The PAW-lidays are coming early as Nickelodeon will be treating fans to a brand new Rubble & Crew holiday special, premiering Monday, December 1 at 11:00 a.m. (ET/PT)!
In "The Crew Builds a Santa's Village," Santa’s coming to visit Builder Cove! When Speed Meister tricks him into stopping at the wrong place, Rubble and crew have to save Santa. Then, later in "The Crew Builds a Giant Dreidel," Rubble and crew make Builder Cove’s big Hanukkah celebration even bigger by building an awesome giant dreidel!
You can find Nickelodeon's full Holiday 2025 programming highlights here!
Following the all-new Rubble & Crew holiday special's debut, Nickelodeon will be treating viewers to more new Rubble & Crew episodes throughout the holiday season!:
Friday, December 5, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. - The Crew Builds a Special Vet Room for Motor: Motor doesn't want to visit Dr. Diwa at the Vet Clinic…so the pups build a special space just for her! (#4x.)
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. - The Crew Builds an Art Museum: Rubble & Crew build the perfect place to show off River's ever-changing photography projects... Builder Cove's own art museum! (#4x.)
Thursday, December 11, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. - The Crew Builds a Giant Alphorn: Farmer Zoe has a new goat on her farm! But when she can't find the singing goat, the pup's team up with Park Ranger Rose. (#4x.)
Tuesday, December 15, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. - The Crew Builds a Fancy Drive-Thru Restaurant: When Camila the truck driver needs a place to stop and eat, the pups and Caf茅 Carl have a fancy idea. But is it too fancy? (#4x.)
PAW Patrol fans can stream full PAW Patrol episodes and movies, including The Mighty Movie, on Paramount+. Try it FREE today at ParamountPlus.com.
Shop all things PAW Patrol on the official Paramount Shop.
馃巹Blue's Clues & You馃巹Festival of Lights Trailer | Knowledge Kids
A special, surprise guest comes to Periwinkle's house to celebrate Chanukah, and Josh and Blue play Blue's Clues to figure out who the surprise guest is. They celebrate the holiday by spinning dreidels, frying latkes, and singing.
Knowledge Kids is brought to you by Knowledge Network, British Columbia’s trusted public broadcaster. We make it our mission to offer media that sparks a child’s imagination and love of learning.
If you're in Canada, visit https://www.knowledgekids.ca/ where you’ll find shows that inspire and help kids learn about the world around them with favourites like Paw Patrol, Wild Kratts, Geronimo Stilton, Hey Duggee and more. All free and commercial-free!
“A Maccababy’s gotta do what a Maccababy’s gotta do”
Funko Games, the award-winning tabletop gaming studio, has announced that it has partnered with Paramount Consumer Products to launch a brand new board game inspired by the iconic Rugrats episode "A Rugrats Chanukah"!
Based on the classic Chanukah special, in "Rugrats The Meanie of Chanukah Game," players can join the Rugrats as they learn the story of Chanukah from Tommy’s Grandpa Boris. Dreidels, gelt, and latkes await—but how will the “Meanie” of Chanukah show up for the holiday? Bring Grandpa Boris and his old rival the mystical Shlomo together, and they will shed light on the real meaning of Chanukah!
The game is Funko Games’ first-ever Chanukah-themed party game, and will test players memory skills to build the holiday candles.
"Rugrats The Meanie of Chanukah Game" is for 2-4 players and is suitable for players aged 5+. The game is slated to drop in stores in October 2023.
Interesting Gameplay Features
• Your favorite Rugrats characters come to life on the table, capturing the spirit of the acclaimed holiday special!
• Engaging tile-matching gameplay uses your memory to build beautiful Chanukah candles!
• Dozens of original illustrations showcase classic Chanukah imagery and tell the beloved Rugrats story.
• Build your candles higher to score more points—but make sure to light them in time, or they won’t score at all
Game Contents
• 8 Character Tiles
• 38 Candle Tiles
• 8 Flame Tokens
• Instructions
Game Details
• Family game
• Ages 5+
• For 2–4 players
• 15-minute gameplay
• On-shelf late 2023*
• Game dimensions
4.75”W x 5.75”H x 1.5”D
• Case count 6 pc/inner, 4 inner/master, 24 pc/master
• MSRP $8.99
"Rugrats The Meanie of Chanukah Game" forms part of Funko Games' delightful upcoming collection of engaging board and party games inspired by beloved holiday classics, which also includes iconic properties and characters like Charlie Brown ("Peanuts Charlie Brown Trim the Tree Game") and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer ("Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Snowstorm Scramble Game"). As a leader within the gaming industry, Funko Games consistently creates fun, imaginative and engaging collectible games, offering immersive board game experiences to casual fans and board game enthusiasts alike.
Funko Games’ Holiday Card Games can be found at FunkoGames.com, and will be on-site at the Funko booth (#5407) at New York Toy Fair from Sat, Sep 30, 2023 – Tue, Oct 3, 2023 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York, NY.
