The Best Decemberween Ever

From Homestar Runner Wiki

Current revision as of 19:08, 29 September 2023

What's the matter, Charlie Brown Homestar?

Homestar asks around trying to figure out the perfect Decemberween present for Strong Bad.

Cast (in order of appearance): Homestar Runner, Strong Sad, Coach Z, Marzipan, Bubs, Strong Mad, The Cheat, Strong Bad, Pom Pom, The King of Town, The Poopsmith

Places: Homestar Runner's House, The Brick Wall, The Field, Marzipan's House, Bubs' Concession Stand

Date: Friday, December 21, 2001

Running Time: 4:43

Page Title: Sponsored by Dolly Madison!

DVD: Everything Else, Volume 2

[edit] Transcript

{A "SPECIAL" logo appears on the screen and spins a few times as we zoom in on it. As this happens, it turns from blue to pink.}

{Music plays in the background. A calendar appears for the month of December, with most of the days crossed out in red X's. December 21st and 22nd (Friday and Saturday) become crossed out, then the camera zooms in on Sunday the 23rd. A title appears: "A new Homestar cartoon written and animated by the Brethren Chaps." This title is crossed out with a red X, and the camera pans to Monday the 24th. Another title appears: "Voices by Matt C. and Missy P." This title is then crossed out, and the camera pans to Tuesday the 25th, which is already labeled "Decemberween". This day is circled in red, and additional words appear, making the title read: "The Best Decemberween Ever". Fade out.}

{Fade outside, next to Homestar's house, where it is snowing. The background music continues to play. Homestar walks out of his house wearing a brown hunter's hat. He walks a short distance and behind a brick wall, stopping next to Strong Sad, who is leaning on the wall. The music slowly fades out.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {Sighs twice; his breath is visible. A long pause, and then he sighs again.}

STRONG SAD: What's the matter, Homestar?

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {Surprised} Oh! Strong Sad! I can't decide what to get Strong Bad for Decemberween.

STRONG SAD: Uh... What do you mean?

{Cut to a wide shot with Homestar and Strong Sad silhouetted.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Well, I know he's kind of a jerk sometimes, and he says "holy crap" a lot, but I think if I get him the perfect present, he just might like me again.

{Cut to a close-up of Strong Sad.}

STRONG SAD: What? People get presents for Decemberween? {Pause for one second.} I always just get locked in the bathtub!

{Cut to the original shot of both characters.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Oh... Right. Um... I gotta go. {Homestar dashes off, temporarily leaving a cloud shaped like himself behind.}

{Cut to Coach Z and Homestar walking in front of some trees. The trees have signs on them.}

COACH Z: Well, Homestar, I tell ya. Buying a Decemberween present for Strong Bad is like a great sports play.

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Let me guess. I can't just rush into the score zone.

COACH Z: {stops and turns around} Hey, that's right!

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {frustrated} Coach! That's your answer for everything!

COACH Z: Oh. {pauses, then holds up a bottle of blue mouthwash} Mouthwarsh? {begins gulping mouthwash down}

{Cut to Homestar and Marzipan in her house. Marzipan is wearing a green dress instead of her normal purple dress, and she is drawing protest signs.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: ...and then he said it was like a great sports play. And I didn't even think that applies to this situation.

MARZIPAN: That's great, Homestar. {starts writing on a blank sign: "DEC"} But why don't you just get him a shirt? He doesn't seem to have very many of those.

{Cut to a close-up of Homestar.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: No, I'm pretty sure he enjoys going topless.

{The camera zooms back out.}

MARZIPAN: Well, you could get him a sponge, or a Jew's harp, or you could make some him some Chex party mix... {by now, she has written "DECEMBER WEEN KILLS"}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: No way, those are terrible ideas.

{Zoom in to Homestar's face again}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {laughing} Like, I don't even want to see what you got me this year. {chuckles}

{Cut to a close-up of Marzipan.}

MARZIPAN: {turning to Homestar angrily} Why don't you go bother somebody else?!

{She drops her completed sign. Cut back to the original shot of Homestar and Marzipan. The new sign reads: "DECEMBER WEEN KILLS BUNNIES"}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Now that's a good idea!

{The background music starts up again. Cut to a silhouette of Homestar walking among some trees, which sway back and forth in the wind. Cut to Bubs' Concession Stand, which has lights and holiday decorations all over it. Homestar walks up.}

BUBS: Hey there, Homestar, what can I do for you on this fine holiday?

HOMESTAR RUNNER: I can't find a frickin' present for Strong Bad.

BUBS: Well, you know what Coach Z says...

