The market for holiday entertainment is one that continues to be oversaturated year after year, but there’s no denying that there are some classic genres that work better than others. In particular, the demand for animated Christmas specials that appear to the whole family and not just children is a demand that will never subside.
Whether families prefer old classic animated specials or stories for a new generation, or whether they prefer 2D hand-drawn animation or computer-generated animation, there is truly something for everyone in this area of Christmas entertainment. But it’s also true that there are some specials that are worth watching more than others – these ten included.
Updated on December 19th 2021 by Danielle Bruncati: Christmas TV animated specials used to be a bigger thing in the early years of television but as Christmas movies and themed tv episodes took off, specials seem to disappear. However, the late 2000s and 2010s have attempted to resurrect the beloved tradition of Christmas tv specials with a selection of original specials that often feature beloved movie characters.
15 Disney’s: Prep & Landing (2009)
Available On Disney+
Prep & Landing is one of Disney’s most recent animated Christmas specials that has become so popular it’s been featured at the Disney Parks in Orlando. The TV special centers on Wayne, a hardworking elf who helps prepare houses for Santa’s arrival. Expecting a promotion, Wayne is gutted when his former partner gets the promotion over him and lashes out by letting his trainee do all the work.
Full of action and hilarious shenanigans, Prep & Landing is the perfect animated special for the whole family to enjoy together.
14 Shrek The Halls (2007)
Not Available To Stream
Shrek is one of Dreamwork’s biggest and best-animated movie franchises so it’s no wonder that they got their very own Christmas animated special in the early 2000s. Now a doting father, Shrek has made it his mission to give Fiona and his kids the best Christmas ever. The only problem is, Shrek doesn’t know the first thing about the festive season.
With a little help from Donkey, Gingy, and Puss in Boots, Shrek is able to pull together a great Christmas even though it takes a couple of tries. Shrek The Halls is perfect for Shrek fans and anyone who likes a bit of gross humor with their holidays.
13 Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (2017)
Available On Disney+
While Olaf’s Frozen Adventure first premiered as the short in front of Disney’s animated movie Coco, it made its TV debut not long after on ABC solidifying it as a Christmas TV special. The special centers on Olaf who sets out across Arendale to collect everyone’s family traditions to present to Elsa and Anna to cheer them up.
Not only does Olaf Frozen Adventure revisit all the best characters from Frozen, but it also features six brand new songs including Olaf’s catchy “That Time of Year.”
12 How to Train Your Dragon: Homecoming (2019)
Available To Rent On Prime Video
How to Train Your Dragon is another popular Dreamworks franchise that has had two successful animated holiday specials. The most recent released in 2019 on NBC and took place before the epilogue of the third and final film in the series.
The special centers on Hiccup and Astrid who learn that their children are scared of dragons since they no longer live amongst them. Determined to teach them that they have nothing to worry about, Astrid brings back the Snoggletog Pageant to teach the kids their town’s history. Meanwhile, Toothless teaches his own children about humans which encourages them to sneak out and fly to New Berk.
11 Shaun The Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas (2021)
Available On Netflix
2021 newest animated holiday special Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas hit Netflix in December and seems to be a hit amongst fans. Instead of airing a Christmas-themed episode in the children’s series of the same name, the creators opted for a stand-alone special instead.
While Shaun is initially excited about the holidays his mood quickly deflates when he discovers Timmy has gone missing after the sheep raid the farmhouse. It’s now a race against time for Shaun to save Timmy before it’s too late.
10 If You Give A Mouse A Christmas Cookie (2016)
Available On Prime Video
One of the more recent animated holiday specials made for television was actually made for a streaming platform, Amazon Prime. If You Give A Mouse A Christmas Cookie is an extension of Amazon’s series adaptation of the beloved children’s books by Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond.
In this adorable special, the beloved Mouse is in search of Christmas cookies, while he and all of his friends – including Pig, Cat, Moose, Dog, and their human owners – get ready for the big Christmas pageant.
9 The Snowy Day (2016)
Available On Prime Video
Another recent streaming gem also hails from Amazon Prime’s Christmas entertainment line. Released in 2016, The Snowy Day is a sweet, soothing adaptation of the classic picture book by Ezra Jack Keats.
With a gorgeous and relaxing score by Boyz II Men, The Snowy Day follows the adorable young boy Peter as he explores the snow-filled city streets. In his signature red snow suit, Peter goes on one adventure after another while trying to get to his grandmother’s house to retrieve her famous macaroni and cheese for Christmas dinner.
8 An Elf’s Story: The Elf on the Shelf (2011)
Available On Netflix
Though the special may not be loved by all audiences, it’s impossible to deny the charm and cheer of the global phenomenon known as Elf on the Shelf.
