Christmas is a time to gather with the family to watch some cherished TV specials. Whether you’re watching beloved classics or new favorites, animated Christmas specials are perfect to get people in a festive mood. Here are five animated Christmas specials that the whole family can enjoy together.
5 Festive Animated Christmas Specials
1. “A Garfield Christmas”
This special used to air every year, but now it’s fallen into obscurity. Why? It’s a hilarious tale of Garfield, Jon, and Odie spending Christmas with Jon’s family and the shenanigans that ensue. It’s full of Garfield’s trademark humor, but it also has some touching moments that show the true meaning of Christmas. You don’t even need a streaming service to watch it – you can watch it officially for free on YouTube.
2. The “Prep and Landing” Trilogy
The “Prep and Landing” Disney specials are a super-fun look into the lives of elves who prepare houses for Santa’s arrival. The elves Wayne and Lanny have a great dynamic that manages to be both hilarious and heartwarming, and the world the specials create shows us a full elf society. I think Disney should make this world into a Disney+ miniseries. In any case, these specials deserve to be ranked among the classic Christmas specials.
3. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”
I’m trying to include some underappreciated Christmas specials in this list, but I couldn’t leave out this stone-cold classic. Though the Grinch’s story has been adapted several times, this is the original adaptation that set the standard. Unforgettably narrated by Boris Karloff, this special teaches us about how Christmas is much more than materialism. Also, “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” will forever be stuck in our heads.
4. “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town”
I could have easily filled this list with Rankin/Bass classics, but in the interest of not being redundant, I just picked out my favorite. This Santa Claus origin story is narrated by Fred Astaire (yes, that Fred Astaire), and features Mickey Rooney voicing a young Kris Kringle who’s full of energy. The songs are super catchy, the characters are appealing, and that old Rankin/Bass stop-motion style will always be charming.
5. “The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special”
If you have Disney+ and a family full of “Star Wars” fans, don’t miss this hilarious special. Full of quirky Lego humor, this special gives us a zany time-travel plot that both makes fun of the “Star Wars” universe and pays tribute to it. It gives nerdy families a chance to laugh their heads off instead of arguing about which trilogy is the best or which lightsaber color is cooler.
Be Festive With Christmas Specials!
Of course, you shouldn’t leave out the classic Christmas specials like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,” or “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” There are hundreds of great animated Christmas specials out there that the whole family can enjoy together. It’s the perfect way to get cozy for the holiday season.
