A tabloid-size dose of holiday season was brought to you by DC Comics for 1978.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer stars in Only Two Days to Christmas as presented by Sheldon Mayer in two acts. The first being Baddy Bear’s Big Blunder.

Rudolph has his nose set for a celebration when presents are wrapped a full two days before Christmas eve. Santa warns Rudolph of the consequences should they wake Baddy Bear while he is hibernating.

All-New Collectors’ Edition C-53

Of course, the noise level rises enough to rouse the sleeping bear. Still drowsy from his dozing, Baddy Bear succumbs to a series of events leading him to believe his den has been invaded.

Santa and gang are recruited to find the culprit leading to Act 2:  Rudy and the Hopeless Heroes!

A war ensues until the blunder can be rectified and all is well once more. A Merry Christmas from the principles and a star for Rudolph is a good enough finish.

Mayer serves up a second helping of Rudolph with Giant Problem.

Rudolph’s friend, Grover, creates a device that will transport anything anywhere. While attempting to demonstrate on Santa’s sleigh, the machine malfunctions and sends his ride into the Forbidden Forest.

Hero that he is, Rudolph follows the sleigh’s trail only find a giant Eskimo has claimed it for an ice skate.

Santa steps in to resolve the issue and Rudolph finds himself at the front of the line, leading the gang as they begin their annual travels.

The book closes with puzzles.

First up is a maze to Funland.

Santa poses for a few illustrations while eagle-eyed youngsters are encouraged to find the twin Clauses.

Rudy’s Party Riddles offer some jokes to tell around the Christmas tree.

Santa’s Safety Target Game, a lesson in how to make party hats from wrapping paper and connect-the-dots rounds out the tome.

Witching Hour 28 hits two holidays with Never Kill Santa Claus and the following April Ghoul’s Day.

Witching Hour 28

Christmas is never shy of publicity, but April 1^st often times is overlooked. That in mind, let’s focus on the day of foolishness as associated with Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, more specifically, Nun’s Priest’s Tale.

April Ghoul’s Day finds a practical joker in a hole he can’t dig himself out of by story’s end. A simple O’Henry told in less than three pages.

Never Kill Santa Claus, as related by Witch Cynthia, is the cover story.

Greed is the motivator that causes a very naughty man to murder Santa. The dead man’s doppelganger leaves more than coal in his stocking as his deadly deed comes undone.

Kill Me Lest You Die! and Unlucky Omen are the two non-holiday stories.

The Witching Hour ran 85 issues then merged with The Unexpected in 1978 during DC’s Implosion. The double-sized dollar book featured Mordred, Mildred and Cynthia as caretakers in their respective section of the book.

Not one of DC’s big anthology-horror books, Witching Hour saw publication for over 10 years.

April Fools Day was popularized in the 1700’s, but it’s origins are unknown.

Aunt Slappy mangles Clement C. Moore’s classic trying to put Skippy to sleep on Christmas Eve in Twas the Day Before Christmas.

Animaniacs Special Christmas Issue (1994) 1

All the Warner Bros. gang are on hand for cameos as Yakko, Wakko and Dot wait on their holiday bounty. The question being, who would be stupid enough to deliver?

Ralph the guard.

If ignorance is bliss, Santa Ralph is the happiest man alive. The presents arrive and all are pleased. Another Christmas Eve completed, the calendar page discarded leaving all fulfilled.

Next up is a one-page Good Idea/Bad Idea.

The Taming of the Screwy is a backstory on the Warner Bros. and Dot, who must be reined in for a dinner party. The impossible cannot be done and the trio of terrors do their worst to their guest’s delight.

The Animaniacs began at Fox before moving to The WB in 1995. The series would continue until 1998 airing 99 episodes.

One of the early Madmen, Sergio Aragones brought readers a festive cover for the sixth installment of funnies.

The only holiday humor offered is a one-page look at Christmas tree farming, a one-page match up and the back cover shattering the Santa Claus myth.

Aragones arrived in the United States in 1962. His first professional job was with Mad Magazine beginning in 1963. When the magazine published its 500^th edition, Aragones had been featured in 424 issues.

In 1967, the talented transplant began work for DC Comics. He is best known for his creation Groo, The Wanderer.

Sergio Aragones funnies ran from 2011 to 2014 in Bongo Comics. The anthology series featured his famous one-and-done pages as well as stories and tall tales from his childhood.

For more information on Aragones, visit The Official Website of Sergio Aragones cartoonist.

Sergio Aragones Funnies #6

Sugar and Spike split their annual Christmas issue with holiday and seasonal stories.

Sugar and Spike (1959) 26

First up is The Out-Cast. Sugar hides at Spike’s house to escape her mother’s wrath.

Attic Excursion is a one-page tale with the two celebrating the New Year a little early.

Paper dolls were offered as added value. Two pages of Sugar and Spike with a holiday flavor.

The holiday finally arrives when Sugar and Spike are confused by the different Santa’s they see while shopping with her mothers. Their theory is there’s only one who runs from spot to spot.

When they ditch their mothers, the two try to discover The Mystery of the Man inna Funny Red Suit.

