Christmas with Walt Disney (2009)

[bunniefuu]

(dramatic music playing)

(video clicking)

(wind howling)

(upbeat music playing)

(dramatic music playing)

NARRATOR: Every day,
millions of friendly Americans,

young and old,

and millions of American homes,
large and small,

pause and refresh themselves
with the wholesome,

delicious goodness of ice-cold Coca-Cola.

And today, Christmas Day,

the Coca-Cola Company
and your friendly neighbor

who bottles Coca-Cola
invites you to pause and be refreshed

by an hour of wholesome,
delightful entertainment.

We now bring you Walt Disney.

(upbeat music playing)

(humming)

♪ Dashing through the snow
in a one-horse open sleigh ♪

♪ O'er the fields we go
laughing all the way ♪

♪ Bells on bobtails ring
making spirits bright ♪

♪ What fun it is to ride
and sing a sleighing song tonight ♪

♪ Jingle bells, jingle bells
jingle all the way ♪

♪ Oh, what fun it is to ride
in a one-horse open sleigh ♪

♪ Jingle bells, jingle bells
jingle all the way ♪

♪ Oh, what fun it is to ride
in a one-horse open sleigh ♪

- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas, Walt.

Merry Christmas to you all.
Merry Christmas, everybody.

- Merry Christmas to you.
- Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas.

♪ We wish you a merry Christmas
we wish you a merry Christmas ♪

♪ We wish you a merry Christmas
and a happy New Year ♪

♪ Good tidings to you wherever you are... ♪

Well, this is very unusual weather
for Southern California.

In fact, it's impossible.

But since Disneyland is a Magic Kingdom,

we thought we'd use some
of that magic to create

a traditional Christmas atmosphere.

- Hello, Walt.
- Well, hi, Santa.

Is everything ready
for our big Christmas Parade?

- Everything but the weather.
- Yeah.

Personally, I feel right at home
in this snow,

but it's not so good for a parade.

- Well, maybe you got something there.
- Yeah.

Okay, Tinker Bell, turn it off.

- Now there. How is that, huh?
- Much better, Walt.

- Hey, Santa. Can I get your autograph?
- Oh, sure, you can have our autograph.

- Why, of course.
- You first, Santa.

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

Make sure you spell it right, now, yeah.

- There. All right, now.
- Thanks, Santa.

(laughter)

Well, after all, it is your day, Santa,
so make the most of it, you know?

- I got 365.
- (laughs)

I see what you mean, Walt.

And since I'm gonna be in that parade,
I'd better get ready.

Well, good.
Santa, here's a little present,

from Walt to Santa Claus.

Oh, thank you very much.

Just what I needed. (laughs)

♪ Jingle bells, jingle bells
jingle all the way ♪

I'll see you later, Santa.

(upbeat music playing)

♪ From all of us to all of you
a very Merry Christmas ♪

♪ For all this bright and joyful night
we're glad to have you with us ♪

♪ So gather 'round the lovely tree
where all the lights are shining ♪

♪ You'll see how happy we will be
while all the bells are chiming ♪

♪ Ding-dong-dingle ♪

♪ What a merry sound ♪

♪ Ding-dong-dingle ♪

♪ Kris Kringle is in town ♪

♪ From all of us to all of you
it's good to have you with us ♪

♪ Now here we go and here's our show
that says a Merry Christmas! ♪

- ♪ A very ♪
- (trumpet tooting)

- ♪ Merry ♪
- (cello strumming)

♪ Christmas! ♪

(drums banging)

Hey, everybody. Attention.

Now comes a big surprise.

ALL: Oh.

Hey, do you girls know
this character at Disney?

- Yes.
- He's our father.

Oh.

(laughs)

Ooh.

DIANE: I'm Diane Disney Miller

and Walt Disney was my father.

I think by the time I was born,

my dad was already well-known
around the world

because of Mickey Mouse.

To Sharon and me, he was just our daddy.

Over the next hour,
you will see how Walt Disney

celebrated Christmas in his work

and get a very personal glimpse

at how we celebrated Christmas at home.

You'll discover some of Dad's
favorite holiday memories,

from all the wonderful ways
he embraced the season

to his very favorite way
to celebrate Christmas...

at Disneyland.

