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Not every Christmas episode of television has a happy ending, and some have it rougher than others. Neo-Westerns like Yellowstone love to meditate on the harshness of our world, but it wasn't the first show in the genre to ever mess around with such themes. Even Little House on the Prairie, a show known for its relatively upbeat attitude and moralistic view of the world, wasn't immune to diving deep into the harder topics of life, reminding us that we live in a complicated and broken world. Based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House's third season aired a Christmas episode unlike the rest of the show's holiday exploits. This one, titled "Blizzard," was based on a real-life storm that claimed the lives of many more than portrayed on TV, and it wasn't the upbeat holiday that maybe many were expecting.
What Happens in 'Little House on the Prairie's "Blizzard?"
Image via NBC The Season 3 episode "Blizzard" begins like any regular Little House on the Prairie episode. The children are at school, Charles (Michael Landon) is out working, and Caroline (Karen Grassle) is busy helping the women of Walnut Grove decorate for the holiday season. But unlike any other episode, it's Christmas Eve — which makes it a bit confusing as to why the kids are all in school, but we'll let it slide. When the schoolteacher Miss Beadle (Charlotte Stewart) lets the class out early after they finish up their work, the children all walk home only to get caught in a massive storm that threatens to freeze them to death. The kids can't see as far as even a few feet in front of them.
In response, Dr. Baker (Kevin Hagen) turns the church/schoolhouse into a makeshift hospital for the children found on the road with frostbite, and he enlists the women to help him tend to them. Meanwhile, Charles, Isaiah Edwards (Victor French), Nels Oleson (Richard Bull), and the other able-bodied men around town brave the harsh winter to find the lost children of Walnut Grove. Although it takes quite some time, just about everyone is found, and the heartfelt reunion between Charles and his three daughters — all huddling around a fire they'd made to keep warm and alive — is naturally how we hoped this episode of Little House would end. Unfortunately, there's more to the story.
One of the men in town who went out without thinking straight was Ted McGinnis (John Carter), who didn't realize that his own son, Henry (Johnny Timko), was among the first to be found. Leaving all others behind, Ted searches in vain for his son, who is safe with his mother in the church. To make things worse, because Ted didn't wear a heavy enough coat to brave the winter storm, he freezes to death. As Charles and his girls pass by Mr. McGinnis' frozen body on their way back, they are unable to do anything for him. While everyone celebrates the return of their children, the McGinnis widow and her son stand in silence. Breaking the celebration, Charles takes to the pulpit and reads the Nativity story from the Gospel of Luke, reminding everyone what Christmas is truly about and that hard times certainly come, but they too will pass.
There Were Two Blizzards in 1888, Both of Which Inspired the One in 'Little House'
Throughout Laura Ingalls Wilder's semi-biographical accounts, she reveals many instances of her family braving harsh winters. In fact, the book The Long Winter is all about that exact idea. In Wilder's retelling of her own life story, the blizzard lasts so long that the Ingalls family doesn't actually celebrate their Christmas until May. So, it's no wonder that the TV show would eventually decide to tackle a similar subject, even if the events happen a bit differently. Little House had a habit of taking liberally from Wilder's books, with plotlines such as the death of Charles and Caroline's first and only son or even Mary's (Melissa Sue Anderson) eventual blindness being some of Wilders' tales the show detailed. But "Blizzard" isn't based directly on something that happened in the original books, but rather a historical event.
In 1888, there were two major blizzards that swept across the United States, which is probably two more than you were expecting. The first was the "Schoolhouse Blizzard," sometimes referred to as "The Children's Blizzard," which occurred throughout the Great Plains region from January 12th through the 13th of that year. The second was the "Great Blizzard of 1888," which largely stuck on the East Coast from March 11th until the 14th. Both winter storms were incredibly deadly, with over 600 casualties between them, a remarkable number for that time. Of course, although "Blizzard" takes place on Christmas Eve rather than in the middle of January or March, Little House was likely referencing one or both of these events in this episode. More than likely, there was a particular emphasis on the former.
According to the National Weather Service, the Children's Blizzard was called such because "so many children died trying to go home from school, [and it] was one of the deadliest winter storms in the upper Midwest." Naturally, Walnut Grove is a real town in Minnesota (and the main location of Little House), which means that between the two blizzards of '88, this is likely the one reference here. Thankfully, no children actually die in this Little House episode (by some heavenly Christmas miracle, of course), but there's still plenty of damage and certainly a lot of fear. Like the actual Schoolhouse Blizzard, the one seen in this episode eventually knocks out communication, drops the temperatures to below zero, and isolates the town from its surrounding resources. The NWS reported that up to eight days after the initial storm, reports were still coming in of casualties, injuries, and other means of suffering as a result of the horrible blizzard.
"Blizzard" Shows the Resilience of the Ingalls Family on 'Little House on the Prairie'
Image via NBC Of course, shooting a snowstorm like that in Southern California seems impossible, but Michael Landon, director William F. Claxton, and the Little House crew pulled it off anyhow. “The snowstorm scenes were pretty amazing,” actress Charlotte Stewart wrote in 2019 for LittleHouseonthePrairie.com. “Mike [Landon] shot them in a huge water tank set at Paramount as they were blowing in a mix of man-made snow and some other artificial white stuff (insulation, I think).” The nature of these scenes — which are truly remarkable, and look loads better than some fake snow seen in even the 21st century — only highlights the idea that winter can be a harrowing time, and was especially so back in the time of Little House.