{Zoom in on Homestar.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {annoyed, and leaning back} Yes, I know! I know!

{Zoom back out.}

BUBS: Oh, well, take a look around. I got all types of crazy crap!

{Zoom in on Homestar again.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {holds up a NES cartridge: Tag Team Wrestling} No... {tosses it away, holds up a pair of gold, sparkling oven mitts with "SB" written in cursive letters} No... {tosses the gloves away, pulls out a Strong Sad voodoo doll with pins sticking out of it} Uh, are you allowed to sell this? {tosses the doll away, holds up a "Frampton Comes Alive" album with an autograph addressed to Strong Bad} No...

{Cut to a silhouette of Bubs' Concession Stand as seen from the side. The items Homestar discarded are lying in a pile behind him.}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {holds up a rectangular object} That's it! This is the perfect present!

{Cut to a field with snow-covered trees in the background. The camera pans right to show several of the characters opening or exchanging gifts. Strong Mad and The Cheat are the first to appear. The Cheat opens a gift and his head explodes. Marzipan pans into the shot, followed by Coach Z in the foreground.}

MARZIPAN: {opens her gift, a Coach Z scratch n' sniff 2002 calendar} Coach Z, this is nasty.

COACH Z: That's okay. Smell Orctober!

{Camera continues panning, revealing Strong Bad and Pom Pom, and Homestar standing in the foreground. Strong Bad is wearing yellow earmuffs.}

STRONG BAD: {holds up his gift and shakes it} Okay, let's see what we got from Homestar here...

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Open it! Open it! That one's from me. It took me forever to pick it out!

STRONG BAD: {opens his gift, which turns out to be a Deep Impact DVD} What?! The Deep Impact DVD?! You got me this for like the last three years, man!

HOMESTAR RUNNER: I know! And you liked it so much, I decided to get it for you again!

STRONG BAD: Oh, man! This is the worst Decemberween ever!

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {overlapping Strong Bad} This is the best Decemberween ever!

{Cut to black, then fade back in to the field. All of the main characters except Strong Sad and Homsar are gathered together. During each chorus, everyone sings except The Poopsmith and Pom Pom. The Cheat squeaks along with the music, and Coach Z pronounces Decemberween as "Decemberwern".}

EVERYONE: {Singing} Decemberween, Decemberween, you're fifty-five days after Halloween.

{Cut to a close-up of Marzipan}

MARZIPAN: With bunnies running for their lives,

{Pan left to The King of Town}

KING OF TOWN: {holding up a bunny on a plate} I wish this one was super-sized!

{Cut back out to the group shot}

EVERYONE: Decemberween, Decemberween, you're fifty-five days after Halloween!

{Cut to Strong Sad entering from the right}

STRONG SAD: {off-key, a wavering third below} What are you guys talking about?

STRONG BAD: {moves in front of Strong Sad} Hey, who the crap let Strong Sad out?

{Cut back out to the group shot. Strong Sad is now gone.}

EVERYONE: Decemberween, Decemberween, you're fifty-five days after Halloween!

{Cut to a close-up of Bubs}

BUBS: I've got all types of crazy crap!

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {enters the shot from the right} I bought Strong Bad a Deep Impact!

{Cut back out to the group shot}

EVERYONE: Decemberween, Decemberween

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Coach Z's been drinking Listerine!

{Music cuts out with a record scratch as Coach Z wobbles and falls face first into the snow. Fade to black.}

[edit] Easter Eggs

• When Homestar is talking to Bubs at his concession stand, you can remove some of the Christmas lights and move them around just as in the Astro Lite game. To help do this, pause the toon by right-clicking and unchecking play.

[edit] Fun Facts

[edit] Explanations

• A Jew's harp is an ancient Eurasian instrument, also known as a jaw harp or mouth harp. Some believe it is called a 'juice harp' because the sound of the words 'juice' and 'Jews' are similar. It should also be noted that some people consider the term Jew's harp offensive, and that the alternatives are generally preferred.