(rhythmic whistling)

DIANE: Dad had been playing with cameras,

using cameras seriously, for many years
by the time I was born.

And, uh, at that time,
also he had some pretty good cameras

at his disposal.

He had done baby photographs,
reels of baby film,

you know, professionally,
to make ends meet

when he was in Kansas City.
It was only natural...

that he'd do the same thing
for his own children.

And, uh, we have film of, uh,

of a really... pretty good effort.

SINGERS: ♪ We're the merry, merry men
of the midnight sun ♪

♪ We work for Santa
and have a lot of fun ♪

♪ With a hi-hi-h* and a hi-hi-hey ♪

♪ We better hurry up
tomorrow's Christmas Day ♪

SINGER: ♪ The night before Christmas... ♪

DIANE: Our Christmases were probably
much like everybody else's.

It was centered on family.

I remember the first thing
that would happen,

the Nativity set would be brought out.

It's funny, Dad has me waking
and he probably says

"wink at me" because I'm doing that
throughout my life in these films.

I remember I'd go to sleep at night,

I'd sing myself to sleep
with all the lyrics

to all the Christmas carols.

SINGER: ♪ With visions of Santa Claus ♪

♪ Riding on end ♪

(quirky music playing)

(light snoring)

(objects clanging)

DIANE: Christmas morning
was always very, very special,

very exciting,
full of beauty and wonderment.

(upbeat music playing throughout)

DIANE: Well, I was born
a week before Christmas,

so this would have been
my second Christmas,

but I was just a year old.

And I am surrounded by wind-up toys

and all kinds of things.

And the tree is as tall as the ceiling

of our tall living room,

just hung with tinsel and everything.

(clamoring)

(upbeat music playing)

DIANE: The toy piano,
that's probably my first piano,

and it wasn't until I was seven
that I got a real one.

(piano music playing)

(laughs)

(sneezes)

(clamoring)

(upbeat music playing)

(Santa laughs)

DIANE: We had sort of a balcony
just right outside my bedroom door

that looked down on the living room.

And to look down and see things

that would never been there before.

I especially remember the time

there were two little ballet dresses out,

a pink one and a blue one.

Well, Santa had not brought those,
my Aunt Grace had made them.

And they hung on the tree,
and then somehow,

something called our attention
right outside the big window,

and we saw there was something out there

that hadn't been there the day before.

We ran outside and it was this beautiful,

beautiful little playhouse.

It looked like something
out of Snow White.

Had a little... it had running water,
leaded glass windows,

just so sweet, so beautiful.

We ran in, the phone rang,
there was a phone.

And we picked up the phone,
it was Santa Claus.

And he said, "This is Santa.
How do you like your playhouse?"

And I think I said, "Santa, we like it."

And we loved it for many years.

SINGER: ♪ Have yourself ♪

♪ A merry little Christmas ♪

♪ Let your heart be light... ♪

DIANE: It wasn't until I was seven
that I got a real watch.

It was a sweet little watch,

and it was engraved on the back,

"To Diane, from Daddy."

SINGER: ♪ And have yourself... ♪

DIANE: He was a wonderful dad.

SINGER: ♪ A merry little Christmas... ♪

DIANE: He was so affectionate.

♪ ...now ♪

DIANE:
That was probably the best Christmas.

(upbeat music playing)

DIANE: We went up to Big Bear,

they had a little cabin.

Mother and Dad, and my cousin Marjorie,
her husband Bill.

I just remember it as a warm,
good time in the snow.

(upbeat music playing)

DIANE: I love seeing my dad on ice.

I had taken my kids for skating lessons

and I was describing
how Walter used his arms

in exactly the same way
Dad's using them in this film,

and Dad burst into giggles. (laughs)

My mother was quite graceful,
and she's skating around

with an instructor.

But Dad's out there,

uh, and his moves are inherently comic.

(upbeat music playing)

DIANE: And you see,

you know, Goofy in it as much as Mickey.

(dramatic music playing)

See? (laughs)

There's nothing to it.

(upbeat music playing)

WALT: So you see, this is a result
of being a good boy for 30 years.

Santa finally came across.
See the little throttle in there?

See that thing there?

