Customer Reviews

How the Flintstones Saved Christmas [VHS]

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Fred as Santa - you knew it had to happen with that belly! A Christmas holiday show that I enjoy watching regularly as a part of my Christmas Eve ritual. The simplistic story is easy to understand for children and enjoyable for adults that have fond childhood memories of 'The Flintstones' as well. When Fred plays a department store Santa his performance is so convincing that some elves come forward to recruit him in order to save Christmas! There's very little of the normal slapstick we see in these animated shows but there are still the usual laughs and what's more important Fred actually does something right - though the real Santa has to bail him out in the end. A Christmas tradition that "Baby-boomers" can pass on to their children and hope they continue.

This has been one of my favorite Christmas episode of any series since I first saw it as a rerun 30 years ago. It draws on the power of past Christmas shows like Art Carney's classic Twilight Zone episode, "Night of The Meek," and has influenced pieces as modern as Tim Allen's 1994 holiday hit "The Santa Clause."

Fred takes a second job as a department store Santa and is a hit, leading the children in songs and stories (including one about Dino, his pet dinosaur). Meanwhile, two of the real Santa's elves summon Fred to replace the real, ill Santa on the big night.

The scenes where cartoon curmugeon Fred delivers the toys is among the sweetest in the history of this beloved show. Fred joyously sings and shouts Christmas greetings in foreign languages, while toys (including Pebbles dolls, no doubt on sale back in 1964) fall like snow on the Pyramids, Eiffel Tower, and Leaning Tower of Pisa. (forget logic, it's Christmas!) The final scene, a minor Christmas miracle, and signoff Christmas wish from the cast is unforgettable and heartwarming remember 35 years and any number of reruns later. This video is short (35 minutes, including some HB previews) but so Christmas sweet - highly recommended for holiday warmth.

Allright. It's not literature, but even us hard core English Majors have a weakness for shows like this around Christmas. The truth is, this Christmas Special carries more weight than we might think. Like a great deal of society, Fred's first concern is making some extra money for Christmas. (His first concern is his immediate environment.) When he becomes the mall's Santa (through a comical Fred Flintstone incident), his concerns expand. (He goes from thinking beyond his immediate environment to the children in the mall.) "Those kids need a Santa, and I love being Santa for them." Now this next thing passes plausibility, but most media these days do, and at least this does it to keep within a certain pattern. And at least this step beyond plausibility has a legendary background. The real Santa gets ill, and he is so impressed with Fred's work that he asks him to do the annual world deliveries. Whatever Fred's faults are in other episodes, he does NOT fall from duty. (So Fred's concerns have gone from his immediate environment, to the children in the mall, to the whole world.) But the author does not stop here. Fred forgets his own presents, and Santa pulls himself out of his sick bed to make sure Fred gets them. It would seem that we almost have a touch of the Holy Spirit that sows good will among men. Since Fred showed such kindness and concern for his fellow man, someone showed kindness and concern to him. This video does indeed deserve a place in the classic museum of Christmas videos.

Fred has been working as a mall Santa to earn extra money for Christmas. When Christmas Eve finally arrives, two mysterious little people show up to take Fred on the ride of his life. This movie is a sure hit with the kids and parents alike. You'll quickly add it to your favorite Christmas collection!

Okay, so the Spongebob's of today have cornered the market. But us "oldies" can enjoy some of those 30-minute cartoon specials that aired when the days were short, it was dark way before 5pm and when we knew the holidays were fast approaching. My dad, the enormous "set hog", would sigh, pull himself out of his laz-y-boy and head to the garage while my brother and I would watch any of those seasonal cartoons, this being one of them.

It's emotional dribble as Fred works part-time as a Santa at a department store to make extra dough for his family's Christmas. I don't remember him singing "Dino, the Dinosaur" when I saw it on TV, but he does in the video version. It's corny but touching.

On Christmas Eve, he is approached by a couple of elves whom he believe are tricking him. Once Santa's sleigh takes flight, he realizes he is really being hijacked to the North Pole to do an ailing Santa's bidding -- delivering gifts to the entire world in one night.

It's magic from that point on. The ending is the most touching, when Fred forgets his own family's gifts in the sleigh...but you'll have to watch to see what happens, and how Fred is rewarded for his kindness and generosity.

Love it! Will share it with my new daughter this year, and I will pray that she loves sharing my happy memories with me as she grows from an infant to a....gulp...teenager.

I really liked this Christmas cartoon, it is the one that Santa falls off the Flintstones roof and sprains his ankle and has Fred and Barney finish the rest of his Christmas deliveries while he rests, that was a very nice cartoon that had some very cute songs that I really liked.

