Synopsis

Run-DMC bring Christmas to Hollis, Queens, mixing neighborhood warmth with playful North Pole imagery. The video moves between snowy holiday scenes, the group performing in their signature streetwear, and a comic Santa storyline involving gifts, an elf, and an unconventional reindeer. The festive setting is grounded by shots of family, food, decorations, and familiar Queens surroundings. Its homemade charm and hip-hop attitude turn a traditional Christmas premise into a distinctly New York celebration.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was made for "A Very Special Christmas," a 1987 charity album benefiting the Special Olympics. The group was initially hesitant about recording a Christmas song, but gave the idea a personal angle by centering it on Hollis, Queens.

• DMC's adoptive mother, Bannah McDaniels, appears in the video. She was also the real-life family member associated with the food referenced in the song, including chicken, collard greens, and macaroni and cheese.

• The production was completed during a single day while Run-DMC were on tour. DMC later recalled that the shoot was tiring, although the creative approach helped keep the holiday material from becoming too corny.

• The video combines a North Pole fantasy with footage connected to Hollis, the Queens neighborhood where the group grew up. The contrast helped establish the song as both a Christmas novelty and a piece of Run-DMC's local identity.

• Santa's supposed reindeer is actually a dog, dressed for the part. The deliberately rough, playful effect became one of the video's most memorable visual jokes.

• "Christmas in Hollis" won Rolling Stone's 1987 Video of the Year award, placing it ahead of Michael Jackson's "Bad." It has since become one of the most recognizable holiday videos associated with hip-hop.