This up here, this is the, uh...

- (whistles)
- ALL: Oh!

- Whistle.
- Mr. Disney.

(man yodeling)

NARRATOR: Skiing is fast becoming

the most popular of all winter sports.

And small wonder,
for there is no finer conquest

than that of a mountain,

clad in its glorious winter mantle
of glittering white.

The first essential
is the correct equipment.

(dramatic music playing)

NARRATOR: The choice of a sweater

should reflect the taste
of a true sportsman.

In other words, studied carelessness.

For after all, clothes do make the man.

(dramatic music playing)

NARRATOR: Now, we are completely dressed.

(clears throat)

NARRATOR:
With the exception of the trousers.

The trousers should be light,
snow-repellent,

with a hard, smooth finish.

They should fit snugly,
yet allow plenty of room

at the hips, shoulders, and the knees.

(quirky music playing)

(clanking)

NARRATOR: Now, we are all set and ready

to conquer the heights.

Upon reaching the summit,

our first step is the turn into position.

This is accomplished by the kick turn.

One, knees and skis close together.

Two, firm support on both poles.

Now, a decided kick of left leg

and ski, forward and high.

Three, bring the ski down parallel,

but with the point
facing in the opposite direction.

Four, swing the other ski around

and drop it parallel to the first ski.

This is really quite simple
and can be easily mastered

by the greenest amateur.

For the first attempt,

choose a gentle slope.

We start with the joyous
grandeur slope or hop.

- And we are off.
- (Goofy screaming)

(quirky music playing)

NARRATOR: Skiing is really quite simple

once you get the hang of it.

(man yodeling)

(dramatic music playing)

NARRATOR: A memory of wintertime long ago.

Of clear, crisp air, of new fallen snow,

of an etching of frost on a window pane,

an echo of sleigh bells
heard from the lane.

Here in this wonderland,
romance is the theme.

Well, this is the story
of love's young dream.

DIANE: Christmas offered
a unique opportunity for Dad

to make his animated films
even more special.

In 1948, Once Upon a Wintertime

became an instant classic.

SINGER:
♪ Don't you kind of love December ♪

♪ When the merry snow bells chime? ♪

♪ We're together once upon ♪

♪ A wintertime ♪

♪ Every single snowflake falling ♪

♪ Plays a jingle down your spine ♪

♪ Lovely weather once upon a... ♪

DIANE: That's my Aunt Hazel with me
in the front of the sleigh,

and that's my mom in the back.

SINGER: ♪ On a frozen pond
folks are swaying ♪

♪ Sweetheart, who cares? ♪

♪ We'll have more fun sleighing ♪

♪ Behind two chestnut mares ♪

♪ When we say, "Goodbye, December" ♪

♪ Merry bells no longer chime ♪

♪ We'll remember once ♪

♪ Upon a wintertime ♪

(upbeat music playing)

SINGERS:
♪ Don't you kind of love December ♪

♪ When the merry snow bells chime? ♪

♪ We're together once upon a wintertime ♪

(vocalizing)

- ♪ Every single snowflake falling ♪
- SINGERS: ♪ Ding dong, ding dong ♪

SINGERS:
♪ Plays a jingle down your spine ♪

SINGERS: ♪ Ding dong, ding dong ♪

SINGERS: ♪ Here we are together, lovely,
lovely weather, once upon a wintertime ♪

SINGERS: ♪ Jingle bells, jingle bells
jingle bells, jingle all the way ♪

SINGERS: ♪ On the frozen pond
folks are swaying ♪

SINGER: ♪ Sweetheart, who cares? ♪

♪ We'll have more fun sleighing ♪

♪ Behind two chestnut mares ♪

SINGERS: ♪ When we say
"Goodbye, December" ♪

♪ Merry bells no longer chime ♪

♪ We'll remember once upon a wintertime ♪

♪ Remember December ♪

♪ Once upon a wintertime! ♪

(video clicking)

DIANE: Fortunately, Dad always
found sponsors whose commercials

were sometimes as entertaining
as his shows.

NARRATOR: Johnson & Johnson.

The most trusted name
in surgical dressings

and in baby products brings you

The Walt Disney Christmas Show.

