50 Best Christmas Specials (40-31)

40. Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales (1979)
As popular as Looney Tunes are you would think they would have a Christmas classic.  This is pretty standard fun, nothing close to the best from Warner Bros.  but definitely the best of Looney Tunes in the seventies.  This has three shorts: A Christmas Carol with Bugs Bunny as the three ghosts, a Road Runner winter short, and Taz getting mixed up for Santa.  This would be fun to see on TV, but it has never really reaired.

39. It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992)
The first follow-up to A Charlie Brown Christmas.  I prefer this one to Charlie Brown Christmas Tales and I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown.  It is based on the best of the Christmas comic strips and has some fun bits with Peppermint Patty and Marcy.  This never reaired, but would be nice to see again.

38. From All of Us to All of You (1958)
In the fifties Disney only had one hour a week of programming, their movies were released in theatres sporadically, there was no home entertainment or internet.  So seeing Disney animation on television must have seemed like a real treat.  Jiminy Cricket was a good choice for a narrator, who introduces clips from shorts such as Snow White and Peter Pan (the clips would be updated in subsequent airings).   The titular song is a fun Christmas carol that Disney has reused many times.  This is still huge in Europe where it is a Christmas tradition and gets huge ratings every year along with Ferdinand the Bull.

37. what I want (2006)
In this Strong Bad e-mail Strong Bad explains what he doesn't want for Decemberween through means of a home shopping network show.  This short takes jabs at homemade gifts and ornaments.  "These gifts are forgettably precious."

36. Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
We only like this short for two reasons: Heat Miser and Snow Miser.  The rest does not make much sense.  Do people believe in Santa or not in this special?  Oh well, Heat Miser and Snow Miser is one of the best Christmas special songs that saves this special.

35. Yule Log (1966)
A loop of a fireplace with public domain Christmas carols does not seem that great, but the story behind it is pretty cool.  This was WPIX's gift to New Yorkers without fireplaces and also allowed employees to go home on Christmas.  Many stations picked this idea up and it is still being used in several markets today.  DVDs have been sold of this and it is even available on Netflix streaming.  A simple Christmas tradition, but sometimes those are the best.

34. Jack Frost (1979)
Okay this is a Groundhog Day special, but what network will air an animated special at any time besides Christmas?  This is a fun special with some creatively designed characters.  Jack Frost is a likable, charming character and I love Buddy Hackett's groudhog.  Not one I've seen in a while, but I always enjoy it.

33. It's a Meaningful Life (2010)
Came across this new VeggieTales cartoon on Netflix and enjoyed it quite a bit.  I found this to be much more relatable than It's a Wonderful Life.  Instead of wishing he was never born Larry the Cucumber has regrets regarding one event.  He sees that had things gone the way he wanted that his life would have been worse.  God's plans are better than ours.  This was a message I really needed to hear, and it is one of the better VeggieTales cartoons.

32. Toy Tinkers (1949)
A classic Disney short and one of the best Chip 'n Dale cartoons.  Chip 'n Dale reek havoc in Donald's house on Christmas time.  The chipmunks size offers up some great gags with Donald's toys.  Just a fun Donald Duck short.

31. Tangerine Bear (2000)
A really sweet cartoon that has been somewhat forgotten.  It is a story of a bear with his mouth sewn upside down so nobody wants him.  He of course ends up finding out that he has a home.  The animation is surprisingly good and well designed.  Liked this a lot when I was a kid and wouldn't mind seeing it again.

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.

Over/Under Christmas Specials

The Most Overrated Christmas Special- The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

Okay, this is a famous, beloved special but why?  The only reason is that it features the great Heat Miser and Cold Miser song.  Take that away and this special is not great by any means.  The story makes no sense.  Santa quits because kids don't believe in him, children cry because they thought Santa had died, Santa meets kids who don't believe in him, Santa and some parents inspire a boy to believe in him, Santa needs to make it snow in one town to save Christmas, a girl singing Blue Christmas inspires Santa to keep being himself.  This story arc makes no sense and lacks any true emotional beats.  The song is great and Heat Miser and Cold Miser are well designed characters, but that's it.

The Most Underrated Christmas Special- Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (1978)

There are so many specials worth mentioning such as Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too, Muppet Family Christmas, The Snowman, The Richard Williams A Christmas Carol and Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.  But this is the one that is good enough to air among Rudolph, The Grinch and Charlie Brown every year and every time I watch it I am shocked that it doesn't.  It is the perfect variety show.  There is a fun old school cold open with people in Muppet costumes skating.  There are three great subplots.  Cookie Monster struggles to get through a letter to Santa as he goes insane with his obsession of cookies.  The funniest moment of the special is the horrified look on Cookie's face when Gordon tells him that people actually leave cookies as a gift for Santa.  There is the subplot were Bert and Ernie act out the Gift of the Magi, which fits the characters well.  The main subplot is Big Bird trying to find out if Santa is real.  Sesame Street does a terrific job at not answering the question but rather posing the question, does it matter?  There are so many great musical numbers in this, particularly True Blue Miracle.  I wish this aired every year, because I would always watch it.

