Many people have favorite Christmas movies, from Elf to Home Alone, How the Grinch Stole Christmas to Die Hard. Maybe you’re partial to the sappy Hallmark Christmas movie formula. Or, you like something a bit more grown-up like The Night Before or Bad Santa. For my part, as much as I enjoy Christmas movies, it’s the classic Christmas specials on TV that hit the closest to home. And thanks to the wonders of the internet, I don’t have to shuffle around the TV Guide to find when they’re going to air.
Since these Christmas specials are on YouTube, it means we can watch them any time we want, any time of the year. But, also because they’re on YouTube and at least a couple of them appear to be unofficial uploads, they could be taken down at any time too. So, cozy up with Teddy, grab a cup of hot cocoa, and enjoy these classic Christmas specials to your heart’s delight while they’re still around.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
You know, there’s something so special about this classic style of stop motion animation. They don’t really do it anymore, which is a shame, because it makes for such a charming, unique aesthetic. NBC first aired Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1964. CBS picked up the rights in 1972 and they released a digitally remastered version in 2005. I’m partial to the depiction of the Abominable Snowman in this, for sure.
Frosty the Snowman (1969)
If you prefer more of a classic animation look, then it doesn’t get much better than Frosty the Snowman. This Christmas special first aired on CBS in 1969. And just like Rudolph, this one conveniently comes with a well-known holiday song too. Popular actor, comedian and singer Jimmy Durante played himself as the narrator. There were a few sequels, including Frosty’s Winter Wonderland in 1976 and Frosty Returns in 1992.
A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
If you hop over to Disney+, you’ll find a couple of Christmas specials featuring the Muppets: The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) and A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa (2008). The first is based on A Christmas Carol (with Scrooge and the ghosts). The latter is an original TV special where the title characters have to, you guessed it, deliver some letters to Santa.
Tragically, A Muppet Family Christmas — arguably the best one — is not on Disney+. Thankfully, it is on YouTube. Along with the core cast, we also get characters from Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and Muppet Babies. It first aired on ABC in 1987.
A Garfield Christmas Special (1987)
It’s a secret to absolutely no one that A Garfield Christmas is my personal favorite of all the Christmas specials. It’s even got that sentimental life lesson at the end. To be fair, I was a huge fan of Jim Davis and Garfield growing up in the ’80s and ’90s. I thoroughly enjoyed the comics and watched the Garfield and Friends TV show every chance I got. For A Garfield Christmas Special, we celebrate the holidays with Jon’s parents, his grandma, and his brother Doc Boy.
Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean (1992)
Last but not least, we have Rowan Atkinson is his most iconic role. Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean was the seventh episode of the first season of Mr. Bean, first airing on ITV in 1992. Curiously, the initial air date was on December 29, a few days after Christmas.
The plot consists of three parts, starting with Christmas shopping at Harrods, followed by decorating on Christmas Eve, and concluding with the excitement of Christmas Day. Of course, there’s plenty of Bean-themed tomfoolery throughout, as you’d surely expect. Who can forget the stocking he hangs up for Teddy?
Do you have any favorite Christmas specials? Does the Festivus episode of Seinfeld (“The Strike” S9E10) count? What about “The One With the Holiday Armadillo” on Friends (S7E10) or “Dwight Christmas” on The Office (S9E9)?
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