Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Yuletide TV Day 25: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air


Series: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 

Episode: S1E15 "Deck the Halls"

Original airdate: December 10, 1990

Santa? Plastic Santa

Other holidays mentioned: None

Availability: Amazon Video

Unique Christmas Story:
In "Deck the Halls" Will Smith needs to deal with a family who is taking a dull approach to Christmas. The Banks family doesn't share the unbounding joy Will feels for the season. Even his cousin Ashley, the youngest of the Banks whom Will hopes will get excited for the season, has decided to use her winter break to learn vocabulary.

Will's aunt takes pity on him an sends him to pick up their Christmas decorations, instead of having them delivered and put up by a service. Will takes Ashley along with him and gets involved in one of the funniest and most depressing exchanges about the season with the store clerk. The store clerk is the epitome of 90's L.A. culture. He doesn't like anything mainstream and takes his holiday inspiration from Jamaica and its tropical climate.

But Will isn't going to settle for a straight-laced Christmas. He ditches the decorations and takes Ashley to buy their own. He covers the house in obnoxious lights, reindeer, candy canes and jolly men in red suits. However, he soon finds his efforts to spread some Christmas cheer have riled up the neighbors who view the display as too tacky for their upscale tastes.

It's a story with a happy ending, but one that also demonstrates the importance of letting loose during the Christmas. There are few opportunities throughout the year when it is socially acceptable to have unbridled enthusiasm about an event, and Will shows that Christmas is the perfect time to do so.

Unique Christmas Message:
If you got it, flaunt it.

That's it for Christmas folks, hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. Keep checking back for more posts and some year end wrap ups next week.

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