Ain't this the perfect Holiday cards photo...Ron Howard a.k.a. Richie Cunningham posing with Fonzie and the gang from "Happy Days".

For those of us old enough to remember TV shows from the early 1960s, one that will surely conjure images of a Norman Rockwell painting depicting small town USA or a Currier & Ives Christmas cards setting of a snow covered countryside is The Andy Griffith Show. One of the show’s stars was six-year-old Ron Howard.

Ron Howard was born March 1, 1954 to a show business family. His father is actor/director Rance Howard and his mother is actress Jean Speegle Howard. He appeared in his first movie at the age of 18 months and has been in front of or behind a camera ever since.

Ron became well known when he was cast as Opie, Sheriff Andy Taylor’s son on The Andy Griffith Show. Most fans of TV are familiar with the series that is set in the quiet rural town of Mayberry, North Carolina, where Andy and Opie live with the widowed sheriff’s Aunt Bee. Not much crime takes place in town so most of the exploits revolve around Andy handling squabbles between neighbors or calming down his overly reactive deputy, Barney Fife.

I remember The Andy Griffith Show’s first holiday program. It aired on Monday, December 19th in 1960 and was simply titled “Christmas Story”. I was ten-years-old at the time. My younger brother and I were helping our mother prepare holiday cards and address the envelopes as we watched the story of Mayberry’s scrooge, store owner Ben Weaver, insist that Andy arrest local bootlegger Sam Muggins on Christmas Day. Ben, who sells liquor in his store, doesn’t want Sam’s moonshine to outsell his legal booze. Andy reluctantly throws Sam in jail and then proceeds to arrest his entire family so they can all be together for Christmas. With help from Aunt Bee, Opie, and Barney, Andy puts together a holiday party at the courthouse. When Ben sees the festivities he wants to join in, so he begins to commit various petty crimes to get arrested. Andy refuses until he realizes that Ben just wants to share in the holiday spirit.

In 1974 Ron began to play the role of Richie Cunningham on Happy Days. That same year, “Guess Who’s Coming to Christmas” episode aired on Tuesday, December 17th. The story involved Richie, who discovered that Fonzie will be spending Christmas alone, contriving a plan that would get the whole gang to celebrate Christmas together. I can’t remember where I watched the show that year but it wasn’t with mom and my brother stuffing Christmas cards into envelopes.

Ron directed the feature film The Grinch, which was released on November 17, 2000, based on the Dr. Seuss story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Starring Jim Carrey in the title role of the green, scrooge-like character that would never send holiday cards or celebrate the holidays, it went on to earn $260 million at the U.S. box office.

When Alec Baldwin was a regular on SNL, he performed a memorable Christmas cards-themed skit.

Alec Baldwin is a talented actor who did some great movies and is currently on the television show 30 Rock. He often appears on Saturday Night Live, and one of his more memorable skits was from episode 11 on season 21 of the show. Baldwin appears with a Santa hat saying he forgot to send out his Christmas cards and he would like the following to serve as his Christmas card this year. He then reads a very funny ultra-generic letter that is a spoof on every thing that is personalized in Christmas cards. It makes you wonder what his own celebrity holiday cards look like.

Well this year Alec Baldwin may be sending out holiday cards with his daughter’s name included once again. Apparently their rift of a year ago has been healed. You remember when he cursed on the phone at his then 11 year old daughter? You remember where he had derogatory words to relay in his lengthy tirade about his ex-wife and Ireland’s mother, Kim Bassinger? You remember where he called his daughter a little pig? If 2007 celebrity holiday cards from Alec Baldwin were sans his daughter’s name, then this year all should be happy in the Baldwin clan.

The marriage of Alec Baldwin to Kim Bassinger started out with such promise. They made such a great couple and didn’t they just look perfect together. They were blessed with the addition of a little girl and you would think they had it all. Unfortunately, the perfect world was replaced with a viciousness that has spilled over into their parenting. Can you imagine what its like for a little girl to grow up with two famous parents without the added burden of having everything concerning you in the headlines? Alec with his message that turned into a tirade and Kim, who it is obvious, was the only person capable of leaking the recording to the press. Perhaps, Ireland Baldwin would prefer to have her own holiday cards without either parent being included.

We’re not sure what Drew Barrymore’s holiday cards look like, but we do think they should reflect how far she’s come from a dark past to a bright future.

During the holiday season, when we are thinking of gifts and holiday cards and joy, it crossed my mind that Drew Barrymore, whom I admire, should choose a holiday card that would celebrate the strides she has made in her life.

