Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire/References

Signs and Other Things To Read

 * The Springfield Elementary School Christmas show receives 3 1/2 stars in a recent review advertised in front of the building.
 * Lisa requests a pony six times on her Christmas wish list.
 * Next door to the tattoo parlor is Dr. Zitsofsky Dermatology Clinic. A sign in the window reads, "Tattoos removed by laser."
 * Homer receives a 13 dollar check: He grossed $120 less social security, less unemployment insurance, less santa training, less costume purchase, less beard rental, less Christmas club.

Difficult To See Stuff

 * One tattoo in the Happy Sailor Tattoo Parlor features a knife piercing a heart.
 * Marge pulls her car into parking area "ZZ" at the Springfield Mall.
 * The "slightly irregular" Christmas trees cost $45.
 * Santa's Little Helper was number 8.

Counting Scenes

 * There are 28 children in Bart's 4th Grade class on stage during the Christmas concert.
 * Maggie fell 5 times:
 * While Bart and Lisa were writing their letters to Santa(twice)
 * Again off-screen shortly
 * Homer asks for the extension cord
 * Outside admiring Ned's Christmas lights

Characters

 * The mechanical rabbit's name is Shirley
 * Dogs in the race against Santa's Little Helper:
 * Quadruped
 * Whirlwind
 * Fido
 * Dog O' War
 * Chew My Shoe

Errors

 * Lewis changes from black to yellow when Milhouse dares Bart to pull Santa's beard off.
 * After Homer brings Santa's Little Helper home, Homer and Marge hug, and if you look behind them, the background is upside down. There is a picture hanging upside down, and there is a lamp which seems to be hanging from the ceiling. Then in the next shot, the background is normal.
 * When Homer walks out Circus of Values with his purchases, he bumps into Flanders, and all the presents scatter everywhere. Watch out for a red present with a green bow that goes flying near the left hand side of the screen. As soon as it hits the ground it turns into a pink box with a white bow wrapped around it, with no shot changes. Other presents move around and change colours too.
 * While having breakfast, all of the Simpsons' glasses of orange juice keep disappearing and reappearing throughout the scene.
 * Bart yanks Homer's beard off in the mall, Homer then takes Bart into Santa's workshop. When they are inside Santa's workshop, Homer's beard is back on, despite the fact that he didn't put it back on, he let it fall to the ground when Bart pulled it off.
 * When Marge is speaking on the phone to her sisters, her sisters say something that sounds like they said that Homer is ugly. Marge then puts down the phone wire that she was curling round her finger. It is easier to see this when you are using DVD, because then you can go into slow-motion, but you can temporarily see that the phone wire disappears when Marge puts it down. It is at the very end of an early scene, because as soon as this happens it changes to another scene.
 * When Homer finds out that he has no Christmas bonus the background behind Marge is the kitchen, but then it cuts to Homer and the background behind him is the kitchen too.
 * When Homer has been informed about the Christmas money being spent on Bart getting his tattoo surgically removed, he leaves the house. When he opens and closes the door to leave, the wreath on the door is white with a red bow. When Homer then turns to look his Christmas decorations, the wreath is now green.
 * Just before the kitchen mistake, Marge comes through the door and you see that she has come from a room with a piano in it. It has a musical book on it. But when the shot changes so we see Marge turn the jar upside down, the book of musical notes has disappeared.
 * When Mr. Burns comes on the P.A. system Homer started eating a donut, he takes a bite and after that the donut stays the same size even though he takes 2 more bites.
 * When Homer is putting Christmas lights around the outside of the house, he falls from the roof. You can then hear Lisa and Bart sarcastically clap. But you can see they both have their hands by their side, and no-one is clapping.
 * When Milhouse, Bart and Lewis are talking about the fake Santa, Milhouse's eyebrows go from blue to black to blue again.
 * When Homer walks up the front drive you can see the road and there are no markings on it. But when he turns to look at his house, there are orange lines running down the road.
 * When Marge reveals the Christmas money from her hair, her necklace changes from red to white.
 * When Homer says that he isn't getting a bonus from the power plant he is facing the kitchen but in the next shot Marge is behind Homer who is behind the kitchen.
 * The little boy in the play at the beginning appears to be Ralph Wiggum, but his voice is completely different.

Cultural references

 * All in the Family: In a similar storyline, Archie Bunker does not get his Christmas bonus and puts off telling his family the news, was used in the classic sitcom's 1971 Christmas episode, "Christmas Day at the Bunkers."
 * "The Christmas Song": The episode title is taken from the lyrics of this classic Christmas song, written by Mel Torme and Robert Wells.
 * Christmas specials/movies - Bart references various yuletide specials - A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Smurfs Christmas Special, and A Christmas Carol - when he insists that a Christmas miracle will happen, despite the family's heretofore misfortune.
 * Discount stores - The Circus of Values store where the Simpsons shop is Springfield's deep-discount store, a la Dollar General and Family Dollar, which were becoming popular during the mid- to late-1980s.
 * Donna Dixon and Richard Nixon: Homer mentions the names of the actress and the former U.S. President when trying to name the reindeer.
 * "Jingle Bells": Bart adds alternative lyrics to the melody of "Jingle Bells." While singing the song Bart mentions Batman and Robin.
 * Miracle on 34th Street: The Christmas movie is homaged in the scene where Bart visits with "Santa" (Homer) and - just like the boy who is rude to Santa in the movie - makes the disrespectful remark, "I'm Bart Simpson; who the hell are you?" (because he suspects Homer is not the real Santa).
 * "Dog-o-War" is a pun on the name of champion race horse "Man O' War."
 * A Christmas Carol, is mentioned as having a scene portrayed at the Christmas Pageant. Tiny Tim is mentioned as well
 * "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer": The song is given new lyrics by both Bart and Lisa. Bart refers to strip poker and Attila the Hun, while Lisa mentions pergolas.
 * The James Bond series: Bond is strapped down to a metal desk and has a high powered laser going towards him, like what happens to Bart.