Since this will be the last Christmas without real CARS seasonal CARS (no, mock ornaments and mock bulbs do not count), and since the Christmas tree fire incident of 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007 and the squirrel incidents of 2004 & 2006 – I think this year, I’ll go with a flying reindeer, and a yellow bird … plus I won’t have time to untie my 6′ across tangled ball of Christmas lights … which apparently the fire department gets all snippy when you have 207 lines going into one extension cord though the electricity makes a nice crackly sound like a yule log!

First, some holiday music – that old standby classic – The Clash’s song about the reindeer with the nose, “Rudy Can’t Fail!”

Or maybe it’s that line from the Tom Lehrer classic, “Don’t stand underneath when they fly by …”

Oh, it goes on his nose … the mud, I remember now …

Sorry kids … though, watch out for that tree, Rudy!

BTW, the tree is not permanantly affixed and Rudy can be posed in different ways …

But of course, what’s Rudolph without a red nose?

And of course, what’s Rudolph without a nose that LIGHTS UP?

Yep, push down on his tail and it LIGHTS UP! WooHoo!

You can also test him out in the box. Nicely done …

Of course, Rudolph needs to be matched up another holiday classic …

My Christmas diorama is complete (well, other than the SAW Hallmark ornament) … I got a light-up reindeer and a yellow bird driving a Zamboni around a frozen birdbath … just like the nativity scenes of yore … okay, unfortunately, Woodstock is not actually interactive … I have to push him around the tiny birdbath rink …

Okay, you also get Sally but I don’t remember much about her?

Nice display box …

Though be warned if you are a completist, most of these characters are also available with different expressions – for instance, you see the smiling Linus above but there is also a version where he looks all panicked so all very cute but be prepared for working to be a completist.