The Andy Griffith Show - "A Christmas Story" (1960)

This is one of my favorite TV Christmas "episodes". It's from the Andy Griffith Show and was aired during the first season in 1960. It's really worth the time to watch. The story is not unlike Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" in some ways, while also reminiscent of O.Henry's "The Cop and the Anthem", in which the main character, "Soapy", tries everything in his power to get arrested in order to avoid spending the winter on the streets. Ironically, he is finally arrested and sent to prison for something he did not do.

In this wonderful Christmas episode, Sam, a local family man, played by Samuel Muggins, is caught by a local businessman, Ben Weaver, played by Will Wright, making moonshine for Christmas Eve. Just as Andy and Barney have paroled all the prisoners and are getting ready to close the Courthouse for the holiday, Ben comes in with Sam, and the evidence, in tow, forcing Andy and Barney to keep the Courthouse open over Christmas. But there is more than one way to skin a cat, and Ben finds himself outside, looking in, until he comes up with a plan of his own. Though it may mean spending time in jail himself, he does manage to learn the meaning of the Christmas Spirit.