When Christmas comes around, I am the Grinch. My loved ones complain that I get surly, sarcastic and generally just plain unpleasant come the holidays. I can’t help it. Good cheer shouldn’t be mandatory. I don’t like to put on a happy face when I’m being force-fed tidings of comfort and joy. Allow me to be uncomfortable and not enjoy myself.

Now, having gotten that out of my system, I must admit to secretly getting a little warm and fuzzy when it comes to certain things Christmas. And among those things are kitsch Christmas specials and really weird/bad Christmas music, which Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special from 1988 has in stockings full. This is 100 proof egg nog with a sprinkle of peyote dust on top.

Have a manic Christmas with Pee Wee and his guests Annette Funicello, Grace Jones, Little Richard, Cher, The Del Rubio Triplettes, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Charo, k.d. lang and more!

The premise of the special is basically that Pee Wee, being the overgrown child that he is can’t seem to find happiness during the holidays. Instead of getting the things that he really wants, which is everything, he continues receive crummy gifts like fruitcake!

Pee Wee’s Christmas list of wants is so long in fact that Santa has to make a special visit to the playhouse to persuade Pee Wee to shorten his list. He tells Pee Wee that his list is so long that he doesn’t have toys left for other children. Santa teaches Pee Wee a very important lesson about Christmas.

Mmmm, that egg nog is good.