The Most Disappointing Christmas Special- Shrek the Halls (2007)

Shrek should have only been two movies.  I love the first Shrek, it is truly the best non-Disney American animated feature.  But the series has been in a serious decline since its impressive 2001 debut.  The Christmas special is nothing more than cheap jokes and pop culture references.  Nothing is of note except for Gingy's fear of Santa as he always eats gingerbread houses.  It is a shame because the Shrek cast is likable and iconic and deserve a better yearly special.

The Most Surprising Christmas Special- A Garfield Christmas Special (1987)

I first came across this special a few years ago and I couldn't believe that I hadn't seen it before.  Garfield and Friends is probably my second favorite cartoon ever and it does a better job than the comics at interpreting Garfield.  This special is unique as it is one of the few to show a real family at Christmas.  The Arbuckles are a great example of a traditional farm family.  This special also acknowledges the reality of having Christmas after losing a loved one.  I applaud this special for coming up with a small, original story instead of rehashing A Christmas Carol as Garfield could easily play Scrooge.  In fact, I think that the best thing about this special is that Garfield doesn't change.  He will always be cynical and fat, but he can still appreciate Christmas.  This special has its heart-warming moments but can also be hilarious.  The funniest scene is a well timed sequence of Garfield trying to put a star on the tree.  Garfield ends up saying, "Whoever invented Christmas trees should be dragged out into the street and shot."

My Guilty Pleasure Christmas Special- We Wish You a Turtle Christmas (1994)

Yes this is indeed one of the worst pieces of media to ever shamefully use the good name of Christmas, but it the fun kind of terrible.  Unlike The Star Wars Holiday Special the TMNT holiday show is short and has some sort of structure.  The special effects are so bad and the songs are terrible that I can't help but watch it on YouTube every year.  The best part is when Raphael says that Mikey is turning into, "that opera guy again," implying that Michelangelo has done this before.

My Favorite Christmas Special- Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)

This is one of the most underrated cartoons in Disney's library.  Made during one of the lowest periods for animation, Burny Mattinson and several up and coming Disney legends managed to craft one of the best adaptations of Dickens' classic tale.  The cartoon cuts out several scenes and adds several as well, making it stand out from other direct, faithful adaptations.  This version is perfectly cast.  Ebenezer Scrooge is already somewhat of a cartoon character so having him played by Scrooge McDuck works beautifully.  You couldn't ask for a kinder soul to play Bob Cratchit than Mickey Mouse and the scene where he is grieving over the grave of Tiny Tim is absolutely heart-wrenching.  Also Pete as The Ghost of Christmas Future is terrifying and the only time I think that apparition has ever spoken.  It is cinematic, exciting, funny, heart-warming, sad, scary, just a perfect tradition to watch.

The Worst Christmas Special- Pinocchio's Christmas (1980)

Of course there are many bad Christmas specials but one of the many dreadful Rankin-Bass specials deserves the bottom prize.  There are many sequels to classics and other cartoons that are utterly unenjoyable but Pinocchio at Christmastime is the premise that seems to make the least sense.  Why do you want to see Pinocchio after the main story?  Who would want to see Pinocchio at Christmastime?  This is extremely forgettable.  I don't remember any songs or characters fondly.  The thing that I remember most is that for some reason Geppetto keeps taking off his toupee (is this supposed to be a funny running gag?) and really wants to buy Pinocchio a book for school (are there no libraries?).  Another strange aspect is that in this special Pinocchio is a real boy, but all of the characters are done by marionettes.  Of course Rankin-Bass gifted us with many other travesties, but this is their worst television special.

The Best Christmas Special- A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Just edging out How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the very first adaptation of Charles Schulz's legendary comic strip is an qualified home run.  The limited animation manages to keep the simplicity and style of the Peanuts illustrations but also the simplicity of childhood and Christmas.  Unlike future Peanuts specials this one is more than just reusing jokes from the comics, there is a storyline and a great pay off in Charlie Brown being happy.  Also the fact that nobody seems to have a problem with this special directly mentioning the birth of Christ is huge, in fact that is the main reason that this special is still viewed so often today.  To me this special embodies what a great Christmas special means and it is the highlight of Christmas entertainment.  Nothing else is as iconic and meaningful.  No matter how many times you watch this you walk away thinking, feeling and enjoying yourself.  It is the most perfect Christmas movie, short or special you could find.