History Film / TheStarWarsHolidaySpecial

* {{Gonk}}: Chewie's dad Itchy is just ''weird-looking'', even by the standards of this special. In contrast to every other Wookiee seen before or since, he has a prominent underbite, an extra-wide (and [[PerpetualFrowner omnipresent]]) frown, and a snub-nosed pug-like face that makes him look more like an excessively-hairy toad than a regular Wookiee. [[FromBadToWorse It gets even more unpleasant]] when he starts masturbating to VR porn in the middle of the living room.

* MarsNeedsWomen: There's a ''very, very, '''very''''' disturbing sequence where Itchy watches what is essentially a holographic softcore porn tape featuring Diahann Carroll (while his daughter-in-law and grandson are in the room). And if his grotesque gyrating jaw is any indication, he's actively enjoying it. ''BrainBleach!''

* CharacterAsHimself: Though the opening cast call names Chewbacca and C-3PO's actors, R2-D2 is credited as playing himself. Creator/KennyBaker wasn't credited for the simple reason that he wasn't involved -- R2-D2 was operated entirely via remote control.

** The most striking is Boba Fett acting like a cackling DastardlyWhiplash rather than the stoic NobleDemon he's famous for being.
** Like in the original version of ''Film/ANewHope'', in-universe text is written in English rather than Aurebesh. Except in the animated segment, but the alien text there doesn't match later depictions of Aurebesh either.

The first 10-15 minutes are conducted almost entirely in Shyriiwook (the Wookiees' language that Han usually translates), with ''no subtitles'' whatsoever. The first actual English we hear after a while comes from a brief transmission from Luke Skywalker, under [[UncannyValleyMakeup layers of foundation]].[[note]]The makeup was actually to cover up scars on Hamill's face that he had incurred from a recent car accident.[[/note]]

* UncannyValleyMakeup: Hamill's makeup, which as noted was supposed to cover up scars from a recent motorcycle accident, ends up making him look more like a corpse prepared for the wake.

* DullSurprise: During Leia's Life Day song in the final segment, the footage briefly dissolves to Luke and Han. While Mark Hamill at least appears to be appreciating Carrie Fisher's singing, Harrison Ford looks like he didn't know he was on-camera. staring at nothing in particular and seeming utterly disengaged.

* DullSurprise: During Leia's Life Day song in the final segment, the footage briefly dissolves to Luke and Han. While Mark Hamill at least appears to be appreciating Carrie Fisher's singing, Harrison Ford looks like he didn't know he was on-camera. Ford is staring at nothing in particular, appearing bored and utterly disengaged.

* ActorAllusion: Creator/ArtCarney's excessive noodling with a device in exactly the same way Ed Norton did in ''Series/TheHoneymooners'', complete with an Imperial Guard yelling "Will you just ''get on'' with it?!" in the same way as Ralph Kramden.

* EarlyBirdCameo: Boba Fett.

* EverybodyLaughsEnding: The animated segment.

** Life Day is still part of the Disney Canon, since it gets briefly mentioned in [[Recap/TheMandalorianS1E1Chapter1 the first episode]] of ''Series/TheMandalorian'', with Mando's weapon similar to Boba Fett's weapon in the animated sequence.

Life Day was brought into the post-Creator/{{Disney}} buyout ''Star Wars'' canon via a brief mention in the first episode of ''Series/TheMandalorian'' in November 2019. The animated segment "The Story of the Faithful Wookiee" received an official release as an EasterEgg on ''The Complete Saga'' Blu-Rays, and was also made available on Creator/DisneyPlus in April 2021. In December 2022, the Star Wars Website/YouTube channel released a Life Day themed AMSR video as part of a series.

* Lumpy watches the instruction disc for assembling a transmitter. Every step, from start to finish, is read by a robot-impersonating Creator/HarveyKorman. Not a ''robot impersonating Harvey Korman'', mind you.
* Malla watches a cooking show starring a multi-armed and crossdressing Korman.

The main storyline, set in 0 ABY (shortly after the original ''Franchise/StarWars'' film, ''Film/ANewHope''), takes place on the Wookiee home planet of "Kazzook" [[note]](the planet's name is Kashyyyk, which wouldn't be finalized until a year after the special aired)[[/note]]. While Creator/HarrisonFord (Han Solo), Creator/PeterMayhew (Chewbacca), Creator/CarrieFisher (Princess Leia), Creator/MarkHamill (Luke Skywalker), and Creator/AnthonyDaniels (C-3PO) all return, the special introduces three members of Chewie's family: his father Itchy, his wife Malla, and his son Lumpy (played by Creator/PattyMaloney).

The first 10-15 minutes are conducted almost entirely in Shyriiwook (the Wookiees' language that Han usually translates), with ''no subtitles'' whatsoever. The first actual English we hear after a while comes from a brief transmission from Luke Skywalker, who is under [[UncannyValleyMakeup layers of foundation]].[[note]]The makeup was actually to cover up scars on Hamill's face that he had incurred from a recent car accident.[[/note]]

** Leslie Schofield (who played Chief Mormadin Bast in the film) appears next to Vader in that same deleted scene.

** The script has translations for the Wookiees' howls.
** Malla, Itchy, and Lumpy's full names (Mallatobuck, Attichitcuk, and Lumpawarrump) are given in the script and other official canon sources of the time. The EU also had Lumpy changing from Lumpawarrump to Lumpawaroo (part of a Wookiee coming-of-age tradition), specifically so he could ''change his nickname'' to Waroo. Lucasfilm had an employee who literally got paid to retcon this stuff seamlessly, but he couldn't save ''that''.

