of Christmas (1950) "The Night Before Christmas" (Mabel Beaton Marionettes)

[ramblerclassic400]

I saw this numerous times as a kid in the '60s; haven't seen it since. I never knew it was in color, as we didn't have a color TV in the house until 1975.

[oct2258]

I recall watching this in elementary school every year, back in the mid '60s. Such a great memory!

[kendallsmum8]

Yes so did i. However I only remember this and the nativity in color. I'll be 66yrs old.

[chookiechooks]

Wow! Never thought I'd see this again. We watched it year after year as kids in the 60s. Thanks so much for posting this! What memories!

[rmadara]

Hope you finally got the DVD. :)

[holdchipformy2cents]

Merry Christmas!

Yuletide Praise

[rmadara]

It's on WHYY in Philly on 12/24/10 at 7:30 PM EST

[rlynn220]

I too remember seeing this every year well into the 60's. It was sponsored by Bell Telephone Company and common to the Philadelphia PA and surrounding areas.

Bell telephone was the only company we had at the time before ATT. Children should be allowed to imagine, reality comes soon enough!!

[raymondlang]

Never seen classic..wonder if it's available on DVD with other great vintage Christmas animation????

[XmasFLIX]

@raymondlang it's now available on DVD! I linked the DVD and book in the text under the video. I will have to buy it. I had to create the title sequence and edit this. I would assume the DVD version is great. If anyone has it, let us know how it is!

-- XmasFLIX.com

[Diddauberalles]

Thank you for posting this and the poem in its entirety:)

[kidd912thomas]

This was always in color!! and it is from 1950!! The makers of this filmed it in color They couldnt help if tv was mostly black and white

[1mdlmusic]

I remember watching this back in the 1950's in Lancaster, PA. Thanks for posting it.

[xxw00tw00txx]

This seems to be the one I watched in the 50s' followed by The Nativity, but, why is it in color ? I know it was black and white back in the day. I believe it was shown every Christmas Eve and then we went to sleep to wait for Santa to come. I believe that the phone company( Bell Telephone ?) sponsored it.

[XmasFLIX]

@xxw00tw00txx Produced by the Bell Systems Telephone Company. Check the descriptive text under each of my videos. Enjoy!

XmasFLIX.com

[candomaxbar]

@xxw00tw00txx

Thats because most tv's in the 50 were still black and white and most shows were presented in b&w. just like the wizard of oz, it was all in b&w and then it was a big thing when it was presented in color during oz

[kendallsmum8]

@candomaxbar No not true. i am going to be 66 and I remember it in color.

[ScottWagstaff]

@xxw00tw00txx

It was black and white 'cause that's the kinda TV you had back then. Only rich people had color, and hardly anything was broadcast in color back then.

[kendallsmum8]

@ I don't remember it being in black and white. I always remember it in color. And yes you're right. It was brought to us by the "Bell Telephone Company"

[Mysterias49]

@XmasFLIX

Thanks for posting this. My sister and I watched this every year from 1950 on. I haven't seen it for years and just stumbled upon it and shared it with my grandchildren who loved it.

[femininityplus]

What a beautiful, gentler time. Children today are cheated....it's really almost abuse, the way the culture treats them. I remember this film when I was a little girl in Catholic school in the 1960's. Thank you for posting it! 

[spareaxe]

They look like Zombies!

[SuperFlashDriver]

@spareaxe 0:55 The Entire thing is part-filmed inside a doll house.

[Sheri451]

Th mother kind of looked like Lucy with black hair.

[carlskobe]

Each Christmas in grade school they showed this film. It's a comfort to know it's still around. I'm so grateful to have experienced such a kind and gentler time. Thanks for the memories.

Ronnie

[LaClairEtoile]

Same here. Every December we gathered in the auditorium at school to watch this, followed by the Nativity story. The latter seemed boring to me compared to the former. I was a kid, what else can I say! Thanks for the memories.

[FlaCracker54]

Loved it as a child & love it now!  Thanks for sharing it. Mabel Beaton was awesome. Blessings & Gratitude...

[saulthemagnificent]

I recall seeing this, along with "The Nativity" each year at Catholic grade school assembies in the late 50's up til 1963.

[EJF91]

scariest santa i've ever seen

[zefremcoch]

Thanks. Been searching for this for years. The last year it was broadcast in the Scranton PA market was 1965. And that narration by Alexander Scourby. Wonderful!

[binkle1]

My husband remembers seeing this, but I don't; I wasn't born until 1955.

[avaders]

We used to look forward to this every year! This was from the 50s and 60s, before all the Christmas cartoon specials.

[luvs2cover]

lol you are so right he do looks csarey, but i love this, it feels good remembering seeing this as a child. thanks for posting.

[phillygrl69]

I have seen this before, though...cannot remember when. I know it was a long time ago!! Thanks so so much! Have a blessed christmas!

[ludmilabarra]

congratulations this video made me remember when child ... ♥ have loved you kisses Ludmila llindo

[VirusFromOuterSpace]

santa looks wasted

[deadlyshoesalesman]

What a charming film!... I wonder how long it's been since Santa was allowed to smoke a pipe.

[LiveFromTheCatHouse]

I love stuff like this, however Santa looks evil