Christmas Comes But Once a Year

Christmas Comes But Once a Year is a 1936 animated short produced by Fleischer Studios and released on December 4, 1936 by Paramount Pictures. It is part of the Color Classics series.

Summary
In an orphanage on Christmas morning, all the orphans jump out of bed and head to the hall, singing the title song. They grab the toys from their stockings, and get ready to play with them. However, they discover that the toys are worn and fall apart completely when played with.

Meanwhile, Professor Grampy is out riding through the snow in his outboard motor-driven sleigh, singing the title song to himself. He soon hears crying from inside the orphanage, so he parks the sleigh, runs to the door and peeps through the window to see the orphans still sobbing and heading back to their bedroom. Grampy is discouraged and starts to think of a way to give the orphans a better Christmas. He puts on his "thinking cap" and shortly, the lightbulb on the cap blinks, meaning he has an idea. He sneaks in through the kitchen window and starts making new toys out of household appliances and other kitchen paraphernalia (a washboard, a roller shade, the works of an old alarm clock, etc.)

Finally, he dresses up as Santa Claus (with bent stovepipes as the boots, a red table cloth as the jacket, a pillow for the weight, a strop as the belt, a picture frame as the buckle and a red purse as the hat), grabs a dinner bell, and surprises the orphans by ringing the bell and shouting, "Merry Christmas, everybody!" The orphans brighten up instantly as they all rush out excitedly to play with their new toys. Grampy completes the scene by making a Christmas tree out of green umbrellas. He decorates it, places it on top of a phonograph turntable, gathers all the orphans together and they all sing the title song one last time. As they sing, a giant 1936 Christmas Seal stamp appears on the screen, showing Santa Claus and a "Holiday Greetings" message.

Production
The orphans were all animated based on a template of one of them, whose toy soldier falls through the sock. The short was directed by Dave Fleischer, it starred Jack Mercer as the voice of Grampy from Betty Boop fame. Along with many of the other Color Classics, Christmas Comes But Once a Year is today in the public domain. On various video copies of the film, it is released with Hector's Hectic Life, and a few other productions by Famous Studios, including Snow Foolin'. Certain prints also contain Jack Frost, a 1934 cartoon produced by Ub Iwerks and released through Celebrity Productions.

Lyrics
Christmas comes but once a year Now it's here, now it's here Bringing lots of joy and cheer Tra la la la la

You and me and he and she And we are glad because because because because There is a Santa Claus

Christmas comes but once a year Now it's here, now it's here Bringing lots of joy and cheer Tra la la la la