Today, Christmas Day,

Johnson & Johnson dedicates this hour
to the doctors, nurses, and interns.

And to your family druggist

who joins his skills with them
to serve you.

NURSE (on PA): Calling Santa Claus,
calling Santa Claus,

wanted in convalescent ward.

(upbeat music playing)

(shouting and yelling in joy throughout)

Hey, Merry Christmas to you and to you.

And what did you want, little girl?

I want a dolly and if you
don't want me to have a dolly...

okay, then you can give me...

one of them little
things that you put babies in

and, uh...

that's about all, I think.

(magical music playing)

NARRATOR: Johnson & Johnson presents:

The Walt Disney Christmas Show.

Won't you have a group
of young men in your studio?

By day, they're artists, but at night,

they become the most famous
new band in the country.

Firehouse Five Plus Two.

I've danced to their music at night,
and now I'm curious.

Can the Magic Mirror
show them at their daytime job?

Sure. But Edgar,
I'd like to say this about the boys.

They never let their music
interfere with their work.

You watch.

Mirror, mirror on the wall.

Show the hardest workers here of all.

Now through this wall,
come thou with me down nearby hall

and see what Master fondly calls

the hardest workers here of all.

(bell dinging)

(man whistling)

Monte?

Hey, Monte? See if Walt's around.

All clear.

(bells jingling)

(instrument chiming)

(clarinet playing "Jingle Bells")

(trumpet joins in)

(trombone joins in)

("Jingle Bells" continues)

"Dear boys, you look great.

- Signed, Walt."
- Walt?

- ALL: Walt?
- ("Jingle Bells" stops abruptly)

The Magic Mirror!

(dramatic music playing)

NARRATOR: And now,
from Lady and the tr*mp.

SINGER: ♪ Silent as a snowflake in the... ♪

DIANE: Dad never let a good gag
get wasted.

He... If he had a really good gag,

he'd use it over and over again
in many guises.

And that was, uh,

that was a thing that's seen
in Lady and the tr*mp.

WALT: When we got our first home,
I wanted a dog.

My wife would have
nothing to do with dogs.

For some reason, she did not like dogs.

I had a big hat box.

I got a big ribbon on it.

JIM: It's for you, Darling.

Merry Christmas.

Oh, Jim, dear.

It's the one I was admiring, isn't it?

Trimmed with ribbons?

- (puppy whining)
- JIM: Well, it has a ribbon.

WALT: When she opened it, this little chow

stuck its head out of there.

And from that time on, that was her baby.

DIANE: And she loved the dog.

And, uh, they had it for many years.

Okay, Pluto. Let's get our tree!

(Pluto barking)

- What was that?
- I don't know.

(dramatic music playing)

Oh, boy.

(Mickey whistling "Jingle Bells")

(ornaments jangling)

Hey, look out.

Well, Pluto.

That's it.

(Christmas music playing)

(light clicking)

(sniffing)

(nose squeaking)

(gasps)

(growling)

(barking)

(dramatic music playing)

(crashing)

(barking)

- Ha!
- Let's go!

(quirky music playing)

(crashing)

Pluto, get out of there.
What are you thinking?

Hey, cut it out. Hey, watch out.

You dumb mutt.

Now look what you've done to our...

Pluto, we've got chipmunks in our tree.

(chuckles) Cute little fellas.

- (Pluto barking)
- Pluto.

After all, it is Christmas.

DONALD: ♪ Deck the halls
with boughs of holly ♪

♪ Fa la la la la, la la la la ♪

♪ 'Tis the season to be jolly ♪

♪ Fa la la la la, la la la la ♪

♪ Don we now our g*y apparel ♪

♪ Fa la la la la, la la la la ♪

♪ Troll the ancient Yuletide carol ♪

- ♪ Fa la la la la, la la la la ♪
- (howls)

Boy, oh, boy.

What a pleasant surprise.

Whoops.

Ah, now.

Isn't that wonderful?

Which one should I open first?

My mama told me to take this one.

I wonder what's in it.

Oh, boy! Home movies!

Just what I wanted.

DIANE: In 1941, our parents
went to South America.

(upbeat music playing)

MAN: Here in the studio, we set up
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,

an improvised studio in a hotel.

