The 1978 TV special aired on CBS and was directed by Steve Binder and David Acomba. It followed the characters of Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) as they travel to Chewbacca's home planet of Kashyyyk to see Chewbecca's family and celebrate Life Day (a holiday celebrated by Wookiees which includes tree decorating and singing). The program also starred "Star Wars" actors Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and James Earl Jones as well as actors Bea Arthur and Art Carney and the band Jefferson Starship.
Copies of the special are extremely hard to find, but Fisher told the New York Times that "Star Wars" creator George Lucas gave her one in exchange for her work on the DVD commentary of the original trilogy. "I made it a condition that he would give me the Star Wars Christmas special so that I could, you know, have something for parties... when I wanted everyone to leave," she said.
The program aired after the 1977 release of the first "Star Wars" film and before its sequel, "The Empire Strikes Back," came to theaters in 1980.
