the little drummer boy book 2

of all the classic holiday tv specials on DVD, I'm surprised that my all time favorite "The Little Drummer Boy book 2" isn't currently on DVD. It's my all time favorite stories as the little drummer boy from the original story is on another adventure as one of the three wise men needs to go see his friend Simian and inform him of the birth of the new baby Jesus. Simian was a man who knew of the prophecy of the coming of  the birth of the Christ child, and as he told everyone in the area, they dismissed it as idle nonsense and walked away. During the day, Simian was a bell maker and made bells of all sizes and kinds, but his greatest work to be was the large bells he planned to ring with the prophecy coming true and the birth of the baby Jesus. However a group of Tax collectors had come into his home, and clamed that he owed a lot of money in taxes. In fear, Simian had hid himself and his bells for his safety, unfortunately the tax collectors broke into Simian's home, and took his giant bells in exchange as payment for his taxed he owed. Poor Simian felt broken hearted as his prize work had been stolen and there was no way to get them back.
                     It was then that his good friends the drummer boy and a wise man came to visit, and was told of what the tax collectors had done and that his bells are gone. The drummer boy then came up with a plan as  we would  all sneak into their campsite and find a way to get the bells back. It was a dangerous mission, but Simian was hopeful, but feared for their lives. It had been a long journey, but they found their campsite, and the tax collectors planned to melt down those bells into valuable silver. But the drummer boy's plan was to come into the camp with his animal friends saying that he hasn't eaten in days, and offered them a song to play on his drum in exchange for some food. The collectors just laughed at the drummer boy and took his sticks and drum to start their fire to melt down the bells. It was while this was happening that the animals managed to take back the bells that were in the wagon and come back to Simian, and it was then that the tax collectors realized that the bells were suddenly missing. It was this distraction that the drummer boy used to make his get away and help out the animals. Surely the tax collectors will be looking nearby for their missing bells, and they don't want to get caught. So with a clever plan, they buried the bells in the sand to look like the other sand piles, and hid behind one of the piles and prayed that the tax  collectors wouldn't find them. With all their attempts they couldn't find the bells and the others were safe. Sadly the drummer boy was crying as his only possession in the world his drums were burned in the fire by the tax collectors, but Simian reminded the boy that a  great moment was about to occur, that overshadowed the drummer boy's problem.  Simian had proudly set up his large bells and when the time came, he rang them proudly as their sweet songs were heard by everyone announcing the birth of the baby Jesus. And everyone who heard those bells knew that Simian was right all along and that his prophecy had come true and were all guided by the shining star in the night sky to the stable where the  baby was born.
             Afterwards, Simian had asked the drummer boy to lead them to the baby with his drum. But the drummer boy was puzzled on how he  could do this with no drum. It was then that Simian had surprised the drummer boy by giving him gift of a brand new drum that he made himself. And thanks to the drummer boy's drum, he successfully led Simian and the wiseman to the stable to see the baby Jesus. I always loved the bell song Simian played on his giant bells, which was Do you hear what I hear. It's one of the most exquisite songs I've ever heard being played on those large bells. I would love to have bells as large as those to play songs someday. Maybe Simian could give me a few lessons on how to play them.  I could be wrong as maybe it's now on DVD, but if it's not, it should.

Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas

Another classic DVD Christmas special I like is “Mickey’s Twice Upon A Christmas.” It’s the most beautiful and festive holiday DVD from Disney that you can get. The belles of the ball, which is the first story was very beautiful and dazzling, especially the ringing of the hand bells and the choir singing in the background. Not to mention the who spectacular ice show Minnie and Daisy perform, to compete with each other than they combine their shows for an special performance. Talk about a last minute effort to be put on Santa’s list, Hewey Dewey and Luie, Donald’s nephews send themselves to the northpole in an attempt to put themselves on Santa’s list. But they mess things up in the production room and toys are piled and scattered everywhere. So although they finally get the key, they go into the room with the list and although the had the opportunity to place their names on Santa’s list, they put their uncle Scrooge’s name on Santa’s list instead thinking of others. (Remember to look in the scene where Santa is taking a nap in his office, for the clock on his wall is a Mickey head shaped clock. (Hidden Mickey) So although everyone’s holiday is hectic, it was funny when Max took his girlfriend to see his dad to spend Christmas at his house. Then he tells his dad to play it cool an try not to impress her or show off in front of his girlfriend. How funny was is that Goofy overdecorated his house with lights, and shows Max’s girlfriend the baby picture he has enlarged and framed of his son Max. So although he walks out to be away from his dad, they all get back together after Goofy pops some popcorn with Max’s girlfriend, which pops like crazy and fills the house with popcorn. Afterwards they all end up on the roof and making snow angels in the popcorn piles.
And I couldn’t believe it how accurate they were within one of the stories of when Donald comes home from the stores exausted and sips hot chocolate in his chair in front of the fireplace. Then his girlfriend Daisy comes in with Donald’s nephews. Daisy reminds Donald that he promised to take everyone to the mall for Christmas shopping, and go to Mousies to view their Christmas display. Donald was in no mood to go out, being exhausted as he was he was determined to put his foot down and demanded that he was to stay home. Next thing he knows, he’s in the mall with disbelief. The funny part was when Donald went bonkers and was angry with rage as the song “We wish you a merry Christmas.” Was played with the various things in the mall one right after another. Then in desperation, he runs and hides into a room where it’s dark. Thinking he’s safe, he finds a light switch, turns it on, and then suddenly he’s in Mousey’s Christmas display exhibit. They all play the Song and it drives Donald to insanity as he wrecks the exhibit and all the singing robots to get them to shut up. When the curtain comes up, and everyone sees what Donald has done, Hewey denies that Donald is his uncle. He does make it up in the end by assisting with the outdoor singing chorus.
And even the final story where Pluto runs away after Mickey yelled at him for wrecking the holiday decorations he had set up for the party. You can tell that he over did it, and even his second attempt to buy more decorations, they get knocked off the car and into the street as he drives through a low opening tunnel. Then a huge truck comes afterwards and smashes the decorations to bits. Sure meanwhile Pluto is adopted by the reindeers as Murryk, but Santa discovers him and brings him back to Mickey. (There’s a Mickey symbol carved into the wood of one of the walls of the stables) I still enjoy finding the Hidden Mickeys from time to time. The DVD is fun to watch for the holidays, and I love it.

Shrek The Halls

Now I’m not much of a fanatic with Shrek, but when I saw the Christmas Tv Special “Shrek The Halls”, I had almost died of laughter. It was that funny. I mean look at Donkey, as excited as he was, he counted down the days, since summer till Christmas day, and when it finally came, he practically exploded with excitement laughing and singing the holiday songs. I figured that maybe Donkey drank too much eggnog.
And poor Shrek didn’t know what Christmas was, and his wife Fiona and the Oger babies were all excited about celebrating their first Christmas as a family. So Shrek ran clear across the country, climbed the steepest and tallest mountains in the frigid snow and ice to get to the nearest book store to get a book to teach him all about Christmas. It was one of those Christmas for village idiots books.” Then when he got back, he tried to decorate his house by using a toilet seat as the Christmas wreath, as well as old tin cans and junk. Then the funny part was when Donkey came into the scene to give Shrek a Christmas card he made himself. That card was hilarious seeing Donkey dressed as Santa Clause with is great big smile.
So As Shrek was trying to explain to Donkey that he wanted to be alone with his family to celebrate Christmas, Donkey then invites everyone from the fairy tales to Shrek’s house for a festive Christmas party. Although Donkey said that all the storybook characters were family, Shrek got a little steamed, for his house was extremely crowded and loud and noisy. The next funny thing was when Donkey had told everyone his version of the Christmas story. Everything was exaggerated and blown up to extreme in decorations, fantasy, and fun. And it was the most funniest story I heard. Giant egg nog fountains, a parade with giant animated floats of Donkey and Shrek, tap dancing turkeys, and even a giant Santa made entirely of waffles covered in butter, syrup, and swanked by a choir singing it’s praises. Whenever I hear that story, I burst out laughing. Then the gingerbread man tells his horror story about his date to the movies with his gingerbread girlfriend going to pieces, as a giant santa clause comes into the scene and grabs the girl and eats her, leaving the gingerbread man broken hearted. Then things get really out of hand and Shrek finally kicks everyone out of his home to be alone, even his wife Fiona took the babies and left. After a moment of being alone, he goes out to the group and tries to explain that he didn’t know the meaning of Christmas, since Ogers don’t celebrate anything, and he didn’t know what Christmas is. Then Donkey throws a snow ball at Shrek, and everyone else throws snowballs at Shrek getting him good. Then suddenly Donkey has a bunch of snow dumped ontop of him buring him. Turns out that it was his girlfriend the dragon who shook the branches of snow and felt proud of her accomplishment.
So in the end, everyone got settled into Shrek’s house, and Shrek tells his babies the Christmas story in his own words. The swamp rats didn’t creep, as mom and babes Kazooed in their sleep (farted) Oger Clause came to the scene and gave the oger babies bottles of stinky swamp juice, and then he gave the mother the goose. ( and told her how to cook it.) And then he gave off a loud burp to transform the place and stuck a finger up his nose and went up the chimney and calimed. “Smelly Christmas to all and to all a gross night.” If that isn’t a funny Christmas special I don’t know what is. I got the DVD for myself, but beforehand, I bought a copy of the movie and then gave it to my sister for her husband and kids to view as a Christmas gift, which wasn’t easy, since it was such a funny movie.