For more information about Funko Games’ latest tabletop games and more, please visit FunkoGames.com and follow @FunkoGames on X and TikTok.
Blue & Josh Help Santa Claus! 馃巺 w/ Steve & Tickety Tock VLOG Ep. 64 | Blue's Clues & You!
Blue and Josh are here to help Santa Claus bring joy and gifts to the world! Play games and celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah with Blue, Josh, Steve, Periwinkle and more friends at home and in Santa's workshop!
Stream Blue's Big City Adventure exclusively on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com.
A Maccababy’s gotta do what a Maccababy’s gotta do! This December, Nicktoons is gifting you eight nights of of iconic Rugrats special "A Rugrats Chanukah"! That means eight nights of pancakes for dinner, eight nights of timeless traditions, and eight nights of explosive family fun! So miss eight nights of the Rugrats Chanukah special, airing weekday evenings from 8/7c, only on Nicktoons!
For more of Nickelodeon's holiday programming highlights, click here!
Rugrats, provided to Creators Syndicate by Nickelodeon, based off the popular animated television series has been created for children and family's to laugh and enjoy together.
Follow these comics and their take on real episodes of the show and their own spin on hilarious adventures.
Ep. 36 - The Weinerville Chanukah Special | Splat Attack! Podcast
Join Brett & Alex as they stay in from the cold at the Weinerville Ski Lodge. They are joined by Manny, Max & Marc Weiner to light the menorah while they discuss the Weinerville Chanukah Special. This is a truly special event plus a round of "This or That" that will go down in Splat Attack history! Sit down with your potato pancake and enjoy this Holiday special! Happy Chanukah!
The Dreidel Song and Game w/ Blues Clues & You! 馃挋 Hanukkah Traditions | Noggin
It's almost time for Hanukkah! Periwinkle, Blue, and Josh are all playing the dreidel game. "The Dreidel Song," also called "I Have a Little Dreidel," is a song sung while playing with the dreidel, a traditional Hanukkah game. See who wins the game and learn more about Hanukkah!
Stream Blue's Big City Adventure exclusively on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com.
It's Nickmas on Nickelodeon! Catch a brand new festive episode of your favorite Nick Jr. shows every weekday at 11:00 a.m. (ET/PT) starting November 28, only on Nick Jr. on Nickelodeon!
Monday, November 28, 2022 - Blaze and the Monster Machines - A Blazing Amazing Christmas: It’s Christmas Eve and Blaze, AJ, Crusher, Pickle, and all their other friends are helping Santa ready his sleigh for delivery. But when Crusher discovers he won't get a present this year, Blaze offers to help him do enough good deeds to earn af gift. (#626; holiday special)
Tuesday, November 29, 2022 - Blue's Clues & You! - A Blue Christmas with You!: Christmas Eve is here and all is calm and all is bright… until Blitzen appears asking for our help—Santa’s missing! Josh and Blue skidoo to the North Pole for toy-making fun, Reindeer Games, and a holiday celebration they’ll never forget! (#406; holiday special)
Wednesday, November 30, 2022 - Santiago of the Seas - Three Kings Day: It’s Three Kings Day and Larimar is abuzz with holiday cheer! But when Bonnie Bones kidnaps a camel belonging to one of the Three Kings, it’s up to Santiago and his crew to stop Bonnie from ruining the holiday. (#215; holiday special)
Thursday, December 1, 2022 - Face's Music Party - Face’s SuperSnowtacular Holiday Special: Face is hosting their biggest party yet, and this one is a celebration of all their friends at Nick Jr.! Get ready to party with characters from lots of Nick Jr. hits while singing songs kids already know and love.
Friday, December 2, 2022 - Baby Shark's Big Show! - Fishtival of Lights/Shadow on Ice: Chucks teaches Baby and William the joys of celebrating Hanukkah, the Fish-tival of Lights. / Shadow’s insincere apologies put a strain on his friendship with Bait and Switch. (#207; holiday special)
For more of Nickelodeon's holiday highlights, click here!
A range of Santiago of the Seas merchandise, including toys, books, bedroom accessories and clothing is now available, including at amazon.com/nickelodeon.
Stream all your favorite Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows on Paramount+ and Noggin! Try Paramount+ for FREE at ParamountPlus.com!
Nickelodeon will premiere the brand new Baby Shark's Big Show! Hanukkah special "Fishtival of Lights/Shadow on Ice" on Friday, December 2, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. (ET/PT)!
Still from “Baby Shark’s Big Fishmas Special”.
In the all-new Baby Shark's Big Show! holiday special "Fishtival of Lights," Chucks teaches Baby and William the joys of celebrating Hanukkah, the Fish-tival of Lights! Then later in "Shadow on Ice," Shadow’s insincere apologies put a strain on his friendship with Bait and Switch. (#207)
For more of Nickelodeon's holiday highlights, click here!
Stream all your favorite Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. shows on Paramount+ and Noggin! Try Paramount+ for FREE at ParamountPlus.com!
