Fans shouldn’t hold out hope for another Osmond family Christmas special. In an interview with People, Donny Osmond revealed why the beloved holiday tradition is a thing of the past.
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“I don’t know if it feels organic,” Donny said of a possible revival of the Christmas special. “Those types of holiday specials that we did in the past, they don’t really work these days for some reason.”
“They don’t make those shows anymore, those were so pristine,” he added. “And they’ve tried, but they can’t replicate it for some reason. Even the Donny & Marie Christmas Show or the Osmond Family Christmas shows, there’s something magical about that. When I look back… it was a different time. It’s nostalgic.”
Another reason it’s not likely is finances, he said.
“They’re extremely expensive to make,” Donny noted. “Back then it was more economical. But the marketplace has become a lot different with the million channels to choose from—back then you had three networks, period.”
All About the Osmond Family
Donny appeared in many Christmas specials with his whole family between 1976 and 1981. Osmond siblings Virl, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Jimmy, and Marie, who were born to parents George and Olive, all appeared in the specials alongside their spouses and children.
Donny is of course most known for his work with his sister, Marie. The pair co-starred on Donny & Marie for years, and toured together afterwards as well. However, an onstage reunion with his sister is as unlikely to occur as a new Osmond Christmas special.
“I miss working with her because we had such a rapport onstage, but that whole era is passed,” he told Entertainment Tonight back in 2023. “It’s gone. It’s done.”
The family remains close, though. That was never more evident than in January when Wayne died after suffering a stroke. He was 73.
“Wayne brought so much light, laughter, and love to everyone who knew him, especially me. He was the ultimate optimist and was loved by everyone,” Donny wrote on social media after his brother’s death. “I’m sure I speak on behalf of every one of us siblings when I state that we were fortunate to have Wayne as a brother.”
Photo by ABC Photo Archives / Contributor
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