Little House on the Prairie:

Little House on the Prairie: A Christmas They Never Forgot

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Mary, Adam, Hester Sue, and the Wilders all make a special visit to Charles and Caroline's for Christmas Eve. An unrelenting blizzard prevents everyone from heading home after dinner, but they all pass time by recalling Christmases of personal significance in their lives. Caroline remembers her struggle as a child to accept her new stepfather, as well as the thoughtful gesture he made one Christmas Eve to earn her respect. Almanzo reflects upon the year that taught him to believe in Santa without question, and Laura shares the classic story of her family's very first Christmas in Kansas's Indian Territory, but it is Hester Sue's bittersweet tale of racial inequality that holds perhaps the greatest poignancy in this heartwarming episode about family togetherness. Add a recap »

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Writers:: Don Balluck

Director:: Michael Landon

Stars:: Dean Butler (Almanzo James Wilder (co-star prior to season 7)); Melissa Gilbert (Laura Elizabeth Ingalls/Wilder); Jason Bateman (James Cooper/Ingalls (1981 - 1982)); Ketty Lester (Hester-Sue Terhune (1982-1983) (co-star 1978 - 1981)); Matthew Laborteaux (Albert Quinn Ingalls (1978 -1982)); Linwood Boomer (Adam Kendall (1978 - 1981)); Missy Francis (Cassandra Cooper/Ingalls (1981 - 1982)); Michael Landon (Charles Ingalls (1974 - 1982)); Karen Grassle (Caroline Quiner Holbrook Ingalls (1974 - 1982)); Lindsay Greenbush (Carrie Ingalls (1974 - 1982)); Sidney Greenbush (Carrie Ingalls (1974 - 1982)); Brenda Turnbaugh (baby Grace Ingalls (shared) (1978-82)); Wendi Turnbaugh (baby Grace Ingalls (shared) (1978-82))

Recurring Role:: Victor French (Mr. Edwards)

Guest Star:: Eddy C. Dyer (Poppa Terhune); Helbi Ziroe (Momma Terhune); Alene Wilson (Young Hester-Sue); Don Dubbins (Master Hayes); Holly Villaire (Charlotte Holbrook); Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary); Maggie Gwinn (Mrs. Wilder); Jerry Supiran (Young Almanzo); Kathy Pazoff (Young Eliza Jane); Rebecca Wolfe (Young Alice); Dago Dimster (Young Royal); Sheri Strahl (Young Caroline); Vernon Barnwell (Boy #1); Rodney Booker (Boy #2); Kathleen MacNaughton (Emily); Tom Lester (Mr. Wilder); Newell Alexander (Mr. Holbrook); Oliver Aubrey (Santa Claus)

Older viewers may chuckle when actor Tom Lester appears as Almanzo's good-natured, loving father in a flashback sequence here. The air-of-the-hayseed actor is best known for his role as lanky, excitable farmhand Ed Dawson on Green Acres. edit »
You would think that young James and Cassandra would have more than a few emotional issues on this, their first Christmas without their biological parents, who were killed about six months ago. Obviously, Michael Landon chose to gloss over this, as evidenced by the fact that James and Cassandra are both smiling and appear to be content. Granted, all kids deal with such grief in different ways, but still, it may have been nice to acknowledge their past by including a flashback of one of their previous Christmases. edit »
The punishment that young Royal receives in Almanzo's flashback may be controversial for some audiences. All he said was that he "found the presents" in the barn the day before; for all we know, maybe he just stumbled across them. Royal wasn't being particularly cruel or hurtful to his little brother Almanzo; he was just stating a fact as nicely as he could. Taking every single one of his presents away seems extremely harsh and unnecessary, but perhaps this is just one person's opinion. edit »
This is the first Christmas episode where the entire Ingalls family isn't together in the final scene. The last scene belongs to Charles and Caroline alone. edit »
Notice that Laura and Almanzo's house is used for two of the flashback sequences: the one with young Caroline Ingalls, and the one with young Almanzo and his family. In Caroline's flashback, Laura and Almanzo's parlor and guest bedroom (the same one that was used in Season 7's "The Nephews") are shown, and in young Almanzo's flashback, the parlor is used. They didn't try very hard to make them look different in each of the respective flashbacks, because you can totally tell it's Laura and Almanzo's house. edit »