Target has teamed up with Nickelodeon to launch a sweatshirt inspired by the iconic Rugrats episode “A Rugrats Chanukah”!
The sweatshirt features Tommy, Chuckie, Angelica, Susie and Kimi from Nickelodeon's beloved animated series on a white background, along with objects associated with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, such as a menorah, dreidels and chocolate coins (gelt). The jersey features a blend of 60% Cotton, 40% Polyester.
The Nickelodeon Rugrats Hanukkah Graphic Sweatshirt is available in a variety of sizes for men, women, boys and girls, is is part of the retailer's Hanukkah Family holiday collection.
To find out more about the sweater, visit target.com.
The Rugrats Save Christmas and Hanukkah!馃巹馃晭 | Nickelodeon Cartoon Universe
When Tommy's first Hanukkah falls on Christmas Eve, the Pickles family has to juggle their family traditions to make sure each feels important, while also celebrating Las Posadas with Betty and her family! But what happens when Baby Jesus goes missing from the Nativity display? Find out in this FULL scene from 'Traditions', the Rugrats holiday special! Watch the full special along with the classic “A Rugrats Chanukah” now on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!
In the multi-denominational special Rugrats episode, ‘Traditions,’ when Tommy’s first Chanukah falls on Christmas Eve, the Pickles family has to juggle their family traditions to make sure each feels important, while also celebrating Las Posadas with Betty and her family. The episode features guest stars Raini Rodriguez as Gabi, Swoosie Kurtz as Minka, Henry Winkler as Boris, and Tata Vega as Tia Esperanza.
The episode premiered Thursday, December 2 on Paramount+ and will air Friday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on Nickelodeon.
This is far from the first Rugrats holiday episode the franchise has put on. The classic holiday episode “A Rugrats Chanukah” is available to stream, along with the entire original Rugrats series, on Paramount+. Fans can also catch “A Rugrats Chanukah” in the Nickelodeon Pluto channel’s 24- hour marathon of the episode starting at 6 a.m. (ET/PT) on Sunday, November 28, the first night of Chanukah. Following the marathon, the iconic episode will air every night of Chanukah (Sunday, Nov. 28 through Sunday, December 5) on NickRewind at 11 p.m. (ET/PT), and another six times throughout Nick Pluto Flashback Friday on Friday, December 3.
Try Paramount+ for FREE at ParamountPlus.com! Use code PEAKSALE for a one moth free trial!
BURBANK, Calif.–Nov. 4, 2021–Nickelodeon’s hit preschool series Blue’s Clues & You! is getting into the holiday spirit with the launch of festive content across multiple platforms this season. The celebration will kick off this month with a brand-new Chanukah-themed episode, “A Blue’s Clues Festival of Lights,” premiering Friday, Nov. 26, at 12 p.m. (ET/PT) and Nick’s expanded partnership with international nonprofit Save the Children for the network’s second annual ‘Blue Friday” on Nov. 19, a day of giving and learning.
In Blue’s Clues & You! “A Blue’s Clues Festival of Lights,” a special, surprise guest comes to Periwinkle’s house to celebrate Chanukah, the very joyful, festival of lights. Josh and Blue play Blue’s Clues to figure out who the surprise guest is, and celebrate the holiday by spinning dreidels, frying latkes, and singing an original Chanukah song. “A Blue’s Clues Festival of Lights” joins Nickelodeon’s library of holiday episodes, which includes the iconic perennial Rugrats, “A Rugrats Chanukah,” SpongeBob SquarePants “It’s A SpongeBob Christmas!” and PAW Patrol “Pups Save Christmas.”
In an expansion of Nickelodeon’s partnership with Save the Children, the national leader in helping children prepare for and succeed in school across rural America, the organization will be Nick’s prosocial partner for its second annual “Blue Friday,” a day of giving and learning on Friday, Nov. 19. Nickelodeon has made a donation to Save the Children to support early learning opportunities for kids in need, and through Blue’s Clues & You!, will continue to help the nonprofit provide learning opportunities and education materials to kids and families in the U.S. with its early childhood education programs. The educational hub, cluedintolearning.com, has resources for parents including learning materials, math and science curriculum videos, Blue’s Clues & You! activity sheets and more. Across America and around the world, Save the Children gives children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. For over 100 years, the nonprofit has been committed to addressing children’s unique and unmet needs, working to ensure they thrive as learners and in life.
Following the linear premiere of “A Blue’s Clues Festival of Lights,” the episode will be available to watch on Nick Jr. On Demand, NickJr.com and the Nick Jr. App. The episode is part of Nickelodeon’s “Nickmas” holiday-themed lineup which features joyous premieres and specials from the network’s animation, live-action and preschool series, including all-new episodes of hit series Danger Force, That Girl Lay Lay, Baby Shark’s Big Show! and more, plus classic fan-favorite holiday episodes of Rugrats, PAW Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants and The Loud House.