I can never remember a time when I didn't love "The Flintstones", the classic Hanna Barbera animated series that sailed into our living rooms in 1960 and has never left it or our hearts since. The brain child of Joseph Barbera and William Hanna the series which originally ran in prime time from 1960 until 1966 was in so many ways years ahead of its time and had a charm and creativity about it that has won successive generations of fans all over the world. The characters, identifiable situations and the often adult humour really made this a landmark series that adults could enjoy as much as children.

Here we have the Christmas episode from Season Five of "The Flintstones", which was originally called simply "Christmas Flintstone". For the special video release of this holiday episode it was given its present title "How the Flinstones Saved Christmas". It is one of my favourites from the series and has a warm seasonal theme to it that makes it treasured viewing at this time of year. Apparently poor old Fred is facing the age old problem faced by most of us at Christmas in that he needs some extra money to be able to buy all his presents. Out walking with friend Barney Rubble Fred sees a sign in the window of Macy Rock Department Store asking for additional help in the lead up to Christmas. Fred gets a job with the store and he finds himself first placed in the wrapping department however the big kid comes out in Fred and he ends up spending all his time in the toy department which gets him fired. However the store have a crisis when their Santa is sick and so Fred gets his job back to play Santa for the week before Christmas. Fred is such an un expected success in the role earning the love of all the children and their parents, that word gets back to the real Santa about the great job he is doing. After closing time on Christmas Eve just as he finishes work Fred is visited by two of Santa's elves who explain that Santa wants a big favour from Fred as he is very ill with the flu and cannot make his appointed rounds that night. Fred is whisked away to the North Pole by the elves in their sleigh and there Santa asks Fred to take his place to make sure all the presents are delivered on time to the children all over the world. After his initial fears Fred finds he loves the role and we see him delivering gifts in many different countries all over the globe. At the end of the night with all the deliveries done the elves drop Fred back at his home however Fred suddenly realises once they have gone that all his own presents for his family were left by mistake in the sleigh and so he prepares to join his family inside the house with sadly no presents for Christmas. However there is a big surprise in store for Fred as he discovers that Santa realising that Fred had no presents for his own family, had got out of his sick bed for this one special delivery to Bedrock to make sure the Flintstones also had a happy Christmas.

This wonderful yuletide episode of "The Flintstones", is always essential Christmas Eve viewing in my home. It really contains everything that made "The Flinstones", such special viewing when I was growing up. Some of the animation created by Hanna Barbera for this episode,in particular the beautiful scenes depicting Fred delivering the presents to all different parts of the world is quite stunning and Fred's numerous musical moments in this episode and especially when he sings in the various languages of the countries he is visiting will be sure to move you with the holiday spirit. An extra special moment that I love in particular is the episodes conclusion when for one moment it looks like after all the good work Fred has done that it will be a bleak Christmas for his family with no presents. The nice surprise that occurs here and the joyful Christmas greeting to all viewers by the Flinstones themselves makes for very heart warming viewing not seen often nowadays on our networks.

"How the Flintstones Saved Christmas", is really classic Christmas televison from the golden age of such programs in the 1960's. Other cartoon series may have run longer but "The Flintstones", will always have a special place in the heart of this viewer and in countless others as well I'm sure. This excellent Christmas episode also reminds us that at this important time of the year giving and making others happy is the best thing you can do and that it will come back to reward us in so many other ways. Treat yourself to a screening of "How the Flintstones Saved Christmas", this festive season, it will be sure to bring back lots of memories to you as it never fails to do for me.

How the Flintstones saved Christmas is the greatest Christmas show ever made. I watch it every Christmas, and I have since 1981. You can't beat this, trust me. HANNA BARBARA RULE!!!!

I have this VHS and watch it every year. But it took me til this year to realize, its Fred and Barney on the cover. barney doesn't save Christmas with Fred in this one. There was a made for tv special in 1977 where both Fred and Barney deliver presents when Santa sprains his ankle falling of Fred's roof. And the Santa in that special looks a lot different than the Santa in this show. Just wanted to share my revelation, because the cover to this tape is technically incorrect. Both Flintstones specials are a great holiday classic.

Once you get past the fact that the Flintstones who lived in something BC would not even have a reason to celebrate Christmas it is a very well done Christmas special! Well written and humorous for adults and children this is a classic. I am glad it is available on DVD since it so infrequently seen on tv anymore. A great cartoon to celebrate the season.