There are a few oddities of time in this episode. It is hard to establish whether this is the Christmas of 1885 or 1886. As the next season begins, it is the spring of 1887, so we could assume that this is Christmas of 1886. However, Laura and Almanzo's daughter Rose was born in real life by that time, so this can't be. It must be 1885. If that's the case, we must believe that Hester Sue is only 34 or 35 years old. No offense to the lovely Ketty Lester (who was 43 at the time), but that wasn't likely. Also, Almanzo's story revolves around his belief in Santa Claus at the age of 6. In 1863, Santa was still referred to as Saint Nicholas. The name "Santa Claus" emerged in the next decade. Not that it was unusual for Michael Landon to mess around with dates or historical facts for the sake of a storyline! edit »
Keen-eyed viewers will notice that the star on top of the Christmas tree at the Ingalls home is not the star that little Carrie bought at the mercantile in Season 1's Christmas at Plum Creek, although the way Carrie is staring at it with wonder, the audience is probably expected to believe that it's the same thing. One wonders why the same star, which was such a meaningful part of that story, wasn't used here. The new star is smaller and covered with glitter--hardly the same trademark simplicity of the original thing. Perhaps it went missing over seven years of filming. edit »
The adorable blonde boy who plays young Almonzo in this episode is Jerry Supiran, one of many child actors who seemed to have little cameos in every TV show throughout the 1970's and 1980's. At one time, it was rumored that Supiran had gone on to become the lead singer of the band Smashing Pumpkins, but that was later proved to be false. He was also rumored to have died in 2004, but actually, it was his brother Tony Supiran (also an actor) who passed on. edit »
Adam, James, Cassandra, Albert, and baby Grace are the only people present in this episode who does not appear in any of the flashback sequences. edit »
This is the last time we see Mary and Adam in the series. edit »

Caroline's Mother: (in flashback) Caroline......darling, I can't stand to see you feeling this way.
Caroline: I miss Pa so bad.
Caroline's Mother: I know. So do I.
Caroline: No you don't! How could you miss Pa?
Caroline's Mother: Caroline--
Caroline: How could you miss him at all, and marry somebody else?
Caroline's Mother: Your stepfather is--
Caroline: Don't call him that! He'll never be my stepfather! I hate him!
Caroline's Mother: Don't say that!
Caroline: I do! I hate him!
Caroline's Mother: The other children don't feel that way.
Caroline: Yes they do! They're just afraid to say it!
Caroline's Mother: That's not true! Frederick is a fine man!
Frederick: (walks in from the rain, smiling) I'm absolutely soaked. (Caroline runs to her room)
Caroline's Mother: Frederick, I'm so sorry.
Frederick: She'll get over it.
Caroline's Mother: I'm not so sure she will. edit »
Mr. Holbrook: (in Caroline's flashback) This is about the worst Christmas I can imagine for a child. A stranger you barely even know is where your father used to be. I'd surely feel the same way. And on top of all that, it has to rain.
Young Caroline: I don't want to talk to you.
Mr. Holbrook: Maybe it is all wrong. Maybe your Ma and I shouldn't have gotten married. A man like your Pa.......the likes of me can even begin to take his place. Not a man like him. He was the finest I ever knew. We were friends. I guess you knew that. I don't know if he felt the same way, probably not, but I thought of him as my best friend. When he passed on, I cried. God, I cried. edit »
Boy 2: (in Hester Sue's flashback) Wishing is all you can do.
Boy 1: How do you know? I've been good!
Boy 2: You think Santa Claus cares if you're good?
Boy 1: Sure he does.
Boy 2: You'll learn when you get older. Santa don't bring nothing like that to black children. It's all for the whites.
Boy 1: How do you know that?
Boy 2: Just look at him! He's a white man! He takes care of his own. edit »
Young Hester Sue: (in flashback) We ain't never gonna get anything like that.
Mother: Now, how do you know that, missy?
Young Hester Sue: Cuz I know. Cuz Santa Claus is white.
Father: Now, who told you that?
Young Hester Sue: Everybody knows that.
Father: I don't. Why, Santa Claus lives all the way in the North Pole.
Young Hester Sue: Then who was that in the store?
Father: That was just a man pretending. Why, nobody knows what the real Santa looks like.
Young Hester Sue: I do. He's a big jolly man, with a white beard and a white face. That's why we ain't never gonna get nothing good for Christmas! edit »
Almanzo: (talking about a Christmas he had as a boy) There were lots of presents on Christmas morning, but none for Royal. I was sure my Pa was right--Santa Claus got mad at old Royal for poking around where he shouldn't have. Royal never said there wasn't a Santa after that. That was about the best Christmas I ever had.
Laura: And when did you stop believing in Santa Claus?
Almanzo: I never have. And you better not go poking around! edit »

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DrCook920
member since: Mar 11, 2008
A Christmas They Never Forgot
The Bottom Line: "Flashback episode"
Christmas at the Little House gets crowded when everybody gets snowed in on Christmas Eve. I mean everybody. ...Continue »
04/03/08 06:29pm | report abuse