With critical praise from educators, parents, and preschoolers, Blue’s Clues--which recently celebrated a milestone 25th anniversary this year--has generated an enormous global fanbase in over 160 countries and more than 20 languages. Blue’s Clues drew acclaim and high ratings for its unique interactivity that helped change the way kids watch television and has remained one of the most popular preschool shows of all time. The landmark series also raised the bar in preschool television by exploring advanced subject matter such as sign language, geography, physics, emotions, and anatomy. The show is the recipient of numerous awards including Peabody Awards, Parents Choice Awards, Television Critics Association Awards and Prix Jeunesse.
The legacy and lasting impact of the series continues with the remake of Blue’s Clues & You!, which has a new generation of preschoolers searching for clues with beloved puppy Blue and new live-action host Josh (Josh Dela Cruz). The series features new CG-animation for Blue and Magenta, brand-new elements and refreshed iconic items from the original series including an updated Handy Dandy Notebook equipped with smartphone technology and the return of fan-favorite characters. Blue’s Clues & You!, produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank, Calif., was recently picked up for a fourth season and nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards. Currently in its third season, the show airs weekdays at 11 a.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.
Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since its founding more than 100 years ago, the international nonprofit has changed the lives of more than 1 billion children. In the United States and around the world, Save the Children gives children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. It does whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share. For further information, visit SavetheChildren.org.
Nickelodeon, now in its 42nd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).
Hipdot is teaming up with Nickelodeon’s Rugrats for a new makeup collection! The limited-edition six-piece collection is inspired by the show’s popular “A Rugrats Chanukah” episode, and features an eyeshadow palette, two lip glosses, a makeup sponge, and face masks.
“A Maccababy’s Gotta Do What a Maccababy’s Gotta Do!”
It’s been 30 years since the first episode of Rugrats aired, and for anyone who still can’t get enough of the beloved group of babies, HipDot has a surprise for you! The ethical beauty brand has collaborated with Nickelodeon to launch a makeup collection inspired by one of the show’s most iconic episodes, “A Rugrats Chanukah”! Check out a first look below, courtesy of POPSUGAR!
The six-piece collection features a nine-shade eyeshadow palette, complete with shade names that reference the iconic episode, like “Topato Pancakes,” “MaccaBaby,” “Meanie Of Chanukah,” "Chanukah," "Menorah," "Harmonica," "To Be or Maccabi," "Five Fathers," and "Maccababy Cradle." The colours inside come in a range of blue, brown, and gold hues in shimmer, glitter, and matte finishes.
There are also two double-ended tinted lip glosses in the festive colours of blue and gold, a beauty sponge with a portrait of Tommy Pickles on the side of it, and two sheet masks that look like Chuckie and Angelica (Angelica's is called "Angelica's Sassy Spa Day"). While all of the items in the limited-edition collection can be purchased separately, superfans of the TV series will want to score the complete Hipdot x Rugrats Collectors Box, which also includes a special pin of Tommy.
As with all HipDot products, each item in the collection is vegan and cruelty-free, meaning any Rugrats fan can use these products without worrying about animal by-products in cosmetics.
The entire collection goes on sale at Hipdot.com on Nov. 24. This makes the perfect Hanukkah gift for anyone – especially ’90s kids – who loved to watch the “stupid babies” go on their many adventures. Take a closer look at the full Hipdot x Rugrats collection ahead.
In case you haven't heard, the babies are back in a brand new CG-animated Rugrats series, which is available to stream now exclusively on Paramount+! The new Rugrats series will also be celebrating the holidays in its own holiday special, "Traditions", streaming Dec. 2 on Paramount+ and airing on Nickelodeon on Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT! For a free trial of Paramount+, visit ParamountPlus.com!
The classic holiday episode “A Rugrats Chanukah” is available to stream, along with the entire original Rugrats series, on Paramount+. Fans can also catch “A Rugrats Chanukah” in the Nickelodeon Pluto channel’s 24- hour marathon of the episode starting at 6 a.m. (ET/PT) on Sunday, November 28, the first night of Chanukah. Following the marathon, the iconic episode will air every night of Chanukah (Sunday, Nov. 28 through Sunday, December 5) on NickRewind at 11 p.m. (ET/PT), and another six times throughout Nick Pluto Flashback Friday on Friday, December 3.
Blue Skidoos To Celebrate Hanukkah! | Blue's Clues & You!
Join Blue and Josh as they skidoo into a latka recipe and find themselves in Lady Latka’s Potato Palace! Can you help Blue and Josh figure out the recipe?
Watch the brand new Chanukah-themed Blue’s Clues & You! episode, “A Blue’s Clues Festival of Lights,” premiering Friday, Nov. 26, at 12 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nick Jr. on Nickelodeon!
Following the linear premiere of “A Blue’s Clues Festival of Lights,” the episode will be available to watch on Nick Jr. On Demand, NickJr.com and the Nick Jr. App. The episode is part of Nickelodeon’s “Nickmas” holiday-themed lineup which features joyous premieres and specials from the network’s animation, live-action and preschool series, including all-new episodes of hit series Danger Force, That Girl Lay Lay, Baby Shark’s Big Show! and more, plus classic fan-favorite holiday episodes of Rugrats, PAW Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants and The Loud House.