DIANE: I think it was on the trip...
that trip to South America

that Mary Blair's art

first really caught Dad's attention.

(upbeat music playing)

DIANE: They were gone
for three months in South America.

And before they came home,
they went on to New York

for the premiere of Dumbo,

which was a triumph.

They came home a few days
before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

The very next morning,
Dad got a call from the studio manager,

"Walt, the army's moving in."

MAN: In Hollywood,

Walt Disney has turned over
almost the entire facilities of his studio

for the production of army
and navy instructional films.

WALT: Let's go with the Navy project 648,
sequence one. Let her roll.

DIANE: But the traditions
of Christmas lived on.

Out of that trip to South America
came the film Saludos Amigos,

which was followed by Tres Caballeros,

which included a lovely piece
of animation from Mary Blair,

celebrating their tradition
of Las Posadas.

In Mexico, they sing Las Posadas.

This custom takes place
on each of the nine days before Christmas.

Each evening,

the children gather at the village church
and form a procession,

symbolizing the journey of Mary and Joseph

from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

The little ones carry images
of the saints from house to house,

singing a plea for shelter or "posada."

A reply comes from within.

No posada, no shelter.

Looking sad and downhearted,
they try again.

But the reply is still the same.

No shelter, no posada.

They repeat their song time after time.

And always they are refused.

Until at last they reach a friendly house
and the door is open.

Come in, come in, holy pilgrims.

This humble home is yours.

And now Mary and Joseph
have found shelter at last.

Then the rejoicing begins.

The feasting, the celebrating,

and finally the biggest surprise of all,

breaking the piñata.

DIANE: In 1955, on Christmas Eve,

floodwaters robbed the children
of Yuba City of their Christmas.

That February, Dad gave those children
a special late Christmas gift...

a surprise visit from his Mouseketeers.

(heartwarming music playing)

(music continues)

It was a truly memorable live performance

from Annette, Darlene, Bobby,

and all the original Mouseketeers.

(heartwarming music continues)

One of the nicest things
about the holiday season

is exchanging greetings
with our many friends,

for these messages from all over the world

represent the true spirit of Christmas
in many different ways.

SINGER: ♪ O Christmas tree ♪

♪ O Christmas tree ♪

♪ Thy leaves are so... ♪

DIANE: Christmas provided some
of the most poignant moments

in Dad's live action films.

♪ ...summer's here
but also winter's cold and drear ♪

♪ O Christmas tree ♪

♪ O Christmas tree ♪

- ♪ Thy leaves are so... ♪
- (piano note plays out of tune)

(note playing out of tune)

Hmm, must've got it wet coming over.

Mmm, I don't see how
you ever managed to get it ashore.

Well, I couldn't have done it alone.

Fritz and Ernst helped out.

(crickets chirping)

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Are we ever gonna open up
these other packages?

Those are for Fritz and Ernst.

But suppose they don't come back?

Suppose they got it up?

Francis, it's been a long day

and it's past your bedtime.

Mm. But it's Christmas.

Merry Christmas, sweetheart.

I'll come up and say goodnight.

All right.

(playing "O Christmas Tree" on organ)

(crying throughout)

(distant singing)

(dogs whimpering)

SINGERS (distantly): ♪ How often has
the Christmas tree ♪

♪ Afforded me the greatest glee ♪

♪ O Christmas tree ♪

♪ O Christmas tree ♪

♪ Much pleasure thou canst give me... ♪

It's Fritz and Ernst!

What do you got there?

FRANCIS: Did you bring me
back my crocodile?

♪ O Christmas tree ♪

♪ O Christmas tree ♪

♪ Thy leaves are so unchanging ♪

Merry Christmas, Ma.

(heartwarming music playing)

Thank you.

I wonder if it could be that oven-ware
I've been looking at in the catalog.

No, it's not heavy enough
for the oven-ware.

Come on, Liddy.

Could be a comforter though.

No, I guess it couldn't be a comforter.

Liddy.

Do Indians give
Christmas presents, Nigosh?

- Ma, if you don't open it, I'll...
- Now you just leave me be.

Once I get this open, there won't be
another one until next Christmas.

Could be toweling.

I've been wanting that too.

(sighs)

All right, all right. I'm opening it.

