This marks the second and last appearance of M. Emmet Walsh as Colonel Patterson due to his death in "Taps".
The episode's title references the opening line of the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas": "'Twas the night before christmas" See also: 'Twas the Blight Before Christmas (1993) and 'Twas the Flight Before Christmas (1995)
M. Emmet Walsh also appeared with Tim Allen in Christmas with the Kranks (2004).