Actually, shouldn’t Mitchell count too? 
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Mitchell takes place at Christmas, but otherwise does not seek to focus on the holiday.
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I do find it interesting that (as far as I know) Teenage Crime Wave is the only MST3K film to actually take place during the Thanksgiving holiday.
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Also, it never seems to be remarked upon that the closing bit from El Santa Claus just repaints the Gift Of The Magi bit from Martians. This always struck me as a bit lazy and unnecessary. So it brings the episode slightly down in my estimation. On the other hand, Mexican Xmas has inspired me to go out for Indian food on the big day many times. So there’s that. 
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Wait, the closing bit from Santa was Pitch fighting Santa in Deep 13.
I didn’t mind a new O. Henry ref. Running gags are part of what makes MST3K fun.
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This last, running gags, is something I’m so hoping is made a part of Season 13… with all of the Gizmoplex at our disposal, would love if they are reaching back to pull some gold up, knowing folks can dig back and find the sources…
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They referenced O.Henry in the closing bit, though. I would’ve been happier just to cut right to Pitch’s visit with the mads, and Santa crashing the party.
Running gags are fine, but there are times where there’s a lack-of-trying feel to them. This, for me, was one of them. There were so many other iconic pop cultue Xmas gift exchanges which they could’ve cited. But they didn’t.
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The Frank shaved his head bit was during the first host segment after the Caroling mishap teaser. The last one was Mike and the SOL crew enjoying a miraculous snowfall in space while down in Deep 13 Pitch is visiting, then Santa bursts in.
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If I was able to remove, “I’m a widdle baby” and its variant riffs I’d rank it high, but the repetition of the baby crap just kills the whole movie for me.
Yes, thanks. And I could’ve forgotten my opener-related disappointment faster if they’d had Frank’s hair grow back by the end: as a special Xmas miracle. : P
Well, as Mexican Santa taught us, sometimes Christmas miracles are very short term and limited in scope.
(Couldn’t Santa have done more than give Lupita a doll? I suppose her family will have to wait for Epiphany to see if the Wise Men bring something better.)
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Y’know, I think that bothered me on the first viewing, too. The way they lit and/or made up the poor actor who played Whipple? Looks more like he crawled in from a Giallo than from a cozy nursery. But later on, I decided that the weird non-sequitur feel of the joke fit in well with the bizarre overtones of the whole dang story. So I decided to just roll with it. (Also, Jewish Santa adopting Whipple in Joel’s cameo is a great moment of spinning gold from straw.)
Every time I watch Santa Claus, I just get angry at Lupita’s parents. Kid just wants a dolly. You can make a dolly out of just about anything.
They even show the mom sewing, so I tend to just scream at the TV, ‘So make her a doll already! Geez!’
The devil does not need to get involved in that one.
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There’s probably a director’s cut where we learn that Pitch applied selective amnesia every time that thought popped into either parent’s mind.
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RiffTrax did an uncut version for their live event. Sadly not, though we do see the full doll nightmare sequence.
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Conquers, hands down.
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It depends on my mood really… there are times I can’t suffer Mexi-Claus, and others I just have to watch it for the pure inanity of it. Conquers I can watch more often, but I try to keep to holiday/season viewing.
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I love all three - I seem to like The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t more than most people here - but I have to go with Martians. The host segments are so clever and sweet and funny, and the movie is just as goofy as Santa Claus.
I think Santa Claus has the funniest single riff, though.
After the devil tells Lupita that Santa only brings gifts to rich children and the mother tells her that Santa is coming, the riff in Lupita’s voice “But Santa oppresses the proletariat” has me rolling on the floor every time.
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Season 5’s Santa Claus is the correct answer BTW.
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Santa Claus Conquers the Martians gets my vote. It is such a classic imo.
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