50 Best Christmas Specials (30-21)

30. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1948)
While we all recognize Rankin-Bass' adaptation as a holiday masterpiece, there was also an animated short from Fleischer.  This is a fun, well animated short film with a very likable Rudolph.  It is not as memorable as the Rankin-Bass Rudolph, but it tells the story in its own way.  If you have ever bought a video/DVD full of public domain shorts or watched a public access station around Christmastime you have seen this short.

29. The Small One (1978)
One of the few good animated efforts from Disney in the seventies and an early achievement of legendary Don Bluth, whose influence seems more present than Disney's.  This is a sweet story of a boy who needs to sell his donkey, of course this being a Christmas short you know exactly where this story is going.  It does tug at the heart strings and the religious scenes are well done.  The short may be a little long, but Disney should still pull this out more often.

28. John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together (1979)
This is of course the special that introduced the Muppets version of 12 Days of Christmas, which I always seem to hear on the radio this time of year.  John Denver is an ideal celebrity host for a Muppet special, even though I am not really familiar with him.  He is pleasant and not afraid to make fun of himself, and shows no ego.  He reacts to the Muppets and lets them be funny.  These are all things that were completely absent from Lady Gaga's recent unfunny, poorly written special.  John Denver and the Muppets also features a fun bit with Miss Piggy.

27. The Night Before Christmas (1933)
This is Disney's sequel to Santa's Workshop.  The best adaptation of Clement C. Moore's classic rhyme that I have ever seen.  The padding added is all fun and moves along with the story.  This is of course one of the best Santas ever animated and it is fun to see him again.

26. Robbie the Reindeer in Hooves of Fire (2000)
This BBC special premiered stateside on Fox Family with its original British voice cast, but was later redubbed with American celebrities on CBS.  Personally I think that the British voices work better, but the American edit is paced a bit better.  This is a very unique special, with a unique sense of humor and appealing stop-motion.  It is not Rankin-Bass stop-motion, which is nice to see as so many specials around Christmas time use stop-motion as an easy reference to classic Christmas specials.  Robbie's animation has its own style.

25. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1985)
It is a shame that this Rankin-Bass special does not have a larger following because it is one of their best.  Instead of being a celebrity driven musical it feels much more like an eighties fantasy, which stop-motion lends itself well to.  This is a fun origin story and features an incredibly likable Santa.  Think it is airing once this year, but should get better treatment.

24. A Death-Defying Decemberween (2008)
I love this cartoon as it shows Homestar's commitment to his delusion with a twist that shows him as surprisingly intelligent for his own unique logic.  Homestar spends the entire short hyping his dangerous stunt that could kill him, the stunt is sabotaged by Strong Bad and the reveal of what happens is hilarious.

23. Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988)
Just watched this on Netflix for the first time.  I had never seen Blackadder, but this is fairly accessible. Blackadder, in this special, is the nicest man in town who gives everything he has away until a casual conversation with the Spirit of Christmas convinces him that being mean might be better.  There is a lot of clever word play and some good physical humor.  The special is full of British stars including Rowan Atikinson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry and Jim Broadbent.

22. Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice (2011)

A worthy follow-up to its 2009 predecessor.  This is a special about not getting along with your family at Christmas.  It is nice to see conflicts between siblings accurately portrayed.  This one gets pretty touching.  Definitely the best sequel Christmas special that I have ever seen.

21. Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962)
I have read more about this one than I have actually seen.  I like Mr. Magoo, but this has rarely aired on TV while I've been alive.  But from what I've observed this used to be an insanely popular special, it was one of the first.  This is definitely Magoo's best known appearance and is one of the better adaptations of A Christmas Carol.

Worst Christmas Specials

10. Leprechaun's Christmas Gold (1981)- Almost surreal enough to be campy, but instead Rankin-Bass went for dull

9. Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer (2000)- I applaud the ambition to adapt the one song that should not work as a Christmas special, but there is no creativity in its standard story or cheap animation

8. Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976)- A cartoon where Rudolph and Ben Franklin explore time, help a baby and meet the Three Bears really shouldn't be able to miss, but alas it never reaches its full potential

7. Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977)- Rankin-Bass was really gunning for the heartstrings on this one, but none of the dreary plot devices that happen to the static, irritating lead character are ever deserved and it all feels cheap

6. Home Alone: Taking Back the House (2002)- Brunette Kevin McCallister's parents separate so he spends the holidays at his father's young fiance's high-tech electronic mansion.  Also French Stewart replaces Joe Pesci as Marv

