A Special Presentation

Do you remember when you were a kid, and something "special" was going to be on TV that night? It could have been a holiday program, or some other special program, but you were excited to see something on the tube. In my childhood home, it usually meant getting in your PJs on time, Mom making homemade popcorn, and sitting down on the couch with a blanket or a pillow on the floor waiting for that show to start. It all seemed so EXCITING, didn't it?



I never feel that the current childhood generation has that same feeling. Everything is on DVD, there are a million channels instead of just a couple of networks, and nothing much seems to capture the collective group as those TV specials (or TV programs in general) did a long time ago.

The other night, however, I think my daughter had a similar experience from my youth, however. NBC was airing a new American Girl movie, based on its current girl of the year, McKenna. Big Girl has that doll and has read the books numerous times, and we had marked the calendar a long time ago for this special movie. She was really looking forward to it, and even though we had a busy day, she raced in the house from playing the year, eager to shower and put her PJs on before the movie started.

Popcorn was being made from scratch, of course, and while I prepared the snack she was busy setting up the living room. When I delivered her treat, this was the scene:

Doll and daughter dressed alike, both with "popcorn." Big Girl was very ready for this movie.

The movie was sweet, held some lessons, and we both enjoyed watching it on the small screen. (I was kind of disappointed to see the DVD release in Walmart a few days before the NBC airing -- couldn't they wait until AFTER it aired on TV?)

Do you remember those TV specials

with as much fondness as I do?