Royaltie$ Marketplace: Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town

The signs of the approaching holiday season are hard to miss: colder weather, decorations at retail, sales and bargains—and of course, the crop of holiday specials that begin airing on television. Some of the most well-known of these specials are the classic Rankin-Bass stop-motion specials that feature a variety of traditional Christmas stories and characters in adventures such as Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Frosty the Snowman, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The Rankin-Bass specials air every year on ABC and ABC Family and watching the specials has become a family tradition in many homes across the U.S.

This year’s holiday season will mark the 40^th anniversary of the Rankin-Bass classic Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and Classic Media will be commemorating that anniversary with a new Blu-ray DVD box set entitled Original Christmas Classics, which will contain Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Frosty the Snowman, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in new updated and redesigned packaging. The DVDs will also be available individually.

In addition to the release of the new DVDs, Classic Media has signed a number of licensing deals for Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, expanding the classic property into a number of new categories. The Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville will be presenting a live attraction based on the film at its ICE! holiday attraction. Nestle has signed on for chocolate and snack items. American Greetings, Kurt S. Adler, and Signature Brands have also signed on as licensees. Thanks to Classic Media, Santa Claus will have a few extra gifts when he comes to town this year.