"Overwhelmingly, the consensus was this: Jewish kids of my generation were permitted to watch one or all of: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and The Year Without Santa Claus. Therefore, their children are also allowed to watch them. But ask them why these movies pass muster and prepare for whomping exhibitions of illogic as only the People of the Book can practice it.
I learned this week that there exists an unspoken “no Jesus” rule, a “no Santa” rule (thus no Rudolph), a “no saints” rule (thus no Night before Christmas), a “no resurrections” rule (even if it’s resurrection by proxy; thus no Frosty), and also a “no bad music” rule (thus no Pee-Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special). Perhaps my favorite e-mail laying out a Unified Theory of Jewish Christmas Viewing drew the line thus: “claymation and puppets, esp. from Europe = yes; cheap animation and pop music, esp. from US = no."
