The TV Zone

Anyone who knows anything about me knows what a happy camper I am when the Christmas TV DVDs start coming in.

And it’s already a cool yule at the mailbox!

Among the new holiday releases hitting my desk:

The Flintstones Christmas Carol (Warner, list price $15, out Oct. 2) – This doesn’t come from the ABC series’ 1960s heyday. It’s a 1994 animated feature. But Flintstones fans have taken it to heart anyway, loving how Fred goes all method actor playing Scrooge in a local staging. Big bonus feature -- the 1965 “Flintstones” series episode where Fred subs for an ailing Santa.

Christmas Television Favorites (Warner, $40, Oct. 2) – This blue 4-disc hardcase package (similar to last year’s red “Original Television Christmas Classics” box with "Rudolph" and "Frosty") collects previous releases of eight animated specials. Topping the list -- the ’60s Dr. Seuss cartoon “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and the Rankin-Bass stop-motion favorite “The Year Without a Santa Claus” (with Mickey Rooney). The latter fave is also available in a new single-disc Deluxe Edition ($20) with bonus specials “Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey” (Roger Miller) and “Rudolph’s Shiny New Year” (Red Skelton), which also appear in the hardcase collection. Other specials there are “Frosty’s Winter Wonderland,” “Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July,” “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” and Dr. Seuss’ “Horton Hears a Who.” Extras include two animation how-to featurettes and all the interviews/other goodies from last year’s “Grinch” 50th anniversary edition.

The House Without a Christmas Tree (CBS, $13, out Oct. 16) – The beloved 1972 TV movie stars Jason Robards as the widowed dad who’s still holding his wife’s death against his daughter, and thus denies her a Christmas tree. There is, however -- spoiler! -- a warm and fuzzy ending.

More Christmas TV DVD reports to come . . .