Kelly Clarkson, Mariah Carey shine anew in holiday specials

"Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale"? Just the name of the singer's Wednesday 10 p.m. NBC hour illustrates the way stars' holiday TV specials have always crammed in oodles of everything. Title words. Guest stars. Seasonal songs/ sketches/ sentiment.

Clarkson's new conglomeration features Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, Robin Williams, William Shatner, Whoopi Goldberg and a half-dozen other names. Last week's "Lady Gaga & the Muppets Holiday Spectacular" on ABC was busy, too. NBC's upcoming "Michael Bublé's 3rd Annual Christmas Special" (Dec. 18) promises Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige and even Cookie Monster.

These celeb specials are much less pervasive than in their '60s-'80s heyday, when rampant merrymaking annually featured stars both established (Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Andy Williams) and emerging (Sonny & Cher, The Carpenters, John Denver). Old-time shows' sheer numbers meant that along with the family warmth and yule music, we were also gifted with meta-clever faves and inexplicable anomalies.

Here are some of the most memorable, leaning toward the latter.

SEE PHOTOSTV shows that made an impact

THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL (1978) George Lucas has worked hard to bury this since its single CBS airing. Here's why: It's an even bigger mess than you might imagine. Harrison Ford helps Chewbacca visit his home planet/family, thereby encountering Bea Arthur, Art Carney, Harvey Korman and other lost guests in ludicrous getups. Carrie Fisher sings! (Widely pirated)