Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo

"Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo" is episode 10 of Comedy Central's series South Park which originally aired on December 17, 1997.

Plot
This episode opens as the school children rehearse for their Christmas play. They are performing a Christian Nativity, and Kyle's mother, Sheila Broflovski, is angered by the play because Kyle, a Jew, plays the role of Joseph (which would have technically been historically accurate). She demands that religious elements be taken out of the public school Christmas pageant. Kyle suggests the non-religious Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo as a replacement, but is dismissed.

Mrs. Brovloski's demands trigger uproar in the town, and so it is decided that anything offensive to anyone will be removed from the Christmas celebrations, including Santa Claus, wreaths, trees, stars, lights, and candy canes.

Meanwhile, Kyle feels low for being "a lonely Jew on Christmas," and is embarrassed by his mother's actions. He turns to Mr. Hankey for solace, who, it turns out, is an actual piece of talking poo. Kyle tries to bring Mr. Hankey to the masses, but no one believes him. After flinging Mr. Hankey (who looks like a normal piece of poo to everyone else) at Cartman and slipping more poo into Mr. Mackey's coffee, Mackey declares Kyle a "clinically depressed fecalphiliac on Prozac" and has him committed.

Ultimately, the school Christmas pageant is stripped of all semblance of Christmas, as it is all deemed offensive by someone. Instead, the children present a minimalist song and dance created by Philip Glass. The parents, horrified by the terrible pageant, begin blaming one another for destroying Christmas, and a fight breaks out. Finally, Mr. Hankey reveals himself to everyone, restoring the spirit of Christmas. The town releases Kyle and apologizes to him, and they all watch Mr. Hankey fly away with Santa Claus. After the boys wonder what feels missing, Kenny cheers as "The End" appears over him, having not died through the episode. As the end credits roll, Jesus appears, alone and singing "Happy Birthday" to himself.

Trivia

 * This was the first full-length Christmas-themed South Park episode.
 * This episode satirizes political correctness, and what would happen if you were to remove everything anyone would find offensive.
 * This is the first episode in which Kenny doesn't die. When the words "The End" appear before the end credits, Kenny cheers in relief.
 * Three popular South Park songs debuted in this episode: "Mr. Hankey, The Christmas Poo", "Kyle's Mom's a Bitch", and "The Lonely Jew on Christmas."
 * First appearances of Mr. Mackey, Mr. Hankey and Priest Maxi.
 * Trey and Stone claim this is their favorite episode because it was the first to feature Mr. Mackey "mmkay."
 * The original Christmas episode was supposed to be Damien, with Jesus and Satan boxing each other.
 * Sheila Brovloski (Kyle's mother) complains about Kyle playing Joseph of Arimathea. However, Joseph and was in fact Jewish, making the casting rather appropriate.
 * Among people watching school spectacular, there are such townsfolk as: big bold man in white shirt, a man in a blue parka who jumped from a bush as a zombie in pinkeye, curly blonde man, white token with his mother, two adults resembling bill and fosse, Ned, Jimbo, Priest Maxi, and Broflovskis.

Quotes

 * Kyle: "It's probably just another stupid dredil.
 * Gerald: "What did you say?!
 * Kyle: "I said, Ike's on fire!"

Pop-Culture/Historical References

 * The entire episode is a parody of Christmas specials, right down to the music sounding *somewhat* (especially the Mr. Hanky song) like songs from other holiday specials. The opening sequence to the episode is a direct parody of A Charlie Brown Christmas right down to Stan's monologue about Christmas.
 * Further, this episode is a commentary on what seems yearly and constant debate on how to make Christmas non-offensive to other nationalities/faiths. In their typical style, both sides of the argument are shown going to ridiculous extremes.
 * Kyle's mother confuses Joseph of Arimathea with Joseph of Nazareth. Joseph of Nazareth was the adoptive father of Jesus Christ, Joseph of Arimathea -- depending on what gospels you subscribe to -- Was a rich man who donated his own prepared tomb for Jesus after he was crucified.
 * The "Driedel Song" that is sung is really called "I Have a Little Dreidel", which was originally written by Samuel S. Grossman.
 * Mr. Garrison accuses Sheila Broflovski of raising Kyle up as a Pagan. Modern day associations aside this is a accurate term which was used as blanket term denoting any religions that were founded prior to pre-Christian Europe.
 * In the song "The Lonely Jew on Christmas", Kyle references Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus, and the song Silent Night.
 * Of all the things that people in South Park decide to remove from the Christmas pageant include mention of Frosty the Snowman.
 * This episode includes a life action parody commercial advertising a make you own Mr. Hankey kit. It parodies many toy commercials, and the Mr. Hankey toy has similar properties to a Mr. Potato Head toy.
 * Stan is getting a John Elway football helmet for Christmas. Elway was quarter back for the Denver Broncos. He played in the NFL from 1983-1998.
 * Mr. Mackey has Kyle put on a prescription of Prozac to cure him of his fecophilia. Prozac is the third most prescribed antidepressant in America.
 * When everyone goes to get Kyle out of the insane asylum, they all shout "Merry Christmas Kyle Broflovski!" They do so in the same way everyone wished Charlie Brown a Merry Christmas at the end of A Charlie Brown Christmas.
 * Interrupting the end credits is a scene where Jesus is sullenly wishing celebrating his birthday by himself. This is a commentary on people usually forget what Christmas is about: Commemorating the birth of Jesus.
 * This is the first time Mr. Garrison suggests they get rid of all the mexicans. He suggests it again in It's Christmas in Canada, to which the Mayor, in annoyance says "Every year you suggest that, and every year we tell you 'NO'!"

El Sr. Mojón, el Espíritu de la Navidad