* ChristmasSpecial: Technically considered a Christmas special, though the word "Christmas" isn't used in the title and the show focuses around a fictional holiday instead. It actually aired before a week before Thanksgiving.

** Yes, that's really Chewbacca's family. This said, the old official canon sources -- trying desperately to put a positive spin on things -- turn the names given here into nicknames along the same lines as "Chewie": "Malla" was lengthened to "Mallatobuck", "Itchy" is short for "Attichitcuk", and "Lumpy" is short for "Lumpawarrump". Not that it helps.
** The EU also had Lumpy changing from Lumpawarrump to Lumpawaroo (part of a Wookiee coming-of-age tradition), specifically so he could ''change his nickname'' to Waroo. Lucasfilm had an employee who literally got paid to retcon this stuff seamlessly, but he couldn't save ''that''.

** Lumpy assembling a transmitter with the aid of an instructional video, which we see ''in its entirety''. The "joke" is that Korman, as an [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Amorphiian Amorphiian]] showing how to assemble the thing, gradually "shuts down" and collapses at its conclusion.

* CarpetOfVirtility: Saun Dann's shirt shows off quite a bit of chest hair.

* StockFootage: All of the space battles are lifted straight from the first film. Vader's whole appearance in the special is a brief DeletedScene from ''A New Hope'' with his one line of dialogue redubbed. This, along with the different context, "cleverly" changes it so that he and an Imperial officer are talking about locating Han and Chewbacca rather than C-3PO and R2-D2. Also, said officer died on the Death Star, resulting in [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Unidentified_Moradmin_Bast_look-alike this]]. What's even more hilarious is how not-Bast's vocals don't match up with his lip movements.

** Kashyyyk is referred to as "Kazzook", which is also used in Lucas' early notes for ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' (which was going to feature said planet); the spelling was finalized in ''The Wookiee Storybook'' the following year.

* OffTheShelfFX: For taking place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a lot of the tech in the Wookiees' family home looks extremely familiar. The cockpit of the ''Millennium Falcon'' would do Creator/EdWood proud as well.

** Kashyyyk is referred to as "Kazzook", which is also used in Lucas' early notes for ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''; the spelling was finalized in ''The Wookiee Storybook'' the following year.

The main storyline, set in 0 ABY (shortly after the original ''Franchise/StarWars'' film, ''Film/ANewHope''), takes place on the Wookiee home planet of "Kazzook" [[note]](the planet's name is Kashyyyk, which had been established before the special aired)[[/note]]. While Creator/HarrisonFord (Han Solo), Creator/PeterMayhew (Chewbacca), Creator/CarrieFisher (Princess Leia), Creator/MarkHamill (Luke Skywalker), and Creator/AnthonyDaniels (C-3PO) all return, the special introduces three members of Chewie's family: his father Itchy, his wife Malla, and his son Lumpy (played by Creator/PattyMaloney).

* AccentUponTheWrongSyllable: For some reason, the Imperial Guard calls Kashyyyk "Kazook".[[note]]It actually is called "Kazzook" in the script, making it a case of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness.[[/note]]

** Kashyyyk is referred to as "Kazzook", though it was already referred to as Kashyyyk in sources by the time the special aired.

** Kashyyyk is referred to as "Kazzook".

The main storyline, set in 0 ABY (shortly after the original ''Franchise/StarWars'' film, ''Film/ANewHope''), takes place on the Wookiee home planet of "Kazook" [[note]](the planet's name is Kashyyyk, which had been established before the special aired)[[/note]]. While Creator/HarrisonFord (Han Solo), Creator/PeterMayhew (Chewbacca), Creator/CarrieFisher (Princess Leia), Creator/MarkHamill (Luke Skywalker), and Creator/AnthonyDaniels (C-3PO) all return, the special introduces three members of Chewie's family: his father Itchy, his wife Malla, and his son Lumpy (played by Creator/PattyMaloney).

The basic idea linking the segments together is that Chewie is trying to get home for the big Wookiee holiday, [[YouMeanXmas Life Day]]. During the course of the film, we get updates from the ''Millennium Falcon'' as Han and Chewie race for "Kazook" space. The catch is that they may not make it in time, as they're being pursued by agents of the Empire, who are also searching the planet for Rebel agents; meanwhile, [[ANaziByAnyOtherName several Imperial officers and stormtroopers]] show up at "Kazook" to search Chewie's house.

* AccentUponTheWrongSyllable: For some reason, the Imperial Guard calls Kashyyyk "Kazook".

* TheCameo: Vader appears for one scene, via a redubbed DeletedScene from ''Film/ANewHope''. Creator/JamesEarlJones also voices him for one line in the Boba Fett cartoon.

* FictionalHoliday: The Wookiees' Life Day. Which was until the Disney takeover considered canon, despite the huge section of the fandom that wished otherwise. And as of ''Series/TheMandalorian'', Life Day is now canon again, and apparently is celebrated by more beings than just the Wookiees.
* FlashbackBackBack: Chewbacca at the end.

* CrossCastRole: Chewbacca's son Lumpy is played by 3'11" tall actress Patty Maloney.