Beary Christmas

Okay, bad pun. But it's Christmas, I'm allowed one, right?

In Yogi's First Christmas, Yogi and sidekick Boo-Boo are awoken from their annual hibernation by the arrival of fellow Hanna-Barbera cartoons Augie Doggie, Doggie Daddy, Snagglepuss and Huckleberry Hound. They are staying at the Jellystone Lounge which is in danger of closing. The owner, Mrs. Throckmorton, is worried the winter festival held around Christmas will get a repeat of the previous year's mysterious occurences. However, she hires Yogi who manages to thwart the culprits' (Throckmorton's own nephew Snively and local hermit Herman) attempts. In the end, everyone gets a merry Christmas--even if Yogi's is cut short by natural habits.

A bit confusing if one notes that Casper's First Christmas aired a year before Yogi's but the bear was present for those festivities, it is still a treat to see the Hanna-Barbera cartoons interact. It is like watching the Jetsons meet the Flintstones--you know the characters, yet they seem new when interacting with the others. The new original characters--Mrs. Throckmorton and Snively--are an interesting bunch. She is an aunt that tries to drag her reluctant nephew through the winter festival but hopes he won't win so he'll learn some humility. He fulfills the usual spoiled brat role but his sudden conversion at the end is a mere plot contrivance. He seems to be uncaring about the entire thing until he is left out, not really learning humility--he still gets his way!

Also, the subplot with the romance between Cindy and Yogi takes on a rather obsessive and creepy nature. It seems clear that Yogi does not return Cindy's affection, yet the show wants to portray him as the guy who doesn't want to be caught but still cares.

For all of this, I award this special three and a half candy canes out of five. Still a good special to enjoy, particularly if you are a Yogi fan. Or if you have a child who is a fan of Winnie-the-Pooh--time to introduce to the bear who is "smarter than the average bear."