The beloved animated series has set a special half-hour holiday episode on Paramount+, which will highlight and celebrate several denominations, ET has revealed. Titled "Traditions," the upcoming installment will drop on the ViacomCBS-owned streaming service Thursday, Dec. 2 and will also air Friday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on Nickelodeon.
The multi-denominational special kicks off as Tommy's first Chanukah falls on Christmas Eve, and the Pickles juggle their family traditions to make sure each feels important, while also celebrating Las Posadas with Betty and her family. The episode aims to explain the various ways that the holidays are celebrated and explore how families from different cultures come together to create their own unique traditions.
Paramount+
Lending their voices as guest stars for the episode are Raini Rodriguez as Gabi, Swoosie Kurtz as Minka, Henry Winkler as Boris (who ad-libs the Chanukah prayer heard in the episode) and Tata Vega as Tia Esperanza.
Rugrats “Traditions” was written by executive producers Kate Boutilier and Eryk Casemiro. Lalo Alcaraz (The Casagrandes) served as a research consultant, and co- producer Rachel Lipman (Rugrats) served as a cultural advisor.
Original Rugrats cast member Cheryl Chase, who voices Angelica, spoke to ET about the new "Traditions," which was written by executive producers Kate Boutilier and Eryk Casemiro.
"It's a wonderful story. It's very heartwarming," Chase said of the episode. "It explains the ABCs of the holidays, and it explores how families with different cultural backgrounds, they come together and they celebrate new and unique traditions." As for how Angelica plays into the story, the veteran actress said with a chuckle, "She's up to her old shenanigans and it's not the best Angelica, let's put it that way!"
Paramount+
This is far from the first Rugrats holiday episode the franchise has put on. The classic holiday episode “A Rugrats Chanukah” is available to stream, along with the entire original Rugrats series, on Paramount+. Fans can also catch “A Rugrats Chanukah” in the Nickelodeon Pluto channel’s 24- hour marathon of the episode starting at 6 a.m. (ET/PT) on Sunday, November 28, the first night of Chanukah. Following the marathon, the iconic episode will air every night of Chanukah (Sunday, Nov. 28 through Sunday, December 5) on NickRewind at 11 p.m. (ET/PT), and another six times throughout Nick Pluto Flashback Friday on Friday, December 3.
Paramount+
For Chase, her favorite Rugrats episode thus far of the new iteration is "The Two Angelicas," which dropped in May, and centers around Angelica's new lookalike talking doll. "The babies, they like the doll and she gets all upset, and she doesn't like that," she said. "The animation is so beautiful -- the designs of the show and the colors and brilliant colors and the detail that you see in the CG animation -- how they designed the characters. It's beautiful. It's a fun episode for me to see."
Paramount+
Chase acknowledged it's been a surreal time warp reuniting with her fellow Rugrats castmates and hearing stories from fans of the original who have families of their own, introducing the series to their kids. "It's fun to hear the original voices because it just makes you feel like... It just brings back the memories we had watching the first time around," she reminisced, adding that the responses she's gotten from viewers are "mainly with the older grownup fans that have their kids watching... [and it's just a] family experience." "I love to see that, that I'm bringing joy to the family like that. The parents are rediscovering their childhood through their kids who are learning it for the first time. So it's really so fun for me."
From Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Paramount+’s new Rugrats series is a reimagining of the classic ‘90s hit that features rich and colorful CG-animation and follows the babies as they explore the world and beyond from their pint-sized and wildly imaginative point of view. The series stars EG Daily (Tommy Pickles), Nancy Cartwright (Chuckie Finster), Cheryl Chase (Angelica Pickles), Cree Summer (Susie Carmichael) and Kath Soucie (Phil and Lil DeVille) reprising their roles, alongside Ashley Rae Spillers and Tommy Dewey (Didi and Stu Pickles); Tony Hale (Chas Finster); Natalie Morales (Betty DeVille); Anna Chlumsky and Timothy Simons (Charlotte and Drew Pickles); Nicole Byer and Omar Miller (Lucy and Randy Carmichael); and Michael McKean (Grandpa Lou Pickles).
(ViacomCBS) – Rugrats will unveil a brand new holiday special on Paramount+ this Thursday, December 2nd. In 1996 the original Rugrats series put out the beloved “A Rugrats Chanukah” special and now 25 years later a new generation of fans will be treated to “Traditions.”
CBS‘ Matt Weiss spoke to E.G. Daily (Tommy Pickles) about the Rugrats revival and this Thursday’s special holiday episode.
MW- Hi E.G.! Good to see you, how are you doing?
EGD- Well darling, how are you?
MW- Doing well over here, the last time we spoke Rugrats 2.0 hadn’t been released to the world yet and now that it’s out there what’s the reception been like?