[edit] Trivia

• This toon marks the start of Strong Sad's voice becoming more "delicate", though some of his "fatigued" voice still remains at this time.
• This toon also marks the completion of Strong Bad's voice not having the Mexican accent.
• The signs on the trees are as follows:
  • 3% APR!!!
  • The Decemberator 2000
  • Zero Down!
  • Cheap as Free
  • buy me! i'm awesome
  • No you're not. I am.
• Marzipan's protest signs are as follows:
  • DOWN WITH D'WEEN! (two signs)
  • I THINK IT'S TOO COMMERCIALIZED! (two signs)
  • DECEMBER WEEN KILLS BUNNIES (She is seen making this one)
• The signs at Bubs' Concession Stand are:
  • Concessions By Bubs
  • ALL TYPES OF CRAZY CRAP
  • WE "GOT" THE GOODS
  • decem-berween stuff
• This is the first cartoon where Decemberween is mentioned by name.
• Homestar says that he thinks that if he gets Strong Bad "the perfect present, he just might like [Homestar] again". This suggests that Homestar and Strong Bad may have once been friends.
• While the DVD version uses a scat version of the opening, the YouTube version uses the original.
• The YouTube description for this toon is "Homestar tries to figure out the perfect Decemberween gift for Strong Bad."

[edit] Remarks

• A Holiday Greeting had the same page title, as well as the same intro and loading screen.
  • Also, contained in the HTML source:

<A HREF=main6.html></A> <A HREF=http://www.homestarrunner.com/xmas.html></A> <!-- text used in the movie-->
<!--loading... The End Copyright 1965 Free Country USA -->

• This cartoon seems to have been made during a transitionary period of sorts: The animation is of the most recent style, but the voices are the type that are associated more with the previous style. Notice, for instance, Homestar's pronunciation of "Strong Bad". Also, Bubs' Concession stand still has its old "Concessions by Bubs" sign, as seen in Where's The Cheat? and A Jumping Jack Contest.
• The calendar at the beginning of the toon shows December having only 29 days.
• In Marshmallow's Last Stand, Homestar has the shape of a star on his soles. In this toon, his footprints in the snow are just lines.
• Both Strong Sad and Strong Bad sing in a tone-deaf manner.

[edit] Goofs

What? People don't wear multi-colored scarfs on Decemberween?

• Strong Sad's scarf has small red portions on it (see right image). This could suggest that his scarf was originally going to be red.
• Strong Sad has no arms and has a wider torso while he is singing.
• Strong Bad has no arms before he says, "You got me this for like, the last three years, man!"
• During the singing, if listening closely, The Cheat noises are audible, but The Cheat doesn't move until the end.
• When Coach Z and Homestar are walking, the "Buy me, I'm awesome" sign on the Christmas tree is covering up a little bit of the tree in front of it.
• When Homestar and Coach Z are walking along together, they don't leave any footprints in the snow.
• There are various points in this toon when the outline on the back of Homestar's head goes inside his body and out the back of his shirt.
• When Homestar talks, the outline of his hat moves.
• In the calendar scene, the red X over the 23rd disappears when the camera pans to the 24th.
• During the Decemberween song and when Homestar is talking to Bubs, Bubs' orange outline is outside of his green one.
• The King of Town is missing the bottom part of his robe.
• When Homestar is talking to Strong Sad, some of the snowflakes do not reach the ground.
• The "x" sound in "mix" when Marzipan was suggesting Chex Mix is cut off.

[edit] Inside References

• The oven mitts are a reference to In Search of the Yello Dello, as is Coach Z's quote regarding the "great sports play".
• Strong Bad and Homestar comment that this is the best/worst Decemberween ever.
• As in In Search of the Yello Dello New Version and The Luau, Homestar fails to notice Strong Sad's presence and is startled once he finally notices.

