Every holiday season, families gather together and view their favorite holiday classics. Whether it be movies like The Santa Clause, or The Muppet Christmas Carol, or even special TV episodes from favorite series, like The Simpsons, every family has their favorites.
I am here to present to you today, a submission for your approval. Though it debuted last year around the holidays, it has already become a traditional viewing in my home and should be added to yours as well. Available now on Disney+, and currently part of the holiday programming on Disney Channel, the 10th episode of the first season of The Ghost and Molly McGee, split into two halves, “Festival of Lights” and “Saving Christmas.”
Immediately catching my attention on its debut, “Festival of Lights” tells the story of Hannukah, already something rare on the television holiday spectrum, especially in a YA format. While presented comedically and in a G-rated style, the story also gets into the meaning of the holiday in a beautiful parallel alongside an 8-hour power outage at the family bookstore.
At this point in the series, Molly’s best (human) friend, Libby Stein-Torres, is already established and we see her Jewish heritage presented numerous times in the series, including an episode where a bat mitzvah is held for her. We also have learned at this point in the series that Libby is an avid beat poet, thanks to an earlier episode featuring the school talent show.
All of this comes together when the family bookstore, Book Marks the Spot, is the only place in town that has power thanks to Libby’s mom’s generator that should only have about an hour’s worth of power in it…but it holds out for 8. All taking place on the last night of Hanukkah, the McGee family was ready to celebrate and learn more about the holiday that they only have a rudimentary knowledge of. In that time, we are treated to 8 different little stories about latkes, dreidels, and the meaning of the family menorah. Plus, Libby takes the stage and treats the crowd in the store (and viewers!) to the history of the holiday through her beat poetry.
The episode gets appropriately-dramatic though for a moment when sharing the history of the family menorah. As more people come into the store, Libby's mom meets Abby, another Jewish woman who reveals that ever since moving, she has felt distant from her holiday, but is now happy to see other people celebrating it. Ms. Stein-Torres reveals that her menorah has been in her family for generations and we see a flashback that reveals that her great grandparents fled Europe with it before settling in New York where every generation of the Stein family has had it.
The episode is a very heartfelt look at the holiday, and teaches youngsters about a holiday they may not be too familiar with, while still keeping the spirit and brand of the show in tact.
The other half of the episode isn’t quite as original, and takes a backseat to the “Festival of Lights” first half. “Saving Christmas” sees the town’s Christmas festivities get canceled as the tree lighting ceremony backfires once the tree is lit.
One thing I enjoy about this show is that it is somehow scarily accurate when it comes to the socioeconomics of a town that is down on its luck, and in this instance, the mayor tells the residents there is no way the town can afford to just start a new festival and replace everything in time for Christmas, which I feel would not be the case in other animated shows. “Whoops. All better. Let’s put new lights up.”
Molly, trying to “enhappify” the town won’t take no for an answer, and heads to the owner of the largest department store in the region, Davenport’s, and tries to raise some funds. His daughter, Molly’s classmate (and sometimes rival), Andrea, is supposed to be the star of the parade so she too agrees with Molly and wants him to fund the festival.
He doesn’t.
What follows, thanks to the titular ghost, Scratch, is a new adaptation of A Christmas Carol, where the McGee family (with the help of their spirit friend) essentially kidnaps Davenport and takes him through the three different ghosts as we know from the timeless story. Though each instance is rife with humor and fun, the attempt fails, and it isn’t until Scratch takes it upon himself to make Molly happy and saves the day.
In the night, he lifts Davenport out of his bedroom and shows him his daughter, heartbroken that she can’t be in the parade like her mother was before her. There, he finally has that sudden change of heart (a la Scrooge) and decides to sponsor the town’s Christmas festival. After all, it would make his daughter happy, and get him to start trending on all the socials.
Though this entry is strong on its own, it definitely sits behind the standout “Festival of Lights” episode for a reason. Either way, both should now be on your radar for new holiday viewing, and hopefully you too will watch and enjoy this episode of The Ghost and Molly McGee for years to come.
You can catch the episode now on Disney+, re-airing on the Disney Channel, or in full on the Disney Channel YouTube page, which you can watch below.
The Ghost and Molly McGee is an animated buddy-comedy that follows tween optimist Molly, who lives to make the world a better place, and grumpy ghost Scratch, whose literal job is to spread misery throughout Molly’s town of Brighton. When one of Scratch’s curses backfires, he finds himself forever bound to Molly, creating an unlikely friendship that leads to humorous misadventures as they navigate Molly’s new school and town.
Season 1 of the series is now available to stream in full on Disney+, and a second season of the show has been ordered but no premiere date has been set at this time.