EGD- People are so happy. It’s like if you have a favorite pair of shoes and then you lost them for a long time and you finally found them again. It’s just is so cozy and so familiar. You just feel so at home and I think right now that’s what we need after the last two years of insanity.
We just need to feel comfortable and at home and we need to feel that sense of safety with our loved ones. That’s what Rugrats is about.
MW- The nice thing about the show is there is the adults watching it with nostalgia for their childhood and a whole new generation of kids who are getting to watch Rugrats for the first time.
EGD- Absolutely, the original Rugrats fans are millennials and parents now, so in the show we’re dealing with all the young millennial stuff, which is so smart and so cool. When they were kids they were watching their life through the imagination of these babies. Now we get to go into these incredible adventures with the CGI and we’ve grabbed a whole new audience. The writers are just so super smart too with knowing just when to bring in characters from the past and we’ll be seeing more of those for sure.
MW- Has there been an episode from this new crop that’s really stood out to you?
EGD- It’s so hard because they’re so clever. They’ve been able to recaptured all that funny stuff like the way the babies mess up words. impossible. They’re always coming up with new ones that just crack me up. So I’m just fascinated every time I get a script and we get to do it, so I really love all of them!
MW- And now we have a brand new holiday episode titled “Traditions” which comes out Thursday, December 2nd on Paramount+. What can we expect from this new special?
EGD- Well, Rugrats just loves family and loves to make sure everybody feels included. I love this word multi-denominational and that’s what it’s all about. We embrace everyone and everything with all families, all culture, all traditions.
Everybody needs to feel a part of something and everybody needs to feel embraced and respected. We’re not separating from anyone, we are not about that. We’re about love, we’re about family and we’re about embracing all the ways people like to celebrate. So that’s what the episode will be all about.
MW- A new holiday special for a whole new generation, I can’t wait to watch it myself. Thank you so much for the time today E.G. and all the best!
EGD- You are so welcome. Thank you and happy holidays!
The Rugrats holiday special “Traditions” comes to Paramount+ on Thursday, December 2nd and will air on Nickelodeon the following Friday, December 10th at 7:30 PM ET/PT. Check your local listings for more information.
It's the holiday season and that means it is also the season for holiday specials. This year, the Rugrats revival on Paramount+ is getting into the holiday spirit with an all-new holiday special of its own. On Thursday, December 2nd, the all-new, half-hour special episode titled "Traditions" will air on Paramount+ and will air a week later on Friday, December 10th on Nickelodeon. The multi-denomination episode will celebrate a number of holiday traditions as Tommy's first Chanukah falls on Christmas Eve, prompting the Pickles family to juggle their family traditions to make sure each feels important while also celebrating Las Posadas with Betty and her family.
The special episode will feature several guest stars, including Raini Rodriguez as Gabi, Swoosie Kurtz as Minka, Henry Winkler as Boris, and Tata Vega as Tia Esperanza. The episode will also explain the various ways the holidays are celebrated and explore how those from different cultures can come together to create their own new, unique holiday traditions.
Ahead of this special holiday episode of Rugrats, ComicBook.com sat down with the voice of Tommy Pickles, E.G. Daily to chat about "Traditions", what makes the episode so special, bringing Rugrats to a new generation, and her own favorite holiday traditions. Read on for our interview with Daily.
The special holiday episode of Rugrats, "Traditions", premieres Thursday, December 2nd on Paramount+. The episode will also air Friday, December 10th at 7:30 p.m. ET on Nickelodeon.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
About "Traditions"
ComicBook.com: Tell me a little bit about this holiday special, "Traditions." What can people expect from it?
E.G. Daily: Oh, it's so awesome. Well, they can expect what they always expect with a Rugrats episode, which it's going to be super cozy. You're going to see the kids' point of view about funny things, the way they see it. You're also going to see some special guest stars on this particular episode, Swoosie Kurtz and Henry Winkler and some others. The biggest thing of all is you're going to get to see all the different Rugrats characters in all the different ways they celebrate their holidays, which is so sweet. You're really going to learn a lot about everybody else's culture and how they ring out the holidays. We really embrace that on Rugrats, so that's what you'll see.
Celebrating traditions and cultures
I remember the other Rugrats special from the '90s, "A Rugrats Chanukah". I remember how heartwarming and informative that episode was, and it's still super special all these years later. Why do you, as a performer, feel it was important to do this new special that incorporates all these other traditions as well?
Well, I think it's really crazy, we've had a crazy last almost two years in the world and there's been a lot of separation and a lot of isolation from family members and loved one. Also, it just created some negative energy between people. I think what's important is that at the end of the day, politics and personal choices about decisions, about things, is really stuff at the end of the day that at the end of the day doesn't matter, that what matters is family and loved ones and friends and celebrating and a beautiful meal. That's what Rugrats brings.