[edit] Real-World References

The Peanuts give inspiration in more ways than one

• The introduction, with the spinning Special logo and sound effect, is a reference to the logo and sound that CBS used to preface their specials. The actual opening, used from 1973 to the late 1980s, is viewable here. This was used earlier in A Holiday Greeting, as well as in The Luau (in this case, only the music was used).
• This toon contains several references to the Peanuts cartoons by Charles Schulz (particularly "A Charlie Brown Christmas"):
  • Homestar wears a winter hat (similar to Charlie Brown's hat) and walks out of a house, along the low brick wall and sighs.
    • Strong Sad's arms are also drawn with thick elbows, similar to the Peanuts characters.
  • One of Marzipan's signs reads that Decemberween is too commercial, which is also similarly referenced in "A Charlie Brown Christmas", in which Charlie Brown thinks his dog Snoopy has gone commercial when he sees him decorating his dog house to enter a "lights and display" contest.
  • When Homestar seeks gift ideas from Marzipan, she recommends a Jew's Harp which is an instrument that was played by Snoopy in the movies, A Boy Named Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Come Home and Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!). She also suggests Chex party mix, a common holiday snack containing Chex cereal, pretzels, spices, etc. The cereal used to feature the Peanuts characters in its advertisements.
  • At the end, the cast gets together and sings a song (which the Peanuts always did in their holiday specials).
• The page title refers to Dolly Madison Bakery, a sponsor of various cartoon specials on CBS — including Peanuts — throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
• The title of this toon is based on the book, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever", by Barbara Robinson. Except for the holiday theme, the plot has nothing in common.
• The Peter Frampton album Homestar finds at the concession stand is "Frampton Comes Alive!", and is autographed: "To: Strong Bad, Best Wishes! – P.F."
• The Cheat's head exploding when he opens a present is possibly a reference to The Smurfs, in which Jokey Smurf would give someone a present that would explode in the opener's face.
• Listerine (Coach Z's "mouthwarsh") is an over-the-counter mouthwash created by St. Louis-based doctor Joseph Lawrence. With an alcohol concentration between 21% and 26% w/v, it is possible to get drunk off of Listerine, as demonstrated by Coach Z. However, the alcohol in Listerine is denatured, which would cause him to regurgitate it before the alcohol could take effect.
• Deep Impact is a 1998 science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures. The interrelated stories of the plot describe events which take place surrounding the discovery of the fictional comet "Wolf-Biederman" due to impact Earth, and its subsequent approach to our planet.
• The first piece of Bubs' "crazy crap" that Homestar looks at is a Tag Team Wrestling game cartridge for the original NES. This game features a villain team known as the Strong Bads, the namesake of Free Country's glove-wearing email-checker (and possibly, the basis of his likeness. One of the members of the Strong Bads in the game wears a red and black mask similar to that of the better known Strong Bad from the cartoons).
• "O Decemberween" is sung to the tune of "O Christmas Tree".
• Supersize is a trademarked term formerly used by McDonald's.

[edit] Fast Forward

• Strong Sad getting locked in the bathtub, as mentioned in this toon, is later seen in Homestar Presents: Presents and A Decemberween Mackerel.
• In A Decemberween Mackerel, Homestar and Marzipan sing the Decemberween song, but say that "Coach Z's been drinking non-specific mouthwash-rine" instead of "Listerine".
• Homestar gives Strong Bad a Deep Impact DVD again in Real Live E-Mails and Flash is Dead!.
• Coach Z is seen treating Listerine as an alcoholic drink in senior prom.
• The song at the end appears again in Hooked on Decemberween, where it is available for download.
• The phrase, "All types of crazy crap", was used again as the page title of the Yahoo and Shopify incarnations of the Homestar Runner Store.

[edit] DVD Version

• The DVD version features creators' commentary. To access it, switch your DVD player's audio language selection while watching.
• The Special fanfare has been changed into a scat cover done by the Brothers Chaps. However, the original fanfare can still be heard during the commentary.

[edit] Commentary Transcript

(Commentary by: Mike Chapman, Matt Chapman)

MIKE: So, Matt, once again I have a confession to make.

MATT: What is it, Mike?

MIKE: I think it's probably been five years since I watched this cartoon?

MATT: Wow.

MIKE: Well, it's not been five years because it hasn't been five years since we made it.

MATT: {overlapping} Yeah, is this cartoon even five... yeah.

MIKE: I think we made it in December of 2001. It's been... four year— a good four years.

MATT: It's a nice little, uh, title sequence, though. I like it.

MIKE: Calendar.

MATT: The calendar-style. It was invented—

MIKE: {interrupting} Classic.

MATT: Simple... calendar... classic.

MIKE: {laughs}

MATT: So this beginning is very, very derivative, Mike... of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special.

MIKE: {feigns confusion} Charlie...?

MATT: {laughs} Look at the— a lot of those snowflakes don't even make it to the bottom of the screen! Look at how terrible those snowflake clips are!

MIKE: Yeah. That's laziness.

MATT: {mocking exaggeration of Strong Sad's old voice} "What's the matter, Homestar?"

MIKE: Do they have the breath on this one?

MATT: Uh, he does occasionally. I think he was, just now; I think we missed it when he was going {exhales}.

MIKE: {sighs} Sighing.

MATT: What do you think the purpose of that wall is?

MIKE: Looks like it's about, maybe ten feet, ten—twelve feet long...

MATT: Yeah, same with, in, in Peanuts. Like it's—it's just a wall, that's independent, by itself, I don't know what it's dividing something from... {trails off}

MIKE: Oh, look! It's Strong Sad's old mouth.

MATT: Oh, yeah. And his funny arms.

MIKE: {laughs}

MATT: "The Decemberator 2000" is a great name for a Christmas tree. It's funny that we're making reference to "The Yello Dello" in this with Coach Z's dialogue, which now, I would, I wanna pretend "The Yello Dello" maybe never happened.