The holidays continue in The Big Gift Mystery. Sugar and Spike’s parents try to make the two comprehend the custom of gift exchanging. After much misunderstanding, the two groups find the joy in giving.

Not so much a New Year’s resolution, Sugar turns over a new leaf in The New Sugar.

Michelangelo tackles the elements for a quiet walk in the snow prior to Christmas.

Michelangelo Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (2013)

Along the way he finds the joys of sledding. That leads to another find; a new friend. Tucking his mewing playmate into his jacket, Michelangelo continues his walk.

The winter air does little to cool his spirts as his feet take him downtown. Crowds hustle and bustle in the final days before the 25^th.

A toy store beckons and the duo find themselves enjoying playtime.

While there, he learns the toy for Eastman and Laird’s universe are the Little Orphan Aliens. He also stumbles across a gang of thieves who hijack a truckload of the hot item earmarked for the orphan’s home.

One high-speed chase, cum Indiana Jones truck jacking, later, Michelangelo and remaining heroes in a half shell find themselves playing Santa as they deliver the toys.

Merry Christmas from the Turtles.

Santa is ready to cut Springfield from his annual route, but a lone letter changes the big man’s mind in Springfield’s Letters.

The Simpson’s Winter Wingding (2006) 1

Leaving the worst for last, Santa rummages through the missives asking for things the recipients don’t deserve. The more he reads, the more St. Nick finds the town reprehensible enough to exclude from his travels.

That is, until he stumbles across a letter recalling the past.

Angry Dad is a return to the Tracy Ullman days.

Bart is suddenly overcome with the Christmas spirt when he learns carolers receive cookies and cider for their efforts. Three trips to Flanders and the bullies are looking for a cut of the action.

Using a new prank, Bart turns the tables on the tormentors in Hot Cider in the City.

Homer keeps his promise to Marge in Homer’s New Year’s Resolutions. It’s just not what she envisioned.

Itchy & Scratchy make an appearance in The Gift that Keeps on Giving one-page short.

Krusty bears his soul in Happy Hanukkah. It’s 1963 in Las Vegas and the clown has yet to make it big. He does find himself in love, but shopping for his new beau is trickier than thought.

Springfield’s finest crack the case of the missing snowman in Snow Falling on Cheaters.

The Winter Wingding specials continued till 2015 offering holiday features to the Simpson faithful.

Sid saves Christmas – again.

The muddling sloth returns to help Santa Claus deliver Christmas. The problem is, well, Sid. For a second year he saves what he almost destroys after meddling with a device to show people their past, present and future selves.

No evidence of Manny or Diego this time around, but Scrat does offer a sideshow.

The 20^th Century Fox franchise began in 2002 as a single, animated film set in the Paleolithic Age. It was followed by Ice Age: The Meltdown; Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs; Ice Age: Continental Drift; and Ice Age: Collision Course. Together, the franchise has made over $3.2 billion worldwide. That makes Ice Age the third highest grossing animated franchise behind Despicable Me and Shrek.

Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas first aired on television Nov. 24, 2011 on Fox.

Ice Age: Past, Presents and Future! was penned by Caleb Monroe and illustrated by Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb.

Star Comics published the second, and final, ALF Holiday special in 1989.

Super-Sized ALF Holiday Special (1989) 2

The follow up continued the format of the previous year with a few Christmas stories before finishing with a New Year’s tale.

In Don’t Toy With Me!, ALF saves a soul from turning Christmas sour for himself and the Tanners.

Crazy Critter returns in The Last Crusade. ALF suits up for another adventure on the sidelines. That leads to the ice as the youngest Tanner’s hockey team needs a boost.

Taking a break from the holiday fare, ALF gives a skewed history lesson in Marx My Words.

Have Yourself a Melly Little Christmas is ALF dreaming of a way to help Santa keep his Christmas schedule.

Next up, ALF departs from the holidays to put a Melmacian spin on the X-Men.

For Goodness Snakes turns the Tanner household upside down as ALF attempts carryout a Melmac tradition.

Marvel’s Star Comics imprint picked up the license for ALF in 1987. The series ran 50 issues with several specials, including two focused on Christmas.

Super-Size ALF Holiday Special (1988) 1

Super-Size ALF number one begins with Shop Around the Clock. Kate takes ALF on his first Christmas shopping trip.

Snoman is an Island! follows. Not everyone is dreaming of a white Christmas, but the doesn’t stop ALF from helping Mother Nature.

The Return of Crazy Critter! has ALF back on the sidelines in a sequel to issue six.

The Gift of the Melmagi (with apologies to O. Henry) tells a Melmacian tale of giving.

Wotif the 12 Days of Christmas Happened on Melmac? Another Earth custom that doesn’t translate well.

ALF does his Lassie impersonation in 23 Ski-Doe’s and Don’ts! The Tanners are buried in an avalanche with only ALF of save them.

Finally, the Tanners say goodbye to 1988 in ALF Lang Syne.

ALF was a television sensation from 1986 to 1990. Of the 99-regular episodes, ALF featured an on-air Christmas Special, as well.

The series peaked in season two with its highest ratings. ALF would remain popular enough settled in at the number 15 spot in the Nielsen’s for season three, but dropped significantly by season four. NBC declined to renew the show for a fifth season.