Rugrats brings that all these characters will come together and they will celebrate each other. There's no separation and there's no better or less than, worse than. Everybody is just all about family and love and familiarity. What better than this episode, which is "Traditions", it's going to celebrate all of the different traditions and cultures.
Guest stars
You mentioned there is some great, fantastic guest stars in this episode, Raini Rodriguez is back as Gabi. Swoosie Kurtz as Minka, Henry Winkler as Boris, just name a few of them. What is it like for you to be a part of not only this really special and inclusive episode, but to also get to have your work out there with some of these really great talents in this special episode?
I mean, first of all, we never know really until the last second who's popping in, because Rugrats, the team and Paramount+ and Nickelodeon, they're so good about like, "We're going to surprise you with this guest person and we're going to surprise you with bringing back this other person." I think we're being just as surprised as you guys are. When we show up and we find out, it's just as awesome. Henry Winkler, I've worked with before and he's just the most incredible person. To find out that he's going to be in our Rugrats, it just feels so great and so classic that we get to work with people like The Fonz, who gets play in our iconic Rugrats and he's so iconic. I just feel super lucky.
Again, I never know, just like you, what they're going to do next. We're always like, "What's happening now, guys?" or, "Who's coming in now? What's the script about now?" They're just so brilliant, it's so brilliant. I'm happy to be part of it, and I like the surprises.
New generations
Now, you've been the voice of Tommy Pickles since the beginning and have been a huge part of the Rugrats experience for so many people, myself included. Now we have kids of our own who are experiencing Rugrats. What's it been like for you to bring Tommy and the whole Rugrats crew to this whole new generation, as well as back into the lives of people like me who were there the first time around.
Well, it's funny because I was having babies when I was doing Rugrats. I was actually in labor during a Rugrats episode. It's on tape somewhere. Then that night I had a baby. My babies were literally born into Rugrats. They were in my body during Rugrats and they were just outside the studio being nursed in between sessions. It's so cool that my kids got to grow up. Then now, of course, now that Rugrats is rebooted, all those babies and kids that were growing up during Rugrats are now millennials and they're parents of them their own, so they get to introduce their kids to this whole show that they were grown up on. The only difference is they're bringing today's contemporary stuff, subject matters like vloggers and cell and dating apps. They get to have fun with Rugrats with today's times things and their kids get to jump in and go, "Oh my gosh, this is such a cool show." Then on top of that, we have this great CGI animation, so they get to see it in this vibrant, gritty, tactile way. I just think, overall, it's just so awesome. The way they're bringing everything back, it's just awesome.
Hoping everyone tunes in
That's a once in a lifetime amazing experience, that's so cool.
Yeah, it's so awesome. Yeah, and this new episode, "Traditions", it's going to be so great so I hope everybody tunes in. It's really so welcoming right now after all the craziness we've been through, to be back with our family and this Rugrats family and getting to see all the yummy holiday stuff through all the different cultures. It's going to be so great.
Favorite tradition
With this Rugrats special being called "Traditions", I have to ask, and I'm a huge holidays person so I have to ask, do you have a favorite holiday tradition of your own?
I particularly like having menorah candles. I always tell my kids, we celebrate anything fun and beautiful and anything that embraces everyone. I particularly like lighting holiday candles. I actually have a menorah that's all the Rugrats characters. It's so cute.
But I know I just love everything about Christmas and the lights and the magic of it. Like I said, I celebrate everything fun, beautiful and all-inclusive, just like the Rugrats are.
In December of 1989, Fox revolutionized animated television with The Simpsons. Two years later, in August 1991, Nickelodeon did it again, three times over, with its inaugural slate of Nicktoons: Doug, The Ren & Stimpy Show, and Rugrats. All three series proved influential, but it was Rugrats that endured as a runaway success, coming as close to rivaling The Simpsons’ status in pop culture as nearly any other animated show of any era.
While Klasky Csupo’s first hit was far from its last — the studio went on to produce Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, The Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power, and As Told by Ginger for Nick in the years that followed — it was surely its biggest, spawning a franchise spanning three series, three films, two TV films, a baker’s dozen video games, a handful of books, a comic strip, and even a live performance over the next two decades. And that’s without mentioning the merchandise. The Rugrats Movie was the first animated film not produced by the Walt Disney Company to gross more than $100 million in the U.S. Angelica Pickles went on The Rosie O’Donnell Show. Rugrats was big business.
Then there was a lull until earlier this year, when Klasky Csupo came back with a new Rugrats for a new generation, a computer-animated revival of the same name streaming on Paramount+, Nickelodeon parent company ViacomCBS’s subscription service. In addition to creators Arlene Klasky, G谩bor Csup贸, and Paul Germain, the show is executive-produced by veterans of the original series, Kate Boutilier and Eryk Casemiro, who wrote the immensely popular special episode “All Growed Up” and developed its sequel series, All Grown Up! And the vast majority of the cast from the original series has returned to voice the child characters (the late Christine Cavanaugh being one sad exception), although the adults have been recast and, in some cases, reimagined.
