HOT GALLERY: 10 of Our Favorite Celebrity Christmas Specials, Past and Present

Bob Hope was the king of variety-show-style comedy, spreading cheer worldwide through his legendary USO shows. We found a full-length holiday special from 1967 on YouTube featuring a number of big-name stars. We'd like to start you off with a lovely lady named Raquel Welch. For obvious reasons.

Don't call it a comeback—until it is, of course. It's hard to believe, but in 1968, Elvis's career was considered over. This 1968 TV show was originally conceived as a Christmas special with only holiday music, but eventually it evolved into something much more. Fans still got to see The King sing "Blue Christmas," which is why it earns a place on our list. Anyone who only remembers Presley's later years will be reminded of why he earned his royal nickname after watching Elvis (the original title of the show), which you can get on DVD.

O Captain! My Captain! And, of course, Tennille. It's hard to imagine that a guy could unironically call himself Captain—because, you know, he had a hat—and have a successful music career. But The Captain (a.k.a. Daryl Dragon) and his wife (Toni) Tennille were as big as it got in the '70s; anyone who was alive at the time remembers "Love Will Keep Us Together" (1975). Like many '70s music acts, they made the move to television and had their own variety hour. The December 20, 1976, episode was Christmas themed and was later released on DVD as Captain & Tennille: The Christmas Show. Visit the dynamic duo's official website for info on what they're up to these days.
For another holiday gallery, check out Snakkle's roundup of hot holiday toys!

Solid Gold may seem very '70s, but it actually took over the airwaves in the '80s, and every year they served up a Christmas special. This clip features Peter, Paul and Mary engaging in a "practice called wassailing," as hostess with the mostest Marilyn McCoo put it. But you may want to start at the beginning and watch the intro, which shows stars such as John Schneider, Marie Osmond, Laura Branigan, and our favorites, Wayland Flowers and Madam. (Don't know who half of those folks are? It's okay. We do.) Oh, and make sure to stick around to see the Solid Gold Dancers. Oh, yes.

"Make yourself at home," Johnny Cash told viewers at the beginning of the 1976 edition of The Johnny Cash Christmas Special. Who wouldn't want to hang out with Johnny and June for the holidays? Cash turns on the down-home charm here, showing once again that the man could do anything. We miss him.

Wow. Where to start? Bea Arthur singing in the Cantina? Carrie Fisher singing the finale? Yes, there was singing in the Star Wars Holiday Special (1978), which George Lucas reportedly considers so awful he barely acknowledges that it exists. Yet it does, and we kind of love it. Apparently we're not the only ones—it was just announced that Glee will pay tribute to the special in the upcoming episode "Extraordinary Merry Christmas," airing on December 13, 2011. You know who's going to make an appearance? Chewbacca. We'll be watching.
Click here for an exclusive clip of John Williams talking about Yoda!

"These are the mountains of Utah." Those words, spoken in dulcet tones by Mr. Donny Osmond, introduced TV viewers to Christmas, Osmond-family style, back in 1978. The brother-and-sister act are still going strong and still celebrating Christmas with their fans, this year in Chicago with the aptly named Donny & Marie—Christmas in Chicago. According to the Chicago Tribune, Donny has written a new Christmas song and will e-mail it to you for free. Just send a message to [email protected] and an MP3 will soon arrive in your in-box. (We tried it, and it worked. Woo-hoo!)

The late John Denver made a memorable appearance on The Muppet Show and also did a full Christmas special with his felt-covered friends. John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together (1979) is chock-full of classic Muppet goodness, with plenty of music and many Miss Piggy misunderstandings.

In 1997, Hanson broke out in a big way with a little ditty called "MMMBop." That same year, ABC aired a special called Meet Hanson, which featured a Christmas theme. While many young pop stars go on to become more infamous than famous, Hanson has gone the opposite route. Mark Hudson, who produced Hanson's holiday album Snowed In and also worked on the TV special, thinks he knows why. "The Hanson Boys rock!" he tells Snakkle via e-mail. "[They are] not just another 'pop' band. They grew with their audience, and became great musicians and songwriters." As for Snowed In, Hudson—who first found fame in the '70s with his own siblings, the Hudson Brothers—tells Snakkle, "I hear it every year in department stores all over the world! Now THAT'S a Christmas gift!" The brothers Hanson have grown up; they even have their own beer, called—wait for it—MMMHop.

Okay, pop quiz: Who's the most popular faux-neocon pundit on the planet? Stephen Colbert, of course! Colbert rode his fame right into his very own Christmas special, even writing "Another Christmas Song"—you know, so he can get royalties every year. For his millions of loyal fans, this special truly is the greatest gift of all.