MIKE: {laughs}

MATT: No, that's not true. I remember we wrote this, uh, a lot of this driving to and from Asheville visiting, uh... would that've been...

MIKE: All The Real Girls.

MATT: Yeah, All The Real Girls.

{both pause}

MATT: So Marzipan is dressed up in this, like, Decemberween, y'know, attire. She's clearly in the spirit of things, yet she's going to protest it at the same time.

MIKE: Right. {laughs} I don't think we've ever seen this wallpaper and that whole background.

MATT: And that lamp...

MIKE: Has that lamp shown up?

MATT: I don't think so.

MIKE: We usually just see Marzipan's red couch, er— her blue couch, and, uh, "Thank You" painting.

MATT: Right. Oooh! {wind noises}

MIKE: I like that wind. I remember thinking that was solid.

MATT: I like Bubs... there's the old "Concessions by Bubs" sign! I didn't realize— so the rest of his concession stand is still the same. But just the sign is updated.

MIKE: Yeah.

MATT: I thought we did a whole overhaul. Oh, the inside, too. You can see the popcorn machine and microwave that he used to have in there.

MIKE: {laughs}

MATT: Now he just has a couple shelves and a sno-cone machine. Is that about it?

MIKE: Yeah.

MATT: {regarding all the gifts that Homestar is throwing} Wait, Mike! These are all things that would be very appropriate for Strong Bad to have.

MIKE: It's just... and Strong Bad liking Frampton!

MATT: {laughs} That was short-lived!

MIKE: {laughs} ...short-lived!

MATT: It's like, "Well, if you happen to see this one part on our website, then maybe..."

MATT: There's another instance of The Cheat's head exploding. That seems to happen to him a lot.

MIKE: That's a nice little—we don't do little pans like that. Uh, camera moves.

MATT: {simultaneously} We should do— Let's get into camera moves again. You and I.

MIKE: Let's give a high-five for 2007 being the year of the camera move.

{high-five heard}

MATT: That's right. {pause} It must be hard to be Homestar's friend or enemy, even, in this case. {pause} Yeah, I like that—

MIKE: Pom Pom's hat's cool.

MATT: Strong Bad's shaking his head there was pretty good with those, like, his earmuffs moved in a little bit of 3D!

MIKE: {overlapping} {laughs} Oh, did they?

MATT: It was not— not a bad fake.

MIKE: I forgot about—oh, look at the King of Town— the bottom of the King of Town's body!

MATT: {laughing} It's clearly just an unfinished symbol!

MIKE: Yeah!

MATT: Like, we just didn't— He should have a liner. The liner of his robe should go around the bottom, there. That bunny has only one eye. That's because we traced the bitmap with Streamline, I think. Adobe Streamline.

MIKE: Oh. That's a useful—that's a program we use a lot these days. Do they even still make... Streamline?

MATT: I don't think so, I think we asked that at that FlashForward... No arms!

MIKE: No ar—!

MATT: {singing} No aaarrrmms!

MIKE: Come on, Matt! Put some arms on that guy!

MATT: Hey! You animated this whole end part! ...if I remember correctly. I made some of the, like, individual clips of people... Bubs raising his arm...

MIKE: Why'd you think we could get away with things like...

MATT: We didn't notice! That's the thing! I don't think it was like, "Oh, I don't wanna put arms on him." It was just like, "Hey! Cartoon! [inaudible]"

MIKE: Did we just not know what the characters looked like, yet? I mean, had they just not been established "this guy has arms!"

MATT: {laughs}

MIKE: Every time!

MATT: {laughs} Yeah! {regarding "Coach Z's been drinking Listerine"} Ohh... oh, Coach Z.

[edit] Fun Facts

• All the Real Girls is a 2003 romantic drama movie. Mike and Matt were involved with the production (as was Craig Zobel). Filming took place in late 2001 in Asheville, North Carolina and the surrounding area; the movie's premiere was also held in Asheville.
• Strong Bad's enjoyment of Frampton had previously been alluded to on the Strong Bad Main Page.
• Adobe Streamline was a line-tracing program that converted bitmap images into vectors. Its final release was in 2001; by 2005, it was officially discontinued, as the live trace feature had been merged into Adobe Illustrator.
  • Matt is presumably referring to FlashForward2006.

[edit] External Links

• watch "The Best Decemberween Ever"
• watch "The Best Decemberween Ever" on YouTube
• watch "The Best Decemberween Ever" on the old Flash site
• view the Flash file for "The Best Decemberween Ever"
• download the ZIP file for "O Decemberween"
• download the MP3 file for "O Decemberween"