What's significant about Little House on the Prairie's decision to make their Christmas episode into an ecological horror is that these near-death experiences don't break our characters, even when they easily should. Charles continues to brave the weather with no signs of slowing down. He and Mr. Edwards search for and rescue their own children no matter what is thrown at them. Likewise, Caroline, long before she knows her family is safe, proves herself a pillar in the Walnut Grove community and helps many, including the near-hysterical Grace Edwards (Bonnie Bartlett), to fight on and focus on the task at hand.
Possibly the most impressive characters are the Ingalls girls. Laura (Melissa Gilbert) and her older sister Mary not only press on against impossible odds but are resourceful enough to find shelter, start a fire, and save their younger sister Carrie (Lindsay and Sidney Greenbush) from freezing to death while shivering themselves. These girls sure know how to persevere, and it's no wonder that their parents inspire others to do the same. It's hard to imagine nearly dying in a snowstorm like this given the modern comforts we all enjoy, but that's exactly why stories like "Blizzard" are so important. They help us to remember that the world we live in is not as tame as we might think.
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This 'Little House' Christmas Episode Ends on a Somber (but Hopeful) Note
While "Blizzard" offers an immediate celebration after the Edwards family is reunited, and rightfully so, that's not where the story leaves us. The truth is, Christmas can be a hard time of year for many, especially those hurting or mourning those they've lost. In keeping with the biblical mandate to "mourn with those who mourn," Charles decides for all of Walnut Grove that this isn't the time to celebrate. Because the McGinnis family will never be reunited in this life, he, instead, changes the entire tone of this Christmas special, providing viewers with a sober reminder of that fact. While other Christmas episodes highlight the joy of the season and the childlike excitement of gift-giving, "Blizzard" tells a harsh story that doesn't have the happiest of endings, even on Christmas, which sets it firmly apart.
Often, Little House had an impressive way of telling very mature and adult stories, but through the lens of the young Ingalls girls who were often ignorant and innocent of the surrounding harm. While both Laura and Mary recognize the dangers of the titular storm, they're able to remain calm and protective of one another and their younger sister. By the end of the episode, when all have congregated in the town's church/schoolhouse, we can't help but be happy to see everyone there all together, even if there's still a streak of sadness over the loss of Ted McGinnis. To that end, Charles makes a tough call, cutting the celebration in order to redirect the townsfolk to the bigger picture.
In true Little House form (both taking cues from the series and the books themselves), Charles' final moments at the pulpit reading God's word is what unites the town of Walnut Grove. Little House doesn't ask its audience to be left grieving, even if the McGinnis family is doing just that, but it changes the episode's somber ending a bit more meditative. Some are happy, others are sad, and everyone is exhausted, but the truth of what Christmas is about remains a powerful message, and one he feels compelled to share at such a daring time. Even in the storm, there is hope, and Little House on the Prairie often reminds us that tragedies come and go, but true joy can last forever.
Are There Other Christmas-Themed 'Little House on the Prairie' Episodes?
Image via NBC If you're wondering if "Blizzard" is Little House's only Christmas episode, you'll be happy to know that it isn't. In fact, over the course of nine seasons and four made-for-TV movies, Little House on the Prairie has produced a handful of Christmas extravaganzas, which is more than the amount of Thanksgiving episodes they attempted. The very first of these was back during the show's first season with "Christmas At Plum Creek," which aired on Christmas Day 1974. The episode followed the Ingalls family as each member worked hard throughout December to earn enough money to get the perfect present for one another. If you're hoping for a more heartwarming Little House holiday adventure, this is probably the episode for you. It's also (arguably) the best of the bunch, though each of them has its merits.
While Season 2 featured a twist on Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol titled "Ebenezer Sprague," the episode itself isn't really a Christmas episode. For starters, it isn't set during the holiday season, and while there are thematic similarities between Ebenezer Sprague and Ebenezer Scrooge, there's no holiday to actually connect them. Instead, Season 3's "Blizzard" marks the series' second Christmas-themed episode, which was the last one for quite some time. There wouldn't be another one until Season 8's "A Christmas They Never Forgot," which reunited the Ingalls-Wilder-Kendall families for one last merry Christmas together. Despite there being a blizzard in this episode as well, the final holiday-themed hour was a lot more reminiscent of the show's first Christmas special, one full of love, laughter, and togetherness.
Interestingly enough, the very last Little House on the Prairie project ever produced was also a Christmas story, though not an episode of the series proper. The made-for-TV feature Little House: Bless All the Dear Children aired on December 17, 1984, and followed Laura, Almanzo (Dean Butler), and Mr. Edwards as they search for Laura and Almanzo's daughter, Rose (Jennifer and Michelle Steffin), who was kidnapped by a grieving woman who couldn't have more children of her own. It's a very different type of holiday story from perhaps the ones you are used to, but given the generally happy ending, it's a nice note to end the entire franchise on. Certainly, the conclusion is far more positive than "Blizzard" ever could be.
Little House on the Prairie can be streamed on Prime Video, Amazon's Freevee platform, and Peacock.
The life and adventures of the Ingalls family in the nineteenth century American Midwest.
Release Date March 30, 1974
Creator Blanche Hanalis
Cast Melissa Gilbert , Michael Landon , Karen Grassle , Rachel Lindsay Greenbush , Sidney Greenbush , Melissa Sue Anderson
Seasons 9
English (US) ·