It's the most wonderful time of the year!
Oprah Winfrey has gone back on her word -- but in a good way -- with the recent announcement that she's bringing back her highly anticipated "Oprah's Favorite Things" special for 2012. A press release for OWN details the upcoming "Oprah's Favorite Things: 2012," a two-hour special event slated to air in November.
Back in Oprah's talk show heyday, the annual "Favorite Things" episode was the show's hottest ticket. Brad Pitt's mom was even turned down for tickets to the top-secret extravaganza, which often boasts special audience members, such as like teachers or, in this year's case, military families.
For 2012, Oprah's holiday must-haves will be given to "an unsuspecting group of deserving military spouses" from each branch of the Armed Forces.
Some of the queen of talk's best buds will be on hand to help out with the gift selections, including her BFF and O magazine editor-at-large Gayle King, creative director Adam Glassman, celebrity chef Curtis Stone, and designers Michael Kors and Tory Burch.
Home viewers will also have a chance to get in on the giveaway action, with a "Watch and Win" opportunity during the show's premiere airing.
After the 2010 holiday season, Oprah vowed that her "Favorite Things" days were behind her, saying that year's two-part giveaway would be the last "Favorite Things" show she would ever do. She hung up her talk show hat a few months later, but she went out with bang that year with an "Ultimate Favorite Things" episode that had her gifting diamond earrings, iPads, and Volkswagen Beetles to her unsuspecting audience. That over-the-top extravaganza marked the end of an era -- or not.
As promised, the show disappeared in 2011, presumably for good. But last year's one-year hiatus wasn't the first time Oprah skipped her traditional "Favorite Things" giveaway.
In 2006, audience members were give a $1,000 gift card and instructions to "pay it forward" by doing a good deed for someone. In 2008, hard economic times had Oprah offering homemade gifts and recipes, and in 2009 the "Favorite Things" segment was skipped entirely.
But in between those misses were plenty of hits. The "Favorite Things" episodes were among Oprah's most-watched shows, in which she regularly doled out products like Philosophy's Hope in a Jar, Garrett's Popcorn, Ugg boots, and a bevy of comfy pajamas.
And while she did vow that 2010 would be her last "Favorite Things" show ever, Oprah's smart enough to know that bringing another edition of this popular and highly anticipated segment to OWN will certainly boost ratings. As has been the case with most of OWN"s lineup, shows that feature Oprah -- in interview mode or reminiscing about her old talk show -- seem to fare the best, and ratings have been up for the network since he has been showing her face on-screen more.
Meanwhile, the resurrection of "Favorite Things" is a good thing -- for viewers and retailers; the show comes just in time for Black Friday.
"Oprah's Favorite Things: 2012" airs Sunday, 11/18 at 8 PM ET on OWN.
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