# WHO Has SAVED Christmas? Also, who HASN'T, but SHOULD? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 6, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211 "2012-12-06T18:37:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/1 "2012-12-06T18:37:09Z")
When one takes a moment to contemplate how many [del]franchised[/del] beloved TV and movie characters have saved Christmas over the years, one might be forgiven for thinking it’s a wonder Santa Claus ever managed to get out of bed and down to the workshop every morning without impaling himself on a bannister. Just googling the term “saves Christmas,” I am informed that Christmas has been saved by Elmo the red toddler Muppet, Ernest P. Worrell, Tomato the Tow Truck from _Cars_, a talking dog named Hercules (who probably doesn’t count as _beloved_ just yet), Steven Colbert, and somebody named NODDY. I did some contemplation of that nature last night while I was at work (performing tasks that were not impeded by such wool-gathering, I assure you). It occurred to me to wonder if by any chance Christmas has been saved more than 2012 times (which, if this paradoxical number were achieved, would make Santa Claus the biggest goldbricker in history). It’s been saved by Rudolph, of course, as well as by a skeptical mouse who had an eleventh-hour change of heart, Mrs. Santa Claus (at least twice, IIRC), _Dragnet_’s Sgt. Joe Friday, The Grinch, the heavy metal musical combo known as KISS, Lizzie McGuire, Brian and Stewie Griffin, Billy and Mandy, the Flintstones (I never quite understood how _that_ came about), and Garfield the Cat. Who else? And for extra fun, whom would you like to nominate to ALSO save Christmas? I was going to go with Darth Vader, but I suddenly remembered that last week in the Hallmark Store, I saw [these](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51R5H4BYDBL._SY300_.jpg) [guys](http://starwarsfriday.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/general-grievous-christmas-keepsake-ornaments-qx8171_518_1.jpg?w=300&h=300), so i decided I’d let the palpitations subside before I nominate any Sith Lords. So, I’ll just say Sonny Wortzik and Sal Naturile\* from _Dog Day Afternoon_. \*I know, some of you will quibble that Sal got his brains blown out in the getaway limo by the FBI. To which I respond: _It’s a Christmas MIRACLE!!!_ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/2 "2012-12-06T18:53:25Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Who else? Hanukkah Harry. _“On Moishe! On Herschel! On Shlomo!”_ ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/3 "2012-12-06T18:57:09Z")
The FOX network thinks that it’s saving Christmas all on its own. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/4 "2012-12-06T18:58:20Z")
The Ultimate Warrior? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/5 "2012-12-06T19:12:06Z")
I came here to say Fred Flintstone, but as usual my witty repartee is taken: in the OP no less. This year, maybe Gary Bettman gets to save Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/6 "2012-12-06T19:17:07Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > The Ultimate Warrior? Seconded! ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/7 "2012-12-06T19:25:44Z")
Didn’t Jack Skellington save Christmas after almost screwing it up? ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/8 "2012-12-06T19:33:01Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > It’s been saved by … The Grinch, To be fair, the Grinch first stole Christmas, so he was only undoing what he had done. So he doesn’t really count. > [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Didn’t Jack Skellington save Christmas after almost screwing it up? [Yep](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Skellington). That’s the one I was going to post. ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/9 "2012-12-06T19:48:33Z")
Mythbusters. I want to see them prove reindeer can fly and have red noses that glow, and that santa can deliver all the toys, and elves and stuff. **pouts** ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/10 "2012-12-06T19:56:28Z")
[NORAD](http://www.noradsanta.org/). Maybe they didn’t technically save Christmas, but they didn’t identify Santa as a hostile and blow him out of the sky, so that counts for something. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/11 "2012-12-06T20:05:22Z")
Malcolm Reynolds and Jayne Cobb, in _The Firefly Christmas Special_. Tyrion Lannister, in _How the Imp Saved Christmas, or: Winter is Here_. Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, in _Blue Christmas_. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/12 "2012-12-06T20:13:22Z")
Well, Homer Simpson saved three Christmases versus eight he ruined … two were kind of a draw… ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/13 "2012-12-06T20:29:26Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > When one takes a moment to contemplate how many [del]franchised[/del] beloved TV and movie characters have saved Christmas over the years, one might be forgiven for thinking it’s a wonder Santa Claus ever managed to get out of bed and down to the workshop every morning without impaling himself on a bannister. > > Just googling the term “saves Christmas,” I am informed that Christmas has been saved by Elmo the red toddler Muppet, Ernest P. Worrell, Tomato the Tow Truck from _Cars_, a talking dog named Hercules (who probably doesn’t count as _beloved_ just yet), Steven Colbert, and somebody named NODDY. > > I did some contemplation of that nature last night while I was at work (performing tasks that were not impeded by such wool-gathering, I assure you). It occurred to me to wonder if by any chance Christmas has been saved more than 2012 times (which, if this paradoxical number were achieved, would make Santa Claus the biggest goldbricker in history). > > It’s been saved by Rudolph, of course, as well as by a skeptical mouse who had an eleventh-hour change of heart, Mrs. Santa Claus (at least twice, IIRC), _Dragnet_’s Sgt. Joe Friday, The Grinch, the heavy metal musical combo known as KISS, Lizzie McGuire, Brian and Stewie Griffin, Billy and Mandy, the Flintstones (I never quite understood how _that_ came about), and Garfield the Cat. > > Who else? Keep in mind that some of the ones you mentioned - e.g. Joe Friday and “the skeptical mouse who had an eleventh-hour change of heart” - only saved Christmas for certain people, not for the entire planet. (Also, it’s “Tow Mater”, not “Tomato”.) Here are a few more: The Powerpuff Girls Robot XJ-9 (aka Jenny) from _My Life as a Teenage Robot_. CatDog (although with an asterisk, as they were the ones that caused it to need saving in the first place) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/14 "2012-12-06T20:33:54Z")
Ebenezeer Scrooge. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/15 "2012-12-06T20:40:24Z")
According to Homer Simpson "Now, let’s see… this’ll make three Christmases I saved versus eight I ruined… two were kind of a draw… " ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/16 "2012-12-06T20:52:08Z")
I can’t prove it, but I like to imagine [_Christmas Ape_](http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Troy_McClure_Films) saved Christmas. Buzzsaw Louie did in Veggie Tales. Abraham Lincoln should save Christmas. So should PSY. And Kobayashi - in a Robert Smigel cartoon. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/17 "2012-12-06T21:06:54Z")
I wanna see Robocop save Christmas from OCPs corporate greed. Or even better, _Breakin’ 3: Electric Christmas Lights_. ---
**Author:** ![Scoobysnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Scoobysnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoobysnax)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/18 "2012-12-06T21:23:56Z")
The Doctor? Every Christmas he saves the holiday for an individual, family, or entire planet. On edit I see that you asked for people who have not saved Christmas but should. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/19 "2012-12-06T22:13:53Z")
There will never be a saving-Christmas story to top [Weed Delivery Guy Saves Christmas](http://www.theonion.com/articles/weed-delivery-guy-saves-christmas,1264/). I read it every holiday season and it never fails to warm my heart. It’s just begging for a movie or TV adaptation. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211/20 "2012-12-06T22:18:33Z")
Are we counting holidays that aren’t actually Christmas but which are a clear analogue? Because Death has saved Hogswatch (and no, it wasn’t his doing that it needed saving). And of course, Santa himself has saved Christmas numerous times. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-has-saved-christmas-also-who-hasnt-but-should/643211.md?page=2)