Based on the beloved children’s book and holiday decoration, the 2011 animated special tells the story of Chippy, the elf assigned to help a young boy desperately in need of some Christmas spirit and holiday cheer. Simple and warm, the special boasts an adorable cast of elf characters and a loving depiction of the bond between a boy and his toy.
7 Jack Frost (1934)
Available On Prime Video
One of the more underrated classics to hail from Rankin/Bass Productions is the 1979 special Jack Frost. The special tells the story of the beloved classic winter spirit Jack Frost, who for one holiday season is given the chance to be human after he falls in love with a human girl, Elsa.
Though the overall message of the special is a bittersweet one, as it finds Jack’s love unrequited in an ironic turn, the special is nevertheless filled with lovable characters, including the pint-sized Holly, Pardon-Me-Pete, and Snip, as well as some truly catchy songs.
6 ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas (1974)
Available On Philo
The 1974 Rankin/Bass special ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas brings to life the beloved 1823 classic poem by Clement Clarke Moore, but it does so with a twist. Focusing on two coexisting families, one human and one mouse, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas tells the story of how the town Junctionville tries to prepare for the arrival of St. Nicholas.
In particular, there are two dueling conflicts: the building and repair of a new clock tower bell, and the possibility that Santa Claus will not visit the town that year after a letter is publicized expressing doubt of his existence. In the end, Christmas spirit abounds in Junctionville, all thanks to the actions of a creature as small as a mouse.
5 Frosty the Snowman (1969)
Available To Rent On Apple TV
One of the many Christmas specials inspired by classic Christmas carols also happens to be one of the very best of them. Frosty the Snowman, released by Rankin/Bass in 1969, tells the story of the familiar old snowman friend and his first visit with the children who created him.
The special complicates the classic tune’s tale, introducing a villainous foe in the magician Professor Hinkle, a trip to the North Pole to find Frosty’s true habitat, and a heart-wrenching sequence in which Frosty sacrifices himself to save his dear young friend Karen. But by the end, it’s clear that Frosty will be back again next year on Christmas Day, just as promised.
4 How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
Available On Peacock
Though the Grinch himself may represent the absolute antithesis of Christmas, there’s no denying that the legacy of How the Grinch Stole Christmas extends far beyond the original special. Remade time and again in movie and musical form, the story of the Grinch is perhaps one of the truest examples of the reason of the season.
While the Grinch spends much of the animated special terrorizing the poor unsuspecting residents of Whoville, it is his unexpected connection with Cindy Lou Who, his astonishment at the sincerity of humanity’s faith in the holiday, and his heart growing three sizes in the special’s final moments that demonstrate what Christmas truly is all about.
3 Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970)
Available To Rent On Vudu
Yet another classic Christmas animated special owes its very existence to yet another classic Christmas carol. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, released by Rankin/Bass in 1970, tells the origin story of the man who would become Santa Claus, Kris Kringle (as performed by Mickey Rooney).
The special, narrated by Fred Astaire, features some of the most iconic and memorable characters in all of Christmas special history, including the Winter Warlock, Burgermeister Meisterburger, and Tanta Kringle and the Kringle family. It also features some truly iconic songs in addition to the titular track, such as “Put One Foot in Front of the Other” and “The First Toymaker to the King.”
2 A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
Available On Apple TV+
Charlie Brown might be a character always down in the dumps, but even he can’t help but get swept up in the holiday spirit in the beloved animated classic A Charlie Brown Christmas. Arguably the standout holiday special within a Peanuts canon filled with them, A Charlie Brown Christmas has been a beloved tradition since it first aired in 1965.
It’s hard to find a single beat of the special that doesn’t work on all levels. From the school Christmas nativity pageant, to the gang dancing to Schroeder’s Christmas music, to Charlie Brown’s sad little Christmas tree and the gang showing up to save the day, the Peanuts are at their best in this deeply moving and powerful Christmas special.
1 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Available For Rent On Apple TV
Once again continuing the series of treasured holiday classics inspired by beloved Christmas songs, the timeless Rankin/Bass classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is arguably the very best of them all. The 1964 special tells the tale of the adorable holiday underdog Rudolph, as well as his unexpected best friend Hermey the elf who wants to be a dentist.
It also introduces countless other iconic characters to the canon, including all inhabitants of the Island of Misfit Toys, Bumble the Abominable Snowman, and Yukon Cornelius. With a rousing music soundtrack including songs like “Jingle, Jingle, Jingle,” “Silver and Gold,” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” the special works on every level imaginable and truly excels in making viewers feel the Christmas spirit.
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