5. The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)- Remembered only for its infamy, there are moments of weird that work as camp but there is no structure, effort or quality that it becomes impossible to sit through.  Princess Leia singing is awesome in a horrible way though

4. Christmas Comes to Pac-Land (1982)- I was born in 1991 so I know nothing about Pac-Man, after this I didn't want to know any more.  There is a scene where Santa and the irritating Pac-Baby cry together, that is the most memorable part

3. He-Man and She-Ra Christmas Special (1985)- Again, born in the nineties so He-Man is a franchise that bears no weight with me.  The animation is of the lowest quality and yes, a main character kidnaps two children.  Merry Christmas, kids!

2. Pinocchio's Christmas (1980)- Why?  Out of all of the premises unworthy of an hour special, did we need Pinocchio's Christmas?

1. Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979)- Rankin-Bass was well past their prime.  Attempting a feature should have really been avoided

Best Christmas Special Songs

10. From All of Us to All of You from From All of Us to All of You

From All of Us to All of You was the Christmas episode of Walt Disney's anthology series and it featured Jiminy Cricket introducing segments from Disney's animated masterpieces, which in the fifties must have been a great Christmas treat as there was no television airings, video releases or YouTube which showcased movies such as Snow White and Pinocchio.  Today there is not much point to airing the special, but it did have a few original moments one of which was the song From All of Us to All of You.  I love anything narrated by Jiminy Cricket and this song is full of the lively innocent, energy that the character brings to the screen.  It is the perfect introductory holiday carol.

9. Oh What a Merry Christmas Day from Mickey's Christmas Carol

This is the song in the opening credits and it perfectly sets the mood.  It has a timeless quality, it's full of hope and is very simple.  It is a low-key choir just singing about Christmas and it always gets me in the mood for a great story.

8. What's This? from The Nightmare Before Christmas

Danny Elfman has many great songs in the Henry Selick/Tim Burton feature, but this is the one that seems to be the most about Christmas.  It captures the curiosity and wonder of discovering Christmas.

7. Walking in the Air from The Snowman

I rediscovered this cartoon recently and I couldn't believe I had gone so many Christmases without it, it is truly beautiful.  There is no dialogue in this cartoon, it is all silent except for this song.  Sung by a boy 's choir member Walking in the Air embodies the wonder of a child playing and perfectly complements the gorgeous animation of a flying snowman.  At first it may sound odd and maybe a little eerie, but that is part of its considerable charm.

6. Holly Jolly Christmas from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph features the best original soundtrack of any Christmas special, most of which sung memorably by the great Burl Ives.  Holly Jolly Christmas is the special's signature song and has been able to stand on its own as a Christmas carol outside of the cartoon.

5. Heat Miser/Cold Miser Song from The Year Without a Santa Claus

This is a terrific example of a song elevating its feature.  The Year Without a Santa Claus is not a great special, in fact it is only remembered so fondly because this song is so catchy.  The Heat Miser and Cold Miser song have secured the cartoon's place in our culture.

4. You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch from How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Often songs in cartoons seem intrusive and unnecessary (listen to any of the songs in The Lorax), but this song, with lyrics from Theodore Geisel himself, creates an identity for the cartoon separate from its terrific source material.  It is full of memorable, clever lyrics and the deep bass voice of the unmistakable Thurl Ravenscroft.  This is an iconic Christmas tune.

3. It Feels Like Christmas from Muppet Christmas Carol

There are many great songs to be found in this Muppet movie, such as Bless Us All and One More Sleep 'Til Christmas, but the song from the Ghost of Christmas Present is one of the most joyous holiday tunes ever.  The Muppet apparition is one of the greatest triumphs of the Jim Henson studio and the character has great chemistry with Michael Caine's Scrooge, who is clearly impacted greatly by him.  His signature song is boisterous and unapologeticly sincere, great qualities for an uplifting song about the joys of the season.

2. Christmastime is Here from A Charlie Brown Christmas

It doesn't get simpler and sweeter than children's voices and Vincent Guaraldi's piano score.  This is what Christmastime sounds like and it always puts a smile on my face

1. True Blue Miracle from Christmas Eve on Sesame Street

I love Christmas Eve on Sesame Street.  I would cite this song as the second greatest tune in the show's history (after I Don't Want to Live on the Moon of course).  It is catchy, lively, and just feels like Christmas.  If the special would air every year I am sure that True Blue Miracle would as well known as it deserves to be.