There are many things I respect about Drew Barrymore. I love that she is “who she is.” She has traveled to a place where she seems to really have figured out that she likes herself…an enviable place for anyone to get to, in my opinion. Whether she is aware of it, I don’t know, but I believe that she has had angels in her life. Many who started out the way she did have not survived the journey.

One can only imagine the rocky path on which she first trod. It was a pure case of too much too soon, and an apparent serious lack of adult guidance. She was introduced to “show biz” at the tender age of 11 months! When you read about her beginnings, you wonder how she had the strength to turn her life around. Drugs and other forms of substance abuse were introduced to her at the young age of eleven.

Now if I were to be consulted on the holiday card issue, my thought would be to avoid the typical Santa Claus, tree ornaments, bells, or snow people in favor of something that I find untraditional, yet adorable that typifies Drew. That something is her participation in the adorable, “Olive, the other Reindeer” video. With characters named Olive, Martini, and Round John Virgin, the Christmas card possibilities seem innumerable. Can’t you just picture Drew with antlers, and her friend, Martini, singing, “Silent Night?”

No matter what holiday card Drew decides on, the true gift that she gives is her blithe (her middle name is Blyth), spirit, and big heart. She was named Ambassador Against Hunger for the U.N. World Food Program in 2007, which is a serious honor. What shows that this gal steps up to the plate is the fact that she personally donated one million dollars to the cause.

Holiday cards sent by Tyler Perry Studios in 2008

Shimmering Snowflakes in the ATL??? No, you are not dreaming or hallucinating! If you’re in the Atlanta vicinity, you may not actually be seeing snowflakes outside your window. These snowflakes are from Tyler Perry’s celebrity holiday cards. This man is a genius playwright, movie producer, and actor. Anyone who has followed his career knows that he literally hit rock bottom and worked his way up, largely due to his strong faith in God (according to Perry himself). It’s no surprise he was able to open Tyler Perry Studios and be the successful man he is.

I have to say, his holiday cards are a little toned down for the Tyler Perry we all know and love. However, from a company perspective, it sends a good holiday wish without being too flashy. He also has a huge community of support from artists and actors that he’s worked with. I’m sure he would reach out to all those who have supported him throughout the growth of his awesome career.

I just wonder how many holiday cards a man as popular as he would have to order. Does he just send cards to the contractors and financial institutions that helped get the studio up and running? Or does he send cards to all the talk show hosts and radio jockeys who support him and his projects? Either way, I’m sure it must feel good to get a card from a man as busy as Mr. Tyler Perry.

The late Patrick Swayze, who will be remembered around the holidays from the clever carol from Mystery Science Theater 3000, "A Patrick Swayze Christmas," and his film, "Christmas in Wonderland," co-starring Carmen Electra.

Those of us who grew up in the 80s will always remember Patrick Swayze as the smooth-moved Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing. Mothers and daughters alike have wept for almost 20 years at the romantic thriller Ghost, co-starring Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. Others will always think of his turn as Vida Boheme in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar and smile. What many may not realize is that, when it’s time to deck the halls and start writing out those holiday cards, a Patrick Swayze Christmas carol is ready to help get you into the holiday spirit.

In 1991, the people behind cult classic Mystery Science Theater 3000 wrote the carol “A Patrick Swayze Christmas,” inspired by the film Road House. Those familiar with that movie will chuckle at lyrics such as “Oh, let’s have a Patrick Swayze Christmas this year! Or we’ll tear your throat out and kick you in the ear…” Not surprisingly, this unconventional ode even includes a mid-song action sequence!

In my opinion, the MST3K Christmas carol is hard to beat. Still, it is not the only Christmas-related Swayze medium available to us. One of Patrick’s last roles was Christmas in Wonderland, a comedy about Christmas shopping, counterfeit money, and Santa Claus. While a film that co-stars Carmen Electra might not be high-grade cinema, it must have been a fun shoot. A picture of the two of them together would probably make for pretty nice celebrity Holiday cards, too!

For almost two years, Patrick Swayze fought a brave battle with pancreatic cancer – and, sadly, with the tabloids, who would not leave him alone, claiming he had “five weeks to live” (he lasted almost 18 months) and putting him on “death watch” any time it was reported he had the sniffles. Patrick, who considered himself a cowboy through and through and had the support and love of his wife, Lisa, lost the fight on September 14th. Those who had the privilege of working with, watching, or knowing him will miss him.