How can you enjoy “The Year Without a Santa Claus” (the DVD has zero features by the way)? Well, just remember that it’s for kids, and it’s typical TV movie fodder made on a typically low budget, and remember that it’s not supposed to be anything but a quick holiday ratings grab, and remember that it’s just another stupid remake. Also, remember that John Goodman was in “The Big Lebowski.” Keep telling yourself that and you may make it through this. Within the cameos from reality TV stars, and “SNL” stars, this pop culturized remake of the original Rankin Bass classic is pretty abysmal, but what would you expect, seriously?

Is it possible to even create good holiday films anymore? I’m just not sure anymore. “The Year Without a Santa Claus” stars John Goodman who is almost unrecognizable as Old Saint Nick, the very same Christmas icon who has discovered he is utterly burned out on the Christmas crap witnessing the new line of toys available to children around the world. He finds no one has the Christmas spirit, wrapped in their own consumerism, so he’s taking a break for a year in spite of the insistence of Mrs. Claus (Delta Burke who looks so much like Roseanne its creepy). So to counteract Claus’ holiday protests, his two assistant elves (Eddie Griffin and Ethan Suplee) decide to kidnap a kid with Christmas spirit.

Kidnap is a little harsh, but they do decide that they must find a child with the spirit of Christmas to bring hope back into the obese gift giver. There’s really nothing to “The Year Without a Santa Claus,” it’s a typically bad television movie with an awfully ugly plot, and cast of actors who look utterly bored. Of course "It's all for the money," is written on everyone's face, so it's tough to truly take anyone here to task and put their ass through the wringer. I mean, when you see Michael McKean and Harvey Fierstein as the Miser brothers in bad makeup and horrible wigs singing, and boxing, you just have to bow your head in shame and nod.

How one goes from hanging with the dude, and the Coen brothers to speaking slang thanks to a metrosexual assistant elf, I’ll never know. But Goodman is still a talented son of a bitch, even in the face of this terrible movie.

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