Like many Hollywood projects before it, Rugrats started with a phone call, in this case from Ramsey Ann Naito, who is now president of Paramount’s animation division. “We thought, well, if we don’t do it, we might regret someone else taking our babies and doing something to them, making it so radically different that we’ll kick ourselves for not doing it,” Casemiro said. And while the core premise remains the same — a bunch of imaginative babies romp around on adventures while their guardians’ attention is elsewhere and hilarity (with a healthy dose of sentimentality) ensues — some differences were inevitable, even beyond the CG style, which Casemiro noted had already been decided upon before they came aboard. 1991 and 2020, after all, are worlds apart in many ways.
“In the original, Charlotte Pickles was the only one with a cell phone,” Casemiro said. “We are in a definitely different world right now. There was all this possibility with technology.” Then there were the generational differences, which are perhaps best reflected in the changes to Grandpa Lou. Audiences in the ’90s would have found the World War II veteran grandpa a familiar figure, but with a 2020 setting, “We definitely did the math and said, this grandpa would not be a WWII veteran,” Boutilier said. “He would be in his late 60s from the end of the hippie era. We wanted a little bit of a warmer, more enlightened, modern Grandpa Lou, who does yoga and streams concerts with his headphones on so the babies can sneak away.”
The rest of the adults were also tweaked to better represent millennial parenthood and to better account for diversity. Stu and Didi Pickles live with Grandpa Lou, not vice versa, taking into account the gap in home ownership between millennials and prior generations. Betty DeVille is explicitly queer, and the DeVilles are Latinx. The Carmichaels, Randy and Lucy, are already neighbors this time around, and part of the main adult friend group from the start — a natural effect of the decision to age their daughter, Susie, down from Angelica’s age to closer to Chuckie’s, making her nonverbal to adults and more of a central part of the main child cast. And Charlotte, while still a #girlboss, is less of a ’90s clich茅.
On the child end, the other major change is to Kimi Watanabe, aged up to be more of a peer of Angelica’s in addition to being recast. That decision, voice actor Charlet Chung said, gave her the opportunity to bring a bit more spunk to the character. “As an Asian American actor, I’ve seen the evolution of the way characters are portrayed,” Chung said. “When we’re talking ’80s and ’90s, there was this trope of the demure or very soft-spoken or timid Asian American. But it’s really nice to portray, even in a child character, a strong girl with a good moral compass who wants to do the right thing but is also really positive and cheery and kind. For me, seeing the character change toward that direction was just a delight.”
For the returning cast, a new Rugrats meant an opportunity to both return to central roles in their careers and to reunite with old colleagues and friends — even though the voice recording took place during lockdown. But unlike in 1991, when recording at a studio was pretty much entirely necessary, more advanced home-recording technology allowed the cast to record their voice work from home. It helped, said E.G. Daily, who voices Tommy Pickles, that the cast knew each other so intimately already.
“We were like family,” Daily said of her relationship with her fellow voice actors back in the day. “I was in labor during a Rugrats episode — I was literally in the booth with everyone and contracting in between lines. We got to experience life together.” For the reboot, even before COVID-19 hit, the EPs “mostly chose to keep everyone separate to record,” Daily said. “But we know each other so well that we kind of already knew how the other person will respond — their voice, their character, their intonation.”
The legacy of the franchise remains important to both showrunners and actors. That’s one reason why, this week, it continues a tradition of holiday specials that attempt to look beyond the stereotypical Christmas special. The appropriately named “Traditions” is a tale of multiple families and generations, all from different backgrounds, learning to balance multiple holiday traditions on the same day: the lighting of the menorah on the first night of Hanukkah, the cutting and decorating of a fir tree on Christmas Eve, and the placement of Baby Jesus in the manger on the final night of Las Posadas.
“Holiday episodes are always a great way to dig in a little deeper on character and are a favorite with the programming department, especially as we brand December as Nickmas,” Casemiro said. (While the episode debuts on Paramount+ on December 2, it will also run on Nickelodeon on December 10, and Nickelodeon Pluto will rerun the original Rugrats holiday special, “A Rugrats Chanukah,” throughout the holiday.) “We had produced the ‘Chanukah’ special as well as ‘Babies in Toyland,’ but had never considered that Tommy Pickles comes from a two-faith family. We used those specials as a sort of North Star for how we would treat the more sacred aspects of the holiday — balancing seriousness with comedy.”
Cheryl Chase, who voices Angelica, said it was “quite touching” to work on a holiday special focused on how different families and their cultures come together and blend various traditions together and celebrate together. “I think watching the special, children will get a glimpse into different faiths, different cultures and traditions, that maybe their families don’t share,” she said.
And while millennials may be skeptical of the CG reinterpretation, Chase and the other voice actors have no such qualms. “All the minute details — the little sparkles on Angelica’s shoes, or stains on Tommy’s shirt, or the texture of the carpet — can capture so much realism,” she said. “It just brings the whole show alive, like you’re actually in with them. It’s quite beautiful.”
