Never mind all the animated specials about the Easter Bunny, and even the Easter Beagle. For this thread, I share my thoughts about the Davey And Goliath special, "Happy Easter."
I saw this one sometime in the mid-70's during Easter Weekend. It started out on a high note, with Davey visiting his Grandma, who was clearly a widow. If Grandpa was dead, that fact was never mentioned. I loved it when they sang along with a recording of "Camptown Races," and she sewed a "J" on his Jickets sweatshirt, and even baked a cake with the words "Happy Easter" on it. It seemed as if all would be well.
When Davey and the Jickets walked to Davey's house on Holy Thursday, I cheered when Davey and his fellow Jickets sang a song about beating the Squeegees(to the tune of "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow") at Saturday's game, for which Grandma had promised to show up to cheer the team on. Davey even had the presence of mind to remind the other boys about Good Friday, and I liked that.
But when he entered the house, and his dad informed him that Grandma was dead, I began to cry. This tragedy came with no advance warning, just like the death of my brother nearly three months ago. Davey was unwilling to accept it. I think the funeral was held either on Good Friday, or very early on Saturday, just before the game. Either way, Davey had Grandma on his mind, and his inability to focus made it possible for the rival team to beat the Jickets. Yes, he was at fault, but considering that he'd just lost a loved one, I can't blame him. And in my opinion, his team mates should have been compassionate, instead of reprimanding him.
But the best part was the ending, when his dad took him to see a play that er-enacted the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, and explained the true meaning of Easter. Davey was finally able to let go, and lay Grandma to rest. Best of all, the Easter Bunny, Easter eggs, and other goodies weren't mentioned even for a minute. Not that I have anything against them, mind you.
So, for showing the religious significance of Easter, I rate this special a 10, despite the tragic plot elements.