What could it be?

(dramatic music playing)

Oh. (sobbing)

Ma.

(crying)

What is it?

What's the matter?

Don't you like... Pa, she doesn't like it.

Liddy, we could've got beaver

- but we figured...
- Cam, Cam, Cam.

Just sit.

Don't you know a happy crying
when you hear it?

You go right ahead, Liddy.

Enjoy yourself.

(heartwarming music playing)

♪ It won't be long till Christmas ♪

♪ Let them go ♪

BOTH: ♪ Let them go ♪

(video clicking)

Well, New Year's Day is almost here

and we're all getting set
for the big parade.

That is the Pasadena Tournament of Roses.

I have the honor of being
the Grand Marshal this year.

And all the Disney characters
are gonna be there with me in person.

It's gonna be a great day
for picture-taking.

We're gonna have some beautiful floats.

Eastman Kodak's gonna have
a beautiful float too.

So be sure you come well-prepared.

That is with plenty of film, you know.

(camera shutter clicks)

(fanfare music playing)

DIANE: Christmas of 1959,

we were all preoccupied
with what was going to happen

in just six weeks.

Dad had been chosen
to produce all the pageantry

of the upcoming Olympic Games

at Squaw Valley, California.

And to add to the excitement,

it was the first time the Olympics

would be broadcast live
on American television.

Dad enlisted my husband Ron Miller

to coordinate all the pageantry
for the event.

RON: Prentis Hale
had made an overture to Walt

to get involved in the pageantry

for the Squaw Valley Olympics.

And Walt needed sort of an administrator

representing the studi and trying
to coordinate everything and

I guess I was that guy in his mind

And the opening ceremonies

are just a few minutes away.

From our position here at Blyth Arena

in the center of the Olympic activity,

here's my colleague Bud Palmer.

Well, Walter, it's very comfortable
up here in Blyth Arena.

You can hear the amassed band
behind us bring the salute.

And with me is the man
responsible for all the pageantry

they're about to see, Walt Disney.

And Walt, what's gonna come up
in the next few minutes?

Well, uh...

this is the big opening day, you know,

and I'm chairman
of the Pageantry Committee.

And the Pageantry Committee is charged
with putting on the opening ceremonies,

the daily victory ceremonies,

the entertainment for the athletes,

and to break it into detail,

it's the carrying of the torch.

The torch was flown
from Norway to Los Angeles,

and the site of the 1932 Olympics,

and the flame was lit there.

And 600 high school kids running up

from Los Angeles up to here,

we brought it in by sea.

Today, it'll be brought down
by Andrea Mead

from the top of Papoose Peak and the...

and the big flame here will be ignited.

Okay. A wonderful time.

And Art Linkletter
is in charge of all the...

Art is in charge of the entertainment.

We're putting on entertainment
every night in the Athlete's Village

with the very best stars... we can gather.

That indeed opens tonight.

Well, that sounds great.

DIANE: At this point in time,

it was the best Olympic pageantry
anybody had ever seen.

At first, there was not enough snow.

And everybody worried.
And then there was too much snow.

And it was so cold

that the kids playing horns,

their lips were freezing to the horns.

That point, miraculously,
there's a hole in the sky.

It stopped snowing.

Blue sky

and Andrea Mead Lawrence skis down,

ignites the torch,

and then Art Linkletter says,
he turned to Dad and said,

"Walt, you must have connections
up there."

And Dad said, "No, I just think
if you live right, things happen right."

(channels clicking)

- MAN: And here...
- Excuse me, Walt,

but would you please
tell these kids of mine

that there is gonna be a Christmas parade?

They're driving me out of my...

well, you know how kids are
at Christmastime.

I know. I have five grandchildren
to answer to myself.

Yes, there is gonna be a Christmas parade.

Will Santa Claus be in it?

In person.

And the parade of the toys
and a lot of other things,

but you've got a lot of time
before it starts,

so you can go out and enjoy yourself
but be back here on Main Street

and get yourself a nice seat on the curb

- so you won't miss anything, huh?
- Thanks, Walt.

I'm gonna be ready
for a nice, comfortable curb

in just a little while now.

- Come on, Pop. Let's go.
- All right.

