BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA.A quaint little town called Stinky Cigars – a secret location hidden only by a name that was chosen to repel tourists – is populated by iconic holiday characters from every culture around the world. It is home to Santa Claus and his workshop full of hard-working elves, and to other holiday figures from the best-known (Cupid, the Easter Bunny, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln) to the most minor and obscure (Arbor Day Aardvark, Labor Day Amos).The story, which is narrated in verse and "cheekily punctuated" by original songs,[1] centers on Edison Elf (Sean Hayes), an optimistic inventor with an unexpectedly hazardous new toy, and Murray Weiner (Jerry Stiller), the cranky owner of the town's diner. Murray's talent for delivering orders makes the unwilling curmudgeon the only person in town who can fill in for an injured Santa (Kevin Michael Richardson) on Christmas Eve.Fun special. There is plenty of holiday material that this cleverly spoofs. What is nice is that the makers of this film do not "Dumb it Down" when I am sure they were tempted.

An oddly refreshing, offbeat take on the Christmas holiday special. After watching the two dozen or so traditional, sentimental (or even outright sappy and maudlin) classics that glorify the holiday and attempt to infuse even the most secular elements of Christmas with deep meanings, this animated parody is a bit of a refreshing blast of satire for the adults.While hardly a "classic," it's full of gags, inside jokes, and pop culture references that serve up a few guffaws. All in all, a fun little diversion. Never as vulgar as Family Guy, but probably not worth showing to the kids.

This special really highlights the emptiness of forced secularism. It could more properly be called "How Murray Saved the Winter Solstice", if not for its exploitation of the word Christmas. It is composed of a lot of rhyming but not much else. Those who are looking for a meaningful character arc, an original plot, or anything approaching a spiritual significance will be deeply disappointed.WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!Our story begins in a snowy town which seems to have been constructed specifically to trivialize Christmas and to put it among the other holidays for Federal and state workers/greeting card/parade/ethnic celebration/practical joke days.Even the Santa we are introduced to makes one question why people celebrate Christmas. He is quite honestly a forceful, robber-baron type, without any of the redeeming qualities of Krampus. He virtually breaks the back of his worker elves, while offering them hot cocoa (but only at an outrageous price.)Since he is clearly such a jerk, there are several non-sequiturs here. Firstmost: why does he even give gifts to children? Secondly, how did he attract such a multi-ethic workforce? (as any rational person would realize they would have had to immigrate and there isn't much attractive about the Far North) Also, how does he pay his elves? (he must pay them—if he is trying to make money off them). And lastly, if he is such a slave- driver, why is it the main elf we are introduced to seems to be such a loafer?Most of the audience is probably glad when he gets punched in the face and knocked out, setting up a empty place for our titular protagonist. I won't outline the rest of the plot—because there isn't one.There's a slight yuck factor throughout the proceedings. Cupid is bare- bottomed. Diaper rash is mentioned—for both the old year and new. The Lord's Prayer (the lone mention approaching religious significance) is said to have been burped. There's a tired old joke about sexuality based on a dumb pun. (Yes, this is a Christmas special where sexuality is discussed). Did I mention, the groundhog (Groundhog Day) is a Woody Allen- type?There's an obvious attempt to be inclusive here. Murray ends up giving toys to both the good and bad, even to people who don't celebrate Christmas (and whose ancestors never have!). Going back to the multi- ethnic elves: who the heck ever wanted to be a Christmas elf?Five years from now this will be long-forgotten.

The second (after "Olive, the other reindeer) from somewhere inside the greater Simpsons universe, this adaptation of a book is a bit toned- down from the Simpsons, but you'll recognize the sensibility -- and, to a degree, the artists -- behind it. Well into adulthood, admittedly, I found the story, sometimes reaching but clever rhymes and songs to be great fun. Probably aimed more at older kids and their parents, many of the gags will sail by the kids with no harm done.There is no religious significance attached the Christmas here; in fact, Santa's Jewish surrogate winds up delivering gifts to children of several faiths. To me, that's a good thing; families who wish to celebrate Christmas as a religious (and in that, exclusionary) holiday can do that in their own homes and churches.