Without question, the holidays are a time for tradition, and one that shows no signs of going away is enjoying a Christmas movie or television special with friends and family. We all have cherished memories of gathering around the television and basking in the glow of Yule Tide animation. Annually, families everywhere are entertained by time-honored, holiday tales woven by the likes of Rankin/Bass and Charles Schulz. While these flicks are certainly no-brainers that make our list for anyone’s feel-good hits during the most wonderful time of the year, there are others that deserve that same attention. Come and adore this compilation of some of our favorites.
Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol (1962)
Mr. Magoo found his footing in a series of successful theater shorts and this take on Charles Dickens‘ story became the first animated Christmas special produced for television. Your familiarity with the misadventures of J. Quincy Magoo is irrelevant here, don’t worry. This mildly chaotic adaptation remains relatively faithful to the original with lines pulled directly from Dickens’ writing while making the story their own with memorable, original songs. Indeed, as much as Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol is considered a 1960s classic, the special doesn’t get the credit it deserves as it paved the way for the mainstream titles we all know and love.
The Legend of Frosty the Snowman (2005)
Emily Kapnek, of As Told by Ginger and Suburgatory fame, serves as the creative producer and writer of the latest spin on the legendary Christmas character and is joined by an excellent cast. Burt Reynolds sits in as the narrator à la Fred Astair‘s role as S.D. Kluger in Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town. Voicing the characters are members of cartoon royalty with Bill Fagerbakke in the titular role along with Tom Kenny, Grey DeLisle, Tara Strong, and others. Kapnek’s addition to the Frosty lineage stands out with a hilarious take on the natural mayhem of the snowman and is the only sequel to directly reference the original, even if loosely. It’s a fun, family romp with a sense of humor that tickles adults and children alike.
Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been retold countless times. Disney’s spin on the tale makes the list as it’s likely one of the best takes you can find. It clocks in at 25 minutes, but this featurette places Scrooge McDuck befittingly as Ebenezer and feels like a feature film. The animation is excellent, and the story is told sensibly given its short runtime. Its cast showcases several classic Walt Disney characters and even features a rare animated appearance of Mickey’s nephews, Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse. On a personal note, it’s this writer’s favorite version of the Dickens story as it simultaneously nails the magnitude of its intended message and serves us Big Bad Pete at his, well, baddest with a very intense portrayal of the Ghost of Christmas Future.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
He’s a rotter and a foul one and that’s why we love him! The original How the Grinch Stole Christmas has had such a social impact that he’s not only become a meme, but this particular chapter was such a hit that it was given both a prequel and sequel and has had two adaptations since. With Boris Karloff narrating and voicing the Grinch, an uncredited, singing Thurl Ravenscroft, and Chuck Jones – whom The Mean One can thank for his green coat of fur – at the helm of the story’s translation from book to television, it’s no wonder that this is easily one of the most popular holiday toons to date. Oh, and if you were wondering – this cartoon ran the studios a cool $300,000; which equates to a modern-day cost of over $2 million.
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
If ever there were an animated Christmas staple, this is the one. The world’s most lovable loser finds himself questioning his own holiday spirit and, at the suggestion of Lucy, takes on directing the upcoming Christmas play. Despite the special’s own adversity with CBS and animation hurdles, its unexpected success opened the door for further Peanuts animation. A Charlie Brown Christmas has made such a special place in our hearts that it was publicly broadcasted until 2020 when Apple TV+ purchased the exclusive streaming rights. This resulted in a massive backlash from fans, forcing the service to partner with PBS to broadcast the featurette until 2021. Although that partnership has ended, anyone without an Apple TV+ subscription can still purchase it as part of the Peanuts Holiday DVD Collection.
The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
Nobody captures the spirit of Santa Claus quite like the late, great Mickey Rooney. In his second entry voicing the stop-motion version of St. Nick for Rankin-Bass, Santa takes time off due to a cold at the advice of his doctor who convinces him that nobody cares about him like they used to. After calling off Christmas, Mrs. Clause and the elves, Jingle and Jangle, go on a mission to sway Santa for the good of the holiday season. As sad as the premise sounds, it’s a warm tale that rekindles viewers’ Christmas spirit with its sense of humor and memorable songs and introduces the world to the since-popular Miser Brothers.
Klaus (2019)
Sergio Pablos‘ reimagining of Santa’s beginnings tells the tale of Jesper Johansen (Jason Schwartzman), the lazy and entitled son of Norway’s Royal Postmaster General, who is sent to the dreary town of Smeerensburg for his training in the duties his father wishes him to take over. While there, he not only winds up finding love but also friendship with Klaus (J.K. Simmons), a woodsman and toy-maker whom the world would come to know as Santa Claus. Pablos’ story is a bit of a sleeper hit and pulls its characterization of Santa from the more traditional lore. Klaus is a stark but familiar departure from the red-and-white version that Coca-Cola has oversaturated the holidays with. Couple its unique visuals with a story that is both captivating and lovable, and you have a wonderful Netflix film for the whole family.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
The Pumpkin King’s adventure to Christmas Town and subsequent misadventure is another annual staple. It originated as a poem by Tim Burton and is commonly what people think of when they think of the term “Burton-esque.” While the famed artist is often mistaken as the director, Henry Selick is actually at the movie’s creative helm and would later go on to direct James and the Giant Peach (1996). The Nightmare Before Christmas may look creepy and scary, but it’s the complete opposite. It’s a great family adventure that is perfect for the Halloween and Holiday seasons.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Rankin-Bass built a Christmas legacy that surpasses the production company’s lifetime and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a perfect example of that. The television special is the longest-running that’s specific to Christmas and its success led not only to sequels but also the production of Rankin-Bass’ other movies – some of which were a bit wild, to say the least. To this day, Rudolph remains a seasonal success and holds high regard from critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, which is impressive considering that he was only created as a marketing ploy for the Montgomery Ward department store.
Frozen/Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (2013/2017)
Okay – so this one is more “Christmas-adjacent.” The Christmas short here is actually Olaf’s Frozen Adventure. The story returns the audience to Arendale during their first royal celebration since the original feature. During the event’s preparations, Anna (Kristen Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel) realize they have no Christmas customs of their own (aside from building a snowman, presumably. Don’t worry, this is addressed later in the movie.), so Olaf (Josh Gad) and Sven take it upon themselves to scout out traditions from the townsfolk to adopt. The featurette is only 20 minutes, but in order to appreciate it, you should watch Frozen first. Sure – Christmas isn’t exactly what Frozen is about, but it’s still a great movie that takes place during Winter. Just switch out the reindeer for a moose, and the elves for Olaf and some trolls, and let it go.
Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2009)
Say what you will about Robert Zemeckis‘ choices with digital animation but his adaptation of A Christmas Carol stays almost exactly in line with the original’s story, pulling visuals, scenes, and lines directly from it. When prepping for the role of Ebenezer, Jim Carrey took a strong influence from Alastair Sim‘s performance as Scrooge from the 1951 adaptation, which is regarded as the industry’s best take on the character. Visually, as well as through Carrey’s delivery of the miser, it’s one of the best depictions of Scrooge – despite his wealth, there is clearly nothing pleasant about this man until the end. It’s also one of the few versions to lean into the story’s “haunt” aspect, allowing it to stand out in this way. Joining Carrey is a line-up of stars lending their talents, such as Carey Elwes, Gary Oldman, and the late Bob Hoskins.
