Video Fare to Create the Yule Mood

Videocassettes have become almost as much a part of Christmas as carols and ornaments. In fact, they do double duty: as gifts, and as something to watch before and during the holidays.

So to get you into that holiday mood, here are some seasonal suggestions for your family’s video viewing pleasure. You probably already know about the usual movie fare, such as “It’s a Wonderful Life,” so our emphasis is on novelties (like a Yule video fireplace), items for children (including a “Sesame Street” tape) and new releases. As space allows, we’ll also pass on some gift-giving ideas in a future column.

Most of the following tapes will be stocked in any good video store, though we’ve provided information numbers for those that might be harder to find:

“Mickey’s Christmas Carol.” Disney. $14.95. 25 min. “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol.” Paramount. $14.95. 53 min. Perhaps nothing can beat the 1951 film version of the Dickens classic (the one starring Alastair Sim), but Mr. Mouse and Mr. Magoo acquit themselves well in their Scrooge-ish roles in these animated alternatives.

“Christmas Eve on Sesame Street.” Random House. Featuring Big Bird, Bert, Ernie and the skaters of the Sesame Street on Ice revue. Random House has also released two other new “Sesame Street” tapes, “Don’t Eat the Pictures: Sesame Street at the Metropolitan Museum of Art” and “Big Bird in China.” About $20.

“A Smoky Mountain Christmas.” Playhouse. TV movie from last year directed by Henry Winkler and starring Dolly Parton as a woman who cares for seven runaway orphans in a Tennessee mountain cabin. Six songs. 94 min. $79.98.

“A Classical Christmas.” Kultur. Combines scenes of ice skaters, Santa Claus, Christmas lights and Currier and Ives artwork with music such as “Silent Night” and “Deck the Halls.” 30 min. $19.95.

“Candy Claus.” Celebrity/Just For Kids. An animated rag doll that a family gives to Santa for Christmas in this 25-minute tape, Candy Claus is also the official Christmas Seal Child, and part of the proceeds from the sale of each cassette goes to the American Lung Assn. $19.95.

“The Tryon Palace Christmas Decoration Library.” CC-M. Half-hour cassettes that show how to make elegant decorations from flowers, fruit, greenery, candles, ribbons, etc. Tryon Palace is the historic home of North Carolina’s colonial governor. Volume 1: Della Robbia wreath, kissing ball; Volume 2: table centerpieces, Newel Post decorations; Volume 3: two mantle arrangements; Volume 4: window wreath, Victorian wreath and pine garland. All four cassettes are $95, or $29.99 each. Information: (301) 588-4095.

“Milroy, Santa’s Misfit Mutt.” Kartes. If the new Disney video of “Lady and the Tramp” (an excellent holiday treat) doesn’t satisfy your kids’ appetite for lovably pesky pooches, here’s an animated comedy about St. Nick’s clumsy canine, featuring the voices of Buddy Ebsen, Ruth Buzzi and Don Messick. 28 min. $14.95.

“Your Christmas Yule Log Fireplace.” Video Naturals. The folks who brought you “Video Aquarium” and “Video Fireplace” have another log in the fire--a yule log, to be precise. Maybe it’s not as warm as a real hearth, but does a real hearth also play holiday instrumentals in hi-fi stereo? Sixty “flame-filled” minutes, $19.95. Information: (213) 469-0019.

“Gospel From the Holy Land.” Video Publications. Sixty minutes of soulful Christian music from some top contemporary gospel artists: Andrae Crouch, Shirley Caesar, the Rev. James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir. $24.99. Information: (312) 939-0377.

“George and the Christmas Star.” Paramount. $14.95. George is a lonely guy who finds magical adventure during the holidays in this animated, critically acclaimed video. 25 minutes. $14.95.

“The Nutcracker: The Motion Picture.” Paramount. New to video this fall for dance fans, this 1986 version of the much-produced Tchaikovsky favorite is directed by Carroll Ballard, designed by Maurice Sendak and danced by the Pacific Northwest Ballet. $19.95. (And remember another new video release, “The Red Shoes,” for the ballet-inclined.)