DIANE: Christmas had always been
a special time for my dad,

but Disneyland gave him the opportunity

to really present something special.

This is not Santa's workshop.

It's just one section of a creative world

where new attractions
for Disneyland are conceived.

DIANE: I remember
several Christmases we went...

we'd go down to the Miracle Mile,
Wilshire Boulevard,

and the May Company
had great Christmas windows.

I thought of Dad's fascination
with those windows,

our first Disneyland Christmas,

and the windows in the emporium

were so fantastic.

And I was so happy to see that.

And because I love Christmas windows,
everybody did.

At Disneyland,
we do our Christmas planning early.

Looking forward to it
like a lot of happy kids.

These are some of the models
for our Christmas Fantasy on Parade.

We prepare for this event as we do
for all of our other attractions.

Every Christmas season,
thousands of children and their families

line the curbs
of Disneyland's Main Street,

making it the happiest street
in the world.

(applause)

It's getting near time,
so you better hurry down there

and get yourself a good spot
on Main Street so you won't miss anything.

- Thank you.
- Thanks, Walt.

- I hope you enjoy it.
- Hurry up, Pop. It's almost parade time.

(Walt chuckles)

Well, by this time,
there are several thousand people

on both sides of Main Street.

But we've reserved
a very special place for you

so you won't miss a thing.

(fanfare playing)

Well, that's my cue.

I gotta take my place in the parade.

I'll see you later.

(fanfare playing)

(upbeat music playing throughout)

ANNOUNCER: Here's the Big Bad Wolf
who has the Christmas spirit.

(fanfare playing)

DIANE: Christmas at Disneyland
was really very exciting,

very amazing thing,
because we were in that little apartment

which looked like a Christmas card

and always a dear little Christmas tree.

And so from that window,

we would look down on Main Street
and watch the parade.

Christmas at Disneyland is perhaps
the most important of all holidays,

just as it is in other countries.

To help fulfill the spirit and purpose

for which Disneyland was conceived,

many organizations, clubs,
and historical societies

are welcome here as Disneyland's guests.

People from all over the world

add to the pageantry and gaiety

by keeping their traditions
and customs alive

as they enjoy themselves
with their families.

Palestine, where the first Christmas
took place.

Switzerland's St. Nicholas
and these robed figures

date back many centuries.

("The First Noel" playing)

WALT: The traditional Yule log
of medieval England.

And the carrying in of a festive board.

("Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" playing)

WALT: Finland's Old Man Christmas
with his elves.

Norway's Santa Claus
with his traditional pet goat.

Yugoslavia says Merry Christmas.

Mexico on parade
with their Christmas piñatas

filled with candies and gifts.

China.

Japan.

Disneyland is always happy

to hold open house
for these representatives

of other lands to participate
in these Christmas festivities.

The Three Wise Men
who followed the star to Bethlehem.

("God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" playing)

WALT: The candlelight procession
now approaching

down Disneyland's Main Street

is composed of church and school choirs

from all over Southern California.

DIANE: The Christmas story
was generally read by someone.

I know Cary Grant did it once,

Charlton Heston. But it was always someone

with a wonderful presence
and a wonderful voice.

And it was beautiful words.

Such a very lovely way
to end a celebrative day.

(fanfare playing)

(trumpets and fanfare throughout)

DIANE: And during the Christmas parades,
Dad always had some children

riding with him
in whatever vehicle he was in.

He was so excited when finally

his grandchildren were old enough
to ride with him.

So for many years,
this was so gratifying to Dad.

And I was so pleased to have provided
the grandchildren for him to do this with.

(fanfare continues)

PRESENTER: Here he is,
the children's candidate

for the most popular person in the world,

Santa Claus.

(applause)

Thank you.

Thank you, everyone.

May we wish you the best
of all possible things for this season

and in the New Year to come.

("The Nutcracker" playing)

DIANE: These memories
are very special to me.

I have loved revisiting them
and sharing them with you.

And I wanna wish you all

a wonderful Christmas
and a Happy New Year.

("The Nutcracker" continues throughout)

Well, after all of that,

there's not much left for me to say

except to wish you Happy Holidays

and the best of everything
for the New Year.

("Joy to the World" playing)

(music ends)